Temu owner PDD shares plunge after profit warning August 27, 2024 Shares in Pinduoduo (PDD Holdings), the Chinese owner of discount retailer Temu, have plunged by nearly 29 per cent in New York in a move that has wiped $55bn (£41.6bn) off the company’s market value. The steep decline followed a warning from management about an impending nosedive in profits, causing investors to reassess the company’s [...]
Ocado cements Coles partnership as Australian fulfilment centres open August 27, 2024 Online grocer Ocado has announced that its two fulfilment centres in Australia commenced operations in July after a year of delays. The centres, which will serve communities in Melbourne and Sydney via Ocado’s Smart Platform, were opened in partnership with Australian online grocer Coles. The partnership was signed in 2019 and has been subject to [...]
Hamleys: World’s oldest toy store closes 40 loss-making shops as sales fall August 27, 2024 Toy retailer Hamleys is hoping a new digital strategy will help turn around its falling sales after closing 40 loss-making stores last year. The brand’s holding company has reported a revenue of £51.4m for 2023, according to newly-filed accounts with Companies House, down from the £56.6m it posted for 2022. Over the same period, its [...]
Shein uncovers child labour in its supply chain August 23, 2024 Fast fashion giant Shein has admitted it found two cases of child labour in its supply chain last year in a revelation that will likely fuel concerns in the City ahead of potential blockbuster float on the London Stock Exchange.
Waitrose to ramp up convenience store expansion with 100 new sites August 21, 2024 The premium grocer Waitrose will expand its store portfolio by around a third over the next three years in one of its “biggest periods of expansion” as it ramps up investment into ‘Little Waitrose’ convenience shops. The Berkshire-headquartered company will invest over £1bn in a project to open 100 new stores and revamp a further [...]
WH Smith launches first cafe in push to hospitality and food-to-go market August 16, 2024 WH Smith, the 232-year-old stationery store, has decided to move into the hospitality scene with the opening of its first café.
John Lewis redundancies: What does the law say about department store job cuts? August 14, 2024 More UK retail jobs are set to be lost after John Lewis revealed plans to cut its headcount by more than 150 in the coming months. The move means the department store giant becomes the latest household name to reduce its staffing numbers so far this year. John Lewis has said it hopes to achieve [...]
John Lewis: How all the major changes will impact staff and shoppers August 14, 2024 John Lewis is poised to make a series of major changes that will affect all of its stores across the country and its partners. The organisation announced a restructuring plan yesterday that it described as a “multimillion pound” investment in technology and what it has described as ‘simplification’ would help “improve our customer service and make [...]
LG Electronics: UK sales suffer almost £100m fall as Samsung rivalry heats up August 14, 2024 Sales at the UK arm of LG Electronics have been slashed by almost £100m after it lost market share and Samsung stepped up its competition. The Surrey-headquartered division has reported a turnover of £561.4m for 2023, down from £654.3m, according to newly-filed documents with Companies House. Its pre-tax profit was also cut from £19.7m to [...]
Carpetright owed almost £350m when it collapsed into administration August 14, 2024 Carpetright owed almost £350m when it collapsed into administration with the loss of more than 1,500 jobs before being rescued, it has been revealed. The Essex-headquartered carpet and tiling retailer was acquired by rival Tapi in July in a move that saved the jobs of more than 300 people and 54 stores. At the time [...]