Year: 2019

Wilko strikes called off after staff accept ‘improved’ work rota

Strike action by GMB members at Wilko have been called off after staff accepted a new deal offered by the company. Around 1,800 GMB members at two Wilko distribution centres – in Magor, Wales and Worksop, Nottinghamshire – were due to walk out on 21 and 22 October over “forced”…

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Wickes helps boost Travis Perkins Q3 sales by 3.8%

DIY retailer Travis Perkins has reported a 3.8% increase in Q3 sales boosted in part by a “strong performance” from its Wickes brand. For the three month period ending 30 September 2019, Travis Perkins saw like-for-like sales increase by 3.4%, with its Toolstation brand recording total sales growth of 21.3%…

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Consumer confidence drops in Q3 amid continued Brexit uncertainty

The Deloitte consumer confidence index fell to -9% in Q3 2019, one point lower than in the previous quarter and two points lower compared to the same period a year ago. Confidence is now at a level last seen in Q4 2018 and below the Deloitte Consumer Tracker’s long-running average.…

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Tommy Hilfiger appoints Michael Scheiner as CMO

Tommy Hilfiger has appointed Michael Scheiner as its new chief marketing officer (CMO), effective October 28. With over 15 years of experience at global brands, he joins the brand from Hollister.Co., where he served as senior vice president of global marketing. He has also previously worked for brands such as…

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Sports Direct acquires Brookfield Shopping Park for £25m

Sports Direct has acquired Brookfield Shopping Park, a 93,000 sq ft Shopping Park in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire for £25.4m. According to the retailer, the shopping park is set to receive “significant” investments, which will include a total modernisation of the exterior of the all store facias. Plans also include new leisure,…

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How to bring the department store CX to your digital channels

The past few years have been cataclysmic for the health and beauty industry; with new pressures, market forces and trends at play, from sustainability, issues surrounding representation and transparency of supply chain management and ingredients. These moving parts have not been made easier by changes in consumer behaviour and a…

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The Entertainer reports 29% increase in profits to £14.7m

Toy retailer The Entertainer has defied the high-street gloom and reported a 29% increase in pre-tax profits to £14.7m. According to The Sunday Times, the profit increase was attributed to an increase in sales to £204.4m, up from £37.3m the previous. The Entertainer was founded by husband-and-wife team Gary and…

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Matalan strike suspended after bosses offer new pay deal

A long-running Matalan strike has been called off after bosses made GMB members a new pay offer. More than 500 workers at Matalan’s Northern Distribution Centre based in Knowsley, Merseyside, had been on strike after management made a pay offer which GMB said amounted to a “real terms pay cut”.…

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Bonmarché enters administration putting 2,900 jobs at risk

Womenswear retailer Bonmarché has entered administration, resulting in around 2,900 jobs being placed at risk including 200 at its head office. With 318 branches located around the UK, Bonmarché appointed FRP Advisory as administrators who said the brand had a “sustained period of challenging trading conditions.” Alastair Massey, Tony Wright…

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Staying one step ahead in retail’s shifting cybersecurity landscape

New advancements in technology are changing the retail industry in unprecedented ways, further blending the physical and digital worlds and forever evolving customer experience. As the industry changes, so do the methods cybercriminals use to steal sensitive data from companies and consumers. Prior to 2018, cybersecurity data suggested that the…

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