Weak rise in retail sales in July disappoints stores July 30, 2012 British retail sales rose in July more slowly than stores had expected, dented by unusually rainy weather, a survey by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has showed. The CBI distributive trades survey’s July sales balance fell to +11 from an 18-month high of +42 in June. Analysts had forecast a fall to +15. Economists [...]
Amazon keeps lion’s share of UK market July 23, 2012 ONLINE retail giant Amazon has built up its spot at the top of the UK entertainment market, largely at the expense of supermarket rivals and specialists like HMV, according to research published yesterday. Kantar Worldpanel figures for the 12 weeks to 10 June show that Amazon strengthened its market share by 3.2 percentage points, boosted [...]
Budget grocers up market slice July 17, 2012 BUDGET supermarket chains Aldi and Lidl have raised their market share again, new figures showed yesterday. The latest Kantar Worldpanel survey revealed that Lidl and Aldi have 2.9 per cent each of the UK market, a record for the budget chains, which have been catching their rivals as austerity bites. Among the big four grocers, [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING July 8, 2012 FINANCIAL TIMES Call for French business boost French business urgently requires shock treatment to cut labour costs and boost its flagging ability to compete on international markets, top economists and business leaders have warned Francois Hollande. ArcelorMittal refuses to rule out EU steel closures as demand falls ArcelorMittal has refused to rule out further site [...]
Jubilee helped lift retail sales, survey shows June 27, 2012 HIGH STREET sales shot up in the year to June as a boost from the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations confounded the Eurozone crisis, according to a CBI survey published yesterday. Some 58 per cent of retailers reported increased sales volumes, as opposed to just 17 per cent stating reductions. In previous surveys retailers had only expected [...]
Inflation falls at last – but the damage has already been done June 20, 2012 AT last, Britain’s inflation problem is abating. Prices are still increasing too quickly – inflation remains at 3.1 per cent on the retail price index and 2.8 per cent on the consumer price index, painful as wages are growing far less quickly. But the direction of travel is reassuring. The Bank of England – by [...]
Inflation falls at last – but the damage has already been done June 19, 2012 AT last, Britain’s inflation problem is abating. Prices are still increasing too quickly – inflation remains at 3.1 per cent on the retail price index and 2.8 per cent on the consumer price index, painful as wages are growing far less quickly. But the direction of travel is reassuring. The Bank of England – by [...]
Jubilee gives grocers £200m turnover boost June 19, 2012 BRITAIN’S grocery market grew 3.2 per cent in the 12 weeks to 10 June, boosted by an 11.3 per cent leap in the run-up to the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee celebrations, industry data revealed yesterday. Market researcher Kantar WorldPanel said supermarkets took an extra £213m in the tills in the week ending 3 June. “The [...]
Supermarkets cut fuel prices as battle at the pumps intensifies June 11, 2012 SAINSBURY’S and Asda yesterday fired the latest salvo in a fuel price war among supermarket giants. A fall in global oil prices has triggered the price drops, which have seen the big four supermarkets – Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons – fight it out to offer the best deal. Asda said that from today it [...]
As Tesco reports a drop in UK sales, has the retailer been pursuing the wrong strategy? June 11, 2012 YES Richard Perks “Retail is detail” and Tesco has been getting too many of the details wrong – poor quality, bad service, tired stores and an inept marketing function that couldn’t cope with Asda’s price guarantee. Very basically, Tesco has been using the UK as a cash cow to provide funds for development elsewhere. But, [...]