Comment
Comment features expert perspectives and thought leadership from across the UK retail industry. This section includes opinion pieces, analysis, and commentary from senior retail executives, analysts, and sector specialists on the commercial, strategic, and operational forces shaping retail. Retail Sector’s Comment coverage explores issues such as consumer behaviour shifts, technology adoption, sustainability, regulation, and leadership — providing retail professionals with authoritative insight to inform decision-making and strategic planning.
-
Sep- 2023 -19 September
Retail store layout design: A step-by-step guide to maximising sales
In the competitive world of retail, the layout of your store can significantly impact your sales figures. A well-designed store layout can enhance customer experience, increase foot traffic, and ultimately boost revenue. To help retailers make the most of their physical space, here are some key strategies for maximising sales…
Read More » -
18 September
A practical guide to effective inventory management for retailers
Efficient inventory management is the cornerstone of a successful retail business. It ensures that products are available when customers want them, minimises carrying costs, and maximises profits. Here are some crucial tips for retailers to effectively manage their inventory and stay ahead in the competitive market. Implement a robust inventory…
Read More » -
Aug- 2023 -10 August
Greggs’ recipe for success
By May 2023, Greggs’ sales had shot up by nearly a fifth compared with the same time in 2022, as its offering of sausage rolls and pasties remained “compelling” to customers during the cost-of-living crisis. In the spring of this year, the country-wide chain of bakeries also revealed that hot…
Read More » -
Jul- 2023 -14 July
Prime Day 2023: here’s what we know
Amazon’s Prime Day, a global annual shopping event organised by Amazon, has gained notoriety among Prime members since it was first introduced in 2015. While Prime Day 2023 is behind us now, the results of the total spend by consumers has not yet been quantified. Luckily, we have last year’s…
Read More » -
5 July
Is AI retail’s friend or foe?
Generative AI is the latest buzzword to trend its way across the globe. Supercharged by the popularity of the ChatGPT tool released in November 2022, the world’s largest companies have all accelerated their development and adoption of AI into their products and services. It is clear, amidst the hype, that…
Read More » -
3 July
“The old storefront model is dead”: the future of retail are pop-up shops
Pop-ups as temporary stores have been around since before the pandemic, yet it seems to be an increasing trend. Is that so? Have you noticed an increase in demand? We’ve definitely seen an increase in demand across the board of space rentals. I think particularly being able to book something…
Read More » -
Jun- 2023 -30 June
Hotel Chocolat is in a bad way – but so are other chocolatiers
Over the course of Easter 2023, the UK was responsible for one in eight Easter-related chocolate launches, according to research from Mintel’s Global New Products Database (GNPD), while seasonal Easter chocolate products also saw a 19% rise over the past 12 months. Meanwhile, UK-based ‘free-from’ chocolate brand NOMO reported a…
Read More » -
30 June
To attract and delight customers online, you have to offer immersive experiences
By 2021, 82% of the UK population had purchased at least one product online. The digital age may be approaching a tipping point, but is it already here? Is traditional marketing set to reign supreme once more? In an era where most of the global population uses the internet, standing…
Read More » -
26 June
What is going on with Revolution Beauty and Boohoo?
The major retail story in the last week has undoubtedly been the drama around Revolution Beauty and Boohoo. In short, Boohoo, being the largest shareholder in Revolution Beauty, has been attempting to oust the current Revolution Beauty board and replace them with its own picks, something that Revolution is not…
Read More » -
23 June
How a 5% interest rate hike will affect trading
It was announced yesterday (22 June) by the Bank of England that interest rates will immediately increase from 4.5% to 5.%, marking the 13th consecutive hike since rates were first increased in December 2021 from a low of 0.1% to 0.25%. So far in 2023, this is the fifth consecutive…
Read More »
