Breakfast briefing: Retail news on Tesco, Asda, Heatons and Carphone Warehouse

Tesco launches Christmas TV ad campaign

Tesco launched its Christmas TV campaign last night during ITV’s Coronation Street, debuting ahead of its supermarket rivals Asda and Sainsbury’s, The Guardian reported.

The Tesco ad is themed around the strapline ‘There’s nothing better than Christmas’ and is not celebrity-focused. Viewers were able to see the Tesco ad for the first time during Coronation Street and Downton Abbey on ITV. Tesco’s campaign has been created by ad agency Wieden + Kennedy and went head-to-head with Morrisons, which also launched its Ant and Dec fronted Christmas campaign yesterday.

Three UK terminates partnership with Carphone Warehouse

Three UK has ended its 10-year relationship with retailer Carphone Warehouse. Mobile phone deals from Three UK will no longer be available in Carphone Warehouse stores from early December as the UK’s network operator concentrates on selling through its own stores and online. Carphone Warehouse will no longer be selling or upgrading Three UK’s offers through its channels, 4-traders.com reported.

Asda to open Barclays branches in store

Asda has inked a deal to open branches of Barclays bank in its stores as the retailer’s takes a further step in answering its conundrum over excess space in its large shops.

Four pilot bank branches will open in Asda stores from February 2014 and will be open seven days a week. Asda said that the move will give shoppers the flexibility of longer opening hours and more convenient parking for customers to visit their bank. 

Heatons boss looks to open new stores in Northern Ireland and the Republic

Heatons boss John O’Neill has said that he is looking to open new shops in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland in the next two years, The Belfast Telegraph reported.

The Irish department store group is opening a new outlet in Dublin in December and is actively looking at opening two or three more premises in Northern Ireland and the Republic, he said. He added that there are a lot of opportunities out there, as retail space is coming back into play again and there are opportunities popping up all over the place.