All The Works articles
The Works is a value retailer selling arts, crafts, books, stationery and toys – all at discount prices. It is the UK’s leading discount book retailer. The Works has over 500 stores across the UK and Ireland. It was founded in 1981, while TheWorks.co.uk (the company’s first ecommerce platform) was launched in 2012.
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InterviewQ&A: The Works’ Gavin Peck is positive about Christmas and profitability
Following The Works posting flat sales in what it described as a “challenging year”, Retail Week speaks to chief executive Gavin Peck on his optimism for the year ahead, including how the group will boost sales for Christmas and improve its ranges
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Retail Navigator AnalysisThe Works (Financials)
In a challenging trading environment impacted by the cost-of-living crisis and and softened consumer demand, The Works sales edged up 0.9% year on year to £282.6m in the 2023 financial year to 5 May 2024 (FY2023). Store sales drove growth in FY2023, with total store like for likes up 0.6% and online sales down 12.4% resulting in an overall like-for-like sales decline of 0.9%.
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NewsThe Works is ‘well positioned’ for Christmas despite flat sales and falling profits
The Works has said it is “well positioned” for the peak Christmas trading period despite reporting flat sales and declining profits in a “challenging” year.
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AnalysisRetail’s election wish list: what the bosses of Ikea, AO and more want from a new government
“We need a better approach when it comes to the coordination of policy, regulation, taxation, and alignment across the UK’s nations.”
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NewsThe Works anticipates return to growth as it reports flat sales and revenue
The Works has said it expects to see a “return to profit growth” in the next financial year as it records flat revenue and sales.
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Retail Navigator AnalysisThe Works (Strategy)
Having scrapped its Together Rewards loyalty scheme in order to keep costs down for consumers, The Works continues its efforts to change legacy perception of it as a “pile it high, sell it cheap” discounter under its “better, not just bigger” refocused strategy.
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DataRevealed: The most-popular value retailers online
With the value sector remaining popular with UK shoppers, Retail Week teamed up with SimilarWeb to track which discount retailers have been seeing the most traffic to their websites over the past two years
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NewsThe Works shareholders vote to move to AIM
The Works shareholders have voted to move the specialist retailer’s shares from the main market of London’s Stock Exchange to its sub-market AIM.
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NewsThe Works to delist from main market in switch to AIM
The Works intends to move its shares off the London Stock Exchange’s main market and list on AIM, six years since its IPO.
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NewsLosses deepen at The Works as Christmas fails to deliver
The Works has reported deepening losses as cash-strapped customers prioritised food and essentials over gifts at Christmas.
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AnalysisWhat will 2024 bring? Retail bosses predict the year ahead
As 2024 begins, what do retailers think will top the agenda for the year ahead? We asked leaders of some of the UK’s biggest retail businesses to get out their crystal balls and make some predictions
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AnalysisReviewed: Retail’s best Christmas ads according to the experts
Who has nailed it and who has failed it? We assembled a panel of advertising experts to give their verdict on some of retail’s biggest Christmas ads this year
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InterviewThe Works boss Gavin Peck on revamping stores to win new customers
Variety retailer The Works is on a transformational journey under chief executive Gavin Peck, revamping its store estate from jumbled, “Aladdin’s caves” into spaces focused on offering something for every member of the family.
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NewsThe Works drops profit guidance by £4m
The Works has dropped its profit guidance by £4m as it anticipates taking a hit on prices to remain competitive in the eyes of bargain-hunting shoppers.
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VideoWatch: The Works launches first-ever Christmas TV ad
The Works has launched its first Christmas brand campaign including its first Christmas TV ad.
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VideoWatch: The retail Christmas advert round-up
No sooner had the pumpkins and Halloween costumes been removed from the shelves, than several retailers launched their Christmas campaigns.
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DataRanking: The 50 best places to work in retail
Retail has had a tough year, with in-store crime reaching concerning levels, businesses going bust and consumer sentiment low as we trudge through a cost-of-living crisis. On the front line are the retail employees who remain resilient despite a year of redundancies and sometimes appalling abuse
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AnalysisStrategy spotlight: Five ways The Works’ elevation strategy will win consumer spend
The Works is on a mission to change its legacy perception as a “pile it high, sell it cheap” discounter. As its “better, not just bigger” refocused strategy accelerates, the retailer topped Retail Week’s fastest-growing value ranking for 2021/22. We explore its five key drivers to profitability as consumer confidence lifts.
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NewsThe Works posts profit fall but says strategy bearing fruit
Crafts, toys and books retailer The Works has posted a fall in full-year profits but said current trading is in line with expectations.
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AnalysisPrice cuts vs promotional offers: what have the discounters decided?
As more customers turn to discount retailers during the cost-of-living crisis, Retail Week takes a look at what changes the value sector is making to appeal to a wider range of customers