Reality bites: Retailers count the cost of Christmas past
Matthew ValentineDoes the latest retail carnage on UK high streets mean the sector has hit rock bottom? A hardening of attitudes to discounting may show that reality has started to bite.
How John Lewis plans to use Waitrose to boost its quality perceptions
Ellen HammettJohn Lewis outlines “huge opportunities” to leverage the fact people shop for food more than they do non-food as it posts disappointing Christmas results and loses its managing director.
M&S takes a swipe at discount culture as sales decline
Charlotte RogersDespite a decline in revenue, M&S credits its decision to “hold its nerve” and resist discounting too soon over the festive period as it returns to like-for-like sales growth for the first time in three years.
Morrisons sales suffer after it pulls back from Black Friday
Sarah VizardMorrisons blamed a challenging Christmas trading period as competitors shifted to promotions, but admits the supermarket “missed” the Black Friday halo effect after pulling back from the discount event.
Beware ‘Hotel California’ brands – those you can never leave
Colin LewisSubscription businesses are taking off but companies need to ensure they are creating value, rather than just extracting it, if they don’t want to end up on a dark desert highway.
Marketoonist on holiday deal creep
Tom FishburneTom Fishburne is founder of Marketoon Studios. Follow his work at marketoonist.com or on Twitter @tomfishburne See more of the Marketoonist here