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.
-
Jan- 2018 -26 JanuaryHigh Street
Retail sales growth weakens post-Christmas
Retail sales grew slower pace during January when compared with the past four years, according to the latest monthly CBI Distributive Trades Survey. The survey also showed that, in the year to January, orders placed on suppliers fell, also against expectations of growth. Looking ahead to the next month, retailers…
Read More » -
25 JanuaryEconomy
Retail property demand at six-year low
Demand for retail property space fell to its lowest level since 2011 according to new figures from property qualifications body Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). According to the Q4 2017 RICS UK Commercial Property Market Survey demand for retail property fell for the third consecutive quarter, down 22%. Retail…
Read More » -
25 JanuaryNews
Asos reports 23% UK Christmas sales growth
Online fashion retailer Asos has revealed retail sales grew strongly in the lead-up to and during the Christmas period. Total retail sales grew by 30% to £790m in the final four months of 2017 when compared with the same period the year before. Sales in the UK also grew by…
Read More » -
24 JanuarySupermarkets
Co-op cuts prices of 600 products with £50m investment
The Co-op has announced a £50m investment to cut the cost of everyday food, lowering the prices of more than 600 products. It attributed the decision to “tight competition” on the high street. Some products have been lowered in price by over 40% and, on average, more than 600 products…
Read More » -
24 JanuaryEconomy
Pets at Home reports strong Christmas sales, ends Barkers store trail
Pet supplies retailer Pets at Home has revealed positive sales growth for the 12-week period ending on 4 January 2018, compared with the same period last year. The groups reported revenue growth of 9.6% to £223.3m, with merchandise up by 9% to £193.4m and omnichannel up 77% to £13m.…
Read More » -
24 JanuaryHigh Street
WHSmith sales fall, but airports and stations climb
High street sales for book retailer WHSmith were down 5% in the 20-week period to 20 January. Like-for-like sales in the company’s high street stores dropped by 4%, which was in line with its expectations, while total sales year-on-year remained flat, and like-for-like sales were down by 1%. The company’s…
Read More » -
22 JanuaryAdvice
How can retailers overcome the omnichannel challenges?
Consumers’ demands on retailers have intensified in the past decade. Previously, having an online store to accompany your physical shop was seen as a luxury, now it is essential and online shopping has taken the next step to meet customer demand. Consumers want the ability to shop seamlessly across multiple…
Read More » -
19 JanuaryEconomy
December 2017 sees retail sales slump
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has revealed that December 2017 had the weakest retail sales in over four years. The quantity of items bought in December decreased by 1.5% when compared with the stronger sales in November 2017. Although retail sales increased by 1.3% in December compared with the…
Read More » -
19 JanuaryEconomy
Carpetright shares crash 41.9% amid profit warning
Specialist carpet retailer Carpetright has issued another profit warning prompting shares to fall by 41.9%, at the time of writing. Analysts expected profit figures of £15.6m for the year, but the firm revised its full-year profit guidance to between £2m to £6m. Sales for the post-Christmas period were significantly behind…
Read More » -
17 JanuaryClothing & Shoes
Seasalt reports record breaking Christmas sales
Cornish fashion brand Seasalt has reported a record year for Christmas trading, with overall sales up 52% for the five weeks leading up to 6 January 2018. Strong sales growth was recorded both online and in-store, with 72% online year-on-year growth and store sales up by 40%. Additionally, international sales…
Read More »