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- 2019 -18 JanuaryClothing & Shoes
Moodys lowers Debenhams and New Look ratings
Financial services firm Moodys has changed the outlook for both New Look and Debenhams from stable to negative amid both retailer’s current financial troubles. Debenhams posted a poor Christmas trading update and is currently holding discussions to refinance its £320m revolving credit facility. The department store reported a 3.4% drop…
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17 JanuaryHigh Street
Game reports Christmas sales growth amid ‘challenging trading climate’
Video game retailer Game has reported a 2% increase in life-for-like sales (LFL) for the seven week Christmas trading period ending 5 January 2019. LFL sales in the UK also increased by 1.1% for the 23 weeks to 5 January, and remained broadly flat over the Christmas period at -0.3%.…
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17 JanuaryClothing & Shoes
Primark store expansion boosts festive sales
Fashion retailer Primark recorded a 4% increase in sales over the festive period buoyed by the continued expansion of store space. In a trading update for the 16 weeks ending 5 January 2019, its parent company Associated British Foods (AB Foods) said sales growth was driven by increased retail selling…
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16 JanuaryHigh Street
The Works upbeat after strong Christmas revenue growth
Arts and crafts retailer The Works has reported a 15% increase in revenue in its half-year trade update, with like-for-like (LFL) sales also up 3.8%. The company said it continued its sales momentum into the Christmas trading period, delivering a “record sales performance despite tough comparatives”, and achieved LFL sales…
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16 JanuaryEconomy
Consumer spending drops further in December with 1% decline
Consumer spending continued to fall in the month of December with a 1% decline, according to Visa’s UK Consumer Spending Index. The index compiled by IHS Markit, showed that overall expenditure continued to decline at the end of 2018. The 1% year-on-year reduction seen in December was the fastest seen…
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15 JanuaryGovernment
The Entertainer stockpiling toys for no-deal Brexit
Toy retailer, The Entertainer has announced it is stockpiling an extra 100 containers of toys in order to prepare for a no-deal Brexit. The Entertainer’s managing director Gary Grant said the stockpiling meant that the toy retailer had sent double the usual amount of stock to the UK, to ensure…
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15 JanuarySupermarkets
Booths posts festive sales boost and profit increase
High end supermarket group Booths has reported a “strong” growth in sales over the Christmas period as well as an increase in profit. In the three weeks to 5 January 2019, the company saw a 3.3% increase in sales and a 4.5% year-on-year uplift in profits. The retailer said its…
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14 JanuarySport & Leisure
JD Sports ‘confident’ after strong Christmas sales growth
Sports fashion retailer JD Sports has reported a total sales growth of 15% for the 48-week period to 5 January 2019. Total like-for-like sales growth during the period also increased by 5%, which included a consistently positive like-for-like performance across Black Friday and the Christmas period. According to the group,…
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14 JanuaryHigh Street
Footfall drops for 13th consecutive month in December
Footfall declined for the 13th consecutive month in December, despite heavy discounting by retailers during the festive period. Overall footfall declined by 2.6% in the month, although this is a lesser decline compared to the previous year when it fell sharply by 3.5%. High street footfall declined by 2.1%,…
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11 JanuarySupermarkets
Tesco and M&S stockpile tinned food in prep for Brexit
Tesco and Marks and Spencer have announced they are stockpiling long-life foods in preparation of a no-deal Brexit. The ‘big four’ grocer’s chief executive Dave Lewis revealed that “sensible” contingency planning was underway and the company had been holding talks with its suppliers about increasing stocks of long-life groceries. However…
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