Newspaper retail round up
A roundup of retail stories from the past week… Asda, Tesco, New Look, Ocado, Blacks, Greggs, SuperDry
Asda and Tesco hiked prices before Christmas
Asda and Tesco raised the prices on thousands of products in the run up to Christmas but at the same time both supermarkets announced millions of pounds worth of price cuts.
From The Guardian
Retails win battle over “excessive” music charges
Retailers are due for a refund of up to £20m after the High Court upheld a previous ruling that shopkeepers, publicans and restaurateurs are forced to pay too much to play recorded music.
The Sunday Telegraph
New Look shelves IPO
Fashion chain New Look scrapped its plan to float on the stock market 10 days after announcing its £1.7bn initial public offering (IPO), citing the lack of appetite of potential investors.
From The Independent
Ocado floatation scuppered by Waitrose plans
Online grocer Ocado’s plans to float on the stock market were in doubt this weekend after it emerged that Waitrose plans to launch a competing operation in central London in two years.
From The Mail
Greggs reveals new-look stores
Greggs, the bakers, is opening new stores with an updated image including wood fittings and soft lighting, to take on the coffee chains and sandwich stores.
SuperDry owner mulls float
SuperGroup, the company owns the urban fashion brand SuperDry, Cult Clothing and 77Breed is preparing to float on the stock market.
Blacks sells off Mambo
Blacks Leisure has sold its Mambo surf brand to Andrew Gerrie, chief executive of Lush Cosmetics.
US retail sales up
US retail sales rose by 0.5 per cent in January as shoppers concentrated spend in big general retailers such as WalMart, sports stores, internet retailers, restaurants and bars.
From The Times