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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Jan- 2022 -10 JanuaryNews
Aldi hails ‘best ever’ Christmas
Aldi has reported its “best ever Christmas”, after it revealed the return of Kevin the Carrot in its festive television ad helped attract half a million new shoppers in December. Sales in December rose 0.4% compared to the previous year, when grocery spending was higher than usual due to the…
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7 JanuaryNews
Boots UK sales surge 16.3% in Q1
Boots delivered strong UK sales growth of 16.3% in Q1, Walgreen Boots Alliance’s (WBA) latest fiscal 2022 first quarter earnings have revealed. During the first fiscal quarter ending 30 November 2021, comparable pharmacy sales increased 8.8%, reflecting stronger demand for pharmacy services and sales up more than 200% year-on-year. Comparable…
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6 JanuaryHigh Street
Omicron rise leads to significant footfall drop off
Footfall across all UK retail destinations in December was -18.6% below the 2019 level, the worst result since August and a significant drop off from November when it stood at -14.5% below 2019, according to Springboard. It revealed that footfall in December was “clearly impacted” by the rapid spread of…
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6 JanuaryDIY
B&M ups guidance following strong festive trading
B&M has announced it has raised its guidance for FY22 following a period of “very strong” trading in the run-up to Christmas. The retailer’s EBITDA is now expected to be in the range of £605m to £625m, ahead of analysts’ current estimate of £578m. Although total UK revenue was down…
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6 JanuaryClothing & Shoes
Next Christmas sales beat outlook by £70m
Next has revealed that during the peak Christmas period to 25 December 2021, the retailer recorded £70m more sales than previously expected. As a result of the uptake in sales, the group has increased its full-year pre-tax guidance by £22m to £822m. The group was originally expecting sales growth in…
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5 JanuarySupermarkets
Grocery sales hit £11.7bn in December
Take-home grocery sales reached £11.7bn in December alone as shoppers upped their spending to celebrate Christmas, according to the latest figures from Kantar. Over the 12 weeks to 26 December 2021, shoppers spent £31.7bn primarily boosted by the December performance. Although down by 3.0% compared with 2020, spending remains higher…
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4 JanuaryDepartment Stores
New Selfridges owners unveil hotel plans for flagship store
The new owners of Selfridges, The Central Group, reportedly plan to open a new luxury hotel and serviced apartments as part of a revamp of its flagship Oxford Street store. According to the Financial Times, the Thai-based group and its Austrian real estate company the Signa Group also want to…
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4 JanuaryHigh Street
Retailers see New Year’s Eve footfall boost
Retailers saw a pleasant end to the year with footfall rising 5.2% on New Year’s Eve, according to the latest figures from Springboard. This is a sharp contrast with New Year’s Eve 2019 when high street footfall declined by -9% from the week before. It comes despite a footfall drop…
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Dec- 2021 -23 DecemberSupermarkets
Iceland MD urges people to get vaccinated as staff absences surge
Iceland managing director Richard Walker has urged colleagues to get vaccinated as the number of staff absences reached a new high at the supermarket. The retailer, which employs roughly around 30,000 people, said that due to the Omicron variant, staff absences have quadrupled. During the peak Christmas period, Walker noted…
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23 DecemberHigh Street
December retail sales slow amid Omicron impact, CBI warns
Retail sales growth slowed in the year-to-December to 8%, down from 39% last month, as the impact of the Omicron variant affected trading. According to the latest CBI monthly Distributive Trades Survey, despite the new restriction, retail sales were seen broadly in line with seasonal norms in December, having been…
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