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- 2025 -22 JanuaryPeople Moves
Asda appoints David Lepley as new chief supply chain officer
Asda has announced that David Lepley will join its executive team as chief supply chain officer, to lead its food and general merchandise supply operations. Lepley joins from Morrison’s where he was the executive group operations director. The move is a return ‘home’ for Lepley, having previously spent 15 years…
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20 JanuaryHigh Street
Quiz eyes store closures as costs mount
Quiz is reportedly considering closing up to a third of its 60-location portfolio as a way to cut costs and stabilise the business, according to The Telegraph. It comes as Quiz is also due to delist from the London Stock Exchange’s AIM market and return to private ownership, following a…
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17 JanuaryNews-In-Brief
Today’s news in brief-17/1/25
Retail sales in the UK fell by 0.3% in December, disappointing analysts who anticipated a 0.4% rise during the Christmas season. The decline, attributed to the poorest supermarket sales since 2013, was partly offset by a 4.4% rise in clothing sales. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported that food…
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17 JanuaryFeatures
The dynamic duo behind Charity Super.Mkt
When Wayne Hemingway and Maria Chenoweth unveiled Charity Super.Mkt, the UK’s first multi-charity shop, it was more than just a retail experiment. It was a testament to innovation, sustainability, and the power of collaboration in a rapidly evolving industry. “We wanted to create something bigger,” explains Wayne Hemingway, co-founder of…
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17 JanuaryEconomy
Retail sales unexpectedly fall amid ‘poor’ supermarket sales
Retail sales fell 0.3% in December according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics. It follows a 0.1% increase in November, revised down from a previous estimate of a 0.2% rise. Analysts had been expecting sales to rise by 0.4% in the run up to Christmas as…
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16 JanuaryNews-In-Brief
Today’s news in brief-16/1/25
The UK economy experienced modest growth in November 2024, with GDP rising by 0.1% following two months of decline. This upturn was driven by a 0.1% increase in services output, primarily bolstered by a 2% rise in accommodation and food services. Consumer-facing services grew by 0.5%, while wholesale and retail…
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16 JanuaryNews
Tesco hires Deliveroo’s head of strategy to lead Whoosh
Tesco has hired Deliveroo’s global head of strategy Francesca Jones to lead its Whoosh delivery service. Jones joined Deliveroo in 2022 first as a global training and operational excellence manager before being promoted to head of strategy in 2023. Prior to that, she worked at Aldi as an area manager…
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15 JanuaryNews
Liverpool One’s footfall rises 10% in ‘most successful’ shopping season
Liverpool One has reported its “most successful” festive shopping season since 2019, with footfall up 10%. The run of success began with Black Friday week when the destination experienced a 14% growth in footfall and a 28% increase in sales, reflecting the trend of consumers buying in-store and ahead of…
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15 JanuaryAnalysis
Is New Look right to close up shops?
The tax increases unveiled in the October 2024 budget have further complicated the outlook for retailers in the new year. One such high street retailer, New Look, which has managed to narrow its pre-tax loss to £21.7m in the year to March 2024, now faces the difficult task of balancing…
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14 JanuaryNews-In-Brief
Today’s news in brief-14/1/25
JD Sports adjusted its profit expectations for FY24 to £915m-£935m, down from an earlier forecast of £955m-£1bn, citing challenging market conditions during the holiday season. Sales in the nine weeks to January 4 dipped 1.5%, though December saw a 1.5% rise in like-for-like sales. Organic revenue grew 3.4%, driven by…
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