Features

Is Labour’s five-point plan a starting point to revive high streets?

Can you tell me about yourself and your experience in the retail sector? I‘ve been working in retail for the past three years, having joined BRC the week before lockdown in March 2020. I work in our corporate affairs team, which has responsibility for running the BRC’s public affairs and…

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What can retailers learn from grocery stores?

The KPMG consumer pulse survey released recently says that 61% of people will have to reduce non-essential spending, do you agree?  We’re finding that customers are definitely more selective about their purchases, obviously because of a lack of available spare funds, particularly when it comes to retail fashion, clothing and…

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Falling into administration – should you be worried?

Since the beginning of a new decade, we have heard of many high-profile retailers such as Made, Missguided, Joules, Paperchase, M&Co and Kath Kidston fall into administration to varying degrees of success. This is no coincidence; during 2022, administrations were actually 55% higher than the previous year, according to government…

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Brendan McDowell: ‘Online marketing has been huge’

Can you tell us a little bit about your background in cosmetics and what led you to start this company? I worked for LivingSocial for five years, working with a lot of beauty salons. At the time, I noticed that there was a gap in the market for really strong…

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It’s always someone’s birthday: gift cards remain evergreen

Inflation and rising living costs have turned consumers into paranoid penny-pinchers, who are cautiously awaiting the next fiscal catastrophe to empty their wallets once again. According to Barclays, nearly six in 10 Brits are actively curbing their discretionary purchases, which has led to just a 5.5% uplift in year-on-year spending…

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BaxterStorey’s supermarket venture using AI technology

     What was the idea behind The Social Bee store? What compelled you to utilise Amazon’s Just Walk Out technology? We opted to partner with Amazon and implement the Just Walk Out technology for several reasons. Firstly, we needed an extended hours offer where the customer could still get good quality…

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Bazaarvoice takes an ‘and’ strategy to UCG in e-retail

Can you tell us a little bit about your career and your role as CMO for Bazaarvoice? Before joining Bazaarvoice, I was a marketing leader at different tech companies including IBM, SAP, and Rackspace Technology, as well as private equity portfolio firm Syniti. And previous to that, I actually worked…

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Data is the perfect conversation starter for retailers  – check out Tesco for proof

Improving online and in-store integration is a priority for many omnichannel retailers in 2023. Tesco, for instance, has seen huge success by making its Tesco Pay + app integral to improving the customer in-store experience. The app allows customers to pay with their phones and collect Clubcard points, and has…

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History of Subway: how a small sandwich shop became worth $10bn

Subway is a well known sandwich shop that sells subs. It’s a staple of most British high streets and at one point was the most ubiquitous fast food store in the world with even more sites than McDonalds. However, in recent weeks reports have emerged that the owners Doctor’s Associates…

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EPR for Packaging – are you covered?

EPR for packaging has arrived. Businesses have already started collecting data, and the first data submissions are due by October. So, What is EPR? In a nutshell, extended producer responsibility (EPR) for packaging makes producers responsible for the cost of collecting, sorting and recycling household packaging. This includes the funding…

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