Despite the notion of hip-hop culture being a bad influence on young people today, a new report shows that it has become part of mainstream American consumer culture.

Although being related to controversy, significant sales can be attributed to products prominently featured in lyrics, spontaneously embraced by the hip-hop world and products that appear to be genuinely used by an artist prior to the relationship.

Continue reading “Despite Critique Brands Cash in on Hip-Hop Culture” »

A typical basket of 100 grocery items cost 5.8% more in May than it did at the beginning of the year, according to new research, in effect adding around £514m a month to the British grocery bill. For hard pressed consumers such an increase comes on top of a host of other price rises and demonstrates why, for many households, inflation feels far higher that the government’s official rate.

Continue reading “Will Price Increase of Fruit and Veg Lead to Make or Break?” »

According to a new report premium/luxury operators are driving growth in the £14.7bn UK department store sector. The sector returned to growth in 2006 following two years of decline, and has not only sustained this trend for the second consecutive year in 2007, but is likely to outperform in 2008. Though Marks & Spencer’s recovery was a major factor in the return to growth in 2006, it is the high-end operators that have been the main drivers in 2007.

Continue reading “Premium Operators fuelling growth in the UK Department Store Sector” »

From its humble beginnings in the 1950s, fair-trade has developed into a global movement. A new report reveals fair-trade sales across Europe, the US, Australia & New Zealand and Japan have experienced double digit growth since 2002.

Ethical consumerism will increasingly come to the fore as people shop for products they feel akin to politically, ethically and aesthetically. Consumers will choose brands that are actively making a difference in a transparent and trustworthy manner. This is reflected by the double-digit growth of 15.7% (between 2007-2012), which has been forecast for fair-trade purchases over the next 5 years, in the 11 countries covered in the report.

Continue reading “Global Ethical Revolution – Per head spend on fair-trade products highest among Brits” »

Sainsbury has announced a 4.1% rise in underlying sales for the 12 weeks to March 22. As well as reporting a 13th consecutive quarter of like-for-like growth, Sainsbury has entered into a property joint venture with British Land, paving the way for redevelopment at the majority of the 39 stores included in the deal.

Sainsbury has continued to achieve credible total and like-for-like sales rises, announcing an increase in like-for-like sales for the 13th consecutive quarter. Sales have been driven by increased transaction numbers and higher average transaction sizes. Price inflation, at 2.1% during the last quarter, was also important here, with food volumes only marginally positive. Continue reading “Sainsbury: plenty to play for” »

Despite the credit crunch, there are still significant opportunities for retailers and developers in the European out-of-town (OOT) arena, with the Mediterranean countries showing strong potential for further rapid development. However – going forward – these opportunities will become harder to find. In the South the prime OOT locations get snapped up, while in northern Europe retailers and developers will increasingly need to focus on redeveloping older sites and make existing space work harder.

Continue reading “Italy and Spain Experience Further Growth in the Out-of-Town Retail Market” »

While Tesco extended its lead over its rivals in 2007 for the ninth successive year, a new report found that its 0.8 percentage point rise (to 27.6%) was the smallest market share gain since 2002. It was also the first time for five years that Tesco’s share increase was less than the combined market share gain of its principal rivals (Asda, Sainsbury, Morrison and, formerly, Safeway).

Tesco continues to hold a clear lead over its rivals. Despite signs that growing market share is becoming harder, Tesco still recorded both the largest market share gain among the leading players and, due to Tesco’s size, by far the highest cash gain in sales.

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In order to draw more female customers to its Q8 petrol stations in Denmark, Kuwait Petroleum is investing in cleaner stations and healthier food options for its shops. The move to improve service stations is a logical one. Indeed, as well as making the fuel outlets more appealing to women, the measures being taken are likely to please all customers.

Kuwait Petroleum has chosen to make investments aimed at increasing the number of female consumers visiting its petrol stations in light of evidence which shows that women’s spend in forecourt shops is significantly lower than that of men.

Continue reading “Denmark: Q8 Launches Female Friendly Petrol Station Concept” »

Premium/luxury operators are driving growth in the £14.7bn UK department store says a new report. The sector returned to growth in 2006 following two years of decline, and has not only sustained this trend for the second consecutive year in 2007, but is likely to outperform in 2008. Though Marks & Spencer’s recovery was a major factor in the return to growth in 2006, it is the high end operators that have been the main drivers in 2007.

Continue reading “Harrods, Selfridges and Harvey Nichols Drive Growth in the UK Department Store Sector” »

More people than ever before in the UK, are shopping at supermarkets for items other than food, a new report reveals. Over 62% of all shoppers regularly use supermarkets to buy non-food items, collectively spending over £19.7bn. These numbers have risen sharply compared to five years back when just 45% used grocers for non-food, collectively spending £13.3bn.

Continue reading “UK: Customers Choose Asda and Tesco Over Big High Street Names such as H&M and Gap” »