In-Store articles from July 2004

In-Store archives from July 2004

Screens will steal funds from P-O-P says Asda.(News)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Future budgets for in-store screen networks will be increased at the expense of traditional P-O-P rather than above-the-line TV advertising, says Asda media centre director Sarah Brookfield. Brookfield was speaking at the In-Store Design...

Ignorance stalls RFID take-up.(News)(Radio Frequency Identification)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Lack of education about RFID is one of the main barriers preventing take-up by retail, rather than the current cost of chips, according to research. A survey by Microsoft says 60 per cent of retailers don't understand RFID, although many...

Drinks and food retailer Thresher Group has launched Flavour, an in-store lifestyle magazine, in 750 UK Thresher stores and to 100,000 homes in the vicinity of its 11 Threshers+Food convenience stores in London.(News)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: Drinks and food retailer Thresher Group has launched Flavour, an In-store lifestyle magazine, in 750 UK Thresher stores and to 100,000 homes in the vicinity of its 11 Threshers+Food convenience stores in...

XL range to expand.(News)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Dixons Group is to expand the range sold in its XL stores to focus on improving sales. A spokeswoman says XL performance has been varied. The group is reviewing products, but denies reports that it is considering furniture to use with its...

Ann Summers briefs agency for redesign.(News)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Ann Summers has appointed Design Ministry to open up its store interiors, making them more accessible. The retailer wants to capitalise on changing consumer acceptance of adult products. Ann Summers head of marketing Gordon Lee says...

In-Store show buys IDW.(News)(International Display Week)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... The In-Store Design and Marketing Show will incorporate International Display Week (IDW) from June 2005. In-Store parent company Centaur Communications has acquired IDW from Retail Visual Merchandising (RVM) for an undisclosed sum. RVM...

Experiential marketing wins consumer approval.(News)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... A survey commissioned by ID Live Brand Experience has quizzed UK consumers on their attitudes to experiential marketing. The results suggest that shoppers can be impressed when the format is used to let them try out new products for...

Kinglea plugs plant range for autumn.(News)(Kinglea Plants)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Kinglea Plants has launched the autumn range of its Plug-U-Grow plant brand in super markets across the UK, with P-O-P designed and manufactured by Greenshires. FSDUs seek to grab consumer attention while keeping the product display tidy....

Sofa Workshop has introduced a new visual identity, with in-store graphics and a brochure created by design agency The Nest.(News)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Sofa Workshop has introduced a new visual identity, with in-store graphics and a brochure created by design agency The Nest. The latest look has launched in the Wilmslow branch before a national rollout to 28 stores later this year. The format...

Lego models its Harry Potter window displays.(News)(IDA Creative Link )
July 1, 2004... Lego has launched a number of Harry Potter-themed window displays, featuring P-O-P by IDA Creative Link. The installation has rolled out in stores including Hamleys in London, and in other locations across the UK, Norway, Sweden, Denmark,...

Waitrose gains flexibility through ticketing system.(News)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Waitrose has appointed signage company Episys to provide shelf-edge labels and a ticketing system for its entire store portfolio. The system, due to be rolled out later this year, will replace the supermarket's standard ticketing control,...

Audi goes full-throttle on A6 lenticular drive.(News)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Audi has installed a lenticular P-O-P campaign in its 118 UK showrooms, for the launch of the remodelled Audi A6. Using technology from Dynamic Images, the display takes the form of two 1m x 1.5m lenticular magnetic backed panels. The...

House of Fraser to partner Cosmo for beauty awards.(News)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... House of Fraser and Cosmopolitan magazine are collaborating for the second year running on a promotion to showcase winning products from the Cosmopolitan Beauty Awards 2004. The products include Ralph Lauren Blue, Mac eyeshadow, Lancome...

Unilever Ice Cream & Frozen Food has collaborated with Greenpeace to produce an eco-friendly freezer for Wall's.(News)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: Unilever Ice Cream & Frozen Food has collaborated with Greenpeace to produce an eco-friendly freezer for Wall's. The units use hydrocarbon (HC), a natural refrigerant that does not deplete the ozone layer or...

Euro 2004 is great result for beer sales.(News)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Beer sales in the four weeks to 20 June reached their highest levels outside Christmas festivities for three years. Euro 2004 beer consumption has dwarfed the levels seen for the World Cup 2002.

Asda seals micro breweries deal ...(News)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Asda has signed an exclusive deal with the Society for Independent Brewers Association, enabling the supermarket to source local beers from micro breweries in all 265 of its UK stores.

... as XXXX bowls a retailer incentive.(News)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Interbrew UK is offering independent retailers stocking Castlemaine XXXX the chance to win tickets to NatWest Challenge cricket matches. The stores will be visited by Interbrew UK's field marketing agency, FDS Group, which will award tickets to...

Build-a-Bear plans expansion in UK.(News)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... US-based Build-a-Bear Workshop is set to expand its chain of customised teddy bear stores throughout the UK. The expansion will follow the successful opening of two pilot sites in Sheffield and Croydon.

Just call me Jamie ...(News)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... More than half (58 per cent) of UK consumers say their cooking habits have been influenced by TV chefs such as Jamie Oliver, according to new research from Mintel. Shoppers say the chefs encourage them to tackle new recipes or try out new...

UK population is on the increase.(News)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... The UK population has reached 59.2 million, according to a recent report from the Office of National Statistics. Net international migration is an important factor in the rise, with one in 12 of the current population born overseas.

Hologram finds shop window premises.(News)( Location Location)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Recently opened north London estate agent, Location Location, is using HoloVis 60in holographic screen technology, suspended in the window of its first branch in Winchmore Hill, to display available properties. The technology is to be rolled...

Shy of retiring? Proposed changes to the UK retirement laws could see a greater number of older people being employed by retailers. Maeve Hosea finds the industry receptive to the move, including stores that have already raised the bar.(News Analysis)
July 1, 2004... Government policy on retirement and older workers could have a huge impact on both the retail sector and the in-store environment. Proposals due to come into effect in 2006 would abolish mandatory retirement and increase employment rights...

Loyalty cards are not the customer data solution.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2004... Your 'Knowledge is Power' feature (In-Store, June 2004) was informative enough as an illustration of the way large centrally-orgainsed retailers (and their agencies) view the world of customer data analysis. However, many of the comments...

FM survey is inaccurate.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2004... When I learnt that In-Store was to conduct its first survey into field marketing (In-Store, June), I was pleased that a leading industry magazine was taking the discipline seriously enough to warrant an in-depth investigation. However,...

Will sex shops outrage provincial high streets?(Leader)
July 1, 2004... TV campaigner Mary Whitehouse would no doubt have fumed at the collapse in our national moral framework, but sex shop operators are aiming their expansion plans directly at the UK high street. Party plan stalwart Ann Summers, relative...

TV creates rate of return: Jill McArdle, brand development director at The Mall, reports on the background and the results of the screen trials conducted in its Epsom centre, which saw sales increase by up to 3 per cent.(Screen Talk)
July 1, 2004... The Mall is the UK's community shopping centre brand, offering consumers an enriched shopping experience in a branded retail environment at the heart of their local community. Launched two years ago, we now own 18 Malls--more than 512,000...

Brits boast the biggest beer goggles.(International News)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... A study by Datamonitor shows British young adults to be Europe's biggest spenders on beer. On average, this group spends 647 [pounds sterling] annually on beer when going out, compared with 224 [pounds sterling] for the French.

Sara Lee slashes employee count.(International News)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... US firm Sara Lee has announced the closure of five clothing factories and more than 4,000 job cuts. Sara Lee owns Playtex, Dim and Hanes underwear and the Wonderbra brand, and produces bread, hotdogs and cheesecakes in its food division.

HSBC bids for share of Chinese bank.(International News)(Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Ltd.)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... HSBC has confirmed it is in discussions to acquire a 19.9 per cent stake in China's fifth largest bank, Bank of Communications Limited. The Shanghai bank would provide a major foothold for HSBC, which has the largest foreign bank network in...

Weak dollar rapped for Delhaize drop.(International News)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Belgian grocery chain Delhaize has announced first-quarter sales of 4.4bn [euro] (2.92bn [pounds sterling])--six per cent lower than the previous year. The retailer blames the drop on the weaker US dollar, but says its net debt has fallen from...

CVS launches digital photo printing.(International News)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... US chemist CVS has launched a cross-marketing promotion with Nokia to promote camera-equipped phones and the pharmacy's printing service. CVS claims to be the only major US retailer to offer digital photo printing.

Coles Myer plans first Oz RFID trial.(International News)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Australian retailer Coles Myer has announced it will be trialling RFID. The trial will be part of the group's back-of-store applications in two distribution centres and is the first of its type to be conducted in Australia.

Japan blames poor sales on the weather.(International News)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Like-for-like retail sales in Japan dropped by 2.5 per cent in May, with recent bad weather partially to blame. A report by the Ministry of Economy says consumer spending is still weak. Supermarket and department store sales dropped by 3.6 per...

Japan blames poor sales on the weather.(International News)(Tommy Hilfiger Corp.)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Tommy Hilfiger has reported sales of $510.1m (279m [pounds sterling]) for its final quarter--a rise of $12.1m (6.6m [pounds sterling])--but forecasts a loss for the period ending 30 June. It earned $36.7m (20m [pounds sterling]) profit, a rise...

Market research: BP Retail's Mark Hillman feels fresh after a visit to the Sainsbury's Market store in Pimlico.(Display Of The Month)
July 1, 2004... "Sainsbury's Market in Pimlico is a fantastic new concept in food retailing that takes into account perfectly the changing needs of consumers," says Mark Hillman, store format & space planning manager, BF Retail. By far his favourite area...

Green vs M&S: round two: Lauren Mills, small business editor at the Sunday Express, looks forward to the gory details of Philip Green's latest frenzied attempt to buy the retailing group where he is so unpopular.(City Talk)
July 1, 2004... If there's one thing guaranteed to get City folk excited it's a good takeover battle. The bloodier the better. And none could be packed with more violence than Philip Green's latest assault on M&S. Every twist and trail in this torrid tale of...

Harrods displays healthy sales figures.(News)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Landmark London department store Harrods has reported strong results for the 52 weeks to 31 January 2004. Figures show a doubling of its operating profit to 33.4m [pounds sterling], while profit before tax increased to 19.9m [pounds sterling]...

Permira puts off WH Smith takeover.(News)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Venture capitalist Permira has announced it is pulling out of its takeover bid for WH Smith. The group, which was going through due diligence checks, says the decision was made after the chairman of the pension trust said it required a...

Turnover picks up at Dixons.(News)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Dixons Group has achieved a three per cent increase in like-for-like sales for the 52 weeks to 1 May--with a two per cent increase in the UK and 11 per cent increase for international operations. Group turnover is up 13 per cent to 6.5bn...

Courts reports under-performing year.(News)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Furniture store group Courts has announced losses of 34.4m [pounds sterling] for the year ended 31 March 2004. Total sales from continuing operations were 682.3m [pounds sterling], 58.4m [pounds sterling] up on the previous year, although...

Body Shop snaps up franchises.(News)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... The Body Shop has announced that worldwide like-for-like sales for the first quarter, to 29 May, have dropped by one per cent. Like-for-like sales in the UK and Ireland were down 7 per cent. The Body Shop has acquired 75 per cent of the...

99p Stores reveals expansion plans.(News)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Discount chain 99p Stores has announced plans to open a further 50 stores, creating 1,000 new jobs. The company currently has 20 stores throughout the country and is looking for sites nationwide.

Baugur adds clothing groups to portfolio.(News)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Fashion retail brands Karen Millen and Whistles have been sold for 120m [pounds sterling] to Icelandic group Baugur, owner of Oasis. Karen Millen was founded 20 years ago and has become a 100-store international chain with stores in the UK,...

Financial times: from nuclear scientist through confectionery salesman to Tesco Personal Finance marketing director, Crawford Davidson's CV makes interesting reading. He gives James Quilter the lowdown.(Profile: Crawford Davidson, Tesco Personal Finance)
July 1, 2004... If anyone understands the formula that has made Tesco the UK's number one retailer, it should be Crawford Davidson, former nuclear scientist and now Tesco Personal Finance marketing director. Davidson began his working life at British...

Beauty for the beast: a surge of interest in men's grooming has opened up the market for a number of brands, all stamped with a male-specific marketing and merchandising strategy. Maeve Hosea reports on the growing trend.(Market Report)
July 1, 2004... A man needn't be a goth, transvestite or celebrity to wear make up these days. The goalposts are moving in the toiletries game, with man's inner peacock strutting out to show its finery. The men's grooming market is growing year on year....

Sex please we're British: as US erotic store Hustler Hollywood prepares to launch in the UK, and rival Ann Summers plans to open up its shop layout, James Quilter examines the impact adult stores could have on the high street.(Category Focus)(Cover Story)
July 1, 2004... The British public's attitude to sex has long lain somewhere between tabloid scandal and picture postcard smut, and its view of adult stores is somewhat further downmarket. But this could all change as new players start to explore the UK high...

Transition revamp: the transition space, just inside a store's front door, is a vital area for influencing shoppers.(Store Environments)
July 1, 2004... If a store's window is its cover, its content is judged by shoppers on the area immediately inside the front door. The entrance point marks the beginning of the shopping experience. It provides the first glimpse of a store and is where...

In-Store Show draws in crowds: once again, the In-Store Design and Marketing Show smashed its own attendance records. Here's what visitors and exhibitors said about it.(Show Report)
July 1, 2004... Earls Court was packed with representatives of international product brands and retail groups for three days in June, despite soaring temperatures and blazing sunshine. As the retail industry descended on West London for the event, held from 15...

Briefings for breakfast time.(Point*Of*Purchase Advertising International)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... The traditional side of P-O-P takes pride of place again this month, with news of a series of breakfast briefings being launched by POPAI in the autumn. The focus of these will be presentations from key figures in brand and retail who have...

Wine rack shows metal.(Product News)(Bacchus Cavovin)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Wine display company Bacchus Cavovin has introduced the Cavostor system from France, a flexible metal storage unit with a degree of built-in security. A basic module measures 1.25m wide x 1.98m high x 60cm deep, and can be built up to suit...

A period of adjustment.(Product News)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Illumina Lighting has launched its Concepta spotlights, using mains halide or low voltage halogen capsule, and aluminium reflector lamps. Full adjustment is achieved by a body rotation of 355[degrees] and a lamp housing that tilts through...

Toshiba TEC has launched a retail touch-screen payment terminal, the ST-70 open POS terminal.(Product News)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Toshiba TEC has launched a retail touch-screen payment terminal, the ST-70 open POS terminal. Super-bright TFT technology makes the wide viewing screen readable from almost any angle, even in direct sunlight, says the company. The compact unit...

Screens can recall touch.(Product News)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Global Display Solutions (GDS) has launched a range of 32in and 37in LCD screens, with optical imaging technology providing touch-screen capability. The surface recognises where the customer has touched it by using an infra-red illuminated...

Book explores brand bonding.(Product News)(Brief Article)(Book Review)
July 1, 2004... Kogan Page has published Brand Lands. Hot Spots and Cool Spaces by Christian Mikunda--an insight into how brands establish an emotional bond with customers. Linking entertainment with emotion and putting the customer in the right mood is...

Industry directory.(Directory)
July 1, 2004... 3D TECHNOLOGY PARALLEL 3D Unit 4 Mackaness Close, Gilmorton, Lutterworth, LE17 5PP T: 01455 557745 F: 01455 558211 email: david@parallel 3d.com Contact: David Frosdick Benefit from the Parallel 3D video...

Advance Lighting.(Store Equipment Directory)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... 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 lightboxes, gear trays,...

Perspex[TM]--add a new edge.(Store Equipment Directory)
July 1, 2004... Give your retail interiors and POP displays an extra edge. Perspex[TM] Fluorescent, with its exciting live edge effect, Perspex[TM] Frost with its cool delicate translucency and Perspex[TM] Pearlescent with its shimmering iridescence make...

HOBDAY Ltd.(Store Equipment Directory)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Choice and value signage fittings, that include tensioned cable, rod systems and two sizes of wall fitting stand off clips, all in a choice of finishes. Also a range of acrylic poster holders all available from stock. Orders are despatched the...

Sofadi: slotted channels.(Store Equipment Directory)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Sofadi's range of concealed aluminium slotted channels offers the additional advantage of invisible panel fixings, enabling wall panelling to be provided free from unsightly metalwork and fixings. The complementary range of aluminium and steel...

Retail Entertainment Displays Ltd (RED).(Store Equipment Directory)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Red Display are now firmly established as the UK and Ireland's most popular and innovative suppliers of storefittings specially designed for games, computer software, DVD and music. Red offer a comprehensive package of displays including...

Windmill Retail Solutions.(Store Equipment Directory)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Windmill provides the solution! The Windmill Retail Directory full of solution from one of Europe's largest providers of design solutions is now available. WRS has an international reputation for delivering standard and specialist products, in...

Prestat.(Eye On Design)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... This tiny boutique grabs your attention with decadently coloured packaging. A counter along one side is laden with fantastic-looking chocolates, with shelves of heart-shaped boxed product behind. The focus is on luxury gift products and...

Charbonnel et Walker.(Eye On Design)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Amid the upmarket glitz of Bond Street, this is in a great location. But this small, one-off luxury shop does not boast the polished interiors of its neighbours. In fact, it's past its best, with fabric-draped tables and an old picture of the...

Godiva.(Eye On Design)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Exactly what you'd expect from a premium product store--highly designed and uncluttered, with hi-spec finishes and no suggestion of DIY. It's well-lit, with visible pricing and uniformed staff. Large-scale mood photography, soft music and no...

Villandry.(Eye On Design)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... This is not a specialist chocolate shop but a deli with attitude--a lifestyle food store. The chocolates are displayed alongside other product, with adjacencies more familiar to a supermarket. The shop smells wonderful and is definitely a place...

Thorntons.(Eye On Design)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... This store has the feel of a high street alternative to Cadbury. It is very much a sweetshop, more akin to a newsagent than a niche retailer. The shop is accessible and busy, with in-store promotions but no premium visuals. There are some...