News
The latest news, updates and analysis on the the UK retail industry. Covering every segment of the market, Retail Sector’s business journalists keep you in the picture.
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Aug- 2018 -1 August
Zara unveils new delivery plans to compete with Asos and Boohoo
Zara has announced new delivery plans in order to compete with Asos and Boohoo, the new plans will see it combine its physical and online inventories. The combined inventories will mean items will be shipped from stores, with customers who live closer to stores will be able to get their…
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1 August
Shop prices in July reach lowest deflation in eight months
The non-food items category reached its lowest level of deflation since December 2017, at 1.4% in July, according to new British Retail Consortium (BRC) data. The latest BRC-Nielsen Shop Price Index showed fresh food inflation rose 1.6%, compared with only 0.8% in June, and ambient food inflation increased by 2.2%,…
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1 August
Next sales grow 2.8% but shares slump
Next’s shares slumped 6% in early trading, despite the retailer reporting sales growth of 2.8% – boosted by the hot weather – in its latest results. The clothing retailer said in its trading update for the 12 weeks ending 28 July online sales were up 12.5%, but in its retail…
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1 August
Men in retail more likely to be scrutinised for appearance at work
Men who work in retail jobs are more likely to be scrutinised for their appearance than women, according to new data. Research from job search website CV-Library found 21.4% of retail employees have to follow gender-specific rules at work, despite 61.9% agreeing that these rules are sexist. The study of…
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Jul- 2018 -31 July
Consumer confidence dips in July
Consumer confidence dropped in July despite the boost of the World Cup and heatwave, a new survey suggests. According to GfK’s most recent Consumer Confidence Index, which surveys 2,000 respondents, confidence dropped by one point to -10 compared with June. The index has registered confidence levels at zero or below…
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31 July
Games Workshop sees profit increase of £32m
Games Workshop has announced a pre-tax profit rise from £38.4m in the previous financial year to £74.5m in 2018. The hobby retailer also saw a £42m rise in revenue from £158m to £220m over the same period. Operating profit before receivable royalties also saw a large rise from £38.3m up…
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31 July
Dixons Carphone data breach hits 10 million
Electronics retailer Dixons Carphone has issued an apology to its customers after data breaches in 2017 allowed unauthorised access to the personal data of over 10 million people. In a statement the company said it is contacting all of its customers to apologise and advise them of protective steps to…
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31 July
Wickes owner Travis Perkins lowers profit outlook amid ‘challenging DIY market’
The parent company of DIY retailer Wickes, Travis Perkins, has announced that profits “will be lower than previously expected” amid a “challenging DIY market”. For the six-month period ending June 30, Travis Perkins reported a 4.4% increase in revenue to £3.3bn, attributed to good trading performance in the trade-focused businesses…
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30 July
Starbucks launches 5p cup charge in UK
Starbucks is rolling out a 5p paper cup charge in all 950 UK stores, following a three-month trial in London. The company has added the 5p charge to all beverages served in a plastic cup, and customers who bring a reusable cup in-store will be eligible for the existing 25p…
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30 July
Marks and Spencer partners with Decoded to launch ‘Data Academy’ for staff
Marks and Spencer has announced it has partnered with technology specialists Decoded to create the world’s first ‘Data Academy’ in retail. The launch of the new academy is part of the ongoing transformation of M&S, as it aims to place “digital at the heart of its business”. The M&S Data…
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