Today's Retail Pulse
Fresho acquires Nation Wilcox to dominate UK food‑wholesaler software
Fresho, the Australian‑origin order‑management platform, bought UK ERP specialist Nation Wilcox, creating the largest software suite for British food wholesalers. The combined offering now serves more than 400 wholesalers and processes over £2 billion (≈$2.5 billion) in annual GMV.
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By the numbers: Spinny targets $250-300M in its upcoming IPO
E633: I Snuck Into Alibaba’s China HQ
In this episode, host Dave recounts his misadventure of missing Amazon's China conference and unexpectedly gaining access to Alibaba’s Hangzhou headquarters, offering a behind‑the‑scenes tour of the modern campus and its co‑working culture. He contrasts Alibaba’s ecosystem—highlighting Taobao’s massive GMV surpassing Amazon’s—and explains its evolution from a sourcing platform to a dominant e‑commerce giant. Dave also delves into the political sensitivities surrounding founder Jack Ma, noting his disappearance from public view and the self‑censorship among employees. Throughout, he shares personal anecdotes about navigating Chinese business culture and the realities of work practices like the 996 schedule.
Calvin Klein Fragrances Taps Singer Rosalía as Face of Euphoria Elixirs Collection
Calvin Klein Fragrances, owned by Coty, has appointed Spanish singer Rosalía as the ambassador for its newly launched Euphoria Elixirs collection. The line adds three intense eau de parfum variants—Solar, Magnetic and Bold—each built around a high‑concentration vanilla base and...
Opinion: The Era of Discernment – Why Beauty’s Retail Future Is in Feeling, Not Following
Beauty sales rose in 2025, yet consumer confidence remains low, signaling a nuanced market shift. Luxury shoppers now prioritize value and performance over brand logos, often pairing high‑end items with affordable alternatives. This “shopping high and low” behavior reflects a...
Estée Lauder Eyes M&A Opportunities to Help Turnaround, CEO Says
Estée Lauder’s new CEO Stéphane de La Faverie says the company is actively exploring acquisitions to accelerate its turnaround. The strategy includes scaling emerging brands, shedding under‑performing assets, and leveraging strong early‑year fragrance sales in China. While the stock has risen over 50 percent...
Beauty’s Biggest Brand Closures and Administration Troubles in 2026 so Far
The beauty sector has faced a wave of closures and insolvencies in early 2026, with Malin + Goetz shutting all UK stores, AS Beauty pulling the plug on CoverFX and Mally Beauty, and Claire’s UK entering administration again. Rumors suggest Gwen Stefani’s Gxve Beauty has folded...
New Data Shows Mid-Market Fashion Outpacing Luxury in Sector Growth
Lectra’s Retviews data shows mid‑market fashion brands raised prices up to 50% in Europe for FW25 and doubled them in the US, overtaking luxury as the sector’s growth engine. Price gains span denim, winter footwear, coats, jackets, handbags and accessories,...
From Hobby to Omnichannel Success: How Les Jumelles Is Coloring the Belgian Fashion World
Les Jumelles, founded by Magalie Aerts as a garage‑based webshop ten years ago, has grown into an omnichannel fashion brand with three flagship stores in Belgium and a thriving online channel that generates 60‑70% of sales. The company emphasizes personalized...
Are We at Risk of Beauty Pop-Up Fatigue?
Beauty brands have long leveraged pop‑up events to generate buzz, but the tactic has become ubiquitous, filling social feeds with cafés, trucks, and immersive experiences. Companies like MCoBeauty now use pop‑ups primarily to build community and credibility rather than drive...
Renewed Sense of Confidence Feeds Through Into eBay Q4 2025 Earnings
eBay reported a full‑year GMV of roughly $80 billion, up 6% globally and nearly 10% in the United States, marking a return to double‑digit growth. Focus categories such as fashion and refurbished tech drove over 12% GMV expansion and now account...
Walmart and UK Grocers Report Parallel Q4 Strength Despite Differing Retail Landscapes
Walmart posted a 5.6% revenue increase and a 10.8% rise in operating income for Q4 FY26, driven by a 27% jump in U.S. e‑commerce and 24% global digital sales growth. The retailer also saw advertising revenue surge 37%, with Walmart...
ShinWon Calls for Data-Driven Supply Chain Approach at OECD Paris
ShinWon’s corporate‑strategy VP Eunice Kim spoke at the OECD Forum in Paris, highlighting the company’s data‑driven supply‑chain approach. She detailed how real‑time production dashboards, integrated ERP systems, and daily monitoring of line efficiency, capacity and absenteeism enable dynamic scheduling and...
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[EBook] Winning the Shelf Playbook
Tastewise’s new eBook, “Winning the Shelf Playbook,” argues that point‑of‑sale data alone can no longer secure shelf space in 2026. Brands must leverage real‑time consumer signals—claims, usage occasions, prep contexts, and basket behavior—to craft SKU stories that resonate with empowered...
Pro:Direct Sport Unveils World-First PD:FC Concept Store in Manchester
Pro:Direct Sport launched the world‑first PD:FC concept store in Manchester, a two‑floor, 9,180 sq ft flagship on New Cathedral Street inside the Arndale centre. The immersive space blends the brand’s online heritage with performance‑driven retail, featuring a 3D foot‑scanning machine and curated...
The Cold Chain Can’t Keep up – Smart Packaging Needs Real‑time Intelligence
Recent warnings from the Cold Chain Federation highlight that temperature failures could jeopardise UK food security and generate billions in waste. Traditional packaging alone cannot rescue products once they have been exposed to unsafe temperatures, prompting manufacturers to adopt real‑time...
LaunderPay POS Solution Integrates Epson Thermal Receipt Printers
Epson announced that its m‑Series thermal receipt printers are now embedded in LaunderPay's all‑in‑one laundry POS platform, targeting wash‑and‑fold, delivery and dry‑cleaning operators. The integration delivers compact, high‑performance printing for receipts and bag tags while offering customizable receipt length to...
Cult Beauty Trend Insights Reveal Wuthering Heights Beauty Is Set to Be the Biggest Trend of 2026
Cult Beauty’s trend report flags the "windswept romance" look, inspired by Margot Robbie’s appearance in the new Wuthering Heights film, as the biggest beauty trend for 2026. The aesthetic favors soft, flushed skin, diffused texture and understated makeup rather than...
Belgian Fashion Brand Signe Nature Opens Online Store
Belgian fashion label Signe Nature, part of the Tricobel group, launches its first online store after 25 years of exclusive physical retail. The e‑shop adds a digital channel to more than 300 multi‑brand outlets and ten Espace Mode stores. It...
Shark Beauty and LOOKFANTASTIC Bring Live Social Commerce Experience to AI-Driven Catwalk
THG Studios unveiled its World’s First AI‑Driven Immersive, Shoppable Catwalk, integrating a live TikTok shopping segment hosted by Shark Beauty and LOOKFANTASTIC. The event coincides with Topshop’s high‑street comeback through John Lewis, offering both in‑person and global viewers the ability to...
Is Inventory Processing Time Slowing Your Brand’s Growth?
Small and mid‑size brands are losing cash flow when inventory induction time— the period between arrival at a fulfillment center and being sale‑ready—gets stretched. Delays lock capital, force costly expedited freight, and can miss seasonal demand, squeezing margins. A hybrid...
How AI Agents Are Solving Logistics’ Most Repetitive Task: Track and Trace
Logistics firms are turning to AI agents to automate the labor‑intensive track and trace function, which can cost up to $25 per shipment in manual effort. Shipwell’s Track & Trace AI Worker, embedded in a transportation management system, gave Airlite...
Gucci Expands ‘La Famiglia’ Concept to Eyewear
Gucci has broadened its La Famiglia narrative to include its eyewear line for the spring‑summer 2026 season. The campaign, shot by Blommers and Schumm, showcases a multicultural cast portraying distinct personalities while wearing vintage‑inspired frames such as throw‑back aviators and...
Colruyt Reintroduces Paper Bags for Fruit and Vegetables
Colruyt has reintroduced disposable paper bags for bulk fruit and vegetables in its Lowest Prices stores, citing a rise in customers who forget reusable bags and an increase in pre‑packaged produce purchases. The retailer previously launched reusable polyester nets in...
Follow @LuxuryDaily for the Latest in Luxury News
Luxury Daily positions itself as the go‑to source for daily intelligence on the high‑end sector, targeting senior executives and decision‑makers at leading luxury brands. The platform delivers editorial content, in‑depth analysis, and exclusive events covering marketing, e‑commerce, geopolitics, and research...
50-Year-Old Aldi Continues Expansion in Belgium
Aldi celebrated its 50th anniversary in Belgium, now operating 445 stores—the country’s largest single‑brand footprint. The discounter has expanded its SKU count from 450 to roughly 1,750, with 90% private‑label and weekly limited‑time offers. Store formats have grown from under...
Hobbycraft Owner Explores Potential Sale of the Business
Modella Capital, which bought Hobbycraft from Bridgepoint in 2024, is reportedly preparing to explore a sale after receiving interest from an undisclosed buyer. The retailer posted a 6.3% revenue increase in the six weeks to 28 December, helped by a partnership...
Co-Op Q-Commerce Managing Director Steps Down
Co‑op’s managing director of quick‑commerce, Chris Conway, announced his departure after eight years at the retailer. Conway, who joined from Morrisons in 2018 after a long tenure at Asda, oversaw the growth of Co‑op’s online and q‑commerce platform. Under his...
Tapi Opens New Edinburgh Store on Former Carpetright Site
Tapi Carpets & Floors opened a new outlet at Hermiston Gait Retail Park in Edinburgh, converting a former Carpetright location into its latest storefront. The addition brings Tapi’s UK footprint to more than 215 stores. The expansion follows Tapi’s July 2024...
Honolulu Cafe’s Wan Chai Branch to Close Down
Honolulu Cafe, a Hong Kong heritage coffee chain founded in the 1940s, announced the closure of its flagship Wan Chai outlet on March 1, 2026. The decision follows a period of careful consideration and marks the end of a decades‑long presence in one...
AS Watson Parent Mulls Bid for Collapsed Australian Pharmacy Group’s Assets
Hong Kong‑based AS Watson, majority‑owned by CK Hutchison, is weighing a bid for 92 Priceline pharmacies in Australia that were placed in receivership after Infinity Pharmacy Group’s collapse. The assets, franchised from Wesfarmers‑owned Priceline, are being sold by administrator Teneo with a...
BJC Moves to Snap up MM Mega Market Vietnam in $720m Deal
Berli Jucker (BJC) announced a US$720 million acquisition of MM Mega Market Vietnam, buying 921.8 million shares of TCC Land International through its Singapore subsidiary C‑Distribution Asia. The deal, valued at 22.5 billion baht, targets completion in the second quarter pending shareholder and...
Table 2.0: Restaurants Absorb 'Ozempic Effect' For Weight-Loss Drug Consumers
Indian restaurant chains are rolling out "Size O" menus—smaller, protein‑focused portions aimed at consumers using GLP‑1 weight‑loss drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro. Anti‑obesity drug sales surged to Rs 1,363 crore, more than double the previous year, prompting eateries to label traditional large...
Bed Bath & Beyond Inc (BBBY) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
Bed Bath & Beyond reported a 10% year‑over‑year revenue decline in Q4 2025, offset by a 7% rise in average order value and a 13% increase in orders delivered quarter‑over‑quarter. Gross margin improved to 24.6%, up 160 basis points, while...
Freshpet Inc (FRPT) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
Freshpet reported Q4 2025 net sales of $285.2 million, an 8.6% year‑over‑year increase, and full‑year sales of $1.102 billion, up 13% despite a slowdown in the overall pet‑food category. Adjusted EBITDA rose 16% to $61.2 million and adjusted gross margin improved to 48.4%,...
Domino's Pizza Inc (DPZ) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
Domino’s Pizza reported 5.4% global retail sales growth for 2025 and 4.9% in Q4, driven by strong US same‑store sales and record net store additions. US carryout sales rose 6.5% in the quarter, while delivery grew modestly, and franchisee profitability...
Why Retail Franchise Systems Struggle to Scale Sales Consistently
Retail franchise systems excel at standardizing operations but often neglect a repeatable selling framework. This omission creates inconsistent floor execution, leading to low conversion rates, stagnant units per transaction, and flat average checks. Franchisees, feeling financial pressure, resort to ad‑hoc...
New Sustainable Sampling Innovations for Beauty and Fragrance
Sampling Innovations Europe unveiled three eco‑focused sampling formats—Easy Dose, Thermoformed and Multi‑Use Sachet with Cap—to meet rising consumer and regulatory demands for greener beauty packaging. Easy Dose delivers 98% product optimisation using single‑material PP, paper or aluminium, while the ultra‑light...
Precise and Seamless Application
Molpack unveiled a comprehensive new packaging portfolio for cosmetics, including 100 % recyclable, PCR‑based stick containers in 10‑50 ml sizes, a lightweight 10 ml lip jar with low MOQ and accelerated lead times, and a single‑material powder brush featuring antimicrobial bristles and refill...
Inspiration 2026, Gattefossé Launches Its New Haute Couture Formula Collection
Gattefossé unveiled its Haute Couture formula collection, a six‑product line that translates runway materials—cotton, velvet, silk, cashmere, elastane and vinyl—into sensory skin‑care textures. The series stems from a year of R&D and features proprietary actives such as Emulium® Dolcea MB, Lipocire™ A SG and...
Akeneo PX Pulse Data Reveals How Transparency and Data Have Become Retail’s Most Valuable Currency
Akeneo’s latest PX Pulse survey shows sustainability transparency is now a core consumer expectation. 41% of shoppers demand proactive disclosure of product origins and environmental impact, while 72% say such transparency boosts trust. The study also finds 77% regularly seek...
𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗛𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗲
In this episode of Retail in Real Time, host Chris Niesen examines Target’s handling of post‑Valentine’s Day floral inventory, highlighting the lack of price adjustments or clearance cues for perishable seasonal items. He points out that the failure to implement...
Lightning Round: Fashion Week Trends, 2016 Throwbacks, Robert Duvall & Curling | Fast Five Shorts
In this six‑minute lightning‑round episode, the hosts riff on upcoming fashion trends from New York Fashion Week, championing structured tailoring over grunge and dark romanticism for 2026. They then reminisce about 2016 pop culture hits before shifting to a brief...
Are ChatGPT Ads the Next Retail Channel? | Fast Five Shorts
Target and Albertsons are piloting conversational ads in ChatGPT, where sponsored product suggestions appear alongside user queries based on keywords. Early results show a 40% monthly traffic lift for Target, and the ads are clearly labeled and separate from the...
Is Pay Transparency the New Standard? | Fast Five Shorts
The episode discusses Co‑op’s new gender‑pay‑gap toolkit, launched with YHTL and Diversity in Retail, which will guide businesses from 2027 on identifying gap drivers, creating action plans, and improving recruitment, mentorship, and flexible working. Guest Jen explains that while UK...
Nike’s Brand Reset Hits Converse | Fast Five Shorts
Nike’s restructuring of Converse has led to a work‑from‑home directive for many employees ahead of anticipated layoffs, highlighting the brand’s steep revenue decline and reliance on the Chuck Taylor line. Analysts on the Omni Talk Retail Fast Five debate whether...
Kohls: The Robin Report Retail Miss of the Week, 2.21.26
The episode critiques Kohl 's recent rollout of a "Deal Bar" promotional space, comparing it to historic in‑store discount concepts like A&S’s O‑tables, Kmart’s Blue Light Specials, and Target’s Bullseye Dollar Spots. The hosts argue that Kohl’s chronic execution failures at...
From Corporate Iftars to Deep Discounts, Ramadan Reshapes Dubai Business
Ramadan slows Dubai’s relentless pace, trimming private‑sector workdays by two hours and compressing school schedules. Evening becomes the new business hub as hotels and convention halls host corporate iftars and late‑night suhoor gatherings that double as networking platforms for Muslims...
Historic Supreme Court Decision Ends Trump’s Tariffs
The U.S. Supreme Court issued a 6‑3 ruling on February 20, 2026, striking down President Trump’s sweeping global tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The decision, authored by Chief Justice John Roberts, holds that the Constitution reserves...
Gen Z Is Shifting the Future of Retail
Generation Z is redefining retail by favoring in‑person experiences despite their digital upbringing. A recent Retail Dive survey shows 69 percent prefer brick‑and‑mortar stores, with three‑quarters visiting weekly, prompting brands to create hybrid, experience‑focused spaces. Architects like RDC are translating online identities...
5 Things: Free Grocery Store a Hit in NYC
Polymarket, a crypto‑based prediction market, staged a five‑day pop‑up grocery store in New York that offered free food to ticket holders, drawing massive early‑morning lines. A Consumer Reports price‑comparison study found Whole Foods the most expensive chain while Costco delivered the...
Trump Imposes 15% Tariff Through Executive Order Following Supreme Court Ruling
President Donald Trump announced an executive order imposing a 15% global tariff under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, following a Supreme Court decision that invalidated his earlier emergency‑law tariff plan. The new tariffs include exemptions for critical minerals, metals...