Here are all the Marks & Spencer stores at risk of closure November 14, 2016 Brace yourselves residents of St Albans, Warrington and Bolton. For it seems your local M&S is at risk of getting the chop. The retailer is shutting 30 outlets around the UK and converting 45 others to Simply Food stores. While M&S hasn't yet announced its full list of closures, retail analysts at Local Data Company [...]
Watch the Sainsbury’s Christmas ad here – James Corden is on vocals November 14, 2016 We've had the festive offerings from Marks & Spencer, John Lewis and Aldi – and now the Sainsbury's Christmas ad has arrived. The supermarket has brought America's favourite Briton, James Corden, on board to take part in its musical extravaganza which "tells the story of Dave, a hard-working and devoted Dad, who realises that the greatest [...]
The Battle for Virality: How the advertising industry stole Christmas November 14, 2016 Consumer capitalism is like an annual balloon, pumping in steady increments throughout the year. It grows and grows, stretching and straining around November, taut before the Black Friday Pin; the pressure too much, one prick and the balloon explodes in a relentless cloud of Christmas advertising. But where has this volley come from? We can’t even [...]
Retail sector shows signs of strengthening as shoppers return to the high street November 14, 2016 Retailers saw footfall drop in October, but at a slower rate than the previous month, as shoppers headed to the high street despite the lure of online shopping. Springboard UK’s latest figures showed a less severe fall last month compared to September. Read more: Christmas adverts rated: Which retailer has made the best ad of 2016? “The slight [...]
Consumers splash the cash in October, as spending growth hits six-month high November 14, 2016 Brits have been on a spending spree during October, with a surge in money spent heading to hotels, restaurants and bars, according to figures out today. Visa's UK Consumer Spending Index showed that year-on-year growth for consumer spending had risen to 2.5 per cent for October, the sharpest rise in six months and up from 2.3 per [...]
Bankers urge Hammond to push for transition periods ahead of Autumn Statement November 13, 2016 Bankers are calling on the chancellor to push to secure important rights post-Brexit ahead of his first Autumn Statement later this month. The British Bankers' Association (BBA) has used its Autumn Statement submission to urge Philip Hammond to provide further clarity on transition periods and a more transparent negotiating timetable. "The outcome of the referendum vote has generated [...]
Trump latest: Five things you need to know on Sunday November 13, 2016 Five days in and the world is still absorbing the surprise news of Donald Trump being elected the 45th President of the United States of America. Here's everything you need to know on the latest reactions and developments waking up on Sunday morning. Nato chief speaks The head of Nato, the global security group which Trump [...]
The Waitrose Christmas advert is here: Move over Buster, there’s a plucky little Robin giving you all the feels November 13, 2016 The bouncing boxer dog of the John Lewis Christmas advert has a rival: a tiny Robin braving wild weather and perilous predators to return to a young girl's festive home. The Waitrose Christmas advert has been revealed, and while never quite matching up to the much-hyped John Lewis one before, this year that might just change with its [...]
Christmas adverts rated: Which retailer has made the best ad of 2016? November 12, 2016 Argos A gang of multicoloured yetis on ice skates stealing unattended electrical items from a pleasant-looking neighbourhood. Does anything say ‘come and visit our store’ less? ★☆☆☆☆ Aldi Good-looking food. But the poor carrot, Kevin, who we become attached to in this one-minute advert, is surely destined to meet an unfortunate ending. ★★★☆☆ Ebay Definitely [...]
Watch this year’s full M&S Christmas advert, with Mrs Claus taking the starring role November 11, 2016 Hot on the heels of John Lewis' Buster the Boxer, Marks & Spencer has let its 2016 Christmas advert free this evening. The three-minute video featured for the first time on TV during Channel 4's Gogglebox. Read more: Heartwarming and full of plot holes: Our review of John Lewis' Christmas ad It tells the story [...]