Including Asda’s fourth quarter sales and Smiggle’s ambitious UK expansion plans.
The Source rounds up some of the key retail stories of the week.
Asda saw its fourth quarter like for likes drop by 5.8%, with boss Andy Clarke admitting that 2015 had been a “difficult year” for the grocer. Full year like for likes fell by 4.7%, with Andy telling Retail Week that 2016 was likely to be “another tough and competitive year for the sector as a whole”.
John Lewis saw sales grow 7% for the week ending February 13, with consumers splashing out on Valentine’s Day helping to drive sales. Fashion sales were up 2.9% on the previous year, with the biggest growth coming from women’s accessories and beauty, wellbeing and leisure. Home sales increased 3.1% on last year, while home accessories and gifts also had a string week, up 3.5%.
Australian children’s stationery specialist Smiggle is planning to open one new store per week in the UK during the next three years. The retailer currently has 43 stores across the UK. It is aiming to hit the 100 store mark by Christmas. Retail Week reported that Smiggle is then eyeing 160 branches by the end of 2017 and at least 220 by Christmas 2018.
Online retail sales increased 15% in January, according to the IMRG Capgemini e-retail Sales Index. This is compared to a 7% increase in January 2015. Notably, purchases made via smartphones almost doubled, soaring 96% year on year.
Amazon has taken the wraps off plans for a new fulfilment centre in Leicestershire. The new 1 million square foot site – which will begin operations in the autumn – is part of the etailer’s plan to create 2,500 permanent jobs in the UK in 2016. It will bring its total UK workforce to 14,500.
