Sun.Aug 27, 2023

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PAG buys Australian Venue Co from KKR

Inside Retail

PAG, an investment firm focused on Asia Pacific, has signed a definitive agreement with private equity company KKR to acquire food and beverage hospitality business Australian Venue Co (AVC) for an undisclosed amount. AVC currently owns and operates more than 210 pubs, bars and restaurants across Australia and New Zealand. KKR invested in AVC in 2017 when the company only had 50 leasehold venues.

Consumer 246
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Boots to open first ever beauty-only store at Battersea Power Station

Retail Gazette

Boots is set to open its first-ever beauty-only store inside Battersea Power Station later this year. The 11,200sq ft beauty studio will showcase over 250 brands across cosmetics, skincare and haircare, as well as several new UK-exclusive brands and ranges from diverse and female-owned brands. The new location comes at Boots continues to invest in its beauty halls and advisors across its UK portfolio.

ATS 98
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‘Unavoidable’ price increases drive retail spending growth in July

Inside Retail

Retail spending grew 2.1 per cent year-on-year in July as consumers spent more than $35.3 billion in stores and online, according to data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). Food sales (up 4.9 per cent) and cafes, restaurants and takeaway sales (up 9 per cent) bolstered overall retail activity. Meanwhile, other categories recorded “negative sales for the second consecutive month” with household goods down 4.9 per cent followed by clothing, footwear and accessories sales down 0.3 per

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Wilko administrators told to accept rescue deal after second last-minute bid

Retail Gazette

Wilko’s administrators have been urged to accept a rescue deal for the ailing value chain after receiving a second last-minute bid. M2 Capital, an Anglo-Canadian restructuring specialist, is understood to have put forward a bid worth £90m that would keep the entire retailer trading, The Guardian reported. It comes days after HMV owner Doug Putman made a surprise last-minute offer that would see 350 out of the 400 stores remain open and the £40m worth of debts owed to Hilco paid off.

Finance 98
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Turn Payments Into Personalization: Unlock the Value of Transaction Data

Speaker: Loreal Lynch, Everett Zufelt, and Michaela Weber

Once upon a time, in the vast realm of online commerce, there lived a humble checkout button overlooked by many. Yet, within its humble click lay the power to transform a mere visitor into a loyal customer. 🧐 💡 Getting checkout right can mark the difference between a successful sale and an abandoned cart, yet many businesses fail to make payments a part of their commerce strategy even when it has a direct impact on revenue.

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How to nail your BFCM strategy without adding to the noise

Inside Retail

As Aussie shoppers’ expectations grow, your BFCM (Black Friday Cyber Monday) planning needs to start earlier every year. But if you’re in the habit of just doing a big promotion and blasting it at your customers and followers, you’re in for a rude shock this year. There are a few things Sinch MessageMedia knows better than retailers and messaging. Last November alone, we processed around 34 million messages for ANZ retailers as they hyped up their customers in the lead-up to Black Friday.

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Boden boss vows to revive business: ‘I’ve been a nitwit’

Retail Gazette

The boss of Boden has promised to revamp the business after admitting to a “catalogue of mistakes” that pushed the fashion retailer to a significant loss. Johnnie Boden told The Times he was a “complete nitwit” for making the brand too trendy and neglecting its core customer base. The overhaul, which will coincide with its upcoming Autumn/Winter 23 collection, will see the fashion retailer revive its famous catalogue and axe its struggling menswear division.

Fashion 98

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Superdry CEO: Oxford Street ‘needs serious help’

Retail Gazette

Superdry boss Julian Dunkerton has warned Oxford Street “needs serious help” after the busy road has been left in disarray from the rise of American Candy Stores and empty shop units. The chief executive told The Telegraph the street “needs some serious help if it is going to remain one of the world’s leading shopping streets”. Dunkerton suggested pedestrianising the street or adopting a more “joint up approach to planning and zoning to avoid the proliferation of temporary shops”.

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Kmart MD talks Target merger, shrinkage, and adapting to customer behaviour

Inside Retail

With customers continuing to seek more value as cost-of-living pressures bite, Wesfarmers’ Kmart Group is set to benefit from shifting consumer demand, and an increasingly strong value proposition. This is the message put forward by Wesfarmers’ CEO Rob Scott, and Kmart Group managing director Ian Bailey, to investors last week. The group, which is made up of discount department store brands Kmart and Target, as well as online marketplace Catch, delivered record earnings during FY23 – a 52 per ce

Shrinkage 130
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Asda chair slams Gove’s decision to block M&S’ Marble Arch redevelopment

Retail Gazette

Asda chairman Lord Stuart Rose has slammed Michael Gove’s decision to block M&S’s redevelopment plans for its Marble Arch flagship. The former M&S chief executive told The Telegraph: “I cannot for the life of me understand why he wants to intervene on this particular building.” Gove rejected the high street retailer’s proposals that would see the Art Deco building housing its Marble Arch store demolished last month.

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Why the “stars are aligning” for a successful return of Marc Jacobs Beauty

Inside Retail

American fashion designer Marc Jacobs first launched his eponymous beauty brand in 2013, making more than 120 products available for purchase in select Marc Jacobs stores and at Sephora. Created in connection with Kendo Brands, a beauty incubator owned by luxury group LVMH, Marc Jacobs Beauty was discontinued in 2021 after its contract with Kendo ended and was not renewed.

Returns 130
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Get MACH Ready: Preparing Your Business for Digital Transformation

Adopting MACH technology means more than implementing new platforms. This type of digital change affects your organization at every level and requires a thoughtful approach to navigate challenges that crop up. The Get MACH Ready report, co-authored by MACH Alliance member Scott Canney in collaboration with Orium, commercetools, and Contentstack, will provide you with strategies to prepare your organization for a digital transformation.

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John Lewis and Waitrose join M&S and Tesco in covering ‘period pants tax’

Retail Gazette

John Lewis and Waitrose has joined M&S and Tesco in covering the cost of VAT on its range of period underwear. The retailers will absorb the 20% charge on more than 30 period knickers in its stores from next week. It is the latest industry push following the launch of M&S’ and Wuka’s ‘Say Pants to the Tax’ campaign calling on the government to remove VAT on period underwear.

ATS 52
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How Hydragun aims to ride the wellness wave to reach 1 million households

Inside Retail

Aloysius Chay started Hydragun, a direct-to-consumer wellness brand offering premium products to aid recovery and relieve aches and pain, after suffering a training injury and realising how big the market for such products was. “Whether you are young or old, active or otherwise, pain is something that everyone would experience at some point – and my team and I aim to innovate and create recovery solutions to help people feel good, get better and live their best lives,” he told Inside Retail.

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Iceland accused of transferring ‘significant’ amounts out of Irish division ahead of sale

Retail Gazette

Iceland has been accused of transferring “significant” sums of money from its Irish subsidiary in the lead up to the division’s sale in February. Metron Stores, the owner of Iceland Ireland, has written to executive chairman Richard Walker with “concerns around several transactions” that took place in the run-up to its acquisition, The Telegraph reported.

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“From work to workout”: Why Aje Athletica is ramping up its fashion focus

Inside Retail

After its launch just two and a half years ago, Aje Athletica has become a powerhouse in the athleisure space. But moving forward, the business will be focusing on upping the fashion factor of its collections. Holding its first ever runway show earlier this month at the Sydney Opera House, Aje Athletica is working to evolve its business beyond its initial offering of leggings, sports bras and other workout wear – and instead deliver more “elevated” designs – though still with its customers’ acti

Fashion 130
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How Retailers Are Transforming Customer Experiences with Data & AI

Speaker: David Azoulay, Marc Stracuzza, Román Tejada, and Guest Speaker Sucharita Kodali

Imagine a retail landscape where every interaction is personalized, every decision informed, and every opportunity maximized 🤔✨ Join us for an exploratory journey into the heart of AI-driven retail innovation. We’ll unveil the transformative potential of AI and data analytics in shaping the future of omnichannel personalization and e-commerce.

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We tried everything we could, says Wilko family

Retail Gazette

The granddaughter of the founder of Wilko has said the chain’s management team and staff tried everything they could to revive the struggling discount retailer before it collapsed into administration earlier this month. Speaking to The Times, Lisa Wilkinson said: “Everybody has thrown everything and everything again at trying to make Wilko a success.