Analysis
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Jan- 2025 -15 January
Is New Look right to close up shops?
The tax increases unveiled in the October 2024 budget have further complicated the outlook for retailers in the new year. One such high street retailer, New Look, which has managed to narrow its pre-tax loss to £21.7m in the year to March 2024, now faces the difficult task of balancing…
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Dec- 2024 -13 December
How China and ‘memory makers’ are shaping luxury retail trends
The global luxury retail market is at a turning point, navigating economic shifts, evolving consumer preferences, and new growth opportunities. Insights from Morningstar’s Luxury Landscape and other industry reports have explained what trends really shaped the luxury segment year, giving us a good idea of what to expect in 2025.…
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5 December
What’s stopping supermarkets from selling loose fruit and veg?
Aldi is taking a bold step toward reducing plastic waste by trialling 12 new loose fruit and vegetable lines across select stores in Northern England. Customers in County Durham, Cumbria, and other northern regions can now buy items like parsnips, broccoli, ginger, and oranges without the unnecessary plastic wrap. If…
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Nov- 2024 -22 November
Retail insights for the Golden Quarter ahead
The Golden Quarter – November to January – remains the most critical period for UK retailers, and in 2024, the stakes are higher than ever. Consumers are still risk-averse in the run-up to Christmas, but coupled with the rise of social commerce and growing sustainability concerns, you get both challenges…
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Oct- 2024 -18 October
A look at Mulberry’s financial struggles and future prospects
Once a darling of the British fashion scene in the 2000s, Mulberry was a go-to accessory for trendsetters like Alexa Chung with its signature leather handbags, such as the Bayswater. However, the group is now grappling with a financial crisis, reporting a pre-tax loss of £34.1m for the year ending…
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Feb- 2024 -9 February
Five lessons from the demise of The Body Shop
In the face of recent news that The Body Shop’s UK operations are preparing to enter administration, a reflection on the missteps leading to this situation offers valuable lessons for the broader retail industry. The iconic brand, founded on ethical principles and sustainability, now finds itself at a crossroads, underscoring…
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Jan- 2024 -19 January
How the Red Sea crisis could impact UK retail
Earlier this month, Next experienced supply chain delays on the Red Sea, citing “difficulties with access to the Suez Canal”. The retailer, along with other big-brand names on the high street like Poundland, fear that it may be one of the main risk factors for the year ahead, alongside the…
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12 January
WH Smith: new year – rebrand?
WH Smith decided to showcase a new, shortened version of its logo across 10 of its stores – some of which were in Preston and York – just in time for Christmas and the New Year. While the logo change was only supposed to be a test, the retailer caused…
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11 January
What went wrong with Wilko’s and who is next in 2024
As we begin the first quarter of 2024 much of the industry will be reflecting on the sector’s 2023 performance. For the majority, It was a tough year of trading. The question is what lessons have been learnt and how will the sector behave and perform this year. One of…
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Dec- 2023 -8 December
What’s in store for retailers in 2024?
The announcement made by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt in the Autumn Budget has unveiled a series of measures aimed at bolstering the UK economy, with the aim to particularly benefit retail. Hunt believes that the reduction in National Insurance, the freezing of business rates, and increments in the National Living Wage…
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