London
This coverage focuses on retail activity, trends, and developments in London, a central hub of the UK retail industry. Reporting highlights flagship store openings, property developments, regional economic factors, consumer behaviour, and strategic moves by both international and domestic brands. Tailored for retail executives and managers, it offers insights into operating and competing in one of the world’s most dynamic retail markets.
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Sep- 2018 -11 SeptemberComment
The escalating issue of ‘serial returners’
Retailers are already under intense pressure, from reduced margins to competition from online giants, and now they face another woe: the rise of the so-called ‘serial returners’, who deliberately buy more items than they intend to keep and return them days later. Brightpearl we recently surveyed 2,000 consumers across the…
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10 SeptemberHigh Street
August footfall down 1.6% despite some retail park growth
Retail footfall dropped by 1.6% in August despite seeing rare retail park growth in the East and South West of the UK. The figures are according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Springboard’s footfall and vacancies monitor with August seeing a sharper decline than the 0.8% experienced in July,…
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4 SeptemberEconomy
Footfall ‘better than expected’ in August
Footfall fell by 4.1% in August compared with the same month last year, according to the Ipsos retail footfall tracker. Despite the drop, analysts described footfall levels as “better than expected” as the pace of year-on-year footfall decline slowed in August. Ipsos said this might be down to the success…
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3 SeptemberOnline & Digital
Eve Sleep appoints former Moonpig boss as new CEO
Online mattress retailer Eve Sleep has announced the appointment of James Sturrock as chief executive officer with effect from 10 September 2018. The company has also appointed Nikki Crumpton to the board as senior independent non-executive director with immediate effect, replacing Peter Hepworth who has decided to step down from…
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Aug- 2018 -31 AugustComment
Can VAT help save the High Street?
There are growing calls for an ‘online sales tax’ (OST) to redress the balance between physical and digital retailing but a fiscal solution may have to be more intricate – and how VAT is levied may be part of the answer. We’re all familiar with being asked in sandwich bars…
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30 AugustAnalysis
How accessible are shopping centres in the UK?
In 2016, the UK’s population peaked at 65.6 million. Reportedly, 18% of the population were aged 65 and over. With an ageing population, are businesses accommodating for elderly people and their differing needs? Similarly, are they making themselves accessible to those with disabilities? Despite Britain’s disabled population having a spending…
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30 AugustShopping Centres
Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield posts 14.5% profit rise after Westfield acquisition
Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield has reported a 14.5% jump in H1 profits boosted by its recently acquired Westfield shopping centres. Europe’s largest property firm finalised the acquisition of Australian shopping mall giant Westfield in early June which includes both Westfield London and Westfield Stratford in the UK. The firm said profits in the…
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22 AugustM&A
Moonpig owner acquires Dutch gift retailer
Photobox Group, the parent company of card and gift retailer Moonpig, has acquired Dutch online cards and gifting retailer Greetz. Greetz was founded in 2001 as an online greetings cards retailer and sold over 7.5 million cards in the Netherlands in 2017. The business has grown by 25% year-on-year and…
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15 AugustHealth & Beauty
Superdrug launches in-store Botox and filler service
High street health and beauty store Superdrug has launched an in-store Botox and fillers service at its flagship on the Strand in London. It is the first high street store to offer such a service and the scheme launched in conjunction with its Skin Renew Service. The service was established…
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14 AugustSupermarkets
Sainsbury’s trials ‘till-free shopping’ at south London store
Supermarket giant Sainsbury’s is trialling a new ‘scan, pay and go’ scheme at its Clapham North Station Local store, enabling customers to pay for products using only their smartphone. Customers at the trial supermarket will be able to pay for their items from anywhere in the shop, instead of a…
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