Asia – Page 31

  • News

    Fast Retailing plans 200 g.u. stores

    2010-04-28T13:40:00Z

    Fashion retailer Fast Retailing has revealed plans to have opened 200 stores for its low-cost casualwear brand g.u. in Japan by 2013. The company - which owns Uniqlo - plans to open 25 shops, to bring its total number of stores to about 120, by the end of May. It ...

  • News

    Thai Office Depot franchise generated sales of £52m in 2009

    2010-04-20T16:04:00Z

    Central Retail has revealed its Office Depot franchise generated sales of Bt2.8bn (£52m) in 2009.Managing director Somchai Tawonrungroaj said that Office Depot’s key success factors were business expansion (two new stores opened during the year) and an increase in the number of private-label products sold.Tawonrungroaj said: “For the business direction ...

  • News

    Aeon to expand The Big hypermarkets

    2010-04-20T16:02:00Z

    Aeon has announced plans to boost its number of The Big hypermarkets. Aeon currently operates about 30 stores trading under The Big brand name.The company said that it would increase The Big store numbers seven-fold over the next three years, to 200 stores.The group also plans to convert its MaxValu ...

  • News

    First Labi flagship for Shinjuku

    2010-04-20T16:01:00Z

    Japanese consumer electronics retailer Yamada Denki has opened its first Labi flagship store in Tokyo’s Shinjuku district.The 84,820 sq ft store is spread over nine floors and is expected to generate annual sales of ¥50bn (£342m). The store has a special dedicated area devoted to women in order to attract ...

  • News

    Carrefour to sell 40% of Indonesian business

    2010-04-20T16:00:00Z

    Carrefour has agreed to sell a 40% stake in its Indonesian business to Para Group, a company that already operates more than 300 retail stores.Carrefour said the partnership will generate synergies with Para operations, particularly in financial services, media and lifestyle.Carrefour operates 78 stores in 22 Indonesian cities and plans ...

  • News

    Body Shop to expand in India

    2010-04-15T16:49:00Z

    Body Shop has announced plans to increase its number of stores in India from the current 30 to 150 by the end of 2012.Jonathan Price, managing director of Body Shop International (Asia Pacific), said: “The Indian market is very important for us. It was the fastest growing in the Asia ...

  • News

    Fast Retailing profits jump

    2010-04-15T16:46:00Z

    Fashion group Fast Retailing has announced a 43% jump in operating profit for the first half to February, lifted by strong sales at Uniqlo.Consolidated net sales totalled ¥470.9bn (£3.23bn), rocketing 31.8% year on year. Like-for-likes at Uniqlo stores in Japan rose 13.1% for the period, beating its forecast of 11.2% ...

  • News

    7-Eleven aims for 20,000 environmentally friendly stores

    2010-04-15T16:44:00Z

    Seven & I-owned 7-Eleven plans to have 20,000 environmentally friendly stores across the globe within five years, accounting for about 40% of its operations. The convenience stores will use LED technology for signs and lighting, generate electricity from solar power, feature hot water systems that use waste heat from air ...

  • News

    Gome sales fall

    2010-04-15T16:43:00Z

    Electronics retailer Gome has benefited from its recent store closure strategy.While sales for the year to December 31 fell 7% to Yn42.7bn (£4bn) - the result of closing down 189 underperforming stores - net profit jumped 34.4%.Gome revealed that the government’s stimulus policies helped to lift sales and operating ...

  • News

    H&M sales jump 7%

    2010-04-15T16:39:00Z

    Clothing retailer H&M has reported results for the first quarter to February 28, with sales jumping 7% to Skr24.85bn (£2.1 bn), compared with the same period last year. In local currencies, the increase was 13%.H&M had 1,992 stores at the end of February, up from 1,748 a year ago. ...

  • News

    AS Watson total revenues down 2%

    2010-04-09T00:00:00Z

    Total revenues at Hutchison Whampoa’s AS Watson retail division shrank 2% to HK$116.09bn (£9.81bn) for the 2009 full year, but climbed 5% on a constant currency basis.However, EBIT soared 30% to HK$5.69bn (£480.7m) due to continued improvement in costs, operational efficiency and cautious expansion. AS Watson plans to double its ...

  • Ted Baker
    News

    Ted Baker sets sights on India despite global trading challenges

    2010-04-01T00:00:00Z

    Ted Baker is targeting India as it continues to expand into new markets.

  • News

    Future Group in talks for foreign tie-ups

    2010-02-19T00:00:00Z

    Future Group - which runs the country’s largest listed retailer Pantaloon Retail - is in talks for a foreign tie-up and hopes to file papers for an IPO in its investment arm soon, said chief executive Kishore Biyani.He would not name the overseas retailers being considered for a tie-up, although ...

  • News

    Shoprite to sell Indian operations to Future Group

    2010-02-12T00:00:00Z

    Shoprite is preparing to sell its operations in India to Future Group, according to unconfirmed reports in the local media.It has been rumoured that Future Group is ready to buy the Shoprite store in Mumbai, and take on the employees there.Shoprite has reportedly called off its franchisee deal with Indian ...

  • News

    Al Hokair to expand in the Middle East

    2010-01-15T00:00:00Z

    The board of Saudi Arabian retailer Al Hokair has approved an expansion plan that covers Kazakhstan and could eventually include Egypt, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates.The group, which specialises in fashion retailing - including franchises for Inditex and M&S - and foodservice, would not disclose further details, saying only ...

  • News

    Fast Retailing revenues up 40%.

    2010-01-15T00:00:00Z

    Fashion giant Fast Retailing revenues rocketed 40% year on year for its first quarter to November.Same-store sales jumped 21% and operating profit soared 49% to JPY61.1bn (£419m).Fast Retailing said the performance was driven by new products, the opening of its Paris Uniqlo global flagship store, the launch of the +J ...

  • News

    Aeon to overall supermarkets

    2010-01-08T00:00:00Z

    Aeon is to overhaul the supermarkets under its umbrella.The Japanese group plans to transform 55 stores - about 10% of the total number of Jusco stores and other supermarkets in the group - in 2010.Aeon will downsize floor space for items that have not been selling well, such as clothing ...

  • News

    Deal between Suning and Citicall Retail Management

    2010-01-08T00:00:00Z

    Suning, one of the leading electrical appliance retailers in China, has struck a deal to buy Hong Kong-based Citicall Retail Management for $4.5m (£2.76m), sources reported. Suning is due to complete its takeover of Citicall Retail Management by March. The Shenzhen-listed enterprise wants to extend its presence in Hong Kong ...

  • Zara.JPG
    Analysis

    Asian markets beckon for crunch-hit fashion players

    2009-12-18T00:00:00Z

    Slowed consumer spending in their recession-hit home markets has led the world’s largest fashion retailers to pursue Asia for growth. Retailers such as Inditex, H&M and Gap are now finding more fertile grounds for expansion in the region, where the effects of the economic downturn have been much less severe.