Retail Week looks ahead to the next seven days with a trading update from McColl’s and Ikea’s Westfield Stratford opening both on the agenda.
Ikea
The Swedish furniture giant opens its order and collection point in Westfield Stratford on Wednesday. The smaller format store will be the fourth of its kind to open in the UK, as Ikea continues its push to expand into more convenient high street and shopping centre locations.
Ikea said the new site will act primarily as a “planning studio” for shoppers to plan big ticket purchases such as kitchens and sofas, but it will also feature room sets showcasing the retailer’s home and furniture range.
Customers will be able to order from the full Ikea range for home delivery or collection, while a small selection of products will be available for customers to take home on the day of visit.
McColl’s
The convenience specialist kick-starts September’s retail calendar when it updates the market with its third quarter trading performance on Thursday. McColl’s is on track to open its 1,000th c-store by the end of the calendar year, and is poised to acquire a further 298 shops from the Co-op, subject to CMA approval.
The retailer’s boss Jonathan Miller, hailed the “transformational” deal and an 8.1% jump in pre-tax profits to £8.2m at the half-year stage.
However, like-for-likes dipped amid the competitive convenience landscape, although same-store sales in recently acquired and converted stores were up 1% during the 26-week period.
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