In-Store articles from December 2003

In-Store archives from December 2003

Tesco commits to RFID rollout.(News)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Tesco has announced it will roll out Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology through its distribution network from April 2004, with its suppliers following suit in September. Philip Clark, Tesco director for IT and logistics,...

Online travel retailer Lastminute.com has launched a trial of interactive kiosks at Heathrow and Gatwick airports.(News)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... On travel retailer Lastminute.com has launched a trial of interactive kiosks at Heathrow and Gatwick airports. The bright pink units, supplied by interactive kiosk provider Interface, are located in the arrival areas of both airports -four at...

Asda data tracks hot cold spots.(News)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Asda, which positioned itself as a consumer champion when it campaigned for the right to discount over-the-counter medicines in 2001, has used its sales analysis system to highlight cough and cold 'hot spots' in the UK. It has released the...

Halfords owner stays silent on rumoured sale.(News)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Venture capital group CVC Capital Partners has declined to comment on reports that it is preparing to sell Halfords. A spokeswoman would not comment on rumours that CVC was hearing pitches from investment banks from late November. ...

B&Q maximises minis.(News)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... B&Q is to open 50 more 'mini' versions of its giant Warehouse store. There are currently 22 of the smaller stores. The stores will stock about 25,000 SKUs, including a wide selection of decorating products. Existing B&Q Super-centre stores...

In-Store League Table.(News)
December 1, 2003... The results of In-Store's third annual P-O-P League Table Survey are ready. The table is complied from reader surveys, where clients judge P-O-P suppliers on efficiency, price and account handling. Average scores are used to rank the...

M&S tests LCDs for big boys' toys.(News)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Marks & Spencer is trialling in-store media in the men's accessories departments of five stores throughout the Christmas shopping period. Four 22in LCD screens in each store will promote the retailer's autumn offer on gadgets and novelties...

The Entertainer redesigns to whistle up market share.(News)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Toy store The Entertainer has launched its new concept store in Kingston on Thames, featuring nearly 1,000 sq m of retail space. The store includes a photographic studio and an adult collectibles section, as well as special areas dedicated...

3 boosts Superdrug shop-in-shop units.(News)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Hutchison Whampoa has announced plans to create shop-in-shop units in more than 300 Superdrug stoles by 2004 to sell its video mobile phone network, 3. The decision to expand the offering follows an initial trial of the concept in 60...

Tesco gears up for breakdown cover ...(News)
December 1, 2003... Tesco Personal Finance is introducing roadside breakdown cover that can be purchased at checkouts without the need to fill in forms. The retailer claims this is the first time such a service has been sold in-store. The product, run in...

... And caters for food allergies.(News)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Tesco has also launched a new own-brand food range called Free From--made without ingredients such as cow's milk, wheat and gluten. The group says it is responding to greater customer awareness of product contents. Research shows that 25...

Russian pharmacy chain 36.6, named after human blood temperature, has been rebranded by UK brand consultancy SCG.(News)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Russian pharmacy chain 36.6, named after human blood temperature, has been rebranded by UK brand consultancy SCG. The stores feature soft pastel-coloured interiors designed to give a friendly feel. The new look gives each product group its own...

Worthington's packs up for Christmas.(News)(ale brand William Worthington's 1744 introduces limited edition four-bottle gift pack for the Christmas season)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Ale brand William Worthington's 1744 has introduced a limited edition four-bottle gift pack for the Christmas season. Premium ales are becoming increasingly popular as gifts or as self-indulgent treats.

Fiorelli bags Canary Wharf store.(News)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Women's fashion accessories chain Fiorelli is to open a store at Jubilee Place in London's Canary Wharf. It will be the chain's sixth standalone store in addition to a number of department store concessions. Canary Wharf has a steadily growing...

McCain takes Christmas on the road.(News)(McCain Foods appointed brand experience agency ID for its latest phase of Christmas marketing)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... McCain Foods has appointed brand experience agency ID for its latest phase of Christmas marketing. Three teams will travel around the UK, wishing shoppers a 'Merry McCain Christmas' and giving away free meals including flavoured Wedges, McCain...

Robinsons is back in the saddle.(News)(store reopens following rebuild after fire)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Equestrian store Robinsons, based in Ashton-in-Makerfield in Lancashire, has reopened, following a complete rebuild after a fire in 2002. The 2000 sq m store now covers two floors.

Saturday night Southern Comfort fever.(News)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Youth-targeted spirit brand Southern Comfort has appointed ad agency WWAV Rapp Collins North to develop a relationship marketing programme. SMS messages will be sent out at 9pm on Friday and Saturday nights in a bid to influence purchases among...

Like-for-like sales up at Tesco.(News)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Tesco has announced a 6.9 per cent increase in its like-for-like sales in the UK for the 14 weeks ending 15 November 2003. Group sales increased by 17.5 per cent. The company says clothing continues to grow at more than six times the market...

Feelfine bubbles up in UK.(News)(Swedish recovery drink to launch in UK)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Swedish recovery drink Feelfine will be launching in the UK in December. The launch will be supported by P-O-P inside nightclubs, plus outdoor print and press ads, all produced by Meerkat Marketing Communications.

AXA publishes c-store survival guide.(News)(Association of Convenience Stores in partnership with AXA Group develop survival guide for convenience stores)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Insurance company AXA, in conjunction with the Association of Convenience Stores, has developed a free Business Survival Blueprint for the UK's 54,000 convenience store retailers. The publication gives advice on areas including accounting,...

Price becomes driver at Sainsbury's.(News)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Sainsbury's is to move towards a more price-driven approach. Chief executive Sir Peter Davis is reported as saying that by next summer the group will have addressed issues of price and value for money.

World Express extends Oriental line.(News)(Oriental Express Frozen Foods moves outside the Chinese food sector with its latest line)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Oriental Express Frozen Foods is moving outside the Chinese food sector with its latest line, World Express, a five-strong range of dishes from around the world including curries and Chilli Con Carne.

Retailers don't credit staff.(News)(Forty-three per cent of retailers believe that staff are not crucial to profits)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Forty-three per cent of retailers believe that staff are not crucial to profits, reveals research commissioned by workforce development expert Investors in People UK. "Employees should be viewed as any organisation's number one asset, crucial...

Levi's builds up its girls' empire.(News)
December 1, 2003... Following the opening of a Levi's girls' store in Paris in September, the group has announced a rollout of the format in 2004. There will be stores in the UK, Spain, Italy and Germany, as well as two more in France.

SMP wins Rayovac account.(News)(to develop trade and consumer promotions)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Battery brand Rayovac has appointed sales promotion agency SMP to develop trade and consumer promotions.

Totalcard teams up with Watford FC.(News)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Total has launched a football sponsorship scheme for Watford FC supporters in association with its petrol payment card. The Total card is available to all 10,000 season ticket holders and corporate partners and generates alp donation for every...

Trespass takes new store concent to Xscape dome.(News)(Sportswear retailer Trespass unveils new store design)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Sportswear retailer Trespass has unveiled a new store design and in-store graphics package in its store at the Milton Keynes Xscape snow dome. The brand encompasses men's, women's and children's technical clothing for snowboarding, skiing,...

Crunch time for English apples.(News)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... As supermarkets were accused of "shunning" British apples by a Friends of the Earth survey last month, Safeway launched an English apples competition and promotion across its 482 stores. Entry forms for the prize of 1,000 [pounds sterling]...

M&S ponders sales monitor split.(News)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Marks & Spencer is considering piffling out of the British Retail Consortium's retail sales monitor (RSM). The retailer said the question about its participation was prompted by Arcadia's decision to pull out of the RSM following its...

It's in the tag: retail trials of RFID tags in-store for security purposes have created a commotion about personal privacy.(News Analysis)
December 1, 2003... The notoriety of radio frequency identification (RFID) has soared recently. First, Gillette's tests with Tesco in Cambridge were villified by The Guardian for being 'big brotherish', and in the US Wal-Mart has been caught running a test in...

Keeping outsourcing at bay.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2003... The recent CBI poll highlighting the accelerated outsourcing of work to low-wage countries should come as no surprise. There is a widespread perception that countries like China can supply acceptable quality at a very low price. ...

Retailers must play the field.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2003... Field marketing is finally gaining prominence as brands try to become more salient and connect directly with consumers at point of sale. But I often wonder why retailers still impose practices that restrict brands. With up to 75 per cent...

Safeway in 2004.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2003... After almost a year's continuous press coverage, what's in store for Safeway and Morrisons in 2004? As Safeway softens on its deep price cuts to come in line with Morrisons' EDLP focus, will shoppers move on or will there just be fewer...

Survey hints at return to production on home soil.(Leader)(results of In-Store's annual P-O-P League Table survey)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... When the results of In-Store's annual P-O-P League Table survey come in, they invariably raise as many new questions as they answer old ones. We already knew, for example, that more and more P-O-P manufacturing was taking place in...

Treats for a man for all Seasons: Nestle Rowntree's Garry Stasiulevicuis adores Seasons Provisions Merchants in Pickering.(Display Of The Month)(Seasons Provisions Merchants)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Sitting on the edge of the bleak yet beautiful North Yorkshire Moors, the quaint market town of Picketing is home to the North Yorks Moors Railway--one of the few steam railways still operating in the UK. As the engines blast their steam...

Spaza, the final frontier.(Global Talk)(South Africa's small independent convenience outlets growing)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... The spazas in South Africa's townships are convenience retail outlets but not as we know them. Run from locations as unlikely as a front room or a shipping container, they are providing huge post-apartheid employment opportunities and are fast...

Oasis becomes part of Baugur portfolio.(International News)(Baugur acquires UK based Oasis Stores)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Icelandic retail group Baugur, which bought out flagship toy store Hamleys earlier this year, has taken over UK fashion retailer Oasis Stores for 152m [pounds sterling]. The acquisition includes 218 Oasis outlets and 124 Coast shops. "Oasis...

BP fuels Chinese forecourts.(International News)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... BP has announced plans to open some 300 petrol stations across Gaungdong province, China, in partnership with PetroChina. The fuel company is also looking for approval from the Chinese government to open another 500 outlets in Zhejiang province...

Turkish deal for Tesco.(International News)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Tesco has purchased a majority share in Kipa, a small Turkish hypermarket chain, for a reported cost of 75m [pounds sterling]. The Turkish group had sales of 124m [pounds sterling] in 2002 and has some 1,500 employees. Its five hypermarkets in...

Gap profits double up.(International News)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Gap has almost doubled Its third-quarter profit in the US. The company posted 263m [pounds sterling] (155m [pounds sterling]) compared with $135m (80m [pounds sterling]) for the same period in 2002. The group's third-quarter sates saw an eight...

OBI plans large-scale China growth.(International News)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... German DIY chain OBI is planning to expand its retail operation in China from the six stores it currently runs to about 50 units by 2006. It has also moved its headquarters from Hong Kong to Shenzhen, China.

Pacific Retail gains PowerHouse.(International News)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... New Zealand-based Pacific Retail Group, which owns some of New Zealand's leading brands including Elle Macpherson Intimates, has been cleared by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) to acquire PowerHouse Holdings, PowerHouse Retail and PowerHouse...

M&S--the house of Winser: Lauren Mills, business correspondent at the Sunday Telegraph, believes that if Marks & Spencer is to attract the right calibre head of clothing, it needs to dress up the job's packaging first.(City Talk)
December 1, 2003... Apparently, Marks & Spencer is searching for a senior clothing retailer to bolster its executive team. It wants to appoint a new head of clothing, whose responsibilities would include womenswear, menswear and childrenswear. It is unclear,...

Thoroughly modern Boots shows rise.(News)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Boots has announced interim results showing a 3.6 per cent rise in like-for-like sales in the Boots the Chemist chain. The current agenda is to modernise the business and improve customer focus. Boots plans a strong platform for Christmas...

Land of milk and honey at Dairy Crest.(News)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Dairy Crest, which markets brands including Country Life, Utterly Butterly and Yoplait, saw a 12 per cent rise in profits for the half year with high expectations for the full year, attributed to stability in the milk market.

Chairman spins new tune at HMV.(News)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... HMV has announced that Sir Robin Miller will take over from Eric Nicoli as chairman of the group in February 2004. Miller has previously been chief executive of media group Emap.

Growth is sluggish at Kingfisher.(News)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Kingfisher, owner of B&.Q and Castorama in France, has announced slower than expected growth for the third quarter of the financial year. Like-for-like sales growth was 3.6 per cent and underlying growth was 2.7 per cent, compared with 5.5 per...

Northern serves up pre-tax figures.(News)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Northern Foods, which supplies own-label ready meals and desserts to UK retailers, reported an underlying pre-tax profit of 32.5m [pounds sterling] for the six months to 30 September, compared with 38.8m [pounds sterling] a year earlier.

Sports group offloads discount clothes.(News)(JJB Sports has sold discount clothing chain TJ Hughes to its management )(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... JJB Sports has sold discount clothing chain TJ Hughes to its management for 55.8m [pounds sterling], two years after buying it for 42.9m [pounds sterling]. The sale came after investor demands that JJB focus on its key sports business.

Sainsbury's reports sales growth.(News)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Half-yearly results from Sainsbury's supermarkets show a sales growth of 1.8 per cent to 8,192m [pounds sterling]. Like-for-like sales growth, including petrol, was 0.1 per cent. The company says sales growth was affected by an unprecedented...

Revamped Somerfield improves sales.(News)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Somerfield, the UK's sixth largest supermarket group, has reported a 2.2 per cent sales improvement in the 28 weeks to 8 November. The company has concentrated on overhauling its image and 141 of its 594 stores have invested in refits.

Fopp idol: Fopp managing director Peter Ellen tells Maeve Hosea about his accidental rise from jazz saxophonist and part-time sales assistant to the boardroom of the music and books chain.(Profile: Peter Ellen, Fopp)
December 1, 2003... Discerning the young saxophonist in mild-mannered Peter Ellen is difficult but not impossible. The 37-year-old managing director of independent music and books chain Fopp started his career playing raw jazz in smoky Edinburgh nightclubs with...

Grey pride: the over-55s--the 'grey' market--have become a larger and more active sector than ever before. James Quilter explains why retailers need to keep up with the quality demands of this discerning group.(Market Report)
December 1, 2003... There may be no miracle cure for ageing but many 50-plus consumers are defying their creaky joints and dodgy eyes by holding on to attitudes previously by a younger generation. By doing so, they could be changing the colour of the so-called...

Capital punishment: London's reputation as an exclusive shopping zone is no longer enough to shield it from factors as diverse as the Congestion Charge and fear of terrorism.
December 1, 2003... A shopping mecca London may be but are the magnetic qualities of retail still enough to pull the punters onto the capital's streets? A shopper heading for the centre of London is likely to face a variety of deterrents including the Congestion...

Who tops our league table? The results of the In-Store P-O-P League Table 2003 are in, counted and verified. Finally, after months of anticipation, we unveil the winners.(Special Report)(Cover Story)
December 1, 2003... If the British propensity for resenting success is operating as expected, Kesslers International must be pretty unpopular a I the moment. The London P-O-P specialist has taken the top spot in the In-Store P-O-P League Table, knocking Diam...

Plasma screens are lightweights.(Product News)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... NEC has launched a range of lightweight 42in, 50in and 61in plasma screens into the retail display market. In black or silver finishes, the screens enable high-definition broadcasting of DVD, TV and PC graphics for information display,...

Altumax has introduced a Summer Fruit collection of Altuglas plastic substrate sheets, using eight pastel colours, with a Dual Satin finish that resembles frosted glass and resists fingermarks and scratches.(Product News)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Altumax has introduced a Summer Fruit collection of Altuglas plastic substrate sheets, using eight pastel colours, with a Dual Satin finish that resembles frosted glass and resists fingermarks and scratches. The material's durability is suited...

Contrast level makes the grade.(Product News)(Panasonic has developed three plasma displays )(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Panasonic has developed three plasma displays which it claims are the first to offer 1,024 shades of gradation on a 42in standard definition model. The 89mm deep screens have the industry's highest level of contrast, 4000:1. Available in...

Eddie is ready.(Product News)(Intelligent Display Solutions has brought out an LCD tool to develop and demonstrate graphic displays )(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Intelligent Display Solutions has brought out an LCD tool to develop and demonstrate graphic displays without requiring electronic assembly, programming or coding. Eddie (Electronic Display Development Is Easy) aims to help design and...

Good for wood.(Product News)(Wood-based panel supplier Egger UK has introduced a high-impact design material)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Wood-based panel supplier Egger UK has introduced a high-impact design material--Eurostrand Decorative OSB (orientated strand board)--for use in store construction. The board is a lacquered panel 18mm in thickness and is more decorative...

Still going for gold in 2004.(Point-Of-Purchase Advertising International)(Editorial)
December 1, 2003... The run-up to Christmas is time to reflect on the year that is almost passed. Arguably, the highlight of the year for the industry was the release of the POPAI/PIRA report, The Future of the P-O-P Industry. Valuing the industry at 1.15bn...

Industry directory.(Directory)
December 1, 2003... ACRYLIC LASER CUTTING PLASTIC-FORMERS LTD King Street, Stockport Road, Denton, Manchester, M34 6PF T: 0161 320 7200 F: 0161 335 0109 email: enquiries@plasticformers.co.uk www.plasticformers.co.uk Contact: Dennis...

Store equipment directory.(Directory)
December 1, 2003... Advance Lighting Advance Lighting is one of the leading manufacturers of display lighting in the UK, specialising in point of sale, gondola, signage, and refrigeration lighting. We offer quality products at competitive prices including...

Virgin.(Eye On Design)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Excitement and a sense of anticipation are what you feel on approaching this department. Bold colours identifying the main players (Xbox and Playstation), backed up by large-format plasma screens, all signal that you're entering a different...

Hamleys.(Eye On Design)(one of the largest toy shops in the world so it's a shame the entrance to the games environment is so low-key)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... This is one of the largest toy shops in the world so it's a shame the entrance to the games environment is so low-key. Low ceilings generally make for poor lighting, there is no highlighting and signage is nothing special. Instead of a huge...

WH Smith.(Eye On Design)(computer department offers no hassles and an uncluttered environment)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... A Christmas delight. This is a family store and makes no bones about it. If you want to get started but don't know the first thing about the technology, are buying for your kids or just feel inhibited by the traditional noisy, cluttered and...

Game.(Eye On Design)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling games: the choice is immense. If it isn't here you probably won't find it anywhere. The wall bays have internally illuminated signage, allowing for clear communication of product type. Each bay is set out...