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

A new study found that giving workers a stake in their business is universally popular – and may offer a solution to the UK’s record of sluggish productivity and low investment The moment when staff at John Lewis and Waitrose are told the size of their bonus is always much-anticipated. This week’s announcement will be no different, except in one respect – staff will probably be handed a fraction of the usual 10% to 18% of salary. Last year it was 3% , this year it could be as low as 2%. Under a more conventional business structure, the bonus might have disappeared altogether, but John Lewis Partnership is an employee-owned organisation and must listen to the concerns of its 81,500 staff working in 50 department stores and 338 Waitrose shops. Continue reading... from Retail industry | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2T9kokW via IFTTT

Coulombe, who opened his first Trader Joe’s grocery store in California in 1967, died on Friday following a long illness Joe Coulombe, who created Trader Joe’s with a vision that college-educated but poorly paid young people would flock to a store that stocked healthy foods at bargain prices, died late on Friday. He was 89. Coulombe, who opened his first Trader Joes in Pasadena, California, in 1967, died following a long illness, his son, Joe Coulombe, told the Associated Press. Continue reading... from Retail industry | The Guardian https://ift.tt/38al79Z via IFTTT

Mark Constantine’s beauty brand is in tune with the zeitgeist: so why is his ethical approach to capitalism not bearing fruit? The badge on the lapel of Lush’s co-founder, Mark Constantine, does the talking for him today as his beauty retail empire is buffeted by one crisis after another. A potential pandemic is “closing half the bloody world”, he explains, as his lapel badge reads: “Fuck, fuck, fuckity fuck”. Continue reading... from Retail industry | The Guardian https://ift.tt/2uDFvm3 via IFTTT

As the Stock Market Tumble continues with up to 3 Trillion Dollar market wash, No one is sure what next Monday will bring as Coronaviruses shows no signs of slowing down internationally. The Jitter every one is feeling without any reassurances on site is making everyone wonder if the stock market is in the bear market or is worse yet to come. The post Stock Market Meltdown 3000 points appeared first on RetailBlog.com Retail Business Retail Sales Retail Jobs News Blog . from RetailBlog.com Retail Business Retail Sales Retail Jobs News Blog https://ift.tt/2uJePAy via IFTTT

Market of India is a first-of-its-kind organised wholesale centre at this scale, designed to build a self-sustained community of traders. Merely a few kilometers from trade hubs like Sowcarpet, Parrys, Purasawalkam and Choolai, it is centrally-located in SPR City, the largest mixed use development in the heart of Chennai. Objective SPR City’s wholesale centre – […] from Indiaretailing.com https://ift.tt/2POUyB1 via IFTTT

  By Reilly Stephens In January 2020 we learned that sales at clothing retailers suffered their steepest decline since 2009.  Some might chalk this up to being nothing more than an extended holiday hangover, but whatever it is – it doesn’t bode well for retail. While automobiles, gasoline and food services were unchanged, retail sales across other categories continue to slow.  Now, in February with factors such as fears surrounding the Coronavirus there is uncertainty about if, when and how retail will bounce back. More retailers are looking to understand what changes they must make to their businesses in order not just achieve marginal year over year growth but to innovate their way to the top of their categories, and secure a special place in the hearts and minds of their customers. Here are our top articles for the month of February and some of the content we read and loved. Luxury Retail Hit By Coronavirus Speaking with CTV’s Your Morning, Doug lays out the tri...

Grocery retail product lifecycle management (PLM) software, like Oracle Retail Brand Compliance, continues to evolve to help retailers tackle the challenges of own brand management or private label. In this article, we explore the upside and the challenges associated with retail brand management and how Brand Compliance is supporting the growth. Let's explore the steps that private brand retailers can take to make food safety simple and the market opportunities, based on our experience working with the world’s leading private brand owners.  In my previous blog we explored the consumers’ point for view and identified three priorities: Consumers want to know what’s in their food Consumers assume their food is safe Consumers care about the environment, sustainability, and ethical practices In this second blog, we’ll look at private brand food safety from the grocery retailers’ point of view – the upside and the challenges. We’ll look at retailers’ motivations to...

Retailer seeks to cut fashion waste with children’s coats featuring reusable name tags John Lewis is tackling fashion waste by launching a hand-me-down drive with extended name labels attached to children’s coats that can be easily amended by parents. The department store chain is introducing organic cotton labelling inside its own-brand children’s coats so the new owner can cross out the name of the last person and write a new name. Coats have been chosen to test this labelling because they have a long life and are often the most costly garment for parents. Continue reading... from Retail industry | The Guardian https://ift.tt/3cebydv via IFTTT

Imperial Tobacco has removed the gantry from a Salford-based store following the discovery of illegal tobacco. Lee Anthony Brooks of Pendlebury News, Bolton Road in Swinton, was convicted by magistrates for possession of counterfeit tobacco. A raid by local trading standards resulted in Brook’s being ordered to pay total costs of £3,449.60. James Hall, anti-illicit trade ... This story continues at Imperial Tobacco removes gantry from Salford store Or just read more coverage at Talking Retail from Talking Retail https://ift.tt/32x0W4W via IFTTT

The government has dismissed the Treasury Select Committee’s recommendations on business rates. In October the committee concluded that the system should be reviewed to ensure it aligns with government policy to encourage investment. However, the government’s official response to the inquiry defends the operation of the current business rates system and commits to the committee’s concerns being dealt ... This story continues at Government dismisses Treasury Committee’s concerns on business rates Or just read more coverage at Talking Retail from Talking Retail https://ift.tt/2VsyAHk via IFTTT

Strongbow is adding a rosé flavour to its portfolio, in a move designed to tap into the “trend for pink and rosé drinks”. Strongbow Rosé will be available from March in a 500ml bottle, a 4x440ml can pack, and a 10x440ml can pack. The brand is also rolling out a new pack design, featuring a ... This story continues at Strongbow unveils Rosé variant Or just read more coverage at Talking Retail from Talking Retail https://ift.tt/387j7iL via IFTTT

Home secretary Priti Patel has acknowledged the damaging impact that crime has on independent retailers. Addressing the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners and National Police Chiefs’ Council Partnership, the home secretary referenced “burglaries, shoplifting and muggings” and their “impact on daily life”, acknowledging how damaging crime can be against retailer’s businesses and homes. Patel, ... This story continues at Home secretary recognises impact of retail crime Or just read more coverage at Talking Retail from Talking Retail https://ift.tt/2Tqccvx via IFTTT

// Angels Fancy Dress, which opened 1840, has closed down its West End store // It will continue to operate out of its Hendon warehouse after failing to find a suitable relocation in Central London // Angels Fancy Dress is credited for supplying costumes to Star Wars, Lawrence of Arabia, Shakespeare in Love, Doctor Who and many more A 180-year-old West End costume supplier and retailer is leaving the world-famous theatre district after being “priced out” by rising rent and rates. Angels Fancy Dress on Shaftesbury Avenue opened in 1840 and has supplied some 40 Oscar-winning films including Dr Zhivago , Star Wars and Little Women this year. However, the seventh-generation business is not closing. It will be run out of its Hendon warehouse in North London from today, after its West End lease expired and the family failed to find another location. Angels Fancy Dress, which was awarded a Bafta for outstanding British contribution to cinema in 2016, is currently run by Tim Ange...

// Uniqlo reopens over 100 stores in China while 125 remain closed // It operates a total of 750 stores in China Uniqlo has reportedly reopened more than 100 stores in China in the past week although 125 stores remained closed due to the coronavirus outbreak, according to Reuters . The Japanese retailer owned by Fast Retailing, operates 750 stores in China, which is its key growth market at a time when it is faced with declining sales in Japan. Fast Retailing also has 128 of its 242 global sewing factories located in China. READ MORE:  Coronavirus: How long will retail be immune? Uniqlo is making clothing from plastic bottles The effects of the coronavirus outbreak on business began to show last week at Uniqlo’s spring/summer collection, when a few items were reported missing –  raising fears of supply chain disruption in China. Almost all partner factories have restarted, although not all workers were back at work, Fast Retailing said on Friday. “At present, ...

Really Local Group and Southwark Council are working together to create a high street cultural venue for Bermondsey, that aims to restore an iconic landmark at The Blue, a central marketplace. Through positive regeneration, Really Local Group has committed to transform this local landmark building which has lain empty for over a year, into a vibrant cultural community hub to complement and enhance the existing local creative scene. The development will be an all-day community space that will see the creation of a three-screen cinema, coffee shop, a café, bar, informal co-working spaces and a food and craft hall featuring local artisans and vendors. It will offer quality and affordable entertainment; with average ticket prices of £6.50 to watch a film and £13 for live events. The new venue will also encourage community ownership and regular business through an annual membership programme, as well as offer students the option to sign up for just £25 to receive exclusive access ...

Irish Whiskey brand Jameson is running a multi-million pound campaign ahead of St. Patrick’s Day on 23 March. The campaign is running across cinema, TV and video-on-demand, and social media platforms, and includes a partnership with music concert company Sofar Sounds – with sponsored events happening between now and May in Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, London, ... This story continues at Jameson supports St. Patrick’s Day with multi-million pound campaign Or just read more coverage at Talking Retail from Talking Retail https://ift.tt/2VwNQD8 via IFTTT

From consumer concerns to climate change, evidence proving the value of sustainability in retail is clear – and growing. from Retail Dive - Latest News https://ift.tt/399njj9 via IFTTT

Retailers are pushing hard to achieve a ‘frictionless’ customer experience – but in too many cases, the emphasis is on the initial interaction, with the rest of the experience woefully inadequate. What is the point of embracing seamless click-through options online, when the delivery experience is flawed? Or investing heavily in a frictionless in-store experience that leverages ‘pick and go’ technology to avoid queues yet offering no easy way to return goods? Too many frictionless investments are ignoring one of the fundamental truths of modern retailing: customer experience needs to be consistent across all sales channels, from in-store to telesales and online. Frictionless retailing is not just about leveraging innovative technology to make it easy for customers to spend their money once: it is about ensuring the entire, end to end experience is frictionless, seamless and enjoyable to make it easy for customers to spend again and again. Andrew Tavener, Head of Marketing at Descarte...

Consumer confidence has risen for the third month in a row, new research reveals. GfK’s long-running Consumer Confidence Index increased two points to –7 for February. Three measures of consumer confidence increased, one measure decreased, and one measure remained the same in February. Joe Staton, client strategy director at GfK, said: “Against a February backdrop ... This story continues at UK consumer confidence increases in February Or just read more coverage at Talking Retail from Talking Retail https://ift.tt/2VBgwe6 via IFTTT

Whiskey brand Jack Daniel’s has launched Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Apple into One Stop and Co-op stores, following a “successful launch in the US at the end of 2019”. The variant contains three types of apple – McIntosh, Red Delicious and Granny Smith – and will be available from 1 March in 700ml bottles and an ... This story continues at Jack Daniel’s rolls out apple variant in One Stop stores Or just read more coverage at Talking Retail from Talking Retail https://ift.tt/2Tppska via IFTTT

// BRC criticises government’s response to Treasury Select Committee business rates inquiry // BRC made recommendations to fix what it described as a “broken” and “unfair system” The government’s response to the Treasury Select Committee business rates inquiry has been criticised by the BRC. The trade association made a number of recommendations to fix what it described as a “broken” and “unfair system” but said the proposals seem to have “fallen on deaf ears”. HM Treasury’s response to October’s business rates inquiry report, published on Thursday, prioritised greater costs on high street stores than online businesses. READ MORE: 50+ retailers write to Chancellor demanding business rates overhaul The government has committed to implementing just one recommendation around making the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government available to work with local governments on discretionary reliefs. The BRC also recommended to have all business rates reliefs reviewed...

// Frasers Group calls for CMA to appoint trustee to sell Footasylum to an industry bidder // The CMA previously said the takeover of Footasylum by JD Sports was likely to lead to less competition Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group has reportedly proposed for the UK competition regulator to appoint a trustee to sell Footasylum to an industry bidder, such as itself rather than JD Sports. Earlier this month, the CMA said the already-completed takeover of Footasylum by JD Sports was likely to lead to less competition . Frasers Group said the CMA should appoint a “divestiture trustee” to run a Footasylum disposal process because JD Sports would not have enough reason to complete a sale quickly. READ MORE: Frasers Group calls on government to review business taxes £90m Footasylum takeover will “benefit” customers, JD Sports says In documents published in response to the CMA’s preliminary report, “company A” said any Footasylum buyer should be independent of JD Sports,  Financial...

The frenzy of Christmas and New Year may be behind us but that doesn’t mean things are slowing down for retailers. With January sales calming down and expectations running high that the new year starts off well, retailers are relying on their numbers of temporary employees and zero-hour contracts in order to deliver on customer satisfaction whilst also streamlining costs. From something as seemingly minor as ensuring the central heating and air con levels are kept balanced at peak shopping hours, to keeping track of stock, and managing demand on the shop floor, the last item on the agenda they want to worry about is payroll. Getting staffing levels right is one of the biggest ongoing challenges for retailers and it is especially challenging for those responsible for HR & Payroll.   With retailers currently facing a fall in sales – monthly retail sales in December made for a fifth month in a row without growth,their reputation is already on the line. As such, retailers ...

ASX loses another 3% on Friday, taking it into ‘correction’ territory and bringing week’s losses to $200bn Coronavirus panic has stripped almost 10% from the value of Australian stocks over the past week amid fears the outbreak could dent a global economy already struggling with persistently low growth. Any potential hit to the Australian economy will further deepen damage done by bushfires and floods that have ravaged the east coast in recent months – although the extra day in February on Saturday may save the Morrison government the embarrassment of statistics showing a shrinking GDP. Related: Coronavirus fears trigger biggest one-day fall on US stock market Related: The Coalition is relying on a struggling domestic economy to see us through an international crisis | Greg Jericho Continue reading... from Retail industry | The Guardian https://ift.tt/38cFWSl via IFTTT

// Lush is allowing customers to enter stores to wash hands without any obligation to buy anything // Lush has been hit by trade in its Asian markets as well as in northern Italy Lush is offering customers the opportunity to walk in and wash their hands for free as part of wider efforts to halt the spread of coronavirus. The ethical beauty retailer is advertising what it calls a “public service” through posters, whereby customers can take advantage of its sinks and be given soap to use with no obligation to purchase anything from the store. READ MORE: Coronavirus: How long will retail be immune? “The simplest thing you can do to not get a virus is to regularly wash your hands,” Lush chief executive Mark Constantine said. “So we’re saying people can come in off the street and wash their hands in our place. “We’ve got loads of soap and plenty of hot water.” The news come after the British retailer was hit by trade in Hong Kong, Japan and Korea. It also said shopper numbers...

// Consumer confidence in February rose two points to -7, according to GfK // This is the third month in a row of improvement – January was -9 and December -11 // It’s also better than February last year, when the consumer confidence index was -13 UK consumer confidence has increased for the third month in a row, although sentiment overall remains negative, according to an index. GfK’s long running consumer confidence index, which regularly asks people how they feel about their own finances and the wider economy, increased by two points in February. While the overall confidence score was still in negative territory, at -7, this was still an improvement from -9 in January and -11 in December. READ MORE: January consumer confidence given a “Boris bounce” Retail sales improve in January after weak end to 2019 “A relief & surprise” after better-than-expected dip in January footfall A year ago, the reading was more downbeat, with an overall score of -13 recorded in Feb...

// Card Factory appoints Jennifer Lawrence as executive director of people, effective from June 1 // She will be joining from Costcutter, where she was HR director // Her remit is developing Card Factory’s employee engagement, resource planning, development and recruitment Card Factory has strengthened its leadership team with the appointment of Jennifer Lawrence as its new executive director of people. Lawrence was formerly HR director at Costcutter and has over 18 years of experience shaping and implementing people strategies for leading retailers and large businesses. During her time at Costcutter, Lawrence was responsible for developing and leading the HR agenda, whereby she initiated a colleague-led inclusion and wellbeing strategy to the company culture and launched an employee development programme. READ MORE: Card Factory slashes profit outlook amid weak Christmas sales Card Factory appoints David Cutts as chief information officer Lawrence previously held seni...

The Ritchies Community Benefit program began in 1993, and since then the supermarket has raised a total of $50 million. Since the launch of the program, donations have been made to the grocery bills of local schools, clubs or charities of their choices. The $50 millionth donation has been made today, delivered to the Dromana CFA, with a $5000 cheque being presented to Captain Timothy Desmond, Dromana CFA. “We’re so grateful to receive Ritchies $50 millionth donation,” Mr Desmond says. “Dromana brigade, which was established in 1929 has been serving the broader Victorian community for over nine decades.” How has the donations helped? “Our monthly payments from the program have to date totalled over $334,000 ultimately allowing us to invest in five new vehicles and essential equipment like duraline hoses, positive pressure fans, and electronic equipment such as mobile telephones, portable CFA radios, iPads for appliances as well as station computers and furniture,” explains Mr Desm...

As we approach first quarter of the 21st century, everything, including retail design trend, is changing as far as the shopping mall and retail industries are concerned – and that too at a great pace. While change is inevitable, the fact of the matter is that the curve of changes is bit too steep than […] from Indiaretailing.com https://ift.tt/32zmWvT via IFTTT

Media Release 26 February, 2020 Unilever Announces Leadership Change for Australian and New Zealand Business Unilever announced that Nicole Sparshott, the CEO of its speciality teas business T2, has been appointed CEO of Unilever Australia and New Zealand (ANZ), after Clive Stiff decided to retire from the business following eight years in the role and thirty four years in fast moving consumer goods. Clive joined Unilever in 2012 and has been a transformative leader throughout his tenure. He is credited with driving purpose-led growth, leading the digitisation of the ANZ business as a pioneer for Unilever globally, leading a number of M&A initiatives, and championing sustainability, diversity and inclusion both within the company and in external forums. During his time leading Unilever ANZ, he has also served in the Male Champions of Change movement, on the Board of the Business Council for Sustainable Development Australia, on the Advisory Council of UNSW Business School and ...

1Retail director, Brynt Moggach. Media Release 18 February, 2020 1Retail, a modern hybrid-cloud based Point of Sale (PoS) and retail management solution, has been approved as an Acumatica Certified Application (ACA) for version 2019 R2. The solution is designed to be customer centric, removing all the challenges associated with traditional legacy PoS systems, and enabling rapid, low-cost deployment for a low total cost of ownership. 1Retail director Brynt Moggach is honored to receive this kind of recognition from the Acumatica developers themselves. “This is a testament to the strength of our application and resources, as well as the depth of our integration with the Acumatica platform.” In 2019, 1Retail achieved Technical Validation for MYOB Advanced 2019 R1, enabling customers in the ANZ region to adopt 1Retail as a modern PoS solution for their business. “1Retail is easy-to-use, quick to deploy and works in most retail verticals. It is developed on-platform and works exclu...

If you’ve fallen victim of an Amazon Suspension for the very first time, it can be a daunting period for your online business. But there are straight forward steps that you can take to help get your business selling again quickly. Craig Gedey is the managing partner of Thompson and Holt, a company that successfully specialises in doing exactly that. Gedey – a previous Amazon Seller himself – has vast experience of what to do in the aftermath of an Amazon Suspension, from the moment it happens through to the day your deactivation is overturned, including crucial advice when writing your Amazon Appeal. Here Gedey provides his five-step process if you have been the victim of an Amazon Suspension. 1. Don ’ t panic “I can still recall the first time I had an Amazon Suspension and it was certainly a scary moment initially,” Gedey explains. “It was something I’d never been through before, I didn’t have any knowledge of the processes involved, and if I’m being totally honest my initial re...

Bullish on its growth in India, Apple is set to open its first branded retail store in the country in 2021, company CEO Tim Cook has told shareholders. Speaking to investors at the annual shareholder meeting at Apple Park in Cupertino, California on Wednesday, Cook confirmed the company will open its first offline retail outlet […] from Indiaretailing.com https://ift.tt/2Pvku4f via IFTTT

Aldi is removing all plastic lids on its own-label fresh cream and ready-to-drink coffee products, as part of its ongoing campaign to reduce single-use plastics. from Retail Times https://ift.tt/3a7OZFm via IFTTT

// Ted Baker appoints former HMV group finance director as interim CFO // David Wolffe was the group finance director at HMV from 2011 to 2012 // He joined Ted Baker at the end of January from Genius Sports Ted Baker has drafted in the former HMV group finance director David Wolffe as the new interim chief financial officer. Wolffe was the group finance director at HMV from 2011 to 2012, where he was responsible for bank refinancings and syndicate management, investor relations, shareholder approvals, asset disposals, cash management and strategic supplier negotiation. He joined Ted Baker at the end of January from Genius Sports, where he was also interim chief financial officer. READ MORE:  Up to 160 jobs at risk as Ted Baker announces shake-up Ted Baker puts London HQ on sale to shore up cash He also has experience as interim chief financial officer at wellbeing retailer Facegym, where he served for a few months last year. The news comes after Ted Baker put...

Bricks-and-clicks retailers provide the most environmentally friendly way to shop, ahead of both purchasing from pureplay online retailers and going in-store yourself. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions were found to be lowest when shopping for fast-moving-consumer-goods (FMCG) by retailers that have both physical and online stores, according to a  new report  published in  Environmental Science and Technology  this week. The report identified three key ways of shopping: traveling to and purchasing in-store yourself, buying from pureplay retailers like Amazon with no physical shopfront, and ordering online from retailers which will fulfil items from their physical stores. It measured the GHGs associated with transport, warehouse storage, delivery and packaging with any items which do not need to be refrigerated across all three channels and their specific supply chains. In its simulations it found that pureplay retailers had the highest GHG footprints 81 per cent of...