Walmart offers $98 flat-screen TV in bid to lure holiday shoppers November 19, 2013 As competition heats up in the US retail sector in the run up to the holidays, Walmart is seeking to entice shoppers with a 32-inch flat-screen TV for only $98 (£61). The world's second largest corporation has also promised to match its competitors' best Black Friday deals a week early. Duncan Mac Naughton, chief merchandising [...]
Salmond fuels salmon demand November 18, 2013 FLAT whites are so last year – those on the cutting edge of beverages will be quaffing green vegetable drinks in 2014, according to the consumer clairvoyants at Mintel. The research firm said yesterday that new EU rules on caffeine labelling will push drinkers away from coffee and energy drinks and into natural alternatives. Its [...]
Prosecco demand sees Majestic Wine profits sparkle November 18, 2013 Majestic Wine has posted a rise in pre-tax profits of 4.2 per cent to £9.2m, in the six months to September. Total sales for the period were up by 3.3 per cent to £130.2m. A significant proportion of that increase came from a spike in sales of sparkling wine of 39 per cent. The company [...]
Thai visitors among the UK’s big shopper league this Christmas November 18, 2013 WEALTHY foreign visitors are expected to keep Britain’s tills ringing over the crucial Christmas period, with spend from Thai tourists outpacing all other nationalities so far this year. Thai visitors are the fastest growing consumers of luxury goods in the UK this year so far, with spending up 53 per cent compared to the 37 [...]
John Lewis sales reach £100m a week for the first time this year November 18, 2013 AFTER a warm start to the winter, Christmas shopping began in earnest last week with John Lewis reporting sales in excess of £100m for the first time this year. Sales in the week to 16 November jumped 10.7 per cent from a year ago to £101.4m – the earliest week that sales have ever topped [...]
Consumers ask to help reshape the high street November 18, 2013 BRITAIN’S embattled high street is in the midst of a revolution and consumers want an active role in shaping its future, according to new research from Deloitte. The business advisory firm’s latest consumer study out today, says that despite the highly publicised concerns regarding its future, residents continue to value the high street and want [...]
Christmas cheer arriving at the Guildhall fayre November 18, 2013 STUCK for Christmas present ideas? The British Red Cross Christmas Market, which takes place at the City’s iconic Guildhall tonight and tomorrow, might be the perfect place to get started. Tonight is a preview evening from 5.30pm with an exclusive champagne reception, but tickets are already in short supply. Tomorrow, the doors open from 10.30am [...]
Family finances show signs of stabilising: Asda November 17, 2013 FAMILY finances are beginning to show signs of stabilisation after months of wild fluctuations, according to Asda’s latest Income Tracker. The grocery chain’s Income Tracker monitors the changes in the amount of disposable income the average UK family has to spend. Households are no better off than they were last year, but their finances are [...]
Retail still struggling to drive footfall despite British growth November 17, 2013 HIGH streets are still recording declining footfall, with little boost from the robust economic growth recorded for the second and third quarters of the year. Footfall in October was down 2.9 per cent across the sector, compared to the same month in 2012, according to data released today by Springboard and the British Retail Consortium [...]
Housing market cools for winter but price growth beating wages November 17, 2013 HOUSE prices this month are still up four per cent on November last year, despite a small seasonal dip from October. According to Rightmove’s latest house price index, London prices are up by 6.9 per cent in the same period. In the year to September, average weekly earnings only rose by 0.8 per cent. Between [...]