Retail news

• Läderach expands UK presence with new High Street Kensington store

  12-11-2024 09:45 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Läderach, the Swiss premium chocolatier, is continuing its UK expansion with the opening of a new store in Kensington. Situated at 135 High Street, the new... View Article
  
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• Watch: John Lewis unveils ’emotional’ Christmas 2024 ad

  14-11-2024 01:01 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  John Lewis has released its much-awaited Christmas 2024 ad focused on a sister’s quest to find the perfect gift.
  Set to the soundtrack of Richard Ashcroft’s Sonnet, ‘The Gifting Hour’ ad follows Sally dashing into John Lewis’ Oxford Street store on the hunt for a last-minute Christmas present for her sister.
  Falling through a rack of dresses, she enters a fantastical world and stumbles out of the wardrobe in the attic of her childhood home.Sally takes a whimsical jo
  
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• John Lewis unveils ’emotional’ Christmas 2024 ad focused on finding the perfect gift

  14-11-2024 01:01 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  John Lewis has released its much-awaited Christmas 2024 ad focused on a sister’s quest to find the perfect gift.
  Set to the soundtrack of Richard Ashcroft’s Sonnet, ‘The Gifting Hour’ ad follows Sally dashing into John Lewis’ Oxford Street store on the hunt for a last-minute Christmas present for her sister  
  Falling through a rack of dresses, she enters a fantastical world and stumbles out of the wardrobe in the attic of her childhood home.
  Sally takes a whims
  
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• John Lewis Christmas advert this year tells tale of two sisters

  14-11-2024 01:01
  
  This year’s ad is actually about going shopping and features Oxford Street store plus song by Richard AshcroftOver the years its Christmas adverts have featured a menagerie of lovable creatures but this year John Lewis is tugging on heartstrings with a Narnia-inspired tale of two sisters that for the first time gives its struggling department stores a starring role.After last year’s lighthearted outing featuring a cheeky Venus flytrap, the ad is a distinct gear-change. It was filmed
  
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• Homebase in administration: What went wrong and what next?

  13-11-2024 23:25 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Homebase plunged into administration today, appointing Teneo, which immediately sold the DIY retailer’s brand, IP and up to 70 UK stores to The Range and Wilko owner CDS Superstores.
  But where did it go wrong for Homebase, and what will happen next? Retail Gazette explores.
  Homebase’s fall from grace
  Homebase’s demise was kickstarted by what GlobalData senior data analyst Matt Walton terms, the “disastrous ownership” by Australian conglomerate Wesfarmers.
  The g
  
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• CDS Superstores acquires Homebase brand and 70 stores as the DIY retailer collapses into administration

  13-11-2024 21:50 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Homebase has collapsed into administration with 2,000 jobs put at risk, although the bulk of its stores are being acquired by the owner of The Range... View Article
  
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• Boohoo urges investors to reject Mike Ashley’s demand to join its board

  13-11-2024 20:16
  
  The tycoon’s company Frasers is the UK fast-fashion retailer’s largest shareholder and has accused it of mismanagement
  
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• M&S expands beauty takeback scheme to 100 stores

  13-11-2024 18:34 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  M&S has doubled the store footprint of its Beauty Takeback Scheme to an additional 60 stores, bringing the total to 100, in a bid to make the scheme more accessible to customers across the UK.
  The takeback scheme boxes are now available in new locations including Birmingham Bullring, Cardiff, and Inverness.
  Launched in June 2023 as part of the high street giant’s Plan A roadmap to Net Zero, the scheme allows customers to recycle any form of plastic or aluminium beauty packaging –
  
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• Homebase collapses into administration with thousands of jobs at risk

  13-11-2024 18:07
  
  Future of 2,000 staff remains unclear despite the bulk of stores being bought by the homeware retailer The RangeThe struggling DIY chain Homebase has collapsed into administration, leaving thousands of workers facing an uncertain future, despite the purchase of the bulk of its stores by the owner of The Range homeware retailer.Gavin Park, Gavin Maher and Adele Macleod from the financial advisory firm Teneo were appointed as joint administrators of Homebase’s owners, HHGL Limited and Hampde
  
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• Marks & Spencer expands Beauty Takeback Scheme to more stores

  13-11-2024 18:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Marks & Spencer has expanded its Beauty Takeback Scheme to a further 60 stores. Run in partnership with Handle, the scheme is now running in 100... View Article
  
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• The Range owner snaps up Homebase brand and stores as it falls into administration

  13-11-2024 17:21 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  The Range and Wilko owner, CDS Superstores, has acquired the Homebase brand name, intellectual property, and up to 70 UK stores, as the DIY retailer plunged into administration.
  Gavin Park, Gavin Maher and Adele Macleod from the financial advisory firm Teneo were appointed as joint administrators of Homebase’s owners, HHGL Limited and Hampden Group Limited.
  The brand will continue to trade online, and the stores acquired by CDS will continue to trade as Homebase over the coming months but
  
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• The Range owner snaps up Homebase brand and 70 stores

  13-11-2024 17:21 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  The Range and Wilko owner, CDS Superstores, has acquired the Homebase brand name, intellectual property, and up to 70 UK stores.
  The brand will continue to trade online, and the acquired stores will continue to trade as Homebase over the coming months but will re-open as The Range stores.
  “These stores will include everything you’d expect from The Range, combined with much broader choice across garden, showroom and DIY categories – retaining the best of the Homebase expertise a
  
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• Homebase falls into administration putting 2,000 jobs at risk

  13-11-2024 16:19
  
  About 70 of DIY chain’s outlets sold to owner of homeware chain The Range
  
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• Watch: All of retail’s Christmas 2024 ads, from Tesco to Boots

  13-11-2024 13:39 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Retailers’ Christmas adverts have already begun appearing across our TV screens as the festive season fast approaches.
  With celeb guests ranging from Dawn French and Nigella Lawson to beloved Roald Dahl character the BFG, there’s truly something for everyone in this year’s Christmas campaigns.
  Retail Gazette takes a look at the Christmas adverts released so far. Let us know your favourite in the comments section.
  Tesco
  Tesco’s Christmas spot explores the things that feed
  
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• Homebase may have to cut 1,700 jobs amid insolvency reports

  13-11-2024 13:01
  Homeware retailer The Range reportedly interested in deal to buy 75 existing stores in pre-pack sale arrangementThousands of workers at the Homebase DIY chain face uncertainty over their future amid reports that the retailer is close to appointing administrators, with homeware specialist The Range poised to snap up some of its stores.Homebase is expected to appoint Teneo to handle an insolvency process for its UK arm, which has about 130 stores. Continue reading...
  
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• Garmin opens first UK store in Southampton

  13-11-2024 12:05 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Garmin has opened its first UK store in Southampton’s Westquay shopping centre, as the brand continues to rise in popularity in the country.
  The almost 1,500 sq ft store, based in the centre’s upper shopping level, houses the watch retailer’s range of consumer electronics as well as its products for both cars and the marine industry.
  The store, which opened on 6 November, includes imagery, colours and textures inspired by the outdoors to make the brand “come to life&rdquo
  
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• Homebase lines up administrators as The Range eyes stores deal

  13-11-2024 11:46 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Homebase is gearing up to appoint administrators, with The Range eyeing a deal to snap up some stores.
  The DIY chain is expected to appoint Teneo to handle an insolvency process for its UK operation, consisting of around 130 stores, The Times reported.
  Administrators are being lined up to handle a pre-pack sale of scores of Homebase stores amid hopes that a significant number of the company’s remaining jobs can be salvaged.
  Sky News reports that The Range will buy up to 75 stores, includin
  
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• Morrisons overhaul: One year in, what changes has CEO Rami Baitiéh made?

  13-11-2024 09:32 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  This week marks a year since Morrisons boss Rami Baitiéh took the reins of the supermarket and many changes have been made.
  Baitiéh, who spent 20 years at French grocery giant Carrefour before heading to Bradford last year, says it has been “an incredibly fulfilling year, made possible by the dedication of our colleagues and suppliers and the loyalty of our customers. I’ve enjoyed every single day”.
  “Together, we’ve achieved so much, and I’m exci
  
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• Garmin chooses Southampton for first UK retail store

  13-11-2024 09:20 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Garmin has opened its first UK retail store in Southampton’s Westquay Shopping Centre. Situated on the Upper Shopping Level, the 1,500 square foot space offers the... View Article
  
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• Data: Asda lags behind as UK grocery sales slow ahead of holiday surge

  13-11-2024 09:20 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Asda continues to trail behind as UK grocery sales growth slowed over the last month, with shoppers reining in spending in anticipation of Black Friday and Christmas, fresh data from NIQ has found.
  The market researcher said UK supermarket sales slowed to 4.0% in the four weeks to 2 November year-on-year, down from 4.7% in the previous month.
  NIQ UK head of retailer and business insight Mike Watkins said: “Shoppers so far have been cautious and it’s evident that they are saving on gr
  
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• 7-Eleven starts talks with ACT on $47bn takeover bid as ‘white knight’ emerges

  13-11-2024 08:49
  
  Japanese convenience store operator receives rival buyout offer from members of founding family
  
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• Hush appoints Philip Mountford as chairman

  13-11-2024 08:22 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  The Hush womenswear brand has appointed Philip Mountford as chairman as it looks ahead to UK and international expansion. The move follows Hush’s successful brand relaunch... View Article
  
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• Look Fantastic welcomes The White Company to its brand portfolio

  13-11-2024 08:20 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Look Fantastic has become the first beauty-only retailer to offer products from The White Company brand. The THG owned retailer has expanded its premium beauty range... View Article
  
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• M&S overtakes Waitrose as Middle England’s top grocer

  13-11-2024 08:11 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  M&S has surpassed Waitrose as the preferred grocer for Middle England for the first time, at a key period ahead of the busy Christmas season.
  It marks the first time that M&S has ever overtaken the premium grocer outside the festive period, when figures are skewed by higher spending on food-to-order for the party season.
  Unpublished market data seen by The Telegraph has revealed that M&S outpaced Waitrose in sales over the past month, with stronger growth than any other supermarket.
  
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• Boots ‘biggest ever’ Black Friday sale causes website meltdown

  13-11-2024 07:59 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Boots customers have been left annoyed after the high street giant’s pharmacist’s app and website crashed repeatedly during its Black Friday sales.
  Many issued complaints that they had been locked out of Boots’ website on Tuesday morning, while others said the health and beauty retailer’s app would not load, the Telegraph reported.
  Some were also shown a message admitting the service was “rather busy with Black Friday shoppers” and telling them they had been &
  
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• Morrisons to invest £7 million in Channel Island convenience stores

  13-11-2024 07:57 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Morrisons is to convert 36 recently acquired convenience stores in Jersey, Guernsey and Alderney to the Morrisons format. The estate includes 19 Morrisons Daily stores with... View Article
  
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• Ocado grows own brand range

  13-11-2024 07:36 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Ocado is expanding its range of own brand products with hundreds of new items to be introduced next year. These will have a big focus on... View Article
  
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• ‘Fart blaster’ tops Christmas toy wishlist as experts predict record sales

  13-11-2024 07:30
  
  Despicable Me 4 tie-in smells more like popcorn while a waddling duck and an interactive pet monkey also featureA “fart blaster” with a repertoire of 15 sounds that blasts “fog fart rings” and a waddling mother duck are among the toys destined to appear on Christmas lists as experts predict a “record-breaking” year for sales.At £30, the Despicable Me 4 spin-off toy promises to be a talking point on Christmas Day. It comes with two scents: banana and &ldq
  
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• Peter Mandelson’s consultancy advised Shein until early 2024

  13-11-2024 06:00
  
  Fast fashion retailer did not appear in list of clients published by Global Counsel, co-founded by Labour peerPeter Mandelson’s consultancy Global Counsel advised the Chinese fast fashion company Shein until earlier this year, the Guardian can disclose.The retail company contracted Global Counsel until earlier in 2024, though it never appeared on Global Counsel’s list of clients published by the Office of the Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists (ORCL). Continue reading...
  
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• Matalan strengthens senior team

  12-11-2024 14:29 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Matalan has strengthened its senior team with two new hires. In a first appointment, the fashion and homeware retailer has recruited James Dorling as director of... View Article
  
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