All International articles – Page 237

  • 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

    Abercrombie & Fitch set to open Barcelona Hollister

    2010-04-28T13:38:00Z

    US clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch is to launch its first store in Spain under the Hollister banner in Barcelona in July.The store will cover 5,380 sq ft and will be located in the La Maquinista shopping centre. Abercrombie & Fitch is expected to open four Hollister stores in the ...

  • News

    Neiman Marcus testing new discount format

    2010-04-28T13:35:00Z

    Department store operator Neiman Marcus is testing a new discount concept, according to US consumer fashion website Women’s Wear Daily.The 11,000 sq ft store, which opened this month in Dallas, offers designer brands such as Michael Kors, Badgley Mischka and Diane von Furstenberg, with prices ranging between $45 and $300 ...

  • ryan john cutout
    Opinion

    Best Buy: Just another big box?

    2010-04-26T11:49:00Z

    One thing seems almost certain: The first UK Best Buy store will be another example of big box retailing at its least imaginative. Drive past the Thurrock store-to-be and the yellow and blue logo is certainly large, but it will be a real bombshell if the interior is in any measure appreciably different from its rivals’.

  • Matthew Stych
    Analysis

    China is not the only new retail market to investigate

    2010-04-23T00:00:00Z

    While the volcanic ash cloud and the ensuing chaos may have blown over by the time this appears, the disruption to international trade once again highlights the weaknesses in our increasingly globalised economy.

  • News

    Casino Q1 sales up

    2010-04-20T16:07:00Z

    Casino has posted a 5.6% first-quarter sales increase, including calendar effects and higher petrol price, to reach €6.61bn (£5.8bn), with a 16.4% jump in international markets and a 0.4% gain in the struggling French market.International operations, which accounted for 36% of sales, showed a sharp acceleration in organic growth during ...

  • News

    Saks to close 53 stores

    2010-04-20T16:06:00Z

    Premium department store chain Saks plans to close up to 20 of its 53 full-line Saks Fifth Avenue stores over time.The exact number of store closures and their timing has not yet been announced, although the company closed its Portland, Oregon store last month. Instead, Saks is pursuing growth through ...

  • News

    Carrefour to enter Iraqi market

    2010-04-20T16:05:00Z

    Carrefour has unveiled more details about its entry into the Iraq market.The retailer’s franchise partner in the Middle East, Majid Al-Futtaim, is looking to open its first Iraq store in September at the Family Fun Mall, a premium shopping and entertainment complex soon to open in Erbil in the Kurdistan ...

  • 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

    X5 could purchase A5 pharmacies

    2010-04-20T15:59:00Z

    X5 Retail Group could purchase the A5 Pharmacy Chain in 2011 as part of a recent agreement, chief executive Lev Khasis has said. The price of the deal will depend on the chain’s results in 2010.X5 Retail Group said in May 2009 that it planned to open A5 Pharmacy Chain ...

  • News

    Auchan revenue up 0.5% in 2009

    2010-04-20T15:57:00Z

    Hypermarket operator Auchan revealed that consolidated group revenue excluding taxes grew 0.5% to €39.7bn (£35.4bn) in 2009.Group revenue decreased 2.8% in Western Europe due to the economic slowdown. This zone continues to account for more than 76% of the group’s revenue.Revenue grew 12.9% in Central and Eastern Europe and Asia, ...

  • Andy Bond
    News

    Andy Bond to advise Walmart on new international markets

    2010-04-16T00:00:00Z

    Outgoing Asda chief executive Andy Bond is to advise parent company Walmart on conquering Russia and other new markets when he steps up to the role of chairman.

  • News

    Borders sets aside space for e-reader category

    2010-04-15T17:03:00Z

    Borders is setting up “Area-e” sections inside all its stores that will be dedicated to the growing e-book and e-reader category.The book retailer will offer a wide variety of e-readers for sale as well as a comprehensive array of accessories and extended warranty programmes. Borders expects to complete the roll-out ...

  • News

    Fresh & Easy launches EatWell range

    2010-04-15T17:02:00Z

    Tesco’s Fresh & Easy Neigborhood Market has launched EatWell, a line of 17 new healthy, ready-to-eat prepared meals and sides.The range includes salads, soups, noodle dishes, main courses and other options, with most options selling for $3.99 (£2.46).The EatWell range has been designed to contain fewer than 500 calories in ...

  • News

    Blue Square seeks majority stake in Dor Alon

    2010-04-15T16:51:00Z

    Supermarket operator Blue Square is planning to acquire a majority stake in Dor Alon, which operates 168 convenience stores and 183 petrol stations.Blue Square executive chairman David Wiessman said: “The acquisition would combine the retail operations of the company and Dor Alon into one group creating the largest retail group ...

  • 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% ...