- Struggling book chain Bordersfell into administration, with rivals saying it was unlikely the chain could be saved.
- Selfridges said that it remained on track to launch its much-anticipated online offer in spring, selling food, fashion and cosmetics.
- Superdrug planned the launch of a loyalty card in the UK next year following in the footsteps of its sister companies around the world, and UK rival Boots.
- Argos revealed the success of a pilot of a voice-directed put-away system in its stores, saying it would be rolled out across the whole chain. It is the first time the technology has been used in stores by a European retailer.
- Alliance Boots executive chairman Stefano Pessina vowed that the Boots brand will be sold in all the significant countries of the world within the next five years, as the retailer celebrated its
160th anniversary.
- Struggling furniture retailer Habitat was sold to Hilco by Ikea’s owners the Kamprad family. Despite its reputation for breaking up businesses, Hilco insisted that the furniture retailer had a future.
- John Lewis enjoyed a record sales week, taking £110m in the week to December 12, although its Oxford Street store’s build-up to Christmas was hampered by malfunctioning tills.
- Asda courted controversy by using Sainsbury’s famed slogan “Good food costs less at”.
- Furniture retailers kicked off their post-Christmas Sales early to enable customers to take advantage of bargains before the return to 17.5% VAT on January 1.
- Former Tesco man John Gildersleeve was appointed chairman of New Look ahead of its anticipated float next year. Gildersleeve is already chairman of Carphone Warehouse.
- Paperchase revealed ambitions for as many as 200 stores, and said the collapse of Borders, where it had many concessions, would not have an impact on the business.
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