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The latest retail news from Hotel Chocolat, Marks&Spencer, Dobbies, King, Boots plus articles on why online marketplaces are losing their attraction, what makes a shopper buy, how to solve the returns problem and much more.

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THE LATEST RETAIL INDUSTRY NEWS

UK retail prices rise at their fastest rate in more than a decade

Non-food retail price inflation rose from 0.9% in January to 1.3% in February, its highest rate since September 2011, thanks to increased health, beauty, and furniture according to the BRC & NielsenIQ

Klarna sees losses balloon after expansion

Klarna Q4 net losses were $470m up from $77.6m in the same period in 2020, however, the business saw a 70% year-on-year increase in active customers to 147m and revenues rose 31% to $411.5m.

Hotel Chocolat on a high as profits outstrip sales growth

Hotel Chocolat’s profits were up 56% to £24.1m and revenues up 40% in the 6 months to 26 Dec with substantial growth in the UK, US and Japan markets including a 38% rise in active UK users to >2.3m.

Amazon Fresh opens its first store of 2022

Amazon’s 17th UK Fresh store using its Just Walk Out technology has opened in Southwark, and is the first store opened this year with Amazon aiming to open 260 stores over the next three years.

Urban Outfitters announces record Q4 sales of $1.33bn

Urban Outfitters reported a net sales increase of 13.9% for the three months ended Jan 31, compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2020, reaching a record $1.33bn.

Asda owners still in running for Boots buy, others drop out - report

​The auction for Boots has seen some key developments, with one major consortium dropping out but the owners of Asda still in the running.

Gen Z consumers want better gender equality and inclusion within fashion

Over half of Gen Z’s (61%) think that mainstream fashion overlooks minority groups, including non-binary and trans people

TRENDS, STRATEGY AND TECHNOLOGY

Why online marketplaces are losing their attraction

As many as 46% of UK shoppers now start a product search on a retailers’ online site, rather than via a marketplace like Amazon or eBay.

How brands are addressing the influencer trust issue

From fake reviews to so-called sponcon, influencers or creators with big followings are often distrusted as sources of guidance for health and beauty products. Can brand training help?

How online growth has reshaped the UK’s high streets

How changes in consumer behaviour, changing patterns of working and the shift to online is impacting on high-street and retail and service chain operators.

How to solve the returns headache?

The returns headache for fashion was exacerbated over the Christmas period and is rising in line with online growth. How can retail tackle the issue head-on?

Five initiatives that make the customer feel special

As Selfridges launches free therapy and sex counselling, Retail Gazette looks at the other retailers offering feel-good experiences for shoppers.

What makes a shopper buy?

Brands must give shoppers the confidence to buy direct from them online if they are to avoid losing customers to Amazon or another online competitor at the last minute, new research suggests.

How fashion brands can use TikTok’s creativity

TikTok #couture (885.4m views) has become the internet’s most up-to-date source of both inspiration and analysis, remixing past decades of fashion with new subcultures that you would never think of.

The fitting rooms of the future are here

Clothing brands and retailers are investing in high-tech fitting rooms with AR and VR in their brick-and-mortar stores to try and lure customers back in-store.

BRAND NEWS

Marks & Spencer launches Sparks promotional extravaganza to boost app take-up

Marks & Spencer is to stage a two-week spectacular of “daily personalised offers, giveaways and discounts” designed to drive customer adoption of its app.

Dobbies launches its Helping Your Community Grow initiative for 2022

Dobbies is helping Britain’s green spaces blossom this spring with the return of its popular Helping Your Community Grow initiative, with a sustainable focus for 2022.

King debuts in UK with London store

Australian furniture maker King has opened its first UK showroom on London’s Tottenham Court Road, established in 1977, King also operates showrooms in every continent.

AND FINALLY

Google’s drone delivery service hits 200,000 commercial deliveries milestone

Google's parent company, Alphabet, has made over 200,000 Wing commercial drone deliveries across global markets, excluding its test flights

PRSHOTS TOP 10 SEARCHES

What were our users searching for on PRShots week-ending February 25^th 2022?

1/ SS22

2/ Easter

3/ Garden

4/ Floral   

5/ Shoes

6/ Green

7/ Jubilee

8/ Polka Dot

9/ Living Room  

10/ Mother’s Day

COLLABORATIONS ON PRSHOTS

Our PRShots brands are looking for media and influencers who want to work with them on collaborations. Register for free at PRShots new collabs service to find out more  https://collabs.prshots.com/ 

NEW BRANDS TO PRSHOTS

Gold Collagen was started by Tony Sanguinetti whilst on a trip to Japan where he noticed that taking collagen drinks to supplement their diet was key to Japanese women’s youthful appearance and their daily beauty regimes.

DoTerra was founded in 2008, after the health-care and business professional founders discovered the benefits of natural essential oils and decided to bring those benefits to wider audience – doTERRA is the Latin for “Gift of the Earth.”  

V.Gan started in 2018 with the aim of providing animal-friendly fashion and has quickly established ourselves as one of the most progressive in the vegan community and is available worldwide.

The Jacket Bar was born in the streets of Notting Hill by two long-time friends Diane and Sara, who shared a passion for iconic vintage pieces from the early ‘90s with the retro look and style of the era.

Delightfull is a Portuguese interiors business with offices in the UK that specialises in high-end furniture and lighting solutions. Their products are handmade and combine a long heritage of skilled crafts and have an eye for the emerging needs of the future.

Designer Angelika Józefczyk was inspired by the expression of artists like William Morris, Gustav Klimt, and the architecture of Antonio Gaudi. The collection uses embroidered and patterned soft fabrics like chiffon, satin and crepe.

The MorphBag by GSK is an award-winning London-based luxury vegan handbag brand. Designed by Italian born award-winning luxury handbag designer Giovanna Sessi-Knott the sustainable bags have a timeless and versatile design and come in three colour-coordinated options.

Night Store combines a girl’s night glamour and dreamy levels of comfort, all pieces are designed with a relaxed fit. Best served with a glass of your favourite on a chilled night in or catching up with friends.

Make It British

Under the Make it British umbrella we have a selection of innovative small businesses producing beautiful clothes, accessories and jewellery and they’re all designed and made in the UK.

HELP WITH YOUR IMAGE SEARCHES

The latest images on PRShots are found here https://www.prshots.com/whatsnew why not bookmark the page for a regular feed of the latest images on PRShots!! You can select the latest images from the last 24hours, week, or month.

BRANDS WITH NEW IMAGES

Clothing and accessories

M&Co  has new outdoor summer and Kylie ranges

Oliver Bonas has new clothing, jewellery, beauty products and bags

Lipsy has bright new SS22 outfits

New Look has women and kids SS22 ranges

Primark has new leisure wear men and women and a Mickey Mouse range

Freemans has the latest Star by Julien Macdonald ranges

Very has new accessories, shoes and clothing ranges

Barbour has new summer outfits

Dune London has new bags, shoes and glasses

River Island has new summery SS22 outfits and International Women’s day clothes

Pink House Mustique has new womenswear

Homesense has new gifts and home wear images for Easter

Regatta has new kids Peppa Pig clothing ranges

Fatface has new accessories, jewellery, and shoe ranges

Crew Clothing has new SS22 ranges

Tu Clothing has outfits for world book day

George at Asda has summer clothing ranges and swimwear

From My Mothers Garden has new kimonos

Radley has new bags

Sonder Studio has SS22 shots

Matalan has new Papaya and kids ranges

Aspiga  has organic eco clothing ranges

See more new clothing and accessories images from the last two weeks from

Feelunique Hope Fashion Pretty Little Thing Dune London Mens Seol + Gold Cath Kidston Primark Kaleidoscope Sainsbury’s beauty Office The Jacket Bar Joe Browns Cocoove

Home

Cartwright & Butler has new Mother’s day gift boxes

Next has new outdoor furniture and picnic dining

National Trust Shop has new books, gifts for easter and SS22 collections

Nest has new home ranges and prints

Cult Furniture  has new home furniture

Parker Knoll has new furniture ranges

Collins & Hayes has new sofa ranges

Oliver Bonas has new March release home products

Paperchase has new wedding stationery and gifts for the home

Biscuiteers Baking has new Father’s Day and Mother’s Day gifts

Sofology has new bedroom furniture

Dobbies Garden Centres has new home goods and things for outdoor summer entertaining and Mother’s Day  

Furniture Village has new outdoor furniture

Fatface has new home ranges and Easter gifts

Habitat has new bedding and homewear

Abstract House has new canvases

B&M has new home accessories  

Cambridge Imprint has new patterned papers

Dunelm has new homeware and bedding

Lights4fun has new lights for the garden and home for Easter and summer

DFS launched its Vegan sofa and furniture range

See more new home images from the last two weeks from

Baa Stool Homesense George Home Fritz Fryer The Range Very TKMaxx Avalana John Lewis Primark Designers Guild Marks & Spencer  

Looking for inspiration??

Our trends lightboxes section has lots of ideas for features and themes but If  you can't find something or you need help then email us at support@prshots.com, and we'll see if we can help

March Diary

How to get your brand on the March Editorial Calendars   

March is mostly about preparing for the big Easter holidays in April so make sure you are starting to include relevant Easter keywords, plus it’s also the time people make their first big getaway abroad so any keywords and clothes for warmer climes, loungewear, going-out wear, swimsuits, bikinis etc should be added.

At the end of the month, there’s Mothers’ Day. If you have any relevant gifts, cards etc then get them uploaded and get Mother’s Day in your keywords and on anything appropriate. Also, if you have anything green then add that for St Patrick’s day in the middle of the month.

Plus, as we’re now definitely in Spring, so carry on adding those spring summer related images and adding keywords relating to summer outfits, swimwear, the garden, garden parties and Barbecues (don’t forget to add all of the other spellings BBQ, Bar-B-Que etc).  

March Diary - Weeks/Months

In the UK it’s National Bed Month - Introduced by The Sleep Council and The National Bed Federation, it aims to raise awareness of the importance of sleep so push anything sleep-related. it’s also the British Heart Foundations Dechox month which encourages people to give up chocolate – cakes and biscuits - for the month! So, any chocolate, biscuit or cake alternatives should be pushed. 

Other events include;

Fairtrade Fortnight (Feb 21^st – Mar 6^th)

British Pie Week (7^th-13^th)

British Science Week (11^th-20^th)

Butchers Week (7^th-13^th)

March - Days

2^nd – Dr Seuss Day (US)

2^nd - Ash Wednesday

3^rd – World Book Day

8th – International Women’s Day

9^th – No Smoking Day

14^th – Commonwealth Day

17th – St Patrick’s Day

18th – Global Recycling Day

18^th – Red Nose Day for Comic Relief

28^th – Holi Hindu Festival

20^th – First Day of Spring

21^st – International Day of Forests

22^nd – World Water Day

22^nd -23^rd - The London Textile Fair - Business Design Centre in Islington, North London

25th – National Bridesmaids Day

27^th - Mother’s Day UK

27^th – The Oscars

27^th – British Summertime Begins

Do you have any news on your brand that you want us to feature, or have a new appointee or a new event that you would like us to feature? Get in touch at news@prshots.com We don't charge, so get emailing now!!!

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