Retailers

Jan- 2018 -

23 January

Online retail shows signs of maturing with tough 2018 ahead, says IMRG

The rate of retail sales growth is pointing to a ‘maturing market’, figures from the IMRG Capgemini e-Retail Sales Index suggest. UK online retail sales were up 12.1% on average year-on-year (YoY) in 2017, which was lower than the IMRG’s forecast of 14%. This figures also falls short of 2016’s…

22 January

UK online SMEs ‘confident’ in 2018 sales growth

UK SME online retailers have expressed confidence in the year ahead with 74% anticipating sales will increase in 2018, according to a study commissioned by Royal Mail.Some 70% of retailers asked said they had experienced an uplift in sales in 2017 compared to the previous year. The health and beauty…

22 January

Pet flea treatment polluting Britain’s freshwaters

A new study by insect and small animal charity Buglife has found that British freshwaters are heavily contaminated with neonicotinoids, which are used in flea treatments and greenhouses. The study took 23 samples from different sites in 2016; 16 from England, four in Scotland, three in Wales and three in…

22 January

Small businesses struggle with poor ATM provision

More than 200 communities in Britain have poor ATM provisions, or no cash machines at all, affecting small businesses. Which? Research has stated it is “worried that proposals from LINK – the UK’s largest cash machine network – to lower its fees by 20% could lead to mass closures of…

22 January

Dogs help boost sales at work

Allowing dogs into the workplace – an appropriate workplace, of course, with no hazards or staff with a phobia of dogs – is proven to reduce stress and boost morale. Burns Pet Nutrition has released a list of five reasons dogs should go to work. Dogs reduce sick days Studies by…

19 January

Mackle Pet Foods increases Sainsbury’s presence

Mackle Pet Foods has increased distribution into Sainsbury’s of its range of natural and grain free dog food, with the introduction of two new lines. This follows on from the company’s £3 million investment in its plastic tray manufacturing facility in Moy, Northern Ireland in 2017, which has enabled it…

19 January

December 2017 sees retail sales slump

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has revealed that December 2017 had the weakest retail sales in over four years. The quantity of items bought in December decreased by 1.5 per cent when compared with the stronger sales in November 2017. Although retail sales increased by 1.3 per cent in…

18 January

Retailers warned the Darwin £10 note is almost extinct

The Bank of England has warned that it will withdraw legal tender status of the paper £10 note featuring Charles Darwin at 23:59 on Thursday 1 March 2018. With six weeks to go, all retailers that handle cash need to plan and prepare for the change. After the deadline, businesses…

18 January

Pets at Home closes all of its Barkers stores

Pets at Home has confirmed the closure of all seven of its Barkers stores across the country by the end of March. Pets at Home opened seven Barkers stores across the country in Bristol, Surrey, West Yorkshire, Marlow, London, Kent and Wilmslow. The shops were dog-centric outlets, offering toys, accessories,…

17 January

Boots recalls bobby pins found to contain real fur

Boots have recalled bobby pins from the hair accessory brand Scunci, after it was found to be made with real fur. The true material of the pins – which were marketed being ‘fur style’ – was discovered by anti-fur campaigner Ruby Miranda, who posted images of the bobby pins on…