Zara boss calls for crackdown on fast-fashion tax loophole Retail The head of Zara’s parent company has called for a US-style crackdown on shipments of small goods in Europe to “level the playing field” between Chinese and European firms. Chinese giants Shein and Temu have heavily disrupted the global fashion market in the last few years, putting pressure on older companies. Part of their meteoric [...]
How did Next become an online shopping behemoth? Retail A better-than-expected set of first-quarter results from Next this morning has highlighted its growing reputation as an online fashion platform. Online sales, which account for around 30 per cent on overall sales, grew by 8.9 per cent in the UK and 29.6 per cent internationally. Internet-based sales have been a bigger driver of revenue over [...]
Asos shares plunge as investors lose confidence Retail Asos shares have slumped more than eight per cent in early deals this morning, extending losses recorded over the past few months as investors have lost confidence in the retailer’s turnaround plan. The e-commerce firm’s share price has dropped by a third in the last month and has fallen by half since the start of [...]
Child labour cases once again found in Shein’s supply chain February 27, 2025 Fast-fashion giant Shein found two cases of child labour in its supply chain last year, the company has told MPs. Shein’s general counsel for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Yinan Zhu, disclosed the cases in a letter to MPs, according to The Guardian. One of the incidents involved a child aged 11 years and [...]
Evri serves up record deliveries as online shopping soars November 18, 2024 Evri delivered 730m parcels in the 12 months to March, a 14.9 per cent year-on-year rise that helped profit more than double.
MPs plan to question Shein boss as firm eyes London IPO November 5, 2024 A cross-party group of MPs will call in Shein’s boss to comment on the risk of forced labour in fast-fashion supply chains, according to committee chair Liam Byrne. The House of Commons business select committee is finalising plans for an inquiry into employment rights in the workplace, which will, amongst other things, examine the risk [...]
‘Silent crisis’ for retailers with record online returns – but can fees stop it? October 21, 2024 Online returns are set to top £27bn this year as the ‘silent crisis’ continues to squeeze retailers, with over a fifth of non-food purchases now returned, according to fresh data. With 10 per cent of shoppers accounting for a quarter of all returns, so-called ‘serial returners’ will make up £6.6bn of that figure – with [...]
Oasis tickets and discounts ensure September spending doesn’t slide away October 8, 2024 Retail sales in the UK have held up despite a dip in confidence, driven by widespread discounts and a spike in entertainment spending after Oasis‘ tickets went on sale. Consumer card spending increased 1.2 per cent year on year in September, after returning to growth in August, according to data from Barclays. Discounting pushed spending [...]
Sosandar pushes ahead with brick-and-mortar expansion as new flagship store revealed September 19, 2024 UK fashion brand Sosandar has announced its expansion into in-store retail with historic Irish department store Arnotts, in a bid the company hopes will allow it to connect better with its customers. The London-listed company, which is headquartered in Cheshire, said the decision to base its flagship store in the Dublin department store had been [...]
Boohoo makes major US change in bid to broaden appeal September 11, 2024 Boohoo has announced significant changes to its operations in the US market as it looks to broaden its product offering across the Atlantic. The Manchester-headquartered group will stop supplying US customers from its distribution centre in Pennsylvania, as the company’s management look at ways to drive a more sustainable and profitable business. Orders will instead [...]