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PRShots Digest brings you the latest retail news from Hunter, Sainsbury, Victoria’s Secret, Miniso, Quiz, APC, Laura Ashley, LFDY, Carhartt and M&S. Plus articles on how to engage the over-50s with influencer campaigns, using AR to elevate the customer experience, the future e-commerce giants and more.

To see the latest news go to our Twitter account @prshotsr

THE LATEST RETAIL INDUSTRY NEWS

Ted Baker owner ABG joins race to buy boots brand Hunter

US private equity-backed Authentic Brands Group (ABG) owner of Reebok and Ted Baker has joined the race to buy boot brand Hunter.

Sainsbury’s convenience sales hit £3bn

Sainsbury Local sales have hit £3b for the first time. The 800 Sainsbury’s Local UK stores grew 10% year-on-year and include click-and-collect services for its  Argos, Habitat and Tu Clothing brands.

Victoria’s Secret Q4 net sales down 7%

Victoria’s Secret Q4 sales were down 7% to $.021bn with FY22 sales down 6% to $6.344bn, with net income for Q4 down to $173m from $246m

Miniso steps up UK expansion

Global toys, games and gadgets brand Miniso is accelerating its UK expansion with the opening of at least ten new stores in 2023 to add to the 18 stores it has opened in the UK since 2019.

WHSmith hit by cyberattack as hackers gain access to employee data

WHSmith has been targeted in a cyberattack with hackers accessing company data including information on past and present employees.

Quiz to open up to 10 stores this year as part of expansion spree

Quiz chief commercial officer Sheraz Ramzan said the business is back into a growth phase and has plans to open five to 10 stores this year to add to its 62 UK stores.

UK store closures are at slowest rate since 2021

Latest store closure figures from PwC and the Local Data company, show 11,530 stores closed and 7,903 were added in 2022, a net loss of 10 a day, the lowest net-loss rate since 2016.

L Catterton acquires controlling stake in A.P.C.

L Catterton Europe – an investment fund co-founded by LVMH and the Arnault family - is acquiring a controlling interest in French casualwear brand A.P.C. to help it grow its international presence.

Four in five UK consumers could boycott clothing brands that fall short on ESG commitments

Just over four in five UK consumers (81%) would boycott clothing brands who did not prioritise sustainable fashion within the next two years.

TRENDS, STRATEGY AND TECHNOLOGY

How the internet-of-things is transforming the corner shop

Kavanagh’s Budgens in Belsize Park, London has become the UK's first 'Vusion 360 store', combining electronic shelf labels (ESLs) and cloud platform technology from SES-imagotag.

How influencer campaigns can engage the over-50s

Gen Z might be the age group most engaged with social media influencers, but they are certainly not alone. So if you are aiming to connect the over 50s in this country, here are some top tips.

How retailers are using AR to elevate the customer experience

As footfall shows little signs of improving this year and e-commerce sales growth slows, retailers are turning to advanced technologies such as augmented reality (AR) to improve their offering

Meet the 30 UK retailers forecast to dominate e-commerce

Retail Week analyst data ranks the country’s most successful e-commerce retailers. Discover who they are, how they’re winning and the strategies to follow their lead

OpenAI unveils ChatGPT for business

OpenAI has unveiled a new service for businesses which allows for business customers to access the chatbot technology for their operations and comes integrated with Shopify, Instacart and Snap.

BRAND NEWS

Laura Ashley launches collaboration with Baggu

Laura Ashley has teamed up with reusable bag company Baggu to launch a limited-edition collection that features three Laura Ashley prints.

Germany's LFDY opens first UK flagship

Düsseldorf streetwear label Live Fast Die Young (LFDY) is driving its international expansion and opening its first flagship store in the UK.

Carhartt launches resale and trade-in programme with Trove

American workwear brand Carhartt has launched a resale and consumer trade-in programme ‘Carhartt Reworked’ using Trove’s Recommerce solution.

AND FINALLY

Value of seized goods from Oxford Street American candy stores reaches £1m

Westminster City Council has now seized £1m worth of unsafe or illegal goods from American candy and souvenir shops on Oxford Street.

PRSHOTS TOP 10 SEARCHES

What were our users searching for on PRShots Week ending February 24^th 2023?

1/ Mother’s Day

2/ Easter

3/ Garden

4/ Vase

5/ Coronation

6/ Mirror

7/ Bedroom

8/ Cushion

9/ SS23  

10/ Jacket

COLLABORATIONS ON PRSHOTS

Our PRShots brands are looking for media and influencers who want to work with them on collaborations. Register for free at PRShots new collabs service to find out more https://collabs.prshots.com/ 

NEW BRANDS TO PRSHOTS

Tweedmill is a family run business established in 1971 that creates beautiful British made blankets, picnic rugs, home accessories and more and are stocked in more than 4000 retailers UK wide.

Curvy Kate lingerie and swimwear is designed to make women feel fabulous about their curves. With sizes from D to K cups Curvy Kate lingerie and swimwear ethos is to “Fit, lift, shape and comfort.”

Imp & Maker founded by entrepreneur Sarah Louise Fairburn to bring together food, drinks & gifts from established, emerging and exciting new names in the food & drink world for both home and corporate gifting.

Scamp & Dude was created by Jo Tutchener-Sharp, founder and previous MD of Beauty Seen PR and is famous for their signature leopard and lightning bolt print and vibrant designs, which features in their mens, womens, kids and baby ranges.

Hobbycraft was founded in 1995, and has since grown to be the largest arts and crafts retailer in the UK with over 100 stores across the UK, and has everything you need for art, knitting and crochet, haberdashery, papercraft, wedding and party, baking, jewellery making and more.

Silk & Lawn are a Brighton-based accessories brand creating beautiful handmade headbands, hair ties & turbans for little and grown-up people made from silk and Tana lawn cottons.

HELP WITH YOUR IMAGE SEARCHES

The latest images on PRShots are found here https://www.prshots.com/whatsnew why not bookmark the page for a regular feed of the latest images on PRShots!! You can select the latest images from the last 24hours, week, or month.

BRANDS WITH NEW IMAGES

Clothing, beauty and accessories

PrettyLittleThing  has PrettyLittleThing and Teyana Taylor Designer of the Year and new ranges and collabs

Primark has new makeup, denim ranges for women and summer clothing for men and women and kids clothing and accessories.

Threadbare has new menswear

National Trust Shop has new scarves, hats, bags and accessories

Monsoon has a new SS23 womenswear, bags and accessories, kids swimwear and summer clothing and new eco fabric Lenzing clothes

The Morphbag by JSK has new PETA certified vegan bag ranges

Barbour has new Modern Heritage mens, womens and kids ranges

Dune London has new bags and kids shoe ranges for the summer

Dune London Men’s has new SS23 shoes and accessories ranges

Marks & Spencer has new M&S Collection bags, sunglasses, shoes and hats for the summer,  a new denim collection, and lingerie from its “Love your Boobs” campaign

Roman Originals has new spring and summer ranges

New Look has new swimwear and summer clothing drops

Radley has new ranges but check the embargo

NoLoGo  has new ranges for spring and summer

Dancing Leopard has new womenswear ranges

Crew Clothing has new menswear and womenswear, accessories, and shoes

Very has V by Very swimwear and dresses plus Everyday womenswear ranges, handbags, shoes and accessories

Peacocks has new womenswear

Matalan launches the Papaya Curve range of clothes as well as new shoes and bags

Bryony Bel  has new jewellery ranges

Lipsy has new SS23 clothing including Friends Like These, Love & Roses, plus accessories and shoes for women and bridesmaid outfits

Tu Clothing has new SS23 clothing, shoes, bags and accessories

Regatta has new kids beach and summer wear

River Island has new summer clothing and wedding outfits for him and her

See additional new clothing and accessories images from the last few weeks at

Office TU Clothing Cotton Traders Fatface Cath Kidston Joe Browns Aspiga Oliver Bonas From my mother’s garden TK Maxx  Night Store John Lewis

Home and food

Biscuiteers Baking has new Smiley 50th birthday ranges plus Easter, Mother’s and Father’s Day

Next launches outdoor dining ranges, Easter collections as well as a new Tahiti, Stockholm, Arches, Valencia and Medley interiors collections

Branch Jewellery has new ranges

The Range has new Mother’s Day presents, Easter homeware and decorations, plus kitchen and homeware to keep you organised in 2023

Fritz Fryer has new lighting solutions

National Trust shop has new Easter gifts and summer items for outdoor living

Primark has new bright homeware for the kitchen and bathroom and for Easter events

GettingPersonal has new unique personalised Mother’s Day gifts

Nest  Has outdoor living furniture and interior ideas 

Dobbies Garden Centres has new things for the home, edible planting, patio furniture, house plants, chimeneas, pizza ovens, firepits.

Furniture Village has new outdoor furniture for the garden and patio

Sofology has a new Sapporo, Hetty and Fellini ranges

Cardfactory has new Mother’s Day gifts

Cartwright & Butler has new Easter and Mother’s Day hampers and gift boxes

Cuckooland has new furniture

Dunelm has new homeware and Easter gifts and decorations

Wilko has hundreds of new kitchen, dining, bed, bath and living room items

B&M has their new Ocean Tide and Simply Home ranges for the bedroom, bathroom, dining room and lounge

Homesense has new SS23 home and garden items plus gifts for Easter and Mother’s day

Cutter & Squidge has Mother’s day and Easter hampers and goodies

Cult Furniture  has new tables and chairs

See additional new home images from the last weeks from

Fatface George Home Daisy Park  Very Primark Home Oliver Bonas Cath Kidston TK Maxx Hotel Chocolat John Lewis Marks & Spencer Cambridge Imprint  Designers Guild Matalan NoLoGo Avalana

Looking for inspiration??

Our trends lightboxes section has lots of ideas for features and themes but If  you can't find something or you need help then email us at support@prshots.com, and we'll see if we can help

DIARY

PRShots Retail Alert

Days until Mother’s Day – 16

Days until Easter – 37

Days until Eid al-Fitr – 49

Days until Halloween – 242

Days until Singles Day - 253

Days until Black Friday – 266

Days until Christmas Day – 297

How to get your brand on the March Editorial Calendars, search engines and social media 

March is mostly about preparing for the big Easter holidays in April so make sure you are starting to include relevant Easter keywords, plus it’s also the time people make their first big getaway abroad so any keywords and clothes for warmer climes, loungewear, going out wear, swimsuits, bikinis etc should be added.

At the end of the month there’s Mother’s Day so try and get Mother, gifts, or Mother’s Day into your keywords for anything that seems appropriate. Also, if you have anything green then add the Keyword St Patricks Day.

Plus, as we’re now definitely in Spring, carry on adding those spring and summer-related images and adding keywords relating to the summer like swimwear, outdoor living, garden, garden parties and Barbecues (don’t forget to add all of the other spellings BBQ, Bar-B-Que etc).   

We’re also starting to get ready for the bridal season – the peak is May to October – so If you have bridal wear or anything appropriate to weddings then start to upload it, and label it with the keyword wedding.

Lastly, it’s Oscar month so why not upload some smart suits and dresses and create an Oscar section for an evening watching the Oscars.  

If you’re looking for more hooks to help promote your brand and products then see the list of days, weeks and fortnights below.

March Diary - Weeks/Months

In the UK it’s National Bed Month - Introduced by The Sleep Council and The National Bed Federation, it aims to raise awareness of the importance of sleep so push anything sleep-related. it’s also the British Heart Foundation Dechox month which encourages people to give up chocolate – cakes and biscuits - for the month! So, any chocolate, biscuit or cake alternatives should be pushed.   

Interesting Stat: National No-Smoking day was originally on Ash Wednesday when it was started in 1984. It was moved to the second Wednesday in March as, while it’s less easy to remember, the date doesn’t move around the calendar quite so much as Ash Wednesday does.  

Other events include;

Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month

Fairtrade Fortnight (Feb 27^th – Mar 12^th)

British Pie Week (6^th-12^th)

British Science Week (10^th-19^th)

Butchers Week (6^th-12^th)

World Autism Awareness Week (Mar 27^th – Apr 2^nd)

Ideal Home Show (Mar 17^th – Apr 2^nd)

London Bridal Fashion Week (19^th-21^st)

National Fragrance Week (20^th-26^th)

March - Days

3^rd – World Wildlife Day

3^rd – World Hearing Day

4^th – World Obesity Day

5^th - Passover Begins 

7^th – Holi Hindu Festival

8^th – International Women’s Day

8^th – No Smoking Day

12^th – The Oscars 

13^th – Commonwealth Day

13^th - Passover Ends 

15^th – Spring Budget Day

17^th – St Patrick’s Day

17^th – World Sleep Day

17^th - Red Nose Day for Comic Relief

18^th – Global Recycling Day

19^th - Mother’s Day UK

20^th – First Day of Spring 

21^st – International Day of Forests

21^st – World Poetry Day

22^nd – World Water Day

22^nd - Start of Ramadan

25^th – National Bridesmaids Day

26^th – British Summertime Begins 

26^th – Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race

31^st – Wear a Hat Day (Brain Tumour Research)  

Do you have any news on your brand that you want us to feature, or have a new appointee or a new event that you would like us to feature? Get in touch at news@prshots.com We don't charge, so get emailing now!!!

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