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

An Invar Systems project, involving the rollout of Hikrobot AMRs across Superdry’s international DC network, has won the highly coveted Technology Supply Chain Excellence trophy at the 2020 Supply Chain Excellence Awards. The entry was also Highly Commended by the judges in the Best Use of Robotics category. The Supply Chain Excellence Awards scheme, now in its 24th year, is recognised as the most prestigious awards scheme in the supply chain sector, requiring entrants to not only submit a detailed written entry, but also to present in front of a panel of judges. The combined team from Superdry and Invar Systems with Hikrobot ‘received’ the trophy at a virtual awards ceremony held on 12th November, in front of a global audience of supply chain professionals. Commenting on the award win, Tim Wright, Managing Director of Invar Systems said: “This is a great honour. The entire team, and everyone within the Invar Group, is delighted to have been recognised by the industry for the hard ...

Spending on essential items grew 4.2 per cent, bolstered by continued growth in supermarket spend as the category saw an online uplift of 94.4 per cent Food and drink specialist stores – including butchers and greengrocers – rose by 50.7 per cent as nearly half of shoppers looked to support local businesses Digital content and subscriptions experienced its highest uplift since July, as the longer nights saw the nation dine in with takeaways and box sets The Barclaycard report combines hundreds of millions of customer transactions with consumer research to provide an in-depth view of UK spending Consumer spending declined 0.1 per cent year-on-year in October, as the introduction of further restrictions and the arrival of colder weather encouraged Brits to stay at home and turn to online shopping. Data from Barclaycard, which sees nearly half of the nation’s credit and debit card transactions, reveals that spending on essential items grew 4.2 per cent year-on-year, steadied by a 1...

Food banks across the south are set to benefit from a new fund set up by a regional co-operative. Southern Co-op has made an initial donation of £5,000 to its Feed a Family Fund so local food banks can start applying for help straightaway. The independent co-operative is also asking its customers and members to donate to its fund which will enable local groups to purchase essential equipment or cover running costs. The micro grants of £200, which will be distributed via the online platform Neighbourly, will ensure the funding helps a wide number of food banks and reaches those who need it most. Holly Bramble, Southern Co-op’s Community and Campaign Co-ordinator, said: “Our customers, colleagues and members have been incredibly generous throughout the pandemic. They have been donating goods at all of our stores that have collection points and have helped thousands of people being supported by 44 different food banks. “At the start of the pandemic, we also donated £100,000 to help ...

Laithwaite’s Wine has seen an increase in home deliveries and subscriptions, with 31.5m bottles delivered by Yodel, the UK independent parcel carrier, this year to date. Yodel is one of the delivery partners for Laithwaite’s Wine, providing customers with a choice of delivery options as they take advantage of the convenience of doorstep delivery. The sharp rise in the number of deliveries is reflective of a wider industry trend. As Yodel looks to support Laithwaite’s continued success, customers will have access to Yodel’s Xpect service, which provides customers with regular updates on their parcel, including a two-hour window for delivery on the morning that it is due. Purchasers will also be able to use Yodel’s Xpress service, which enables them to track their parcels online throughout the delivery process and rearrange their deliveries if need be. Sam Holden, chief commercial officer at Yodel , commented: “With consumers up and down the country continuing to work remotely, onlin...

The business disruption caused by COVID-19 and the first national lockdown has resulted in four out of five (82%) retailers changing their approach to stock management and is driving five retail supply chain trends. This is according to a new report from logistics company Advanced Supply Chain Group (ASCG), which shows how the pandemic has caused stock management issues for 92% of retailers. The impact of this is leading to an evolution of the long-practiced lean management process Just in Time (JIT) and 42% of retailers planning to grow sales by selling through more channels. The report, Retail Supply Chains in the ‘New Normal’ , is based on the findings from interviews with 200 senior retail professionals involved in buying, stock inventory management and supply chain management. It reveals five retail supply chain trends including: 1) Time for Change To address delays caused by COVID-19, retailers have adapted timings at the beginning and end of their supply chains. Of the reta...

Launch of the City of Sunderland Gift Card, with Mandy Brown of Harrison, Brown furniture, Holmeside, Sunderland and Natalie Dellow of Sunderland BID. Sunderland has become the first city in the North East to launch its own gift card scheme, as part of its on-going commitment to boosting the local economy. The Sunderland Gift Card is being pioneered by Sunderland City Council and Sunderland BID, which has teamed up with Miconex, the company running the successful Town and City Gift Card scheme at major locations around the country. And now businesses of all types – including hospitality, retail, experiential and professional services – are being invited to sign up for the scheme, which will allow the cards to be spend at their venues. The cards will enable the recipients to spend the value at a whole range of outlets citywide, which could include cinemas, shops, beauty salons, hairdressers, restaurants and bars. Along with providing the ideal solution for “hard to buy for” friend...

Dobbies, a UK garden centre retailer, unveils its brand-new Christmas advertising campaign today (Monday 9 November 2020). The Joy of Dobbies brings to life the magical experience of a trip to Dobbies during the festive period. Impactful and unexpected, there are three hero TV ads which feature their own unique characters including Freddie the poodle enjoying the wind in his fur as he sledges down a mountain, Elaine living out her on-stage fantasy while it’s raining mince pies and Brian indulging in a creamy hot chocolate in a hot tub overflowing with Christmas baubles. All are an entertaining ode to the fact that nothing that beats the feeling of a trip to Dobbies at Christmas and feature original scores from acclaimed Jazz musician, Ola Onabulé. Strategically, the campaign also launches Dobbie’s new positioning, Not Your Average Garden Centre. Graeme Jenkins, CEO of Dobbies said: “This year’s Christmas adverts have a fresh creative approach. Our research[1] has shown that more ...

Liverpool’s business leaders have called on everyone across the region to unite and “support local.”  The call comes after Liverpool City Region was moved to tier three to help fight the pandemic. Led by Liverpool ONE, Liverpool BID, Visit Liverpool and Marketing Liverpool, the “Help Campaign” is calling on businesses and local people to help each other by supporting local retailers, restaurants and cafés.  While there may be restrictions in place, Liverpool and its businesses remain open. The ‘Help Campaign” has five key messages: Safely – and observing all guidelines, such as regular handwashing, social distancing and the rule of six – keep visiting the city, be it places of work, local neighbourhoods, or favourite haunts. Visitors are welcome, but it is imperative they behave responsibly and follow all guidelines. Do not visit If you are notified to isolate. Support Liverpool’s hospitality and retail sectors by eating and shopping locally. If circumstances mean resid...

Eden Menswear stocks the latest designer menswear from premium brands Prestigious mens’ multi- brand, Eden Menswear, is opening a new store at Springfields Outlet , a retail and leisure destination in the East of England. Eden Menswear is fast becoming extremely popular with its wide range of mens’ fashion brands to suit every occasion. Shop the best in casual clothing, formalwear, and more for a whole new wardrobe at up to 60% off the RRP. Ian Sanderson, Director of Springfields, said: “Eden Menswear adds to our strong fashion offer. This time for men. We always aim to bring the brands people want to Springfields and this time we have brought a big collection all in one go” Eden Menswear will enhance the existing men’s fashion offer at Springfields, joining premium fashion and accessory brands. Springfields has been working within the Government guidelines to make the whole shopping experience wonderful and peaceful. Health and safety measures are in place including social ...

The retail giant will use TapSimple’s contactless devices to fundraise for its charity partner in an increasingly cashless society Feel-good fundraising platform TapSimple , whose products include the Clip, a Contactless and Chip & PIN device, is delighted to announce it will be supporting Lidl GB’s fundraising efforts for the NSPCC, by supplying the retailer with Clips to help make raising funds easier and safer during the pandemic. The Clips are being placed in 13 of Lidl’s Regional Distribution Centres to help colleagues raise funds for the supermarket chain’s charity partner, NSPCC. At a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the third sector, the placement of TapSimple’s Contactless and Chip & PIN devices in Lidl’s centres will make it significantly easier for donors to give to the NSPCC. Contributions made through TapSimple also give donors the unique option to add Gift Aid, unlocking an extra 25 per cent of donations for the charity. This announce...

Shaftesbury continues to bring new brands to the Carnaby destination and are delighted to welcome the launch of ​the first ever stand-alone iets frans… store, opening today at 44 Carnaby Street. The 2 floor shop will house exclusive iets frans… product, including unisex apparel in a variety of colourways and prints, as well as face masks and accessories. Samantha Bain-Mollison, Retail Director Shaftesbury ​“We are delighted that iets frans… has chosen Carnaby for its first ever stand alone store. It is a great fit for the Carnaby customer with on trend products at great price points. This is another positive retail opening for Carnaby”. iets frans… is the go-to brand for oversized sweats & elevated sportswear basics and unisex products. The organic success of the collection since launch 2017 is due to Instantly recognisable vintage inspired lifestyle brand with a nostalgic casual aesthetic combined with innovative colour stories and logo applications. ​ Emma Wisden, Urban Outfit...

Retailer saw 56.6% uplift in order rate and 2.6x increase in conversion from True Fit shoppers Online fashion retailer, Boden , has seen a 5.1 precent lift to incremental revenue during Q1 2020, plus a conversion rate increase of 2.6x from shoppers using True Fit , a personalisation platform for apparel and footwear retailers, on their site. The retailer also reported a 56.6 percent jump in order rates, a 12 percent increase to average order value (AOV) and a 5.9 percent reduction in returns for shoppers who followed True Fit’s recommendations. Renowned for its bright, patterned clothes and quality, casual basics, Boden was founded by Johnnie Boden in 1991 as a mail-order business.  While still retaining its traditional catalogue, the omnichannel retailer now has a flagship store on London’s King’s Road and concessions in select stores across the UK. However, 95% of trade takes place online across the UK, Germany, Austria, France, Australia and the US. Boden set the business o...

By Sam Duggan, Head of Marketing at Marketing Automation platform,  Force24 Ecommerce brands are sitting on millions of pieces of data about customers and their behaviours – and yet many sector marketers are still failing to effectively apply it to their digital comms. As a result, it’s leading to an array of lost opportunities. But why is that the case when retail outlets are exposed to even more ways to analyse their performance, speak to audiences on a deeper level and positively impact business growth – particularly during the current climate? Perhaps brands aren’t providing marketing teams with the training to fully understand the pivotal role in which insight plays in their campaign content. Or it could be that busy professionals feel they don’t have the time to plug in savvy tech – such as marketing automation – despite it being capable of pulling together those vital metrics streams, in real-time. Not only can smart tools take away monotonous, labour-intensive tasks but...

Brand ambassador joins other retail giants on steering group Aim is to make food and drink production more sustainable Jonathan Straight, brand ambassador for online surplus food retailer Approved Food, has been appointed to the influential Courtauld 2025 Steering Committee. The Courtauld Commitment 2025 is an ambitious voluntary agreement that brings together organisations across the food system to make food and drink production more sustainable. As well as representation from regional governments and industry bodies, other retail giants are also represented on the group. This 10-year commitment seeks to identify priorities, develop solutions and implement changes to cut the carbon and waste associated with food and drink by at least one fifth across a 10-year period in addition to reducing water stress. Launched in 2015, the current commitment builds on three previous phases of activity that began in 2005 at an event at the Courtauld Gallery in London. Since its inception, t...

London most eco-friendly region, ‘green’ grocery shopping vital Sustainable packaging concerns are higher than ever with ‘green priorities’ becoming more important to over a third of people in the UK since the Covid-19 pandemic hit. A new study by  Toluna , a consumer intelligence platform and parent company of Harris Interactive and KuRunData, which surveyed 1,053 adults in the UK, found that sustainable packaging remains a key issue for people, especially those aged between 18 and 34. Of this age group, 36% regard sustainable packaging as very important to them, compared to just over a quarter (26%) of those aged 55 and above. Excessive packaging is the most pressing concern, with the ability to recycle packaging a priority – almost half (47%) believe this holds the key to eliminating packaging waste. The capital of the UK has emerged as the most eco-friendly, with 38% of those in Greater London describing sustainable packaging as very important to them. That figure rose even ...

Harding joins as part of retailTRUST’s fundraising committee Openpay to amplify the charity’s initiatives through media and social channels ‘Buy now. Pay smarter’ payment solution to also assist with the Trust’s latest campaign – #forthefour – this month ‘ Buy now. Pay smarter’ payments solution, Openpay , has announced that Managing Director, Andy Harding, will be joining retailTRUST , as an ambassador. Chaired by retail leader, Alistair McGeorge, Harding, alongside Damian Hopkins, International MD of Matalan and Karl Doyle, Group Trading Director of Reiss, will also sit on the charity’s fundraising committee, which seeks to raise funds to protect and improve the lives of those working in retail. The announcement comes as retailTRUST launches its latest campaign this month: #forthefour . While one in four adults in the UK will experience a mental health problem in their lifetime, the campaign aims to be there for the four in four who will experience a setback or difficult life ...

Whole Foods Market customers will soon be able to purchase a range of fresh produce that has been grown by Infarm – an urban farming network. As part of its continued UK expansion, Infarm is set to install two of its modular vertical farming units in two of the London stores; High Street Kensington and Fulham, the Kensington Whole Foods, as well as one in Fulham , so shoppers can buy fresh produce grown in store. The partnership between Infarm and Whole Foods Market aims to satisfy increasing consumer demand for sustainably grown products with a smaller environmental footprint, helping customers to both make healthy choices and reduce their food waste. Infarm produce will be rolling out to Whole Foods Market stores in Piccadilly Circus, Stoke Newington, Richmond, Clapham Junction and Camden Whole Foods Market at the end of October and throughout November.* These stores will be supplied with produce from a local Infarm growing centre in Tottenham, providing flexible supply as and whe...

St James Quarter, Edinburgh has secured Peloton, the global interactive fitness platform, for the city. Founded in New York City in 2012, Peloton is set to open a showroom at St James Quarter in 2021. Peloton will take 2,926 sq ft on level 3 at St James Quarter, which will launch in Spring 2021 with the opening of the first retail phase of the development. Peloton’s new location will provide consumers with the chance to experience its suite of connected fitness products, including the Peloton Bike and Peloton Bike+. Consumers will also be able to shop the latest Peloton apparel. Peloton pioneered connected, technology-enabled fitness, and introduced its indoor Bike to a U.S. audience in 2014. In 2018, Peloton began international expansion, launching in the UK and Canada. Peloton brings the energy and benefits of studio-style workouts to the convenience and comfort of home. With thousands of classes across a variety of disciplines, taught by a roster of elite instructors, Peloton del...

Customers of Westfield London and Westfield Stratford City will be able to shop till they drop comforted by the knowledge their mobile will still be fully charged even if their legs grow weary. Up.co ( www.theup.co ), the parent company behind phone charging network,  ChargedUp , and sister hand sanitiser business   CleanedUp , has secured a five-year exclusive deal to supply Westfield Stratford City and Westfield London with the firm’s network of portable mobile power banks. This is the first time consumers within the shopping centres will have access to on-the-go charging through the battery rental network – all powered by 100% renewable energy via a partnership with Octopus Energy, one of the providers of Renewable Energy in the UK. The London-based startup, launched in April 2017 by Hugo Tilmouth (24) and Charlie Baron (26), supplied the Westfield centres with 600 portable power banks available to re...

By Graham Jackson, CEO, Fluent Commerce Technology-led innovation is bringing change to all areas of retail, from the increasing sophistication of online brands, to the fundamental shifts being seen across the High Street shopping environment. What many of these trends happening across retail have in common is their emphasis on better, more engaging customer experiences. As a result, retailers are increasingly focusing on efficient order management and effectively using data to deliver a service at a hyper personalised level, while at the same time contending with higher expectations around sustainable delivery and procurement practices. Successful retailers in this decade won’t rely on discounting, they’ll focus on their customers’ convenience. Order management software today can provide retailers with a real-time view of inventory so they can ensure products are delivered to customers in the quickest and most cost-effective way. Everyone has had poor experiences, particularly wi...