Latest Retail Insight, News, Information & Articles from all top sources for the Internet.

Vinyl is still booming, cassettes wind back the years, but streaming breaks the record This wild orgy of music consumption is mostly about streaming British fans bought or streamed the equivalent of more than 150m albums last year as music consumption in the UK hit its highest level since 2006, driven by the success of artists including Lewis Capaldi, Billie Eilish and Ariana Grande. Across all formats – including digital downloads and streams from subscription services as well as CDs, vinyl and cassettes – music fans purchased or streamed the equivalent of 154m albums in 2019. Continue reading... from Retail industry | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2QdI9H5 via IFTTT

1 January 1925: Shoppers are not rushing for bargains, wary of reckless buying with subsequent disappointment London, Wednesday It would be absurd to suggest that London women have been rushing for bargains at the winter sales, which began in some of the largest shops and in many of the smaller ones to-day. One’s experience is that the day of the “Haste to the sales” spirit has been over for some years, if indeed it ever existed to the extent that some people believe. And such excitement as there may be certainly does not reach its height until all the sales are in full swing. Related: Little peace or goodwill on first day of sales – fashion archive, 1956 Continue reading... from Retail industry | The Guardian https://ift.tt/39yRIbB via IFTTT

The retail ecosystem in India is at the forefront of change. The year 2019 has been an interesting year for Indian retail – it is undergoing a sea of transformation, experiencing exponential growth, expanding not just in major cities and metros in the country, but also in Tier II and III cities and towns. Retailers […] from Indiaretailing.com https://ift.tt/2ssPWrN via IFTTT

Health and wellness is alive and well at food retailers who are taking the lead in establishing their health and wellness programs. Many top retailers are deploying in-store dietitians to help shoppers make informed choices. Apart from rolling out “good for you products,” be it their own or a national brand offerings, retailers are also […] from Indiaretailing.com https://ift.tt/2FmtPWR via IFTTT

Tobacco manufacturer Philip Morris is to make its IQOS heated tobacco devices available through UK independent convenience retailers for the first time as it bids to take advantage of the ban on menthol cigarettes due to come into force on 20 May 2020. The company believes the menthol ban offers a “huge opportunity” for retailers ... This story continues at IQOS opens up to independents as menthol cigarette ban looms Or just read more coverage at Talking Retail from Talking Retail https://ift.tt/2tg46wq via IFTTT

Coca-Cola Australia and Coca-Cola Amatil recently announced that all Coca-Cola soft drink brands (600ml and below) and all water brands (600ml and below) in Australia are now being produced in 100% recycled plastic bottles. This follows the announcement earlier in the year that Coca-Cola Amatil will make 7 out of 10 plastic bottles from 100% recycled plastic by the end of 2019. Committed to helping close the recycling loop, Coca-Cola Australia has also ramped up its efforts to promote recycling to all Australians, announcing its sponsorship of Planet Ark’s National Russell Mahoney, Director of Sustainability at Coca-Cola Australia said; “The plastic waste crisis is one of the most pressing issues of our time - one that we’re committed to help solve. “We know actions speak louder than words, which is why together with Coca-Cola Amatil we have made a landmark investment in recycled plastic in Australia to help support a viable domestic recycling economy. “The other important piece of...

Belgian biscuit brand Lotus has launched its unique biscuit spread, Biscoff, in Australia. Made entirely from Lotus’ crushed ‘Speculoos’ biscuits (spiced caramelised shortcrust biscuits), Biscoff is said to be the only spread of its kind available in this country. “Biscoff is unlike anything you’ve ever tried before, with a unique flavour and a deliciously creamy texture,” Lotus Biscoff spokesman Nick Nairn said. “It’s the spread you never knew you wanted, but won’t be able to live without. Every mouthful tastes as good as the last.” Lotus biscuits are promoted as having a rich history in many parts of the world, being purposefully designed to be paired with coffee. Since being turned into a spread, Biscoff is said to be giving fan favourites such as Nutella and peanut butter a run for their money. The new spread is nut free and vegan friendly. It is available in both smooth and crunchy varieties. The post Lotus spreads Biscoff down under appeared first on Retail World Magazi...

As the decade comes to a close, I thought it would be useful to reflect on how the retail industry has changed since 2010.  With the wisdom of hindsight, we can now say what trends were rightfully chased and what claims were distractions that proved counterproductive. Two things rightfully received a lot of attention: Retail […] from retail – Forrester https://ift.tt/2SHzCOA via IFTTT

The EDITED Retail Analysts break down the most important runway and lifestyle stories set to impact retail in the new year. Read on to learn trends you need to consider for the upcoming year. In our previous article, we wrapped up the defining trends shaping the retail landscape in 2020 . Now, familiarize yourself with the major themes that will influence women’s, men’s, teens’ and beauty products alongside key commercial data.  Reach out to an EDITED retail expert to understand how to back up every decision you make in 2020 with the world’s largest retail data source.  Womenswear: the Y2K bug  Brandon Maxwell Spring 2020 Paris Hilton Missguided Why take note of this trend? The 2020s marks the turn of a new decade. As a result, we can expect nostalgia to shift towards 00s influences. This presents a strong update that also builds on 90s trends – one of the most popular throwbacks of recent seasons. The release of a host of 00s reboots including Lega...

"There's just amazing technology that's already available that if it were applied to retail would fundamentally change the shopping experience," former Walmart U.S. President and CEO Bill Simon said. from Retail https://ift.tt/36oel0p via IFTTT

What did retail deliver this year? As the year comes to a close, it’s time to revisit my predictions of 2019 retail trends to reveal which retail trends actually came true, so retailers and consumer goods suppliers can adapt their 2020 business strategy with greater confidence. Here are the 2019 retail predictions, with corresponding evidence and examples. Predicted Trend #1: Purpose-Led Brands Verdict: Consumers desire products and companies that help them feel good. Proof: Retail is evolving from a focus on the functional benefits of products to the emotional benefits for consumers and, increasingly, to social benefits for the greater good through purpose-led brands. When companies do the right thing, consumers are more likely to reward them with their business. This year Accenture found that 45% of respondents are more likely to shop with retailers that address social issues through their business practices and working conditions. 1  Walk-Morris, Tatiana. What do cons...

Before the first leaf dropped on a cool, crisp autumn day, holiday decorations were already on display in most local retail stores, reminding us all of the biggest shopping season to come. I admit, I am a sucker for a good Black Friday sale; I already planned for my future house appliance purchases to take place immediately after the stuffing was passed. With U.S. holiday sales rising 3.4% between Nov. 1 and Dec. 24 , according to Mastercard, it is critical for every major retailer to have a strategic plan in place even as the season winds down. This strategy should consider every stage of your customers’ — and potential future customers’ — experience, starting at account creation through the initial transaction, which will then (hopefully) be followed by repeat transactions. In the U.S., online sales were projected to grow 12.7% in 2019 — reaching $138 billion within the year, according to Forrester estimations. As more holiday shopping migrates to the web — online holiday sales...

// John Lewis weekly sales down 4.1% // Waitrose sales up 18.8% year-on-year John Lewis Partnership has seen its sales slide in the last week despite a strong rise at grocery stablemate Waitrose. Sales at John Lewis were down 4.1 per cent year on year in the week to December 28, bringing the decline over the 48 weeks of the retailer’s financial year so far to 1.6 per cent compared with the previous year. Waitrose’s weekly sales rose 18.8 per cent year on year, but declined by a mere 0.8 per cent on a 48-week basis. READ MORE: John Lewis Partnership fails to smash sales in week before Christmas “Despite a busy few days in the run-up to Christmas, a slower than usual start to clearance promotions saw a dip in sales for the week,” John Lewis said. Meanwhile, John Lewis’ fashion sales increased by 5.8 per cent in the week thanks to last-minute Christmas shopping. However, sales in homeware dropped by 5.3 per cent, while electricals and home technology was down 1...

// The 14 high streets to receive up to £25m worth of training, face-to-face support & access to research have been revealed // The funding will be piloted first in 20 town centres // The government has also pledged to cut small retailers’ business rates bills by 50% from April Ministers have revealed the first 14 high streets to receive £1 billion government funding to help improve the UK’s retail sector. The High Streets Task Force is to give 14 town centres up to £25 million worth of training, face-to-face support and access to research to give small business owners an edge. The scheme was announced by the government in response to recommendations of an expert panel on the high street chaired by Sir John Timpson. READ MORE:  Over 140,000 jobs have been lost this year High street crisis to continue into 2020 The funding will be piloted first in 20 town centres before being rolled out in 101 areas across the country. The first 14 towns to take part in the pil...

enVista , a leading global software and consulting firm specializing in optimizing and unifying digital and physical commerce, will be offering retailers the opportunity to participate in a buy online, pick up in-store (BOPIS) experience as part of its comprehensive ‘Unified Commerce in Action’ at the National Retail Federation’s (NRF’s) 2020 Big Show at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City, January 12-14. A Fun, Interactive Learning Experience Retail leaders are invited to shop enVista’s online candy store, select a complimentary one-pound box of deluxe chocolates from See’s Candies (an enVista client), and then pick up their order at enVista’s retail innovation lab and pop-up candy store at NRF booth #5849. Full details and a link to the online candy store can be found at www.envistacorp.com/candy . enVista’s ‘Unified Commerce in Action’ experience will demonstrate how the firm’s agile, cloud-native Unified Commerce Platform, Enspire, is helping world-leading b...

CS Hudson , a leader in experiential pop-ups, shop-in-shops, and marketing activations, recently held their second installment of its holiday Pop-Ups for Good Event: Live. Love. Laugh on December 17th, 2019. Filled with laughter, cheer, and tons of toys, over 100 homeless children in the surrounding areas of Riverhead, NY came to this Winter Wonderland themed event to share the company’s vision and hope for the future. Pop-Ups for Good is an innovative program that provides a platform to leverage the company’s retail expertise, strategic partnerships and national reach to help support socially-charged initiatives. Along with the support of its vendors and partners, CS Hudson creates short-term retail pop-ups to benefit various philanthropic causes. Bringing Christmas to Homeless Children Over one hundred children ranging from ages two to eighteen from HELP Suffolk, a homeless housing facility, were bussed in to the event location at the Tanger Outlets in Riverhead, NY, to experience...

// JD Sports has been crowned the best blue-chip stock of the past decade // Shares have risen by 3200% // The retailer entered the FTSE 100 earlier this year JD Sports shares have risen by 3200 per cent from 25 per cent at the beginning of the decade. The sports retailer entered the FTSE 100 earlier this year after a period of surging sales bucked the downbeat trend among rival retailers. It had eyed an expansion through the proposed acquisition of rival Footasylum for £90 million, but the move has been stalled by an ongoing investigation by CMA. READ MORE: £90m Footasylum takeover will “benefit” customers, JD Sports says The rise in shares means that a saver who bought £1000 of JD Sports shares in 2010 would now be sitting on £33,000. JD Sports now has 2420 stores worldwide and a stock market value in excess of £8 billion, making it worth almost twice as much as Marks & Spencer. M&S was relegated from the FTSE 100 earlier this year for the first time since the...