Retail News - what’s happening across the retail landscape

Hyve Group partners with Retail Trust

Hyve Group has announced the Retail Trust as its charity partner for Autumn Fair and Spring Fair for two years, and its wellbeing partner across all its retail shows in the UK (comprising Spring Fair, Autumn Fair, Pure, Glee and Scoop) to provide dedicated support, awareness and fundraising for the retail sector.

The partnership will incorporate offsite volunteer days, team challenges, and onsite activity. A dedicated Wellbeing section will launch on the websites of all Hyve Group’s shows featuring information and articles alongside videos that support the wellbeing of retailers and suppliers alike. The partnership also sees the Autumn Fair launch of the Female Founders scheme. This initiative will support the growth of female-founded retail businesses by offering six businesses a free stand at Spring Fair 2021, followed by 12 months of business mentoring with leading female entrepreneurs.

Hamleys in major play for gaming market

Toy retailer Hamleys has opened a state-of-the-art console, PC and gaming accessories department at its flagship shop on London’s Regent Street.

The 1,326sq ft gaming space features consoles from PS4 and PS5 to Xbox 1 and XS, Nintendo Switch and a wide range of PC games and accessories. Hamleys claims the new department is ‘the biggest gaming retail site in London’s Soho area and features the latest top ranked games and best sellers across the gaming platforms with all the leading publishers from EA, Capcom and Activision to Nintendo, Ubisoft, Rockstar Games and Bandai Namco’. Accessories brands include XRocker, Turtle Beach, Anda Seat, Power A, Nacon and Hori and feature everything from keyboards and mouse pads to gaming chairs, controllers, arcade sticks and headsets. Hamleys of London CEO Sumeet Yadav said: “This is a natural fit for Hamleys and in time, we would like to see gaming roll out across our wider global retail estate.”

Retail sales strong but slowing, says BRC

On a total basis, retail sales increased by 6.4% in July against a growth of 3.2% in July 2020, according to the latest figures from the British Retail Consortium (BRC). This is below the three-month average growth of 14.7% and the 12-month average growth of 10.4%. On a two-year basis, total retail sales grew by 9.1%. BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson OBE said: “July continued to see strong sales, although growth has started to slow. The lifting of restrictions did not bring the anticipated in-store boost, with the wet weather leaving consumers reluctant to visit shopping destinations.

“However, the vacancy rate is continuing to rise. Many shops and local communities have been battered by the pandemic, with many high streets in need of further investment. Unfortunately, the current broken business rates system continues to hold back retailers, hindering vital investment into retail innovation and the blended physical-digital retail offering. The Government must ensure the upcoming business rates review permanently reduces the cost burden to sustainable levels. Retailers want to play their part in building back a better future for local communities, and the Government must give them the tools to do so.” Back-to-school season expected to boost retail sales +12% compared with pre-pandemic

As parents start to look to the new school year, UK retailers are preparing for a strong back-to-school shopping season.

According to a survey by Mastercard SpendingPulse, which measures in-store and online retail sales across all forms of payment, UK retail sales excluding petrol are expected to grow 12% during the 16 August to 19 September back-to-school period compared with the same time pre-pandemic in 2019. Year-on-year, sales are predicted to grow 6.7% compared with 2020.

This anticipated growth builds on positive retail momentum, as total retail sales rose 4.2% year-on-year in July, fuelled by pent-up demand and lifting of restrictions.

Kelly Devine, divisional president of Mastercard UK & Ireland, said: “Back to school has always been a key shopping time for retailers. This year, the broader reopening of the High Street brings an exciting wave of opti-mism as children prepare for what is hopefully an uninterrupted school year.

John Lewis predicts top 10 toys for Christmas

John Lewis & Partners enlisted a panel of five toy testers aged under 12 to help select and approve the department store group’s final top 10 toys for Christmas. The testers spent hours playing, testing and competing in the John Lewis Toy Testing Lab and finally selecting their favourites, which the retailer predicts will be the must-have toys for Christmas 2021.

John Lewis & Partners toy buyer Rachael Larkman said: “This year we’ve seen a huge surge in the popularity of traditional toys and games that can be enjoyed by the whole family. For example, sales of construction toys and puzzles such as LEGO have risen 50% in the last 12 months, and we predict this trend will continue for Christmas. The selection of top toys chosen by our panel of testers includes toys suitable for all ages. From ‘my first’ toys to the exclusive Scalextric, which we are predicting to be the toy of the season, there’s a great variety that will guarantee excitement on Christmas Day.”

The Top 10 toys are:

1. Scalextric Batman vs Superman,

Exclusive to John Lewis, £39.99 2. LEGO Elf Clubhouse, £84.99 3. John Lewis FSC Wooden My First

Train Set, £20 4. Ravensburger Space Puzzle, £39.99 5. John Lewis FSC Wooden

Waitrose Supermarket, £65 6. Gravi Pro Starter Extreme,

Exclusive to John Lewis, £89.99 7. Kaloo My first Doll, £19.99 8. Harry Potter Games

Compendium £59.99 9. Tonies Soft Cuddly Friends - Hoppie Rabbit Audio Play, £29.99 10.Secret Garden book, £12