News

Euro zone retail sales sink

Euro zone retail sales fell much more than expected in October, underlining weak consumer demand in the recession-hit economy and adding to arguments for a deep interest rate cut by the European Central Bank on Thursday.

A shopper pushes a shopping trolley at a Tesco store in Loughborough, April 15, 2008. REUTERS/Darren Staples

Tesco says quarterly sales up 2.0 percent

Tesco, the country's biggest retailer, said its new budget range was luring an extra 300,000 UK shoppers a week and it was on track to meet profit forecasts, boosting its shares on hopes it can cope in a consumer downturn.

Game Group sees sales growth slow

Game Group , the video games retailer, has continued to buck high street gloom with a rise in underlying sales but its rate of sales growth has slowed.

People look at Macy's annual Christmas windows in New York November 23, 2008. The department store started the holiday tradition in 1862. REUTERS/Chip East

Dreaming of a cheap Christmas

The bright "50 percent off" signs plastered over the windows of London's plush new Westfield shopping centre don't hold much sway over Helen Marlow.

A man shops at a Woolworths store in Coalville, England, November 26, 2008. REUTERS/Darren Staples

Woolworths potential rescuers circle

Deloitte LLP, the administrator of the retail and distribution businesses of retailer Woolworths Group Plc, has received dozens of inquiries from companies and individuals for parts of the business, according to newspaper reports on Sunday.

A woman talks on her mobile phone outside a clothing shop advertising a 'Credit crunch clearance' sale near Manchester, November 28, 2008. REUTERS/Phil Noble

Discounts fail to boost shopper numbers

Heavy discounting by retailers has failed to boost shopper numbers and the rate of business failures in the industry is accelerating, surveys by researchers Experian showed.

John Lewis weekly dept stores sales fall 13 percent

John Lewis Partnership, the employee-owned group seen as a barometer of British retail spending, said on Sunday its department store sales fell 13 percent in the week to November 29, from a year earlier.

A B&Q location in an undated photo. REUTERS/Handout

Retailers gloomy as Woolworths falls

Downbeat results and gloomy outlooks at leading retailers DSG and Kingfisher underlined the severity of the economic slowdown on Thursday, as Woolworths collapsed into administration.

A John Lewis shop in an undated photo. REUTERS/Handout

John Lewis says trading in line with previous weeks

John Lewis , the employee-owned group seen as a barometer of retail spending, said on Thursday the sales performance of its department stores so far this week was in line with the previous two weeks.

A Moss Bros shop in an undated photo. REUTERS/Vismedia

Philip Green says won't bid for Moss Bros

Billionaire Philip Green said on Thursday he has no current plans to bid for men's fashion retailer Moss Bros Group , having decided now "was not the right time."

Pedestrians walk past a Currys.digital store in central London May 15, 2008. REUTERS/Alessia Pierdomenico

DSG slumps to loss and axes dividend

DSG International, Europe's second-largest electrical goods retailer swung to a first-half loss and suspended its dividend as it grapples with the deepening consumer downturn.

A man shops at a Woolworths store in Coalville, central England, November 26, 2008. REUTERS/Darren Staples

Woolworths in talks to sell retail business

DVDs-to-sweets retailer Woolworths Group on Thursday said it had put its retail and distribution businesses into administration after discussions relating to the potential sale of its 815 stores ended on Wednesday.