Year: 2019

M and G withdraws court action against Debenhams

Real estate company M and G Real Estate has withdrawn its court challenge against retailer Debenhams, helping the retailer restructure through company voluntary arrangements (CVA). M and G had originally disagreed with the CVAs, which would allow Debenhams to reduce rent leading to the real estate company filing a court…

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Why customers want to feel what they’re buying

While it may be convenient, browsing for items on a phone screen isn’t everything. In an increasingly connected world, where 66% of people suffer from nomophobia – the fear of being without your phone – brick-and-mortar spaces are making a comeback as locations where shoppers can physically experience a product.…

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What’s required for a business in the retail sector to thrive?

Latest figures from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) show that retail sales in the UK fell by 2.7% in May 2019, compared to a year earlier.  The total three-month average was also down year-on-year, reflecting the challenging environment for the sector. And yet, despite the shaky exterior, many retail businesses…

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Asda to stop offering plastic bags with online grocery shopping

Asda is to stop providing single-use plastic carrier bags with its online grocery orders, in a move that will remove around 85 million plastic bags from production each year. Following a successful trial period in south west England and from its Dartford Home Shopping Centre, Asda will remove the option…

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Select owed creditors £53m after entering administration

Fashion retailer Select “owed creditors £53.1m” to landlords and the Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) following the company’s administration in May. The retailer filed for administration in May, after it made a loss of £15.5m on sales of £117m in the 18 months to 2 December, according to accounts…

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Retail staff prefer learning new skills to pay rise, study finds

New research from CV-Library, reveals that four in 10 retail professionals (40%) say learning new skills is their main career priority right now, beating both a pay rise and a promotion. The research, which surveyed 2,000 UK professionals, found that retail professionals also want to move companies, get a new…

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Asos prepares to cut 100 head office roles as sales slow

Online retailer Asos is preparing to make around 100 of its head office staff redundant with a source saying the company’s marketing department is under threat. According to the Sunday Times, this is due to a slowdown in sales and a “botched” attempt to open a warehouse in America. In…

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Why retailers should consider implementing AI

Artificial Intelligence (AI) along with other digital technologies has fully changed the retail landscape forever because it is enabling new and exciting opportunities, the likes of which have never been seen before.  AI is enabling an end-to-end service to customers, meaning those retailers which haven’t already should fully consider implementing…

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Zalando announces plans to build fulfillment center

Zalando has announced it is to build a new £180m fulfillment center in an existing business park near Rotterdam to help cater for its western European customers. The expansion of its logistics network forms part of Zalando’s 2023/24 growth target and aims to expands its customer proposition for customers in…

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Retail sales slump in June

Like-for-like in-store sales fell by -0.8% in June according to the High Street Sales Tracker (HSST), published today by accountancy and business advisory firm BDO. The firm said the poor performance came from a weak benchmark of -1.7% for the same period last year and is a further blow to…

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