Several weeks ago I received a care package wrapped in Kraft paper and tied with twine. It contained packs of retro candy: McGraw’s taffy, Pop Rocks, some Big League Chew. There was also a VHS tape of Meatballs peeking out from a heather grey North Star hoody that had my name written in the collar,... Continue Reading →

Tesco PLC announces that Dame Lucy Neville-Rolfe CMG, the Executive Director responsible for Corporate and Legal Affairs, will retire on her 60th birthday on 2 January 2013. Chief Executive Philip Clarke said: “During her period at Tesco Lucy has transformed the professionalism of the corporate affairs function at Tesco as well as, on the legal... Continue Reading →

DERBYSHIRE chocolate maker Thorntons has revealed plans to take on the world in an effort to turn around its fortunes. The Somercotes-based firm is hoping that expansion into overseas markets will help offset struggling sales at its UK stores. ​ Derbyshire chocolate maker Thorntons has revealed plans to take on the world The business, which... Continue Reading →

The British favourite, retailer Marks & Spencer, has had its decision to expand into China welcomed by British expats living in the Middle Kingdom. It has so far taken four years for M&S to open just eight outlets in the country, however, the chain has now announced that it plans to double this number in... Continue Reading →

Billabong International Ltd. is once again the focus of takeover speculation, attracting possibly the attention of Nike and TPG Capital. Officials at TPG in the U.S. and Australia declined comment, and their counterpart in Australia could not be reached for comment by press time. Nike Inc. officials also did not return a request for comment.... Continue Reading →

Download the full report by clicking here A preview : The internet has changed the way we shop, we all use it, we order flowers, order books, subscribe to magazines, order groceries, and don’t we all just love shopping on Amazon. The UK currently has 51 million internet users (82% of the population) with 39... Continue Reading →

Need support for your new business ,or expanding your existing business contact us on info@retail360.co.uk Visit us http://www.retail360.co.uk or http://www.retail360.me or http://www.retail360.co.za Follow the latest retail news on our blog Retail Blog or on twitter @retail360_

Lonely Planet’s own-brand bookshop stocking solely LP titles opened today (29th June) in Manchester Airport. The 100-sq-metre shop, based in Terminal 1, is the first Lonely Planet bookshop to open in Europe, with the only other based in Sydney Airport, Australia. Lonely Planet has partnered with LS Travel Retail UK & Ireland—which also owns Watermark... Continue Reading →

Shareholders, pension funds and powerful business groups yesterday ratcheted up the pressure on Barclays boss Bob Diamond and chairman Marcus Agius to quit as they became tainted by yet another scandal. As Barclays came under fire from all quarters, analysts warned the bank had reached a ‘tipping point’, claiming the threat of litigation from customers... Continue Reading →

ROGERS, Ark., Jun 29, 2012 (GlobeNewswire via COMTEX) -- More than 500 Network of Executive Women members and industry supporters honored Michael T. Duke, president and CEO of Wal-Mart Inc., as he was inducted into the NEW CPG/Retail Diversity Hall of Fame, June 28, 2012 in Rogers, Ark. NEW is the consumer products and retail... Continue Reading →

(Reuters) - Amazon.com Inc (AMZN.O) is expected to set up a digital bookstore in Brazil in the fourth quarter, as it seeks to get a piece of the fast-growing online retail market in the country that inspired its name. The e-commerce powerhouse, named after Brazil's longest river, wants to elbow its way into Latin America's... Continue Reading →

Hugo Boss has a new home at Saks Fifth Avenue. The German men’s wear brand has unveiled a revamped Boss Men’s Shop as well as the first Hugo Men’s Shop at the Saks flagship in New York. In total, the real estate for the brand spans 2,800 square feet across the back and right-hand side... Continue Reading →

(Reuters) - World No. 3 retailer Tesco promised to pull the plug on its loss-making Fresh & Easy chain in the United States if it continued to disappoint, and rejected renewed calls for an independent review of its strategy for the venture. "If we see there is no chance of success, we'll do as we've... Continue Reading →

Dubai-based Indian retailer Dhananjay Datar is looking to expand his empire across the Gulf region. Datar, managing director of Al Adil Group, is set to take his Peacock, Al Adil supermarket brands into Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Oman, he said in an interview with India's Daily News & Analysis. Known as the ‘masala king’, his... Continue Reading →

Emirates Air Line, the UK’s first urban cable car, was officially launched today as the British capital gears up to host the London 2012 Olympics. Dubai-based Emirates Airline signed an AED204m (US$55.5m), ten-year sponsorship deal to rebrand the cable car service, the most expensive such system ever built, in October. The 1.1km cable line, which... Continue Reading →

Shares in struggling upmarket Australian department store David Jones soared on Friday after it received an unsolicited takeover offer from a mystery British Company.A woman walks past advertising signage outside the David Jones department store in Sydney on June 29, 2012. Shares in the struggling retail giant David Jones soared on June 29 after it... Continue Reading →

Roll-Royce has unveiled its new flagship AED1.9m (US$520,000) Phantom Series II, a revamped version of the marque’s ultimate luxury car, during a ceremony at Abu Dhabi Motors. The modern Phantom was released in 2003 and was the seventh car from Rolls-Royce to wear the name. The Series II carries new refinements, including a new front-end... Continue Reading →

Nakheel has appointed contractors on the Dh600 million (US$163.3m) expansion of Dragon Mart in Dubai. The move comes as the Palm Island builder switches focus from residential to retail. The developer yesterday said it was awarding contracts to double the size of the sprawling mall famous for its huge range. But navigating the vast development... Continue Reading →

ARMANI’S LATEST EXCHANGE: A|X Armani Exchange will open its 250th store on Rue Saint Catherine in Montreal on Thursday with a VIP celebration and special performance by Canadian electronic music band Dragonette. The 4,638-square-foot store is the first freestanding store in Canada to feature the brand’s latest store design, which includes industrial-style black and silver... Continue Reading →

Department store Debenhams has today reported a total sales increase of 3.9 per cent for the 16 weeks to June 23rd 2012. In an interim management statement published this morning, the group announced a like-for-like sales increase of three per cent and believes that these positive results were driven by consumer interest in recent events... Continue Reading →

The Foschini Group (TFG), South Africa’s second largest listed clothing retailer with 15 trading brands (including Totalsports, Markham and Donna-Claire), is creating a footprint across Africa. With the majority of products manufactured in South Africa, TFG operates almost 90 stores in southern African countries (in Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Lesotho and Swaziland) and now plans to... Continue Reading →

Thomas Pink, the exclusive British clothing brand, has arrived in South Africa as it seeks growth in emerging markets. Speaking ahead of today’s official launch of its first local store, Thomas Pink merchandising, buying and distribution director Melanie Traub said: “We are looking to expand internationally” and further stores would be opened in South Africa,... Continue Reading →

BEAVERTON, Ore., Jun 28, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- --Fourth quarter diluted earnings per share down 6 percent to $1.17 --Fiscal 2012 revenues of $24.1 billion, up 16 percent, up 14 percent excluding currency changes --Fiscal year diluted earnings per share up 8 percent to $4.73 --NIKE Brand futures orders up 7 percent, up 12 percent... Continue Reading →

NEW YORK (AP) — After circling Manhattan for about two decades, Nordstrom Inc., the upscale department store chain, announced plans Thursday to open its first full-scale store in New York. The arrival of Nordstrom, envied by rivals for its top-notch customer service, will increase the competition in Manhattan, home to such department stores as Macy's... Continue Reading →

Building at Abu Dhabi International Airport's new Midfield Terminal will start in the third quarter of this year. The news was confirmed yesterday at the formal signing of the Dh10.8 billion (US$2.94bn) contract for the project. The 700,000 square metre terminal is one of a number of major infrastructure projects planned in the capital as... Continue Reading →

Virgin Mobile, the pay-as-you-go carrier owned by Sprint Nextel Corp. (S) (S), plans to open its first 10 retail stores tomorrow in Chicago, aiming to profit from the iPhone’s expansion into the prepaid wireless market. Virgin Mobile will become the second U.S. prepaid service to offer the Apple Inc. (AAPL) (AAPL) device, following the iPhone’s... Continue Reading →

Fashion retailer Coast will open its biggest store on Friday – a £1 million outlet in London’s Oxford street Customers will be invited to make appointments with friends and be served drinks while trying on clothes About a third of the store, which is four times the size of a typical Coast outlet, has been devoted... Continue Reading →

LONDON--Burberry has named Jenna Littler to a newly-created global role that combines oversight of its fashion and corporate PR activities. Littler previously headed corporate relations at the fashion company, after joining from McKinsey & Company two years ago. She will continue to report to Burberry CMO Sarah Manley. Littler’s promotion follows the departure of Justin... Continue Reading →

The website, clasohlson.com, follows “successful” launches in Sweden and Norway. The retailer, which opened its first UK store in November 2008, also plans to open a transactional website in Finland by late summer. Clas Ohlson UK managing director Mark Gregory said: “Our investment in e-commerce is a vital part of our long-term UK strategy. “By... Continue Reading →

TORONTO -- The wave of foreign retail chains entering Canada is set to yet make another splash with the impending arrivals of Ted Baker and Kate Spade. British fashion brand Ted Baker London and U.S.-based Kate Spade New York will make their entry into the Canadian marketplace this fall with standalone stores at Toronto’s Yorkdale... Continue Reading →

A study reveals that over 75% of retail sites do not have their own social community functions Photo Credit: William Warby According to figures by nToklo, a social commerce and recommendations platform, over 50% of retailers do not offer online recommendations to consumers. UK online retail spending was over £68bn in 2011 and is expected... Continue Reading →

Doha Festival City, a giant retail and hospitality complex being built by a consortium including UAE-based Al Futtaim Group, has raised a 3.7 billion riyals ($1 billion) loan to fund its construction, a statement said on Wednesday. Doha Festival City, a giant retail and hospitality complex being built by a consortium including UAE-based Al Futtaim... Continue Reading →

Mothercare has appointed Lee Ginsberg, the chief financial officer of Domino's Pizza, as a non-executive director and audit chair elect. He will join the Mothercare board on 2 July. Ginsberg has been CFO at Domino's for the last seven years. Prior to this, he was group finance director at fitness club chain Holmes Place. Commenting... Continue Reading →

Menswear and accessories retailer Turtle is moving to Italy with its first own-store by the end of this month. The store will come up in Italy’s Cosenza town to test-market the strategy and if it is successful then the brand would open more such stores in the Italian towns of Como and Milan. The store,... Continue Reading →

McDonald’s is spending £10m on its biggest Olympic activation campaign to date with activity celebrating the “personal stories” of the people working at the Games as it eyes a long-term legacy of being known as the “people’s restaurant”. The chain, the official restaurant and presenting partner of the Games and an International Olympic Committee partner... Continue Reading →

A leading corporate governance lobby group is recommending Marks & Spencer investors abstain on the retailer's remuneration report at next month's agm, arguing the retailer's policies could result in excessive payouts. Pensions Investment Research Consultants (Pirc) acknowledged that M&S had toughened conditions attached to the short- and long-term incentive schemes enjoyed by top management but... Continue Reading →

SECAUCUS, N.J., Jun 25, 2012 (GlobeNewswire via COMTEX) -- The Children's Place Retail Stores, Inc. PLCE +3.58% , the largest pure-play children's specialty apparel retailer in North America, today announced that it has signed a ten-year franchise agreement with Apparel Group to open stores in the Arab Gulf States of United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar,... Continue Reading →

eBay has hired two executives to head marketing and to recruit retail businesses in the UK. Tanya Lawler is Vice President of UK Trading, and Amanda Metcalfe is UK and Republic of Ireland Marketing Director. Lawler's position is a new role created at eBay.co.uk to develop its customer strategy and drive growth in eBay's retail... Continue Reading →

John Lewis Partnership Plc said the growth of online retailing means U.K. retailers need no more than 70 stores to gain nationwide coverage amid a tough economy. John Lewis, which owns 36 department stores and gets about a quarter of sales online, will have “many less” outlets than it had envisaged five or six years... Continue Reading →

COMPETITION in the online retailing space has begun to hot up with both Edcon’s CNA division and Mr Price yesterday announcing they will be joining the fray. Traditional (bricks and mortar) retailers in SA have been slower to take their offering online, but there has been a flurry of activity lately to capture some of... Continue Reading →

Would you like to supersize that? In a case of taking fast food to the extreme McDonald's has embraced the pop-up restaurant trend for the 2012 Olympics by building a fast food restaurant of world record breaking size in Stratford, east London, that will last for six weeks. About 300m from the Olympic Stadium, it... Continue Reading →

Aldi has emerged as a clear winner in terms of sales growth in the ongoing battle for market share, with sales up by 20.4%, according to the latest grocery market data published today by Kantar Worldpanel in Ireland. Kantar Worldpanel's latest figures published by ShelfLife, also show that Irish supermarkets are continuing to capture more... Continue Reading →

UAE shopping mall developer Majid Al Futtaim (MAF) Properties is eyeing an early 2013 opening date for its first venture in Lebanon. Beirut City Centre will feature 200 stores spread across three levels, presenting a retail mix tailored to the surrounding residential areas making up Great Beirut, the company said in a statement. An estimated... Continue Reading →

NEW IN TOWN: Hugo Boss just inaugurated its new 2,500-square-foot store in the Taipei 101 shopping mall. The brand threw an opening party on Friday, enlisting a "hospitality boat" to sail Taiwan's Keelung Harbor. The event attracted several Asian stars such as Karen Mok and Kirsten Jen. The new flagship, which opened in May, sells... Continue Reading →

Spots will be sprouting across the globe this summer as Louis Vuitton rolls out seven pop-up shops to mark its capsule collection with Japanese avant-garde artist Yayoi Kusama, reports WWD. The first shop is set to open inside the Louis Vuitton boutique in New York on July 10, two days before Kusama’s touring retrospective opens... Continue Reading →

The retail outlet is set to be launched in March 2013, a The Verge report is claiming. The shop will open after an online store is launched in the UK: that’s due later this summer. Microsoft is apparently yet to decide on where it’ll open the initial store. More may follow in other UK locations.... Continue Reading →

Google TV will make its first foray into Europe next month when Sony launches the NSZ-GS7 Google TV Internet Player in the UK. Sony will be the first manufacturer to launch Google TV products outside the US, with an initial launch in the UK, followed by Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Netherlands, Brazil and Mexico. The... Continue Reading →

The FINANCIAL -- High-street restaurant chain Giraffe is to open its first international site this year and plans to continue to expand its brands across the UK. According to Caterer and Hotelkeeper, the company, which currently operates 47 outlets across the UK, has up to six new sites in the pipeline for 2012 as well... Continue Reading →

Bloomberg News The resignation of a finance director is a blow for any company. But when the finance director is arguably regarded as the best at his job in the sector–I once heard him described as a “hero among the financial community” by a delegate at a retail conference–and is universally heralded as a “safe... Continue Reading →