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- 2023 -21 DecemberNews
4,500 retailers in critical financial distress, new data reveals
Nearly 4,500 retailers are now in critical financial distress as poor consumer confidence, “sticky” inflation, and elevated interest rates force consumers to hold back from spending big, even in the run up to Christmas, according to new data from Begbies Traynor. Following its findings, which analysed the first 10 weeks…
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20 DecemberEconomy
UK inflation falls to two-year low of 3.9%
UK inflation has fallen to 3.9% in the year to November, the lowest level seen in two years, according to new figures from the Office for National Statistics. The rate of inflation was lower than expected after falling from a rate of 4.6% in October, though the ONS said prices…
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19 DecemberNews
Asda opens 81 Express stores ahead of Christmas
Asda has opened a record 81 new Asda Express stores in December in a bid to bring Asda value to even more communities ahead of Christmas. The conversions of its recent acquisition of Co-op and EG UK sites, alongside the opening of eight standalone Asda Express stores, brings the total…
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18 DecemberNews
Today’s news in brief-18/12/23
Farfetch is reportedly in advanced talks with a private equity-backed buyer for a last-minute rescue deal. The deal, if successful, would involve taking Farfetch off the stock market in a take-private transaction and would result in the company receiving $500m (£394m) in emergency funding. Talks are ongoing, and while Farfetch…
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18 DecemberHealth & Beauty
Lush expects to invest almost £11m in stores ahead of New Year
Lush has committed to a projected spend of £10.6m in its UK portfolio of shops ahead of the New Year to expand the number of locations, enable relocations and make improvements. This investment by the retailer marks an £8m increase on the company’s announced investment in FY23 for the UK.…
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18 DecemberHealth & Beauty
Boots to launch AI ‘personal shopper’
Boots has plans to launch a ChatGPT ‘personal shopper’ tool for its website with the aim of boosting online sales, The Telegraph has reported. The news comes as the beauty and pharmacy retailer is reportedly testing an AI chatbot, which will be able to make recommendations for lipsticks and beauty…
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15 DecemberEconomy
A quarter of UK adults to scale back Xmas meal, survey finds
A quarter of UK adults will be scaling back their Christmas meal this year due to the current financial pressures, with 12% – up to 19% of those aged between 25 and 34 – planning to offer fewer dishes than usual, according to a survey by Strat7 Researchbods. The survey,…
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15 DecemberEconomy
Consumer confidence improves during December
Consumer confidence improved two points during December to -22 as sentiment improved ahead of Christmas. All five measures were up in comparison to last month’s announcement. The index measuring changes in personal finances during the last year is up two points at -14; this is 14 points better than December…
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14 DecemberDIY
Piglet in Bed opens first store in Harrogate
The British bedding and lifestyle brand, Piglet in Bed, has opened its first store in Harrogate this December. The retailer, which is known for its 100% linen bedding and other natural homewares, has been running as an ecommerce-only business since it was founded in West Sussex in 2017. The store…
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13 DecemberNews
Shoppers to spend over £3bn in pre-Xmas ‘panic weekend’
The 16 and 17 December, so-called the ‘panic weekend’, will see shoppers spend £3.31bn as they rush to finish their Christmas shopping, according to a new report by VoucherCodes.co.uk. The report, which has looked into Christmas shopping habits in the build up to Christmas and Boxing Day, forecasts a “strong”…
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