Christmas news and archive

Shoppers to spend two billion pounds on secondhand gifts this Christmas

The secondhand market has already taken precedence over consumer priorities in recent years, and it seems that even into the festive season, the sector will continue to enjoy a favourable environment. In fact, according to new research by Vinted and Retail Economics, UK consumers are expected to spend over two billion pounds on secondhand gifts...

Fashion Featured

Watch: From hero gnomes to stylish goats, all the festive fashion films to know for 2024

It’s that time of the year, again. Brands and retailers across the globe have begun unveiling their always highly anticipated festive campaigns. This season, trends seem to revolve around flipping the script on the stress usually associated with the season; incorporating well-known (animated) figures into the storyline; and proposing new...

Fashion |Beauty

Chanel lights up New Bond Street in London

French luxury fashion and beauty house Chanel has switched on an exclusive Chanel N°5 light installation on Mayfair’s New Bond Street in London in collaboration with New West End Company. The Chanel Christmas light installation runs from Piccadilly to Oxford Street on New Bond Street and has been made from recyclable aluminium with 85,750 LED...

Business

US retailers brace for tough Holiday Season as consumers tighten belts

As the holiday shopping season approaches, retail and consumer product companies are facing a challenging environment, according to a new report from S&P Global Ratings. With consumers expected to rein in discretionary spending, retailers will need to sharpen their focus on value and promotions to drive traffic and sales. S&P forecasts holiday...

BusinessFeatured

Against all odds: Luxury records an unexpected performance at the end of the year

While the luxury sector has experienced some real turbulence this year, a study is shaking up the forecasts. According to the latest Saks Luxury Pulse survey, 82 percent of affluent consumers plan to increase their spending this holiday season. This almost unexpected burst of optimism offers new insights into the outlook for the sector. But what...

Business

Online spend set to exceed last year's Christmas sales by 1.1 billion pounds

The festive season is fast approaching, and new data from leading consumer insights providers Experian and Reward suggests the retail sector is in for a lucrative end-of-year period. According to their analysis, British consumers are poised to splurge a staggering 28 billion pounds online during the pivotal 'Golden Quarter' - that's 1.1 billion...

Fashion

Amazon dominates holiday gift search

Amazon has emerged as the dominant online platform for UK holiday shoppers, with over half (52 percent) turning to it for festive gift inspiration, surpassing Google, which attracted only 31 percent of shoppers, according to recent research by Nosto. Generative AI tools like ChatGPT are quickly gaining relevance, with 8 percent of UK consumers...

RetailFeatured

UK retailers set for holiday spending boost despite consumer caution

After a turbulent year for retail, Shopify's latest Holiday Retail Report brings welcome news for UK businesses. The UK is the only international market where consumers are expected to increase their spending significantly during Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2024. The report reveals a projected 21 percent rise in average spending per shopper,...

Fashion |In Pictures

River Island unveils festive collection with Nephthys Foster

British fashion retailer River Island has launched a playful Christmas knitwear collection with London-based artist Nephthys Foster. The capsule River Island x Nephthys collection is inspired by Foster’s signature style of vibrant, bold and colourful artworks and features festive swearers in playful designs to “spark joy”. Capturing the...

Retail

Five retail leaders respond to ONS August sales data

UK retail sales showed unexpected strength in August, driven by warmer weather and end-of-season discounts, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics. The data revealed a 2.4 percent increase in sales by value and a 2.3 percent rise by volume, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC), surpassing economists'...

Retail

Fashion has an opportunity in the growing adult Christmas market

With just 100 days until Christmas, a trend is emerging in the UK retail landscape: the 'adultification' of traditional Christmas gifting. This shift presents both opportunities and challenges for fashion and luxury goods retailers, who can choose to capitalise on this evolving market. According to recent data from Clearpay, a prominent Buy Now,...

RetailFeatured

UK retailers brace for challenging holiday season

A recent study by Fiverr International Ltd. reveals a stark disconnect between UK retailers' expectations and consumer spending intentions for the upcoming holiday season. The survey, conducted in partnership with Censuswide, polled 500 UK consumers and 500 small-to-medium business leaders, offering insights into the strategies retailers are...