Catch up on the latest retail news here on Retail Times and find out what’s happening in the retail sector. Keep up to speed with the latest reports and financials covering the top brands in retail right through to the smaller independents. If retail technology and innovation is your bag then we’ve got it covered be it POS, payments or back-end systems we report on the latest developments. For those who are looking for retail data and analysis check out the data time section for more information. Hear comment from both the supplier and retailer in our opinion sector ‘Why it works’ and ‘In my opinion’. And finally, if you have any retail news you’d like us to consider publishing send it across to the team via the contact page.
Worldwide Fruit – one of the UK’s largest fruit marketing and distributing companies – has signed a new contract with incumbent IT outsourcer, Quiss Technology, which includes technology to reduce the number of servers required for the company’s global business.
Swiss retailer, Coop, is piloting a new drive-in concept in Zurich called Coop@home Drive in. Shoppers can order from a range of 13,000 skus online at www.coopathome.ch or though smart phone and iPad apps. Shoppers select a pick up time
Marks & Spencer is aiming to improve in-store availability and reduce end of season mark downs in non-food categories with investment in new software solutions from JDA. The retailer has licensed a number of JDA’s supply chain management solutions to
A new shopping concept, which bundles online orders from independent businesses to deliver to shoppers in one order, has been launched in Hertfordshire. Called Tilia, the business aims to represent and support thousands of small shops and retailers and help
Independent soft drinks company, Feel Good Drinks, is a launching a range of non-alcoholic cocktails for Christmas and a limited edition festive design on its juice drinks in 750ml bottles and 275ml four packs. The Feel Good cocktails are all
Christmas decorations supplier, The Christmas Decorators, is opening a store in Liverpool in December, next door to Herbert Howe’s flagship hair salon on Hanover Street. The company is also joining forces with the hairdresser and his Queenie’s Christmas Charity to
In an exciting new collaboration, Retail Times has teamed up with PackTV, the web TV channel for packaging, to showcase the latest packaging innovations and developments in the retail sector. In our first PackTV video, leading chilled foods company, Kerry
Argos caused the biggest stir in the ChannelAdvisor UK Facebook Commerce Index in October 2011, increasing its fan base by 121% and leaping up seven places to 16th in the Top 25. ChannelAdvisor believes the surge could be due to
More consumers are poised to do their Christmas shopping via their mobile phones this year, according to two new pieces of research. The first, from IBM, claims 15% of people in the UK logging-on to a retailer’s web site are
The White Company, the specialist retailer of homewares and clothing, reports it has seen a 38% reduction to shrinkage levels since it invested in identification technology from supplier Zetes in March 2011. One of the country’s fastest growing homewares retailers,
Debbie Robinson, managing director at Spar UK, told delegates at the IGD’s Convenience Retailing 2011 conference how Spar International has invested in global expansion, despite recession and, in doing so, has invested for the future. The retailer, which has sales
Leading natural and organic food company, Kallo, has appointed Naomi Cosgrove as brand controller. Cosgrove will be building on Kallo’s new brand positioning and packaging plus its biggest above- and below-the-line campaign for its new Organic Soya Drinks and Organic
Buying group Nisa is launching a new symbol group fascia called LoCo and is targeting 150 stores in the next 12 months. Speaking at the IGD’s Convenience Retailing event on 11 November 2011, Raj Krishan, retail development director at Nisa,
Convenience stores need to adapt their businesses to meet changing shopper behaviour and needs, according to Mike Greene, CEO at research company Him. Presenting insights from Him’s Convenience Tracking Programme at the IGD’s Convenience Retailing 2011 conference on 10 November 2011,
Retail Times Exclusive Marks & Spencer (M&S) has unveiled a new natural look for its Food Hall in a new store at the centre of London’s Olympic retail centre in Stratford, East London. It is the first of 16 M&S
Spar Netherlands has opened an environmentally friendly distribution centre in Waalwijk; and launched a charitable foundation to support environmental research. The 23,000sq m distribution centre uses surplus energy from freezers to provide underfloor heating in grocery area of the warehouse
Marks & Spencer (M&S) is using new software to transform its web site into a global marketplace where customers can shop from any country, device or channel. The move is part of M&S’s aim to become the UK’s leading multi-channel
The Co-operative is targeting a 2% improvement in availability with the move to central store replenishment, according to David Mockford, director of food retail operations at the Co-operative. Speaking at the IGD’s Convenience Retailing 2011 conference last week, Mockford said
Robert Smyth McColl, the joint founder of RS McColl, now part of the UK’s leading neighbourhood retail group Martin McColl, has been inducted into the esteemed Scottish Football Hall of Fame. One of Scotland’s most renowned footballers and a successful businessman, he
Following the announcement Sainsbury’s has agreed a long-term partnership with David Beckham, Beckham is seen here trying his hand at visually impaired football, one of the sports available for kids to try as part of the Sainsbury’s 1 Million Kids
The Midcounties Co-operative has welcomed 50 young people onto its Retail Apprenticeship Programme giving them the chance to start and develop their career with the community retailer following on from the success of last year’s pilot programme. Over 500 people
Premium doughnut retailer, Krispy Kreme UK, has appointed Claire Giraldo as head of HR and training. With over 11 years’ experience, and an MA in Personnel and Development, Giraldo joins Krispy Kreme UK to support the company’s ambitious growth strategy
Software, hardware and mailstream supplier Pitney Bowes has released the findings of a study highlighting differences and similarities in online buying behaviour across developed economies and emerging markets. According to the company, the results are designed to help retailers expand
Jerry Marwood, who stepped down as managing director at Spar UK in the summer, is joining Spar wholesaler and retailer, AF Blakemore, as managing director of its Blakemore Trade Partners division. The division, which was created earlier this year following
United Coffee has relaunched its Lyons coffee brand in individually wrapped coffee bags and added three blends. The coffee bags contain UK-roasted and ground coffee in individual foil-wrapped bags. According to the company, the packaging format is convenient and maintains
