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.
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Feb- 2019 -5 February
The true impact of loyalty card fraud
As banks and credit card issuers invest more resources in making card fraud tougher, criminals are following the money and setting their sights on loyalty points programmes. Loyalty card fraud is a growing problem for retailers; these accounts are regarded as ‘easy pickings’ by the fraudsters, typically only protected by…
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4 February
How UK retailers can make the most of Chinese New Year
Chinese New Year falls on the 5th of February this year and ushers in a week-long, national holiday in China. This major holiday, known as Golden Week, is a prime time for Chinese people to travel abroad, and the UK is one of their top destinations. Why is the UK…
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1 February
Reduce waiting times and improve customer experience
It is no secret that competition among brick-and-mortar retailers is at an all-time high. Even after a relatively busy Christmas period, the high street has seen a number of store closures, with M&S and House of Fraser among the major names to announce swathes of their portfolios shutting their doors.…
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Jan- 2019 -31 January
Predictions on tech for consumer retail arising from CES
Although I was hoping for announcements from CES on how 5G will change our lives and the impact AR is going to have on consumer feedback data, what did come out didn’t disappoint. The five key developments announced at CES that piqued our interest were: Halford’s smart ‘Cybic bikes’, linked…
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30 January
Digital transformation – the key to a truly engaged customer and workforce
Retail is one of the most challenging sectors in the UK right now, particularly with the collapse of the British high-street regularly splashed across the front pages. No matter whether a shop front is online or a physical store, all retailers are finding themselves facing the challenge of digital transformation…
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29 January
The UK’s high street woes
There are few sectors where the effects of the faltering UK economy have been more starkly visible than the retail sector. It seems that every day the media presents another story about a high street name facing financial difficulty. There are a multitude of factors playing into the softening consumer…
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28 January
The influence of lighting in retail settings
As online shopping continues to dominate the retail sector, bricks-and-mortar shops are having to up the ante to bring in customers and make those all-important sales. Creating the right atmosphere is crucial to the modern shopping experience. To achieve a customer-friendly environment, shops can mobilise background features such as appropriate…
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25 January
Why retailers no longer need to get hung up in their fight against waste
The war on single use plastics has stepped up a gear. Since the shocking images from the BBC’s Blue Planet were beamed across living rooms last year, the public clamour for a solution to reducing single-use plastics waste has grown louder than it has ever been. For the fashion retailers,…
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24 January
Three common factors among retail survivors
It is hard to remember a time when analysts were not being harbingers of doom for the British high street. 2018 saw Toys R Us and Maplin disappear while House of Fraser, Claire’s and Superdry are three of many retailers who have announced profit warnings or store closure. Why are…
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23 January
How retailers can maximise profits and survive in 2019
It is no secret that the past year has been a challenging time for UK retail. Declining profits, closing shops and changing consumer behavior has contributed to the worst year in retail since the global recession a decade ago. Retailers such as Toys R Us, Maplin, New Look, Mothercare, and…
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