Retail

InPost UK, has today announced a deal to provide its 24/7 self-serve parcel locker service to leading online fashion retailer Missguided. As online shopping continues to gather pace, Missguided was keen to offer buyers a convenient contact-free delivery and returns option. The lockers are outdoors, available 24/7 enabling Missguided’s customers to collect or drop returns when they feel safe, and the InPost Lockers are self-serve so there is no interaction with another person. Parcels are…

With many EU countries snapping out of lockdown far faster than the UK and Brexit shenanigans still half a year away, ParcelHero says now is the ideal time for SME retailers to start selling to the EU. Many specialist UK manufacturers and retailers are still suffering low or zero sales, as ‘non-essential’ stores remain closed for another gruelling ten days in England. The international delivery specialist ParcelHero says that, while UK sales are stalled, many…

A range of nutritious produce boxes directly from wholesalers will soon be available through the Uber Eats app, thanks to a partnership with New Covent Garden Market. The announcement comes in light of new research revealing that 1 in 5 Brits (21%) have consumed more healthy foods during lockdown than they would have previously, 18% are being more experimental and 61% of the nation would like to broaden their horizons by trying exotic fruit and…

Spending at supermarkets rose 21.3 per cent and specialist food & drinks stores 30.5 per cent – with the latter up 80 per cent the week before social distancing measures were introduced Travel fell by 40.5 per cent and fuel decreased by 4.2 per cent as Brits spent more time at home Online purchases rose 5.5 per cent while in-store transactions dropped 4.0 per cent Confidence in the UK economy fell to 25 per cent…

Sales of groceries in the UK in March beat all previous records as shoppers stocked up for a long period at home, according to consumer analysts Kantar. The busiest spell was 16-19 March, when 88% of households visited a food store, adding up to 42 million extra trips across four days. In the last four weeks, year-on-year supermarket sales grew by 20.6%. Kantar’s Fraser McKevitt said £10.8bn sales in the past four weeks were “even…

ArrowXL, the leading home delivery and fulfilment expert, has secured a contract to provide home delivery services to Aldi across the UK.  Under the terms of the agreement – which runs for three years – ArrowXL will provide a comprehensive two-person home delivery solution to online shoppers purchasing specific oversized items from Aldi’s website. This covers a wide range of products such as garden furniture, spa pools and DIY items. The company expects to handle…

Furnishing retailer Dunelm has reported a 23% jump in its annual pre-tax profits of £125.9m, compared with £93.1m in 2018. Dunelm said sales rose in June due to a rise in online spending, as well as wet weather in the month driving consumers to visit its out-of-town stores. In particular, the retailer said it benefited from tablet-based selling tools that enabled its staff to offer customers home delivery on an extended range of products. Dunelm…

Marks & Spencer is set to drop out of the FTSE 100 for the first time since the index was introduced 35 years ago, after its stock market value fell below the threshold for inclusion. The bellwether retailer’s exclusion was confirmed by stock market closing prices on Tuesday, which undertakes a quarterly reshuffle of the UK’s top listed brands. The official announcement is due to take place today and changes will take effect on September…

Brazilian cosmetics group Natura has announced that it is buying UK-based direct-selling cosmetics business Avon. Natura, which already owns The Body Shop and Aesop, is Brazil’s top business in cosmetics, perfumes and toiletries. Its all-stock offer of about $2bn (£1.6bn) means Natura shareholders will hold 76% of the combined company, which will have annual revenue of over $10bn. The deal will create the world’s fourth-largest cosmetics company. The new combined company will boast 3,200 stores…