SpartanNash Zips Along with Store Renovations
SpartanNash announced the completion of a major remodel at its Martin’s Super Markets location in Goshen, Indiana, marking the store’s first significant refresh in two decades. The company also finished a series of renovations across several Family Fare locations in Michigan, expanding dairy, bakery, meat, produce and beverage sections while adding wider aisles and new signage. These projects are part of C&S Wholesale Grocers’ broader strategy to modernize its retail assets following the acquisition of SpartanNash. In addition, SpartanNash opened a small‑format Hispanic grocery in Omaha and a Needler’s Fresh Market in Indiana.
The Good Moon Turns Retail Into a Series of Intimate, Experience-Led Evenings
The Good Moon partnered with regional fashion label ELNALINE for a three‑night trunk show during Ramadan, turning the venue into an intimate, majlis‑inspired experience. Rather than chasing high footfall, the activation focused on curated displays, goodie bags, and a social...
Trader Joe’s Unveils Plans for 8 More Stores
Trader Joe’s announced eight additional store openings, bringing its 2026 expansion plan to more than 20 new locations. The chain has already opened two stores this year in New York and Connecticut and previously announced 17 other sites, including locations in...
Brands Briefing: How Oral-Care Brand Boka Made the Jump From Erewhon to Walmart
Oral‑care startup Boka, known for its premium $10‑$12 toothpaste, has secured shelf space at Walmart after building a foothold at upscale retailer Erewhon. The move marks the brand’s first foray into mass‑market distribution, aiming to capture shoppers willing to pay...
From Stockroom to Screen: How Real-Time Inventory Feeds Elevate In-Store Digital Signage
Retailers are increasingly linking digital signage to live inventory and point‑of‑sale data, turning static ads into context‑aware displays. A rules‑based engine automatically promotes in‑stock items while suppressing sold‑out products, ensuring screens reflect real availability. This integration creates a feedback loop...
Grocery Shopping Is Now the Second-Largest Online Sector in the Netherlands
Dutch e‑commerce is stabilizing, with total online spend projected at €35.7 billion in 2025 (about $39 billion), a modest 1 % dip from the prior year. While travel and event services are losing ground, physical goods are regaining momentum, propelled in part by...
Wrights Plastics Appointed Global Display Partner For JD Sports
Wrights Plastics has been named JD Sports' global display partner, supplying point‑of‑sale and visual‑merchandising solutions across the retailer’s worldwide estate. The UK‑based manufacturer will provide LED Halo displays, glow light boxes, illuminated signage and other acrylic‑based fixtures, all produced in‑house...
Leading Global Online Retailer Expands Vuzix Smart Glasses Deployment Across North America with Follow-On Orders and Initial Ultralite Pro OEM...
Vuzix announced that a leading global online retailer is expanding its smart‑glass deployment across the United States and Canada, adding follow‑on orders for the M400 platform and its first OEM order for Ultralite Pro devices. The rollout builds on earlier pilots...
The Next Era of Retail Won’t Be Browsed, It Will Be Prompted
Retail is transitioning from search‑driven browsing to AI‑driven intent commerce, where autonomous agents complete purchases before a human even opens a site. Walmart reported that shoppers using its Sparky assistant generated baskets 35% larger than traditional shoppers, underscoring the revenue...
Visa Pushes Subscription Management Tool
Visa announced a partnership with Pinwheel to embed an enhanced subscription manager directly into banking apps, giving cardholders a consolidated view of recurring charges, alternative payment options, and one‑click cancellation. The rollout begins this summer for North American issuers, with...
Albertsons on Its ChatGPT Ads Test and Push for Retail Media Transparency
Albertsons Media Collective made its debut at the IAB NewFronts, using the stage to spotlight its nationwide grocery footprint of over 2,200 stores across 13 of the top 15 U.S. markets. The unit released a joint report with Ovative Group...
Tamannaah Bhatia Wants to Build India’s Answer to Cartier
Actress Tamannaah Bhatia has launched Tamannaah Fine Jewellery, positioning it as India’s answer to Cartier. The brand builds on her father’s fifteen‑year jewellery business, giving it in‑house manufacturing and design control. It targets modern, urban consumers who want contemporary pieces...
From Gen Z to Retirees: Digital Wallets’ Cross-Generational Rise Will Unlock £453 Bn of UK Spend by 2030
Global Payments’ latest report projects UK digital‑wallet transactions to surge from $342 bn in 2025 to $575 bn by 2030, a 68% increase. Adoption spans generations, with two‑thirds of 18‑24‑year‑olds and nearly a third of 55‑64‑year‑olds naming wallets their preferred method. While...
Manchester Creatives Take over Schuh’s Market Street Window
schuh is launching its first community‑led window at the Manchester Market Street store, partnering with local creative agency HEADS Creative. The permanent fixture will host rotating installations every four weeks, showcasing emerging Manchester talent from March 23 to June 14....
Tilda Backs Premium Rice Growth with Biggest-Ever Campaign Reaching 65% of UK Adults
Tilda has launched its largest-ever marketing push, the "Live Like You Mean It" campaign, to accelerate growth in the premium rice segment. The multi‑channel effort, rolling out nationwide on 1 April, is projected to reach 65% of UK adults through TV,...
Aldi Invests £16 Million in Easter Price Cuts
Aldi is spending roughly $20 million to slash prices across its Easter assortment. The cuts include up to 29% off Nicolas De Montbart Champagne, 11% off Spumante Prosecco, and a 40% discount on Cadbury Easter eggs to $1.26. Aldi also promises...
Albert Heijn Under Fire for Unhealthy Bulk Discounts
Albert Heijn, the Dutch market leader, runs over 1,000 bulk‑discount promotions each week, far outpacing rivals such as Jumbo and Plus. An analysis of 44,000 promotions across eight supermarket chains found that 57% were bulk deals, many tied to unhealthy...
Doba Launches Unified AI Platform to Consolidate Every Dropshipping Automation Tool in One Place
Doba has launched the beta of Doba Pilot, an AI‑driven platform that consolidates core dropshipping functions into a single natural‑language interface. The system automates product discovery, Shopify store creation, AI‑generated listings, and real‑time inventory sync across its largely US‑based supplier...
Designkit Launches E-Commerce Design Platform to Streamline Product Visuals for Global Sellers
Designkit has launched a globally available e‑commerce design platform that lets merchants create conversion‑ready product visuals in hours instead of days. The platform combines a Generative AI Suite, which can produce full image sets, lifestyle scenes, videos and localized copy...
Abercrombie & Fitch to Make Northern Irish Debut at Victoria Square
Abercrombie & Fitch announced its first Northern Ireland store, opening in Belfast’s Victoria Square shopping centre. The new outlet will occupy the upper ground floor between LEGO and Sephora, the latter of which debuted in Ireland last month. Victoria Square...
Lidl Is Looking to Hire 240 New Employees in Belgium
Lidl announced plans to hire more than 240 new employees in Belgium over the next year as it targets opening six stores annually. The hiring spree includes store associates, logistics staff, and corporate roles, highlighted by a new 1,714 m² flagship...
Swipe Fees Hit Record-Setting $198.25B
U.S. merchants paid a record $198.25 billion in credit and debit card swipe fees in 2025, according to the Merchants Payments Coalition. The total represents a 5.9% jump from 2024 and an 80% increase since the pandemic, with fees climbing 219%...
Wasbar Launches a Franchise Scheme in Belgium and the Netherlands
Wasbar, a Belgian hospitality concept, is launching its first franchise location in Antwerp’s historic Melkmarkt district. The franchise will be operated by 25‑year‑old entrepreneurs Florjan Bex and Jonathan Habex, who have already worked within the brand. Owner Top Brands is...
Colruyt Is Rolling Out a Driverless Delivery Vehicle in Leuven
Colruyt Group’s Collect&Go is piloting an unmanned electric delivery vehicle in Leuven from mid‑May through August, marking Belgium’s first autonomous vehicle on public roads without a fixed route. The compact vehicle, limited to 25 km/h, can transport groceries for two customers,...
UK Consumers Shift From Browsing to Intent as High‑value Home and Finance Leads Surge
Analysis of 67 million email messages shows UK consumers are becoming more selective, clicking less but converting at higher rates. The shift toward an “intent economy” is driven by cost‑of‑living pressures, prompting shoppers to focus on home improvements and financial services...
M&S to Launch at London Town Centre; The Elephant
Get Living’s £500 million (≈ $635 million) “The Elephant” town‑centre in Elephant & Castle is set to open in late 2026. Among the first confirmed tenants, Marks & Spencer will launch a fresh‑market style food store with a dedicated click‑and‑collect point for fashion,...
How Interactive Engagement Is Boosting Shopper Participation in Retail Environments
Retailers are increasingly deploying gamified experiences—points, badges, QR‑led quests, and spin‑to‑win offers—to make shopping more interactive across physical stores and digital platforms. These mechanics aim to boost repeat visits, increase basket size, and enrich first‑party data for personalized marketing. Successful...
Initio Parfums Privés Opening First UK Boutique Due to ‘High Double-Digit Growth’ in Region
Initio Parfums Privés will open its first UK boutique on 2 April in London’s Covent Garden, capitalising on reported double‑digit growth in the region’s premium fragrance points of sale. The store will showcase the brand’s Feel Lab Experience, an immersive headset‑driven...
Food Price Rises Unlikely Before Summer, Says Boss of Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s chief executive Simon Roberts told reporters that food price increases are unlikely before summer, despite the Middle East conflict affecting fertilizer supplies. The retailer has secured long‑term contracts worth £5 bn (about $6.3 bn) to lock in farmer prices and has...
Garage CEO: ‘Wholesale Slows Us Down’
Canadian womenswear label Garage opened its second United Kingdom store on London’s iconic Oxford Street, marking a rapid push into the European market. CEO Andry Lutfy told Drapers that the brand’s growth engine relies on urgency, agility, and a granular...
Wildberries Reports Rising Demand for Asian Products
Wildberries, the leading Eurasian e‑commerce platform, reported a 40% jump in food sales sourced from Asian countries in 2025, with continued acceleration into 2026. Products such as Chinese soy‑based meat, Indian basmati rice, and Thai coconut milk saw multi‑fold growth,...
Nordstrom’s $6.25 Billion Deal to Go Private Is Paying Off—And Don’t Expect an IPO Anytime Soon
Nordstrom completed a $6.25 billion take‑private in 2025, giving the founding family a 50.1% stake alongside Mexico’s El Puerto de Liverpool. In 2025 revenue rose 7% to $15.9 billion, finally surpassing its 2019 peak after pandemic‑related weakness. The private structure lets the co‑CEOs...
Collins Foods Drops Taco Bell, but New Partner Secured
Taco Bell is transferring its Australian franchise from Collins Foods to Restaurant Brands Australia (RBA) under a conditional agreement that awaits regulatory clearance. Collins will continue operating the stores until the handover is complete, while RBA, already running Taco Bell...
Cedar and Myrrh Founder Discusses Nordstrom Partnership and Brand Building
The U.S. wellness market has surged to $6.8 trillion and is projected to reach $10 trillion by 2029, fueling demand for mindful lifestyle products. Cedar and Myrrh, a sustainably‑focused skincare and home‑goods brand, leverages ritual‑centred design to meet this demand. Founder Misun...
Edikted Opens First European Store in London’s Carnaby Street
Edikted has launched its first standalone European store on London’s iconic Carnaby Street, occupying 4,800 square feet. The flagship offers the brand’s complete women’s street‑style and runway‑inspired apparel and accessories, delivering an exclusive in‑store experience for UK shoppers. Executives highlighted...
EXCLUSIVE: Roger Vivier Opens Paris Store With Exclusive Made-to-Measure Service
Roger Vivier opened a new 2,900‑square‑foot flagship at 20 Rue du Faubourg Saint‑Honoré, its largest store worldwide, featuring an exclusive made‑to‑order Atelier Vivier service with over 1,000 customization options. The boutique showcases art, a silver‑leaf VIP lounge, and limited‑edition pieces...
Canadian SMBs Question Strength of Buy Canadian Movement
A new Ignite Digital survey of Canadian small and medium‑sized businesses reveals a stark gap between public support for the “Buy Canadian” movement and actual purchasing habits. Roughly 79% of owners label consumers as “Faketriotic,” favoring cheaper American alternatives despite...
The State of Subscriptions for Marketers – 2026 Edition
The 2026 AppsFlyer subscription report analyzes 1.7 billion paid installs across 2,900 apps, revealing $2.1 billion in user‑acquisition spend. AI has shifted from a feature to core infrastructure, making data quality and rapid action the new competitive edge. Geographic dynamics are changing...
As IPL Fever Rages, Qcomm Players Fire up Big Discounts
Quick‑commerce giants Amazon Now, Flipkart Minutes and Instamart are rolling out "match‑ready" promotions with discounts exceeding 40% on food and beverage items as the Indian Premier League (IPL) gains momentum. The discounts aim to offset recent LPG shortages and supply...
Beauty Briefing: How Fragrance Is Winning on TikTok Shop
Fragrance brand Snif saw explosive sales on TikTok Shop after influencer Mikayla Nogueira livestreamed a product demo, highlighting the platform’s power for scent categories. The surge underscores how live video and creator seeding can turn traditionally tactile products into impulse...
Stitch Fix Is Targeting People Mid-Transition, From GLP-1 Users to Newly Divorced Men
Stitch Fix is pivoting to hyper‑targeted life‑stage segments, focusing on GLP‑1 weight‑loss drug users and recently divorced men who need rapid wardrobe updates. The company posted Q2 revenue of $341.3 million, a 9.4% year‑over‑year increase, and a record $577 revenue per active...
TYPEBEA Launches in Canada Through Exclusive Sephora Retail Partnership
Australian haircare brand TYPEBEA entered Canada on March 27 through an exclusive national partnership with Sephora Canada, making its full product line available online and in stores. The launch follows the brand’s rapid expansion to 20 countries since its 2024 debut,...
The 10 Hashtags Driving the Most Beauty Sales on TikTok Shop
TikTok Shop’s beauty category generated more than $670 million in sales over the past year, driven primarily by hashtag‑centric video content. The #skincare hashtag alone accounted for roughly $142 million, making it the top revenue generator. K‑beauty tags such as #Koreanskincare and...
Blitz Franchise Partners with Crêpe Delicious to Accelerate National Expansion
Blitz Franchise has partnered with Crêpe Delicious to accelerate the brand’s national expansion across Canada. Crêpe Delicious, a fast‑casual crêpe and café concept with over 60 locations, is now actively recruiting franchise partners. Blitz will manage franchise recruitment, site selection, and development...
WNBA Player Lexie Hull Launches Forta, Aimed at Creating a New Category of Performance-Driven Makeup
WNBA star Lexie Hull and investor Bella Guller have launched Forta, a performance‑driven makeup line built around sweat‑resistant polymers. After two‑and‑a‑half years of formulation, the brand debuted direct‑to‑consumer, seeding products to athletes across the WNBA, gymnastics, soccer and volleyball. TikTok...
Coach Won over Gen Z in North America. Now It’s Stepping up Its Focus Abroad
Coach has leveraged deep Gen‑Z consumer research to revitalize its brand, first in North America and now across Asia and Europe. Tailored partnerships with streetwear labels like Clot and Matin Kim, plus localized ambassador programs, have driven double‑digit revenue growth—22% in...
Malibu Taps Creator Sabrina Brier for ‘Get Ready With Me’ Campaign to Promote New Pink Spirit
Malibu has introduced Malibu Pink, a rum‑based spirit flavored with guava, coconut and pineapple, and is launching it through a "Get Ready With Malibu Pink" campaign. The brand partnered with comedian‑creator Sabrina Brier to produce #GRWM videos and a stop‑motion...
Singapore-Based Brand Castlery to Open Its First Store in the US
Singapore‑based furniture brand Castlery is opening its first U.S. storefront, a 3,000‑sqft showroom in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighbourhood, slated for May 15. The space showcases 17 room sets designed for compact city living and blends Eastern and Western design cues. Backed...
Why Gap Is Targeting China’s Lower Tiers While Guess Packs Up
Gap is renewing its push into Greater China by opening roughly 50 new stores this year through local partner Baozun, aiming for double‑digit revenue growth. The retailer’s Chinese sales rose more than 20% last year, and executives target 30% annual...
OMG Group Names Today the Brave as Brand, Retail and Media Agency Partner
OMG Group has appointed Today the Brave as its full‑service agency partner to drive end‑to‑end brand growth. The agency will oversee brand strategy, social and paid media, as well as trade and retail activation for existing brands like Blue Dinosaur...