European Retail Briefings - September 2006
European Retail Briefing is a monthly briefing providing news and analysis that includes company results, store openings, cross-border moves, M & A activities, executive changes and property developments. Additionally each month, European Retail Briefing focuses on a key issue or specific European retail sector. The month's retail news is then analysed sector by sector, making this an invaluable resource for all with an interest in the European retail industry.
Highlights: September 2006
Grocers
Clothing retailing
Multi-sector retailing
Electrical retailing
DIY retailing
News Analysis
Bakers (retail)
UK: Thorntons sees profits fall
Co-ops (retail)
UK: Co-op replaces 'divi' to entice customers
Convenience stores
UK: OFT may investigate Nisa/Costcutter
Grocers
China: Tesco to launch own brand
Europe: Ahold/Delhaize
…to merge?
…with Ahold prepared to accept Delhaize-appointed CEO
France: Carrefour profits in first half
France: Casino sees sales, earnings rise
Germany: Hawesko to open first discount store
India: Tesco India talks to end soon
Ireland: Tesco makes 5,000th price cut since May
Netherlands: Ahold encouraged by results
Netherlands: Laurus
…reveals first-half loss
…and loses CFO
Russian Federation: Magnit posts fivefold profit rise
Russian Federation: Pyaterochka
…shakes up management
…and reveals successful first half
UK: Asda
…announces ‘green’ conference
…looks to premium shoppers
…and signs up Flintoffs
UK: Sainsbury's
…aims to close in on Tesco
…announces ‘green’ packaging move
…and will sponsor Yahoo! Answers
UK: Lidl offers cut-price air fares
UK: Tesco
…launches Tesco Direct, upmarket clothing line
…trials TV channel
…bows to crisp makers' demand
…and sees new furniture catalogue delayed
UK: Morrison back in the black
US: Supermarket sales boost Kroger
US: Tesco thinks big
Clothing retailing
Czech Republic: Peacocks to move into Czech Republic
Europe: A New Look for central Europe?
Hong Kong: Esprit posts record results
India: Next to make India move
Italy: Positive first half revealed by Benetton
Spain: Inditex
…to sell Often stores
…as H1 profit climbs 20%
UK: Topshop
…cleared for US launch
…and announces Kate Moss design deal
UK: Austin Reed
…rejects offer
…and returns to profit
UK: Jacques Vert, Alexon mull sales
UK: Fat face reveals fine full year
UK: French Connection woes continue in first half
UK: Clothing sales up at Matalan
UK: Monsoon creates a storm with Sophie Ellis-Bextor
UK: Mosaic heads towards £800m float
UK: River Island sues Debenhams
UK: ABF updates Primark trading
UK: Next
…to open first Lime store soon
…and posts turnover, profit rise
Footwear retailing
UK: Stylo appoints Spitz
Multi-sector retailing
Australia: Coles Myer
…announces bumper profit
…and rejects bid
China: Wal-Mart turns red with first Communist branch
Europe: Metro wins trademark triumph over Tesco
France: LVMH continues good form
France: PPR sees sales, income grow
Germany: Rewe
…to invest €1bn on building and modernisation
…as Egner leaves
Russian Federation: Metro to add 15 Russian outlets
Spain: El Corte Inglés sees successful year
Switzerland: Jelmoli moves out of the red
UK: GUS
…announces Argos credit card with Barclays
…then renames ARG, updates Argos/Homebase trading
UK: Woolworths
…faces break-up plan, buys THE
…plans portfolio shake-up
…and sees woes continue
UK: Laura Ashley reports strong like-for-likes
UK: M&S to add electrical departments
US: Wal-Mart to reduce packaging
Department stores
UK: Debenhams reveals full-year sales growth
UK: Baugur seals House of Fraser deal
UK: John Lewis continues good form
UK: Liberty suffer further losses
Electrical retailing
Denmark: DSG buys F-Group stake
Germany: Philips, Metro staff investigated for bribery
UK: DSG
…drops Dixons Warehouse trial
…launches 'The TechGuys'
…exits VoIP market
…and sees sales increase
US: Best Buy sees second quarter success
US: Carphone targets the US (gprice)
US: Circuit City Q2 profits leap
Homewares retailing
UK: Dunelm set to float, reports strong sales
Home shopping
UK: Ocado appoint BBC chairman sparking float rumours
UK: Asos to launch magazine
UK: Otto UK reports full year sales slump
UK: Like-for-likes up at Ideal
Health and beauty retailing
Ireland: Boots plans Irish expansion
UK: Boots launches Soap & Glory
UK: Body Shop goes online
Book and stationery retailing
UK: Foyles to open Selfridges concessions
UK: WH Smith
…to roll out sandwiches
…and satisfies demerger conditions
US: Borders UK division continues to struggle
Jewellers
UK: Signet
…abandoned by private equity Bidders
…but shines on, rejecting Ratner overtures
…puts Ernest Jones online
…and receives £350m Ratner offer
UK: Carmody in at Theo Fennell
Garden centres
UK: Permission granted for Dobbies expansion
DIY retailing
Romania: Baumax looks to expand in Romania
UK: Kingfisher
…sees UK performance hit results
…announces B&Q Warehouse revamp
…and launches Hire a Handyman service
UK: Travis Perkins appoints new Wickes MD
US: Home Depot to hire 1,000 new employees
Carpet retailing
UK: Woes continue at Floors 2 Go
Furniture retailing
China: Ikea changes Chinese approach
UK: Losses continue for Homestyle
UK: MFI sells struggling furniture chain for a pound
Toys and games retailing
Australia: Game grabs the Wizards Down Under
US: Toys R Us sells 44 stores
Economic News
Australia: Retail sales rise again
China:
…targets 11% retail sales growth until 2010
…and sees retail sales up across the board
Germany: Retail sales flat year-on-year
Hungary: Retail sales climb 4.4%
Italy: June sees retail rise
Japan: Retail sales hit by weather
UK: Bumper August for retail, says CBI
UK: Retail sales outlook uncertain, says BRC
UK: Retail sales up in August, says ONS
Market Analysis: Books, Music and Video Retailing in Europe
Overview of the European Books, Music and Video market
Books – could a change in legislation boost sales?
Music – death of the market or just the CD?
Video – DVD boom counters death of VHS.
Books dominate the sector
Figure 1: European books, music & video market, by major product category, 2003
DVD market much stronger in the UK
Figure 2: Europe: Book, music & video market, % of sales by category, 2003
UK closes in on Germany
Figure 3: European book, music & video market, by product category & country, 2003
Per capita, Irish are the big spenders
Figure 4: Europe: Books, music & video spending per capita, by country, 2003
Figure 5: European book, music and video market, by product category and country, 2003
Fnac’s French dominance ensures its European supremacy
Figure 6: Europe: Leading identified book, music & video specialists, 2003
Retailers struggle outside domestic markets
Figure 7: Europe: Leading identified retailers’ market shares, 2003
Leading paid-for music download sites
Figure 8: Europe: Selection of leading music download sites, April 2005
The German book, music and video market
Figure 9: Germany: Consumer spending on books, music and video, 2003
Figure 10: Germany: Consumer spending on books, music and video, 2003
The UK book, music and video market
Figure 11: UK: Books, music & video market, 1999-2003
Figure 12: UK: Spending on books, music and video as % of total spending, 1999-2003
Company Profile: Free Record Shop
Bare facts
Financial performance
Figure 13: Free Record Shop: Financial performance, 1999/2000-2003/04
Figure 14: Free Record Shop: Estimated sales per country, 2003/04
Products
E-commerce
Store portfolio
Figure 15: Free Record Shop: Outlet data, 1999-2005
What does the future hold?
