Opinion – Page 10
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Opinion
‘Wilko’s demise doesn’t mean the death of the high street’
The collapse into administration of Wilko has been seen as symbolic of an ongoing ‘death of the high street’ as the town centres in which it mainly operates face the prospect of yet more shuttered stores – some in places where former Debenhams or Topshop stores may still stand empty since they toppled.
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Opinion
‘Purposeful business is not an alternative to shareholder value but the best way to create it’
Retail has a unique role in society and can use its strengths to address some of our most important challenges, believes The Very Group chief finance and transformation officer Ben Fletcher
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Opinion
‘Fashion stands out as signs bode well for retailers this Christmas’
Categories such as fashion look well positioned for success as the golden quarter nears, believes PwC’s Lisa Hooker
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Opinion
‘As the M&S-backed Lionesses march on, the retailer is in contention for the customer cup’
In the week where England’s Lionesses kicked some important goals, so did Marks & Spencer – a partner of the England women’s team.
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Opinion
‘Deflation is coming – retailers must be alive to the risks’
Inflation has been making headlines for more than a year but retailers now need to be alert to the risks of deflation, warns True’s Matt Truman
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Opinion
‘I’ve been tortured by my inability to see why investors have championed new, disruptive models’
While investors may covet the latest shiny new thing and bash retail as ‘last season’, they are missing the virtues that great omnichannel retail increasingly holds, believes Matt Coode of OC&C Strategy Consultants
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Opinion
‘John Lewis’ ambition to marry humans and AI is the retail holy grail’
John Lewis Partnership has become the latest retailer to focus on the potential of AI following a new tie-up with Google.
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Opinion
‘Wilko may look like Woolies 2.0, but it could still have a future’
Wilko may be teetering on the brink of administration, but the retailer is not necessarily destined to go the same way as its general merchandise predecessor, says George MacDonald
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Opinion
‘Rain may mean soggy footfall, but retailers can’t forget the big climate picture’
Day to day, rain has probably been front of mind for retailers as dismal July weather resulted in soggy footfall in many places.
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Opinion
‘The government must end its scapegoating of retailers’
If the government wants to halve inflation by the end of the year, it would be well advised to spend less time criticising retailers and more time listening to them, argues British Retail Consortium chief executive Helen Dickinson
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Opinion
‘Fresh store closures do not signal an end to Amazon’s ambitions in food’
The closure this week of Amazon’s debut Fresh store in the UK has once again raised questions about the headway the giant is making – or can make – in food, a prize retail market because of its size and importance.
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Opinion
‘As Argos celebrates 50 years, it’s a testament to retail’s ability to reinvent itself’
Argos celebrates its 50th anniversary this month – quite a moment for a retailer whose relevance has sometimes been questioned.
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Opinion
Ocado’s Luke Jensen: Retail should embrace AI – it won’t bite
Debates around the future direction of AI have been lifted out of the realms of academia and advanced technology and into the mainstream. So what’s changed? Why the hype? And why should the retail industry care? Ocado Solutions chief executive Luke Jensen explains all.
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Opinion
‘More Marks & Spencer magic should help Ocado sparkle’
As Ocado prepares to reveal half-year results next week, the tech and retail group’s star has been on the wane.
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Opinion
‘As retail passes the year’s midpoint things could be better – but they could have been far worse’
Is it July already? As the summer holiday period kicks in and they sip a cool beer or glass of wine in Faros or Florida, retailers can pause for breath and reflect on a year now halfway through and prospects for the remainder
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Opinion
‘As grocers come under fire for profiteering, they should speak up on behalf of hard-pressed consumers’
As big grocers continue to come under fire over ‘profiteering’ concerns, they clearly still have work to do to convince policymakers and the public that providing great value for money is absolutely front of mind.
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Opinion
‘Boohoo and Revolution Beauty’s management pageant has already got ugly’
The gloves are off at Boohoo and Revolution Beauty, where the first punches have been exchanged in a fight for control of the embattled makeup specialist.
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Opinion
‘Accepting rocketing returns as “cost of doing business” is limp admission of defeat’
It’s too big and it doesn’t fit. A dress? A T-shirt? A pair of shoes? How about your returns percentage each year? Brian Kalms looks at how retailers can address the problem
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Opinion
‘If a buyer wants to pounce on Asos, they might prefer to move sooner rather than later’
Asos was back in fashion with the City today as its shares climbed on the back of a trading update, providing welcome encouragement that chief executive José Antonio Ramos Calamonte’s turnaround efforts are working.
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Opinion
‘Morrisons often delights in swimming against the tide’
Morrisons chief customer and marketing officer Rachel Eyre on the return of the More Reasons campaign, almost two decades since it was last used