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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Oct- 2021 -14 OctoberHigh Street
Hobbycraft launches second exclusive Joules range
Hobbycraft has announced the launch of its second exclusive fabric collection with lifestyle brand Joules. The new range will include Christmas fabric designs, festive panels, as well as sewing accessories in some of Joules most recognisable heritage patterns. It revealed the new fabric designs are available in a “variety of…
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14 OctoberHigh Street
Poundstretcher prepares for branded price rises
The CEO of Poundstretcher has warned that some of the retailer’s product prices are set to rise in the run-up to Christmas, but has pledged to “absorb some of the potential cost rises” from big brands including Coca Cola, Fox’s, Kellogg’s and Heinz. Aziz Tayub said: “We do not see…
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12 OctoberSupermarkets
Grocery sales dip 1.2% as fuel shortage limits visits
Take-home grocery sales fell by 1.2% over the 12 weeks to 3 October 2021, as the reduced availability of petrol saw shoppers limit the number of trips to supermarkets, according to the latest figures from Kantar. Despite this dip, sales remain 8.1% higher than they were before Covid-19 and every…
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12 OctoberSupermarkets
Tesco to appoint 30,000 Christmas workers
Tesco has announced it will recruit 30,000 temporary workers during the festive period. The grocer said half of those roles have been filled by temporary colleagues who joined Tesco during the pandemic and have had their contracts extended to cover Christmas. The UK-wide roles, in Tesco’s Superstores and Extra stores,…
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11 OctoberEconomy
Christmas footfall predicted to remain 17% below 2019 levels
Footfall across UK retail destinations will average -17% lower than in 2019 over the six week Christmas trading period from November 21 to January 4, continuing the current trajectory seen in September with footfall down -17.4%, according to a forecast by Springboard. It projects Black Friday will be more popular…
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11 OctoberCoronavirus
Consumer confidence hits lowest level this year
Consumer confidence has returned to pre-pandemic levels, but still hit its lowest point in 2021 following “record” highs earlier this year, according to PwC’s latest consumer confidence index. While inflation, ongoing concern over supply chains and empty shelves caused a slight decline in optimism, consumer confidence was +3 on the…
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8 OctoberClothing & Shoes
N Brown Group H1 profits hit £28.2m
Jacamo owner, N Brown Group, saw its pre-tax profits hit £28.2m for the six-months ended 28 August, rising from a profit of £14.1m the previous year, thanks to an ongoing strategic transformation in the period. Group revenue dropped slightly to £346.8m from £347.2m in 2020 as a result of Covid-29…
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7 OctoberHigh Street
Footfall continues steady improvement in September
Retail footfall continued to strengthen in September, narrowing the gap from 2019 to -17.4%, down from -18.6% in August, countering the downward trend in footfall often recorded in September. The month also saw a 20% increase on September 2020 levels. Springboard said that this month’s results go against the long-term…
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4 OctoberSupermarkets
Aldi to hire 1,500 seasonal workers
Aldi has revealed that it will be hiring more than 1,500 people to work in its UK stores on a temporary basis over the Christmas period. The supermarket said it is looking for people to support its permanent colleagues by working on the checkouts, replenishing stock, as well as picking…
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1 OctoberElectrical
AO World hit by ‘challenging’ supply chain issues in H1
AO World has warned that growth in the first half of 2021 has been impacted by the ongoing shortage of delivery drivers and supply chain issues affecting markets across the globe. The online electrical retailer reported a revenue growth of just 5% for the six months ended 30 September 2021,…
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