Category Archives: Retail

Games Workshop sees £269m revenue in ‘best financial year in its history’

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Games Workshop is celebrating what it has hailed ‘the best financial year in the company’s history,’ having reported a revenue of £269.7 million for the 12 months to May 31st 2020. That’s an increase of over £10 million on the £256.6 million it totalled for the same period in 2019.

The miniatures manufacturer and name behind the globally popular Warhammer franchise also saw pre-tax profits grow from £81.3 million to £89.4 million over the financial year.

Commenting on the results, chief executive officer, Kevin Roundtree, said: “An amazing set of results – the best year in Games Workshop’s history, so far.

“You can once again see from these results that our business and the Warhammer hobby are in good shape. We look forward to the year ahead and will face any challenges head on and learn from our mistakes.”

Headquartered in Nottingham, Games Workshop’s business had been closed for more than a month at the height of the UK’s lockdown measures, including its high street retail outlets.

However, a ‘particularly strong’ appetite for the latest Warhammer launch and an around 40 per cent jump in user numbers on the Warhammer website to over 8 million appears to have helped the miniatures company maintain its momentum.

Games Workshop’s Roundtree added: “We thank our staff and customers and other stakeholders for their continued support during these uncertain times.”

 

JoJo Maman Bébé extends its Very Hungry Caterpillar clothing range in Rocket Licensing deal

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Rocket Licensing has facilitated a renewed partnership between the leading nursery retailer JoJo Maman Bébé and the World of Eric Carle that will see the baby brand extend its successful Very Hungry Caterpillar range of children’s clothing.

Launched on July 27th, the second phase of the JoJo Maman Bébé and The Very Hungry Caterpillar partnership builds on the success of the initial range launched in 2019. The extended collection features eight special designs, available in an increased range of sizes up to the age of four, and including toddler sizes.

The designs carry the signature JoJo Maman Bébé stripes, coupled with phrases from the storybook such as ‘hungry, hungry, hungry’ and ‘tiny and very hungry’, as well as appliqué, embroidery and prints to capture The Very Hungry Caterpillar brand.

Iconic images from the Eric Carle book are used to create individual and recognisable pieces including rompers, baby grows, jogger and T-shirt sets, and dresses.

Also new to the range are two additional Very Hungry Caterpillar gift box designs. The collection will be supported by a heavyweight social media campaign, as well as a central in-store display unit, and will be accompanied by other Very Hungry Caterpillar products including toys and books to provide an immersive brand offering to JoJo Maman Bébé customers.

Melissa Satterly, brand manager for The Very Hungry Caterpillar at Rocket Licensing, said: “The initial range from JoJo Maman Bébé last year was so well received, that it was only right to extend the deal for a new season, and we’re thrilled to be expanding the offering with this best-in-class partner.

“The momentum with consumers created during The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s 50th anniversary in 2019, is continuing apace and we will soon be announcing more partnerships for the beloved Eric Carle property.”

The Very Hungry Caterpillar is the centrepiece of the successful global licensing campaign around The World of Eric Carle brand, which brings together the much-loved, multi-million-selling works of author and artist Eric Carle.

 

Brand Licensing Europe 2020 to be all-virtual event called Festival of Licensing

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Brand Licensing Europe will not be taking place in its physical form this year, but has transitioned to an all-virtual, four-week long global event called Festival of Licensing.

Running from October 6th to 29th this year, the large scale virtual gathering promises to be ‘the most inclusive global licensing event to date,’ and a ‘never-before-seen celebration of the business of brand licensing,’ that will be held in partnership with the industry trade association Licensing International.

Festival of Licensing builds off of the momentum of the Global Licensing Group’s Licensing Week Virtual event which took place in June this year in place of the Las Vegas Licensing Expo. The Festival of Licensing will comprise of four regionally tailored events in key licensing territories.

Week one will run 6th to 8th of October with its focus on the European market, powered by Brand Licensing Europe. Week two will be Asia focused running from 14th to 15th October and powered by Licensing Expo China and Licensing Expo Japan. Week three will be powered by Licensing Expo and will place its focus on the North America and Latin America markets, running from October 20th to 22nd. The fourth week will be a Global C-suite virtual conference, powered by the Licensing Leadership Summit and will be held on October 28th to 29th.

  • Week 1: 6-8 October – Europe, powered by Brand Licensing Europe
  • Week 2: 14-15 October – Asia, powered by Licensing Expo China and Licensing Expo Japan
  • Week 3: 20-22 October – North America and Latin America, powered by Licensing Expo
  • Week 4: 28-29 October – Global C-suite virtual conference – Licensing Leadership Summit

The first three events will be time-zoned around the respective territories they serve and deliver visitors and exhibitors the chance for IP discovery with exclusive brand and property showcases from up to 200 exhibitors and the virtual take on the annual License This! and Pitch the Brands competition finals.

Content wise, Festival of Licensing will host live keynote headliners from the world’s most influential brands that address the most pressing topics of the current and changing business environment, more than 100 hours of live and on-demand, territory and category specific content to guide businesses through the new consumer landscape, and a retailer only space with exclusive content and expert Q&A sessions.

While it won’t entertain the usual Hand and Flower networking sessions, the virtual event will offer ‘thousands of opportunities to meet, do business and strike deals’ through the Festival Matchmaking Service, enabling both pre-planned online video meetings and impromptu exhibitor booth drop ins.

Ticking the Experiences box, while the planned theme of fashion will be postponed until Brand Licensing Europe comes back in its physical form next year, the Festival will host Fully Licensed! a programme of special live daily evening entertainment and experiences in each region. It will also host Community & Wellbeing, a celebration of the global licensing industry, a wide range of career/business advice and mentoring, an industry fundraiser and wellbeing workshops focused on our physical, nutritional, creative, psychological and social needs.

The festival will conclude with Licensing Leadership Summit taking place 28th to 29th October. Originally scheduled as an in-person, senior-level, global gathering of the industry’s C-Suite and thought-leaders from brands, agents, manufacturing and retail, the new virtual offering will draw on key learnings from the previous three weeks and future-looking topics that will facilitate debate and shape the future of the global licensing industry.

Informa Markets’ Global Licensing Group Vice President, Anna Knight, said: “We are incredibly excited to announce Festival of Licensing and proud of the opportunities and experiences it offers to the global licensing industry. Although the decision to transition Brand Licensing Europe to an all-virtual event was a difficult one and we will miss seeing everyone at ExCeL this year, I’m proud that we have a comprehensive offering in its place and look forward to the European event kicking off Festival of Licensing.

“We have had great feedback from June’s Licensing Week Virtual, so we know that there is huge potential and appetite for industry connection during this challenging time when meeting face-to-face is difficult. Our partners are telling us that driving domestic and international connections, discovering new IP and brands and learning how to navigate the new consumer landscape are paramount to the health of forward-planning for the business of brand licensing, and Festival of Licensing will support all of these needs.

“We also want Festival of Licensing to offer amazing experiences for everyone who joins us. One of the joys of virtual is that it can make the previously impossible possible, and we plan to use the power of the platform to fuel the imagination, delight and inspire in a fitting celebration of this industry and the people within it.”

Maura Regan, President, Licensing International, added: “This global virtual event is an exciting platform to provide our members and the broader industry with the connections and tools to continue to move their business forward. Our industry is truly global, and this event promises to bring us all together (while apart) designed expressly to engage and facilitate smart business in real time, regardless of where in the world you may be.”

Brands who are interested in exhibiting or sponsorship opportunities should visit www.festivaloflicensing.com

 

 

Online shopping habits could be here to stay, says new research from DS Smith

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The pandemic has accelerated consumers’ move to online shopping, with new research into consumer behaviour indicating that the majority of Brits now plan to stick to their lockdown online buying habits from here on out.

According to a survey commissioned by DS Smith, the London-based packaging specialist, retailers have seen online sales increase dramatically, with 61 per cent of Brits admitting to shopping more online during Covid19. The unsurprising increase in ecommerce is expected to add £5.3bn to UK ecommerce sales in 2020, bringing the total to £78.9bn.

The same survey goes on to reveal that 89 per cent of British shoppers say they will continue to shop online at the same level, or even more, post lockdown. 93 per cent of Brits now feel confident about buying items online.

Groceries has seen the biggest increase, with 39 per cent of British shoppers reporting an increase in online shopping. Lockdown also saw 29 per cent of Brits increase their online shopping for home and garden products – contributing to the 41 per cent of Brits who received a home, garden, or DIY related product since the Covid-19 crisis.

With lockdown easing, DS Smith’s research indicates that many of these new shopping trends will now be here to stay. More than half of Brits are planning to buy groceries (60 per cent), hygiene products (51 per cent), and home and garden products (54 per cent) online at the same rate or higher in the coming six months.

On top of this, almost one third of Brits said they have signed up to a new shopping website that they hadn’t used before lockdown, while spending on meal kits and grocery delivery boxes soared by 114 per cent after people were told to stay home.

Stefano Rossi, packaging CEO at DS Smith, said: “There has been a seismic shift in the way consumers are shopping and we’ve been using our expertise to support businesses of all sizes with the rapid growth of ecommerce so they can survive and thrive through this uncertain time.

“What’s clear is that as lockdown eases further, these trends aren’t likely to fall away. Consumers have found new confidence and convenience in the way they shop, buying a whole range of items online – everything from the family food shop, to toiletries and home and garden products.

“If companies are not already transforming their business to meet this new age of ecommerce, they risk being left behind.”

The survey has gone on to detail the latest statistics around greener packaging, suggesting that green recovery and building back better is becoming a global priority, while sustainability is an increasing concern for Brits post-lockdown. It indicates that 24 per cent of shoppers are more likely to buy online if items are delivered with less packaging or more sustainable packaging, while 21 per cent are more likely to buy online if their products arrive in more recyclable packaging.

Rossi added: “The research shows that greener packaging is a real concern for shoppers and as we help our customers make a green recovery a practical reality and priority through simple measures like adopting sustainable packaging. We’re keen to help brands and businesses navigate this path and work with them so they can benefit from sustainable packaging solutions.”

 

Men’s Health launches toiletry gifting sets from Thumbs Up to UK retail

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The leading lifestyle and fitness brand, Men’s Health has secured retail placement within two of the UK’s biggest retailers for its new toiletry and gifting collection developed by the brand’s most recent licensee, Thumbs Up UK.

The new range consists of body washes, deodorants, and shower gels enhanced with accompanying gifting products such as a sports bottle, sports earphones, and sports armband. The range taps into and provides a gifting opportunity for a growing market of regular exercisers.

The ranges will go on shelves in Superdrug from August and in Primark from October this year.

The new range isn’t the only positive news to come from the Hearst owned title. Men’s Health UK page views rose by 84 per cent (year-on-year) to 11.5M during the month of May alone, with more than 4.8M unique users looking for online fitness and nutritional advice. The increased traffic also led to a sales spike for the well-established Men’s Health home fitness range at Argos.

“Given the authority of Men’s Health across all aspects of personal grooming, the value proposition for these fine products stands alone amongst our avid audience and loyal brand-enthusiasts,” said Steve Ross, global chief licensing officer and head of brand development for Hearst Magazines. “We’re pleased to partner with a terrific company like Thumb’s Up on this new holiday gifting initiative.”

Charlie Rudge from Thumbs Up, said: “Despite, or perhaps because of, the lockdown, retail interest in this fitness inspired range of toiletries has been very strong and we look forward to launching it for this Christmas.”

Antonia Habdank-Toczyska from Golden Goose, added: “We have represented Men’s Health for over seven years now and continue to find opportunities for this versatile and highly relevant brand – perhaps one of the few to see growth during lockdown.”

 

Boots to cut 4,000 jobs and John Lewis to close eight of its 50 stores in amid Covid-19 fallout

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The UK retailer, Boots is to cut 4,000 jobs, its parent company Walgreen Boots Alliance has announced, having been badly hit by the coronavirus pandemic and lockdown measures. The company said it will cut around seven per cent of its UK workforce.

According to Walgreens, sales at Boots have plunged during the lockdown.

“The adverse impact of Covid-19 on sales in the quarter was approximately $700 million to $750 million, with the majority of the impact related to the Retail Pharmacy International division,” the company said in a statement released today. “This reflected a dramatic reduction in footfall in Boots UK stores – down 85 per cent in April, as consumers were advised to leave home only for food and medicine.”

Walgreens Boots Alliance CEO, Stefano Pessina has said: “Prior to the pandemic our financial performance for fiscal 2020 was on track with our expectations. However, this unprecedented global crisis led to a loss in the quarter as stay-at-home orders affected all of our markets.

“Shopping patterns are evolving more rapidly than ever as consumers further embrace digital options, spurring us to accelerate our ongoing investments in digital transformation and neighbourhood health destinations.”

Boots’ announcement follows further bad news for retail as John Lewis detailed its own plans to close eight of its 50 stores this morning, including major outlets in Birmingham and Watford. The closure will result in the loss of around 1,300 jobs.

All four of the group’s smaller At Home stores, in Croydon, Newbury, Swindon and Tamworth, are to close as well as two outlets in travel hubs at Heathrow and St Pancras station in London, reports The Guardian.

The Group has said that the eight shops were already ‘financially challenged’ before the outbreak of coronavirus, but that the pandemic had accelerated the move from in-store shopping to online. Figures state that before the virus hit, 40 per cent of John Lewis sales were online, but since the pandemic, this could now be closer to 60 to 70 per cent of total sales this year and next.

Sharon White, the chairman of the department store’s parent group – the John Lewis Partnership, said: “Closing a shop is always incredibly difficult and today’s announcement will come as very sad news to customers and partners. However, we believe closures are necessary to help us secure the sustainability of the partnership, and continue to meet the needs of our customers and wherever they want to shop.

“Redundancies are always an absolute last resort and we will do everything we can to keep as many partners as possible within our business.

“There are many reasons to be optimistic about the Partnership’s future. Waitrose and John Lewis are two of the UK’s most loved and trusted brands and we have adapted to the challenges of the pandemic by responding to the new needs of customers. We will soon announce the output of our strategic review which will ensure our brands stay relevant for future generations of customers.”

Emoji partners with 7-Eleven Malaysia to launch EmoBear loyalty programme

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The international convenience store chain 7-Eleven has teamed up with Emoji to launch a new collectable premium loyalty programme to consumers across Malaysia. Called EmoBear TM, the collection features 27 different designs, each featuring a different emoji brand icon.

Customers of 7-Eleven Malaysia will be rewarded with loyalty stickers anytime they spend RM5 or over at a participating outlet from now until August 16 this year. They will receive a bonus sticker if the purchase includes an item from a selected partner, which includes brands such as Pepsi, Cadbury, and Marigold.

Once they have accrued a total of 24 stickers, they can exchange their collection for an EmoBear, choosing from a range featuring Luvly, Starry, Wannabey, Notty, and Ka-Chingy.

Alternatively, customers can purchase an EmoBear for the price of RM9.90 and 12 stickers.

But that’s not all. Customers can also download and sign up as a My7ETM loyalty app member to enjoy more benefits when they shop with 7-Eleven, including an annual birthday reward, exclusive in-app monthly product e-stamp cards that reward members based on repeat purchases, and more.

“The popularity of the emoji brand and its emoji icons has inspired us to integrate them into our loyalty programme. Emoji brand icons are not only changing the way we express ourselves through text, but also expanding the way we communicate,” said Ronan Lee, general manager of marketing at 7-Eleven Malaysia.

“The use of icons has become an usual feature in our daily communications on digital mediums, and we are certain that these adorable plush toys would definitely be a hit among fans. As a bonus, customers may also participate in our social media contest called ‘Take a picture with your #EMOJIBEAR’ from June 22nd until August 2nd, 2020.

“A total of 10 winner will stand a chance to take home three EmoBears of their choice. To participate in the contest, one just has to snap a photo with their redeemed 7-Eleven #EmoBear and upload the most creative photo on their Facebook or Instagram account with hashtags #PictureWithEMOBEAR, #EMOBEAR and #7ElevenMY in the caption.”

 

H&M launches its Minions Kids Collection globally

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Universal has launched its global partnership with the fashion retailer H&M to bring Minions back to the high street (and online) with a new apparel and accessories collection.

The Minions x H&M Kids Collection has launched to the global stage, with a range that includes ‘mischievous and sweet graphic tees’, to modern and relevant accessories.

Ranging in price from £5 to £20, the first of its kind product collection includes graphic and applique t-shirts, trainers, hats and socks, water bottles and backpacks, as well as a football kit and ball, plus more.

The Minions x H&M collection for kids is now available at HM.com and in H&M stores.

 

The Entertainer partners with Riverside Brands for ELC brand extension programme

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The UK’s family owned high street toy retailer, The Entertainer has partnered with Riverside Brands to lead its brand extension strategy for Early Learning Centre.

Under the new partnership, both the Happyland and core ELC brand will look to build out wider brand extensions into categories such as apparel, nightwear, health & beauty, publishing, nursery and experiences.

It’s been billed as ‘an exciting partnership for all involved as The Entertainer focuses on growing the Early Learning Centre brand since its acquisition in February 2019’. The partnership also marks a significant move for a retailer into the licensing, highlighting the commitment of the group to support the ELC brand during highly tumultuous times for UK retail.

Stuart Grant, global sourcing officer at The Entertainer, said: “We are extremely excited to be partnering with Riverside Brands on this exciting opportunity for the Early Learning Centre brand. With such a strong heritage as an iconic part of early years development we are confident there is more opportunity for the brand to be an even bigger part of children’s early years by giving them greater access to the characters through carefully selected brand extensions.

“We are confident that Riverside Brands is the right partner to achieve this in a way that protects the brand by securing opportunities to compliment the existing brand heritage.”

Ashley Holman, managing director of Riverside Brands, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with The Entertainer on this exciting opportunity for Early Learning Centre. ELC has been a much-loved brand for nearly 50 years and we’re looking forward to making its iconic characters more accessible through brand extensions into areas such as apparel and bedding.

“Children love these characters, they’re an important part of their early years and we’re looking forward to making them available in categories which will compliment the core toy ranges.”

Hyve confirms – Autumn Fair 2020 is cancelled

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Hyve, the organising team behind Autumn Fair, has confirmed the cancellation of this year’s home and gift retail industry show.

The announcement arrives following speculation that the show was to be called off owing to the ongoing situation surrounding the coronavirus pandemic and the social distancing measures and laws around gatherings still in place. This year’s Autumn Fair will now be replaced with a virtual event this September.

Hyve has also confirmed that Spring Fair will continue to take place on the 7th-11th February 2021 and Autumn Fair will return to the NEC on the 5th-8th September 2021.

Hyve and the team behind Autumn Fair are now working closely with partners and clients to deliver a virtual forum this September with exclusive seminar content and practical advice designed to educate and inform participants. More information on the virtual forum will be available on the website in due course.

“We have been listening to both our exhibitors and visitors, and the feedback from the market has been incredibly supportive of Autumn Fair. We’re excited to have the opportunity to take a fresh approach and launch a virtual forum this September,” said Jessica Dawnay, event director, Spring & Autumn Fair.

“We are also looking forward to when the industry can meet again in person and will focus all efforts and resources on helping the industry bounce back in 2021, both at Spring Fair in February 2021, and Autumn Fair taking place 5th-8th September 2021.”

“Autumn Fair is consistently one of our favourite and important exhibitions of the year. That said, the idea of a virtual show is inspired, and I look forward to getting fully involved in showcasing our latest puppet and soft toy collections online,” said Peter Lockey, The Puppet Company Ltd

Autumn Fair and JWF continue to provide exclusive webinars, industry news and product updates that keeps the home and gift retail community informed, connected and inspired on The Community hub.