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- 2021 -13 DecemberDepartment Stores
Frasers Group launches £70m share buyback
Frasers Group has announced that it intends to launch a new share buyback scheme for a purchase price “no greater” than £70m. The buyback programme is set to begin today (13 December) and end “up to and including” the last trading day prior to its financial year end on 24…
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10 DecemberClothing & Shoes
Primark trading ‘ahead of expectations’ despite supply issues
Associated British Foods (ABF), the owners of Primark, has revealed that trading for the year to date is set to be “ahead of expectations”, despite recent disruptions across its supply chain. The retailer has reported improved like-for-like sales compared with the fourth quarter of the last financial year, but still…
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10 DecemberEconomy
Plan B to ‘significantly’ impact footfall, report finds
There will reportedly be a significant impact on footfall in UK retail destinations following the government’s announcement regarding Plan B, which includes guidance to work from home, according to retail experts Springboard. According to Springboard, in Central London and city centres outside of the capital, footfall is currently -20% below…
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10 DecemberDIY
B&M to pay £250m to shareholders
B&M has announced that its board will pay out a total of £250m to shareholders after declaring a special dividend of 25.0p per share. It comes as the group welcomed a “strong” performance against pre-pandemic levels in its FY22 interim results on 11 November, with an ongoing evaluation of its…
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9 DecemberHigh Street
Frasers Group profits soar 75% in H1
Frasers Group has seen its pre-tax profit rocket 75% to £186m in its latest half-year results, largely driven by a strong reopening performance of stores post-lockdown and a continued growth in its online business. The group also cited ongoing operating efficiencies and the FY21 comparative period being hit by lockdowns…
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8 DecemberNews
Tesco reopens talks with Usdaw amid planned worker strikes
Tesco has reopened further talks with Usdaw after members in nine distribution sites voted in favour of industrial action over pay disputes. It comes as Usdaw revealed that planned industrial action, starting on Monday 20 December and concluding on Christmas Eve, is at this stage still set to go ahead.…
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7 DecemberDepartment Stores
Harrods strike averted after pay rise victory
Planned strike action at Harrods has been averted after the luxury department chain offered its restaurant staff a pay rise amid an ongoing pay dispute. Its offer to take the pay above the London Living Wage came days into a ballot for strike action, organised by United Voices of the…
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7 DecemberHigh Street
Consumer spending rises 16% in November
Consumer spending grew by 16% in November as early festive pursuits boosted retail, hospitality and leisure, according to the latest Barclaycard report. Spending on non-essential items saw its highest increase since before the pandemic at 17.7%. Meanwhile, spending on essential items rose by 12.5%, which was slightly less than in…
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7 DecemberEconomy
Footfall shows signs of Omicron hesitancy
Footfall rose by only 0.7% in UK retail destinations last week against the week before, according to new data from retail expert Springboard. It said that the uplift was derived from rises in shopping centres that saw an increase of 2.3%, and retail parks where footfall increased by 1.3%. Meanwhile,…
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6 DecemberNews
Tesco set for Christmas shortages amid strike action
Tesco shoppers in many parts of the UK “face empty shelves” in the run-up to Christmas as members of Unite, the UK’s leading union, announced strike action in a dispute over pay. It revealed the strike is a result of Tesco offering the workers “just a four percent pay increase”,…
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