Christmas
This coverage explores the critical Christmas trading period in the UK retail sector, focusing on sales performance, promotional strategies, consumer trends, supply chain planning, and operational challenges. Reporting highlights how retailers prepare for and execute peak season campaigns to maximise revenue and manage demand. Designed for executives and managers, it provides insights into effective planning and competitive positioning during the festive season.
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Dec- 2018 -21 DecemberAdvice
Will retailers rise to the occasion this Christmas?
Retailers are entering their busiest and potentially most profitable period – but it is also their riskiest. Fail to hit the nail on the head, and retailers could struggle to make it through to next Christmas. House of Fraser, Debenhams and Marks & Spencers are just some of the stores…
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21 DecemberAdvice
How retailers can avoid the £2.4bn peak returns crisis
The Christmas peak period is often heralded as the saving grace of retail’s calendar. But any dramatic spike in sales also leads to a marked rise in the number of returned items – and this surge brings a multi-billion pound hangover which haunts UK retail through to January sales and…
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21 DecemberHigh Street
December consumer confidence ends 2018 on five-year low
GfK’s long-running Consumer Confidence Index decreased by one point in December 2018 to -14. The measure for the general economic situation of the country during the last 12 months also dropped by two points to -31 this month, the same level as December 2017, and expectations for the next 12…
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21 DecemberEconomy
London’s West End to receive £186m pre-Christmas boost
Shoppers visiting London’s West End are expected to spend £186m in the final three days before Christmas, according to New West End Company, who represent over 600 retailers, hoteliers and property owners in the region. During these final three days more discounts and promotions will be on offer, including up…
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20 DecemberAnalysis
The shift towards conscious consumerism
The UK’s ethical retail sector has grown by more than £40bn since 2008, with households spending an average of £1,263 on sustainable goods last year according to not-for-profit consultancy Ethical Consumer. With trends like Fairtrade and organic growing in prominence, people are wanting to know more about the provenance of…
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20 DecemberEconomy
Online breaks 20% of retail for first time
The quantity bought in retail sales increased by 0.4% in the three months to November 2018, driven by growths in non-food stores, online retailing and Black Friday promotions. According to the latest figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS), during the month online sales as a proportion of all…
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19 DecemberAdvice
How retail marketers can cut the cost of Christmas
Christmas is an expensive time of year for everybody – particularly retail businesses as competition intensifies around the seasonal period. In fact, brands spent a record £6bn on Christmas advertising alone last year. That’s not to mention the cost of Christmas-themed point-of-sale materials, seasonal collateral, digital elements, visual merchandising and…
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19 DecemberHigh Street
Footfall drops in lead-up to Christmas trading period
Footfall dropped by 0.1% during the second week December, according to the latest figures from Springboard. However, the drop appears marginal compared with the decline in footfall in the same week last year when snow and ice swept the UK on Sunday shutting roads and transport hubs, creating difficulties until…
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19 DecemberDepartment Stores
John Lewis bucks retail woes with festive sales increase
John Lewis has bucked retail troubles reporting a total sales increase of 1.8% for the week to 15 December. The retailer blamed the rise on price-matching discounts and increased business from Christmas shoppers. The rise has defied trends elsewhere in the retail sector, where companies such as Asos have issued…
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19 DecemberEconomy
Lowest November growth in seven years for online retail
UK online retail sales suffered its worst November growth since 2011 last month coming in at just +8.1% year-on-year (YoY), as Black Friday discounting failed to encourage consumer spending, according to the latest IMRG Capgemini e-Retail Sales Index. November fell below the three- (+8.3%), six- (+10.5%) and 12-month (+12.2%) sales…
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