West End Christmas intake to be squeezed by pandemic and cost of living at £1.55bn November 3, 2022 West End Christmas intake is set to be a quarter up from last year but still almost 30 per cent down on pre-Covid levels. Around £1.55bn is set to be splashed out in the heart of London’s shopping district, as the capital bounces back from the pandemic in a restriction-free Christmas. The cost of living [...]
Sainsbury’s profits dip as supermarket giant battles to keep prices low November 3, 2022 Sainsbury’s has posted subdued half-year profits, after taking a hit to keep prices competitive for customers and boost pay for staff. The supermarket giant, which also owns Argos, said underlying pre-tax profit dipped eight per cent to £340m over the half-year to 17 September , compared with the same period last year. It had previously [...]
Ed Warner: English football of all levels penetrating hyper-commercial US sport November 3, 2022 Does anyone in England call the Premier League the EPL? I ask because I had a random encounter at Heathrow last week with one of a group of five Crystal Palace fans headed to Selhurst Park for their “first EPL game”. The Ted Lasso effect maybe? I only hope they made it to the Clifton [...]
Next sales ahead of expectations as analysts warn ‘worst still to come’ November 2, 2022 Fashion stalwart Next posted better than expected full price sales while analysts have warned the full impact of market volatility is yet to be seen. The retailer shared a 0.4 per cent boost to sales in its third quarter versus last year. The London listed chain reiterated full year guidance for profit before tax of [...]
Ocado shares soar after partnership with South Korea’s Lotte Shopping November 1, 2022 Ocado shares surged by more than a third on Tuesday morning after the retailer inked a partnership deal with South Korea’s Lotte Shopping. The London-listed tech firm said it had agreed plans for the development of a national fulfilment network, pushing shares up as much as 36 per cent by midday. Lotte Group is one [...]
Made.com to call in administrators as furniture firm’s 700 staff left in lurch November 1, 2022 Made.com has announced the appointment of administrators after cash-strapped consumers have pulled back on big ticket spending. The London-listed furniture firm said on Tuesday that it’s board has resolved to file notice of an intention to appoint administrators at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC). The company had been seeking out rescue cash but interested suitors were unable to [...]
Retailers gear up to win battle for Christmas online shopping rush November 1, 2022 Retail giants are battling to entice cash-strapped consumers with a slew of online discounts and sales this year. Spending is expected to slip by up to half on Black Friday this year, against a backdrop of a cost of living crisis, Wunderman Thompson research has forecast. Online retailers are set to benefit from the crunch, [...]
Homeware retailers ‘draw short straw’ in economic crunch as Made.com nears collapse October 31, 2022 Homeware retailers are facing a turbulent 2023 as mounting operational costs and hesitant consumer sentiment piles the pressure on the sector. It comes as Made.com was still teetering on the brink of collapse on Monday after customers have pulled back from spending on pricier items like furniture. Last week, the ailing sofa seller said it [...]
The torrid week for tech continues as Amazon sheds £175bn October 28, 2022 The torrid week for tech continued last night, with Amazon leaving investors bewildered and Apple somehow defying the trend of its Silicon Valley cousins. Amazon shares tumbled as much as 18 per cent on Thursday night, wiping $202bn (£175bn) off its valuation. The major sell-off came after the e-commerce giant warned against weaker consumer spending [...]
Boom in UK retail drives Cazoo’s revenue up 103 per cent to £347m October 27, 2022 A boom in the UK retail market has driven Cazoo’s quarterly revenue to £347m, 103 per cent up on last year’s levels. In the three months ended 30 September, UK retail unit sales went up 100 per cent to 18,889 vehicles sold despite inflationary pressures biting into consumers’ spending. “This very strong performance shows that [...]