The introduction of ChatGPT at the end of last year has triggered a rush to use generative AI and related technologies, as reflected in the agenda at IRX & eDX 2023 at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham in late May How will generative artificial intelligence change retail? How should retailers use this nascent technology, […]
April gave us insight into how online retail is performing two years since the high street reopened after the pandemic skews. UK online retail sales reported a -3.5% Year-on-Year (YoY) decline this month compared to a drop of -11.8% in April 2022. That’s according to IMRG’s Online Retail Index which tracks the online sales performance […]
Covering the four weeks 02 April – 29 April 2023 According to BRC-Sensormatic IQ data: Total UK footfall increased by 5.3% in April(YoY), 1.5 percentage points worse than March and worse than the 3-month average increase of 7.0%. High Street footfall increased by 10.5% in April(YoY), 1.9 percentage points better than last month’s rate but […]
Renewed activity across Europe’s luxury market saw store openings increase by 77% last year, as the continent welcomed back international visitors and saw a strong recovery in luxury spend. The research comes from the latest Savills Global Luxury report, which found that the strong performance across Europe saw its global share of new openings climb to 23%, […]
In Q1 2023, the overall GB vacancy rate remained at 13.8%, the same level as Q4 2022. It was 0.3 percentage points better than the same period last year. Two locations saw improvements in vacancy rates in Q1, with one location unchanged: Shopping Centre vacancies improved to 17.8%, down from 18.2% in Q4 2022. High […]
UK-listed retailers issued five profit warnings in Q1 2023, marking a decrease from the nine issued in both Q4 2022 and Q1 2022. Despite representing the sector’s lowest quarterly total since Q4 2020, persistent inflation, high interest rates and tightening consumer spending will challenge an already delicate sector. Almost a third of listed retailers (30%) […]
Responding to the latest ONS Retail Sales Index figures, Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, said: “March saw sales volumes fall for the 12th consecutive month. But despite many consumers tightening their purse strings, they still wanted to celebrate special occasions, and there was particular strong growth in jewellery and cosmetics sales […]
Responding to the latest CPI inflation figures which shows headline inflation at 10.1% and food inflation at 19.1% Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, said: “While households will be pleased to see that inflation may have passed its peak, prices are still high. Food prices, especially for fruit, vegetables and sugar, rose […]
For the third year running, more than 90% of customers reported receiving ecommerce deliveries at the first attempt, according to IMRG’s annual Consumer Home Delivery report, published in association with ecommerce fulfilment provider Huboo. However, the report shows that overall delivery satisfaction levels have fallen by 5 percentage points (from 92% in 2020 to 87% […]
March saw retail sales growth fall below inflation for the seventh time in nine months, according to new data revealed by accountancy and business advisory firm BDO LLP. Sophie Michael, head of retail and wholesale at BDO LLP, said: “Across the board, inflation is above 10%, and for food it now stands at a staggering […]
