Visa Europe records three billion contactless payments over the last 12 months May 10, 2016 Card company Visa has recorded three billion contactless transactions in Europe over the past year. In April alone, European consumers used their cards 360m times, clocking in at almost 140 transactions per second. Contactless now accounts for one in every five Visa card payments in Europe, up from one in 60 in 2013. In the [...]
Retailers rocked by sales shocker May 6, 2016 The high street has suffered its sharpest drop in sales since the credit crunch as retailers battle erratic weather, increasing competition from online rivals and jittery consumer confidence. Like-for-like sales fell by 6.1 per cent in April compared with the same month last year, according to BDO’s latest monthly tracker, published this morning. The accountancy [...]
Rivals set to win customers on back of BHS’ demise April 27, 2016 BHS has entered administration, confirming what I have previously written about in this column; its loyal customers have deserted it in recent years. Although BHS will continue to trade while a buyer is sought, the retailer has been in trouble for some time as it failed to modernise its offering. It has been losing market [...]
Former Marks & Spencer boss Marc Bolland tipped to take up director role at British Airways owner IAG April 25, 2016 Marks & Spencer's former chief executive Marc Bolland is tipped to be named as a non-executive director of International Airlines Group (IAG), the owner of British Airways. An announcement about his appointment could be made as soon as this Friday, Sky News has reported, when IAG unveils its first-quarter results, according to headhunting industry sources. It [...]
BHS is in administration: Here’s what analysts say was to blame (and what the future holds) April 25, 2016 BHS is in administration having notched up £1.3bn in debt, it has been confirmed this afternoon. Duff & Phelps has been appointed to handle the iconic retailer's administration, with managing directors Phil Duffy and Benjamin Wiles sounding confident about finding a new buyer. City A.M. understands more than 30 enquiries have already been made, and now [...]
New M&S boss Steve Rowe reshuffles womenswear team “to reflect way customers shop” April 20, 2016 Marks & Spencer's new chief executive Steve Rowe has reshuffled the retailer's womenswear teams after pledging to revive the fortunes of the troubled clothing division. The company confirmed it has made some alterations to the way the teams are set up across design, buying and merchandising, resulting in changes to around 200 people's roles. The change means that whereas before a [...]
Alexa Chung for Marks & Spencer has dropped – but what’s the verdict? April 14, 2016 Marks & Spencer's latest attempt to win over the fashionistas (and presumably also the people that actually shop in M&S) landed in shops yesterday. The retailer needs all the help it can get to boost its bottom line – but will this be the collection to swing it? Here's our verdict… What is it? Archive by Alexa [...]
Marks & Spencers has released another set of disappointing numbers – is the new boss the same as the old boss? April 8, 2016 So here we are again. Marks & Spencer has put out another set of dismal results, marking the 17th quarter of clothing sales declines out of 18 at what is the nation’s defining retailer. The story was similar to so many that we’ve heard before: general merchandise was a disappointment (although admittedly, the 2.7 per cent [...]
Marks & Spencer’s share price soars as it reveals better-than-expected fourth quarter figures in Steve Rowe’s first results (but clothing is still down) April 7, 2016 Marks & Spencer's share price soared more than three per cent this morning after posting a better-than-expected set of fourth quarter results – albeit yet another set of declines in general merchandise. The figures Group sales at the high street giant were up 1.9 per cent in the 13 weeks to 26 March, but as with [...]
Will Marks & Spencer’s new boss Steve Rowe “kitchen sink” the retailer? April 4, 2016 Marks & Spencer's new boss Steve Rowe picked up the reins from Marc Bolland on Friday – just days before the troubled retailer is due to reveal its fourth quarter figures. If M&S' most recent set of results is anything to go by, investors can probably expect another set of declines – particularly within general [...]