— Mar 25, 2024
Small stores predict slow growth
Less than half of small retailers in the UK are confident they will grow over the next twelve months, according to the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB).
Retail Environment
— Feb 22, 2024
Latest figures reveal violence against store staff is soaring
Violence and abuse against retail workers soared last year, with the latest figures from the British Retail Consortium’s (BRC) crime survey revealing that the number of incidents rose from 870 to 1,300 per day over the last 12 months.
— Nov 27, 2023
Booths bucks self-checkout trend
Booths has become Britain's first supermarket chain to return to fully-staffed checkouts after axing most of its self-service tills.
— Nov 27, 2023
Seismic shifts in inventory counting
During this interview with Zebra's director of retail operations, Mike Finch, we look at how retailers are looking to improve controls over the changing stock landscape.
— Oct 30, 2023
Tesco boss backs staff call for criminilisation of violence against store staff
UK chief executive of Tesco Jason Tarry is supporting a petition calling on the government to make violence or abuse against retail workers a standalone criminal offence.
— Sep 26, 2023
Under Performing and Under Siege
Far-Reaching Global Academic Study into Keeping the Most At-Risk Stores Trading
— Sep 25, 2023
Carrefour introduces signage to notify customers of 'shrink-flation'
French supermarket Carrefour has put signs next to certain products to warn customers of ‘shrinkflation’, a form of reverse price rise where the products have reduced in size while what customers pay remains the same.
— Aug 29, 2023
Stores targeting shoplifters
More UK stores are taking action to tackle persistent and prolific offenders.
— Aug 29, 2023
Tesco leads the way in offering flexible working from day one
Tesco has become the first UK supermarket to offer all employees across the business the right to request a flexible working pattern from their first day in the job.
— Aug 29, 2023
Visa gets tough on 'friendly' fraud
Visa is stepping up payment protections for small businesses in the UK in a bid to tackle higher levels of 'friendly fraud'.
— Jul 27, 2023
Launch of blueprint to save the high street
The shopworkers trade union USDAW has released a blueprint to improve the quality of UK retail jobs and to “save” high street stores, including calls for a minimum wage of at least £12 per hour.
— Jul 27, 2023
Call for grants to improve store security for independents
Independent retailers are renewing calls for government grants to help them improve their security systems as new figures show that incidents of shop theft rose by a quarter in the last year.
— Jun 27, 2023
What’s In Store For The Future?
From Technology to Risk Management—How Retail Is Designing Out ‘Next-Gen’ Risk
— Jun 26, 2023
D&I still not cutting through in retail
Retailers need to ‘shift the dial’ to genuinely progress diversity and inclusion in their businesses, according to a new report from the British Retail Consortium (BRC).
— Jun 26, 2023
Trust in the grocery industry falls to a new low
Trust in the grocery industry has fallen to the lowest levels since November 2014, according to consumer watchdog Which?
— May 24, 2023
Food prices fall but inflation still too high
Grocery prices have fallen for the second month in a row, but inflation is still at the third-highest rate since records began in 2008.
— May 24, 2023
Together Fest a success
Over 1,000 retail workers from 200 big retail brands including H&M, Starbucks and Next attended the second Together Fest organised by charity The Retail Trust. Together Fest aims to bring to life the Retail Trust’s ethos of improving the hope, health and happiness of the UK’s three million retail workers .
— Apr 26, 2023
Asda trials self-driving deliveries
Asda has announced the launch of what it describes as the UK’s largest self-driving grocery delivery trial. As part of a one-year trial, the British supermarket has partnered with an automated vehicle (AV) start-up to deliver groceries across a catchment area of 72,000 households and 170,000 residents in London.
— Mar 29, 2023
"Appalling levels" of violence and abuse targeted at retail colleagues
Retail workers are experiencing “appalling levels” of violence and abuse, according to the latest research from the British Retail Consortium (BRC). Figures from the organisation’s most up to date crime survey, published in March, reveal that abuse towards retail employees has nearly doubled since before the pandemic.
— Mar 29, 2023
Retail sector in recruitment and retention crisis
The retail sector is experiencing its lowest levels of recruitment and retention for more than a decade, according to figures from the Office for National statistics (ONS).
— Feb 28, 2023
MPs launch consultation over Buy Now Pay Later
The government has launched the long-awaited consultation for the regulation of Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) firms. The move, which comes two years after the government first agreed to regulate BNPL products, follows research from Forbes which shows that 70 per cent of UK adults are using the payment option as a direct result of the cost-of-living crisis.
— Jan 25, 2023
Co-op welcomes single-use plastic ban
Co-op Food has welcomed the government’s decision to ban single-use plastics in England later this year. Co-op Food, which says it was the first retailer to roll out 100 per cent recyclable own-brand food and drink packaging, supports the move, which will see single-use banned for retailers, takeaways, food vendors, and across the hospitality industry.
— Jan 25, 2023
Aldi pay increase raises recruitment and retention stakes
The stakes in the recruitment and retention crisis impacting warehouse staff looks set to be raised as Aldi is increasing pay rates for around 7,000 warehouse workers across the UK from 1st February.
— Dec 7, 2022
Do We Have The Energy For Change?
From Falling Footfall to Carbon Footprint—How Energy Prices and Climate Change Are Impacting the High Street
— Nov 28, 2022
Cost-of-living is cost to staff safety
The cost-of-living crisis is also a cost to the safety of store colleagues, according to new research from the Retail Trust.
— Nov 28, 2022
Free food and support on offer this Christmas
Budget supermarket Aldi is to support local charities, foodbanks, and community groups this Christmas through its Emergency Winter Foodbank Fund.
— Jul 27, 2022
Iceland boss uses TV appearance to appeal to customers not to be aggressive
The managing director of Iceland has appealed to shoppers on breakfast television not to be violent and aggressive in his stores.
— Jun 29, 2022
UK in grip of 'worst' supply chain crisis
Britain is in the grip of the worst supply chain crisis in living memory with more than 25 per cent of UK retailers only four weeks away from going bust, according to a new survey.
— Jun 29, 2022
Research raises spectre of retail job exodus
Nearly a third (31 per cent) of retail workers actively want to leave their job, and a further fifth (21 per cent) no longer want to work in the sector, according to new research.
— Jun 29, 2022
Retailers taking the fight to the proxy providers of Fraud as a Service
If the business alternative to ‘getting mad’ is ‘getting even’ in the face of industrial levels of organised theft and fraud, retailers are very much attempting to level the playing field when it comes to looking at alternative forms of restorative justice in a world of ever-challenged police resourcing.
— May 31, 2022
Brexit tax bill shock for retailers
UK retail businesses lost £414 million last year because of cross-border tax complexities, according to research.
— May 31, 2022
Need not Greed
Evidence is growing of shoplifting for ‘need over greed’ as first-time store thieves are “stealing to eat” as a result of to the increasing cost of living crisis, according to leading supermarkets.
— May 30, 2022
Retail community remains divided over online tax
Plans to introduce a tax upon online retail businesses as part of a levelling up between clicks and mortar and bricks and mortar continues to divide the retail community.
— May 30, 2022
Homebase gets smart
DIY giant Homebase is set to introduce forensic marking in a number of its UK stores following a successful trial with Smartwater, a unique traceable liquid and forensic asset marking solution applied to high value items to deter theft and support the police in recovering stolen property and securing a successful conviction.
— Apr 26, 2022
Return to sender as Asda trials doorstep returns service
Supermarket giant Asda is running a trial where its customers can return items purchased from more than 100 of the UK’s most popular retailers at the same time as receiving their regular grocery delivery.
— Apr 26, 2022
UK consumers lead the charge for more frictionless technology
UK consumers have the greatest expectations about the growth of retail technology to deliver frictionless customer journeys, according to new research.
— Mar 29, 2022
The State of Independents
Why Independent Businesses Are the Backbone of the Economy and the Wider Retail Family
— Mar 28, 2022
Chancellor's spring statement will not ease cost of living crisis
Retail experts studying chancellor Rishi Sunak’s spring budget have concluded that announced policies to ease the financial pressures on hard-pressed families will fall well short of the mark and could even encourage ‘household recessionary behaviours.’
— Mar 28, 2022
Product shortages now worse than levels during pandemic panic buying
Supply chain disruption has left out-of-stock products worse than during the period of panic buying at the beginning of the pandemic, according to UK shoppers.
— Mar 28, 2022
'Disguise the limit' as economic head winds push up price of push-out crime
The current cost-of-living crisis triggered by the post-pandemic rise in global energy prices and the economic impact of the ongoing war in Ukraine could witness a new wave of industrial level theft by organised retail crime gangs as well as pushing everyday shoppers towards dishonesty.
— Mar 9, 2022
Taking stock of post-pandemic stock taking
One constant throughout the last two years – and one that has become increasingly important in an omni-channel world – is the forensic need for stock file accuracy and the associated on-shelf availability.
— Feb 22, 2022
Store closures slowing but multiples shy away from filling gaps
Over 10,000 chain store branches disappeared from Great Britain’s retail locations in 2021, according to a new report. In total, 7,160 shops opened, compared to 17,219 closures, a net decline of 10,059, according to PwC research compiled by the Local Data Company (LDC).
— Feb 22, 2022
Traditional retail jobs on the wane following pandemic
Almost 135,000 traditional retail jobs were lost during the pandemic, according to analysis from trade union GMB.
— Jan 31, 2022
Aldi checks out free check-out
Aldi has launched its first checkout-free store in Greenwich, London.
— Jan 31, 2022
Young shoppers want more technology in local retail shops
Half of millennials and Generation Z consumers care more about digital technology improvements in High Street and local retail shops than prices, according to new research from Vodafone and Allwyn.
— Jan 31, 2022
High Street mainly positive about lifting of restrictions
High Street business leaders have given a largely positive reaction to the government’s end to Plan B restrictions in the UK.
— Nov 25, 2021
'Tis the season to be trolleyed
It’s not just Scrooge in fear of disappearing spirits at Christmas, as many retailers are trying to avoid the annual seasonal sprinkling of festive theft in the form of alcohol trolley push-outs.
— Oct 28, 2021
Retail and hospitality business rates halved
The Chancellor’s autumn budget has provided plenty of cheer for the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors with cuts to duty on draft ale, cider and sparkling wines served in pubs and restaurants and a 50 per cent cut in business rates for one year.
— Oct 27, 2021
Shop early call as retail sector sets out its festive stall
Christmas ‘is a coming’ and the retail industry is setting out its seasonal stall with a major emphasis on encouraging the public to shop early in light of the supply chain challenges faced by the sector.
— Oct 27, 2021
Frozen food giant Iceland to reduce food waste by giving away free food
In a bid to reduce food waste, frozen food giant Iceland is set to give away food products on the last day of their shelf life.
— Sep 27, 2021
New year deadline on retail 'green washing' claims
The UK’s competition watchdog has warned businesses that they have until the beginning of next year to make sure their environmental claims comply with the law.
— Sep 27, 2021
Retail confidence hits a new low
Retail confidence has hit a new low as a result of recent supply chain disruptions and challenges over staff levels and stock shortages.
— Aug 28, 2021
Protection for Scottish store staff comes into force
A new law that has come into effect this month means that verbal or physical attacks against anyone working in a retail store in Scotland will be regarded as a specific offence.
— Aug 28, 2021
Fraud on the rise for retailers
More than three quarters (82 per cent) of retailers have seen an increase in fraud attempts since the pandemic began, according to new research.
— Jul 29, 2021
Retail staff should be exempt from 'pingdemic'
The BRC has urged the Government to ensure staff in retail stores and suppliers should be allowed to work even if they receive an NHS COVID app ‘ping’ alert to self-isolate.
— Jun 23, 2021
Food for thought as hospitality re-opening impacts eat at home sales
The slow re-opening of the hospitality sector has started to have a negative impact on retail food sales, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
— May 25, 2021
Global shoppers fear losing their identity
More than two-thirds (77 per cent) of global shoppers have reduced their digital footprint for fear they are losing control over their privacy, according to research.
— Apr 26, 2021
Restriction measures from lockdown could help curb crime
The legacy of the coronavirus may continue beyond the wholesale re-opening of society, with some retailers maintaining some of the in-store restrictions they implemented during the pandemic in an effort to reduce crime.
— Mar 29, 2021
A War on Fuel Loss
I’d like to start by recommending an excellent book to you by General Stanley McChrystal (US Army, retired), Team of Teams: New Rules of Engagement for a Complex World. As the title suggests, this is focused on collaboration in a military setting, and the retired four-star general has concluded that in a world of ever-increasing complexity, networks offer the best chance for organisational success.
— Mar 26, 2021
Amazon launches second Just Walk Out store
Amazon has opened its second UK Amazon Fresh store at Wembley Park, less than a month after it launched its first in Ealing West London.
— Mar 26, 2021
Consumers remain cautious about the re-opening of non-essential services
Shoppers are taking a slowly-slowly approach to returning to the High Street and will only feel safe once everyone is vaccinated, according to new research.
— Jan 27, 2021
Violence against staff over face coverings
Supermarket staff are reportedly facing increased levels of violence as customers vent their anger over the tightened enforcement over face coverings.
— Jan 27, 2021
Retailers may abandon or burn returned items in Europe
High Street retailers and luxury brands may abandon and even burn items returned by EU customers that are now stuck in European warehouses rather than bringing them back to the UK to avoid the cost and hassle of Brexit red tape.
— Jan 27, 2021
Not so happy New Year as retail faces 200,000 new job losses
The retail sector is bracing itself for around 200,000 further job losses as a result of the ongoing pandemic restrictions, according the influential Centre for Retail Research (CRR).
— Dec 17, 2020
Fashion brands review cotton links to China
Global fashion retailers are facing scrutiny over due diligence in their supply chains as claims of forced labour involving persecuted minorities picking cotton in Xinjiang, a Chinese region plagued by allegations of human rights abuses, continue to circulate.
— Dec 17, 2020
Shopping behaviour significantly impacted by COVID
Coronavirus has not only impacted our health choices, but also our shopping behaviour, according to new research.
— Nov 25, 2020
Retailers urged to prepare their businesses for a no-deal Brexit
The convenience sector has been told to consider the impact of trading environment, workforce, inflation and regulation ahead of the end of the transition period on 31 December.
— Nov 25, 2020
Out of stock increases customer 'out of patience'
E-commerce is benefitting from increasing frustration amongst shoppers about the in-store experience, according to new research.
— Nov 16, 2020
The DC makes its own journey as part of the overall customer experience
Distribution and fulfilment centres are seeing significant levels of investment, often at the expense of their high street colleagues, a trend that has been accelerated by COVID-19. However, one area that seems to almost be overlooked by some retailers is returns, despite some experiencing volumes equal to 50 per cent of total sales.
— Nov 16, 2020
Lockdown Mach 2 - can retail survive?
Whatever the future of bricks and mortar, it is evident the only place we can now enjoy full peak trade promotion is online. But can we trust every basket checkout? Absolutely not! It is precisely at these uncertain times that fraudsters will be looking to maximise their gains. We need focus on how we can prevent our losses online more than ever, and collaborative online strategy is one place herd immunity will work!
— Nov 16, 2020
Peak trading and distribution security - handling additional employees without additional security resources
Within distribution centres, the lack of effective exit procedures and technology suitable to detect the wide range of products being stocked means that it can be easy to steal. High value items are easy to conceal on the body and the loss prevention team have a hard time monitoring thousands of individuals. With unemployment rising and COVID-19 challenges, this winter is set to be challenging for LP teams around the world.
— Nov 16, 2020
Maximise customer service and minimise the potential for loss
The COVID pandemic has dramatically changed the way the customer interacts with retail, and while online growth has always been on the radar it has been significantly aided by this pandemic into double digit growth way beyond that which anyone could predict.
— Oct 28, 2020
Will retail bounce back be sustained?
Retail sales for the third quarter of 2020 showed a qualified improvement on the previous figures, according to the latest KPMG and Ipsos Retail Think Tank (RTT).
— Sep 30, 2020
Shoppers have amassed £100m voucher 'mountain'
Adults across the UK have amassed a mountain of unused shopping vouchers during the lockdown, according to consumer group Which?
— Sep 30, 2020
Warts and all
Stock file accuracy may not present a pretty picture, but taking ownership presents a realistic view of what the business needs to do, according to Zebra Technologies.
— Sep 29, 2020
The challenge of loss prevention and staff safety in a tighter health and safety environment
Body cameras can be a valuable asset to a retailer's safety toolkit, and be used for a variety of functions; ensuring social distancing in all areas is being observed, helping to deter aggression towards staff and other customers, and reducing the risk of theft.
— Sep 29, 2020
COVID and climate change are now driving health and safety agenda
Technology extinguishes bad practice and captures the Zeitgeist of the time.
— Sep 8, 2020
Why intelligent cash management goes beyond COVID concerns to reduce cost and fraud
At the beginning of the pandemic, mixed messages from the media led some retailers to exclude cash from its stores entirely, but since then the World Health Organisation and other health experts have made it clear that the risk of picking up a virus from cash is extremely unlikely. Closed cash management is the ultimate cash hygiene solution as it removes the necessity for manual cash processes entirely. Staff never have to handle cash either at the point of sale or in the back office. And as a completely closed system, it is also the best way to reduce shrinkage and improve security.
— Sep 8, 2020
Is cash forgotten or simply furloughed?
Although COVID-19, with all of its non-contact regulation, may have devalued the transactional currency, in part through confusion and mis-information, hard cash simply finds itself in a state of furlough rather than being forever forgotten, according to one of the world’s largest cash handling and management businesses. Tellermate, which provides intelligent counting and security systems to some of the world’s best known retail, grocery and hospitality brands, has observed the global trends emanating from the pandemic, but is seeing growth in demand for its range of cash handling solutions with some businesses using the lockdown to prepare for the return of cash.
— Sep 8, 2020
Why less cash doesn't mean cashless
It is no secret that the Coronavirus pandemic has led to declining cash usage rates. Prediction models suggest that cash usage in the UK will decline by 38% in 2020. So, while we cannot deny that cash usage is declining, there is still no reason to suggest that we’ll be seeing a cashless society anytime soon. Instead, this decline of cash usage highlights the necessity of smart cash handling and ensuring that every consumer is considered before making drastic changes to payment options.
— Sep 8, 2020
BSIA promotes cash as a safe method of payment
The British Security Industry Association (BSIA) is calling on retailers in all sectors and local authorities across the UK to recognise, acknowledge and promote the use of cash as a safe choice of payment both during and after the COVID-19 crisis.
— Aug 26, 2020
Shop worker petition is the fastest growing in Parliamentary history
A call for legally enshrined protection for retail staff against violence, threats and abuse has become the fastest growing Parliamentary petition of all time, reaching 10,000 signatures in just one day.
— Aug 26, 2020
Food for thought
The UK food and grocery market is poised to grow by 10 per cent - or by £19.1 billion - by 2022, according to the latest market forecast research from IGD.
— Aug 11, 2020
Will COVID provide the breeding space for a rise in internal fraud?
While the UK has adapted to the routine tightening and loosening of necessary controls to our everyday lives due to the pandemic, are UK businesses welcoming customers back ready for the potential of a closer to home spike in internal theft as a result of post-COVID desperation and furlough fear?
— Aug 11, 2020
Retailer's search for 'hands-off' internal theft checks after COVID lockdown 'pat down' ban
While the commercial impact of the Coronavirus global pandemic plays out across the retail sector, one emerging threat has thus far remained hidden from view – the potential epidemic of internal theft resulting from COVID-19 restrictions on randomised ‘pat downs’ and bag searches as employees leave stores and DCs.
— Aug 11, 2020
Where the never seen becomes the Everseen
AI ‘nudge’ technology in the front line of the fight against internal theft.
— Aug 11, 2020
When just giving becomes just taking
The Commitment Card is a secure and accredited charity employment database which is a voluntary vetting programme that works by directing charity staff and volunteers to register their details for a card which they take with them when they change jobs. If they are dismissed, the card is electronically withdrawn, meaning they have to re-apply for a new card to work, at which point this is flagged on the secure and accredited database.
— Aug 10, 2020
Counting the cost of not counting stock
Not being able to carry out stock counts will be bad news for retailers, but great news for internal thieves who know that if they steal something today, it won’t be noticed until next year, if at all. Here, the only winners are those engaged in theft as they know their dishonesty is less likely to surface in this post-COVID dystopic world, leaving the already hard-stretched retail industry tens of millions of pounds out of pocket.
— Jul 30, 2020
Retailers frustrated over Government response to violence against shop workers
Retailers have responded with frustration to the Government’s action plan for tackling violence against store staff, claiming it to be a missed opportunity to bring into law a specific offence.
— Jul 15, 2020
Sekura's roboshop technology helps retailers get back in business
Sanitising robots and social distancing tags unlock ‘the new normal’ for retail.
— Jul 15, 2020
Taking stock of stocktaking and making safety count
Stock file accuracy is the starting point from which all retailers measure their profit and losses, but how do they manage the mechanics of this delicate audit process safely in the depths of a global pandemic?
— Jul 15, 2020
Safety is the name of the game
Attensi plays safe by providing risk training - without the risk.
— Jul 14, 2020
Re-therapizing retail therapy
The heat is on as Amberstone’s Dan Hardy reviews business resumption and takes the temperature of a possible summer of discontent.
— Jun 29, 2020
Sales improvements are on the cards
UK retailers saw a 60 per cent surge in transactions in the early part of June as shops began to re-open after lockdown, according to new data from Barclaycard.
— May 23, 2020
It's official - sales are down
The impact on retail of the economic lockdown in April has been revealed with the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reporting an all-time low in sales.
— May 23, 2020
Amazon to launch fresh grocery delivery service
Food home delivery is about to get the Amazon treatment as the online giant is poised to launch a new “Ultra Fast Fresh” delivery service to bring rapid grocery delivery to 40 per cent of UK households by 2021.
— May 6, 2020
Navigating the Current and Future Impact of COVID-19 on Loss Prevention Technology
Successful and safe store re-opening will require a mix of practical measures and technology. The risk assessments required to be completed by retailers will place a great emphasis on staff and customer safety. For example, the risk of complaints and potential litigation could be high if businesses are considered to have failed to adequately enforce social distancing measures. ONVU Retail explores how remote monitoring, CCTV analytics and 360-degree camera technology will play a critical part in this area.
— May 5, 2020
Preparing for COVID-Conflict
Conflict management specialists, Maybo, share their advice for new and returning retail employees during the Coronavirus crisis, plus some free training resources.
— May 5, 2020
Common sense in sensing common areas
Just in time Indyme provides social distancing warning technology.
— May 4, 2020
Business, but not as usual
High stakes for the High Street as leading security expert asks ‘what’s in store for retailers post coronavirus?’
— Apr 28, 2020
What does the future hold for retail?
The high street was already going through a period of unprecedented change prior to the Coronavirus pandemic, with stores looking for ways to counter their online competitors and improve their in-store experience. And while the current situation has put retailers under even more immense pressure, many are using it as an opportunity to supercharge their digital transformation and ensure they’re ready to succeed in the future.
— Apr 28, 2020
COVID-19 changing shopper behaviour
Fears around the Coronavirus have had a profound impact on shopper behaviour with increases in abuse, threats and assaults and a switch in store loyalty – from supermarket to convenience stores, according to two new pieces of research.
— Mar 30, 2020
Experiences are as important as experience
When building retail teams, experiences are as important as experience
— Mar 28, 2020
You’re hired! Supermarkets on a COVID-19 recruitment spree
Supermarkets at the front line of feeding a locked down UK have gone on a massive shopping spree for staff as a result of the ongoing Coronavirus crisis.
— Mar 28, 2020
Business, but not as usual
Retail’s ever-changing landscape is being further shaped by the unprecedented challenges of COVID-19, a crisis that has triggered innovative ‘business as usual’ solutions to help essential stores keep trading.
— Mar 28, 2020
Crime at your convenience
Britain’s local shops have been the victim of over 50,000 incidents of violence over the last year, according to figures from the Association of Convenience Stores’ 2020 Crime Report.
— Feb 26, 2020
Coronavirus - warning over shortage of clothes
Primark’s owner Associated British Foods (ABF) has warned there is a risk of shortages of some clothing lines later this year if delays in factory production in China are prolonged because of the coronavirus.
— Dec 18, 2019
There is litle to cheer about this Christmas, says BRC report
There will be a number of challenges facing retailers this Christmas, according to the latest British Retail Consortium’s Festive FAQ 2019/2020.
— Dec 11, 2019
Ringing in the Changes
Where loss prevention meets lost property in the recycling, reuse, and repatriation of mobile devices.
— Dec 2, 2019
Shoppers feel more comfortable with self checkout
Shoppers are becoming increasingly used to do-it-yourself self checkout (SCO) technology, with 40 per cent having used it in the last six months and 60 per cent saying it improved their customer experience.
— Dec 2, 2019
Experts unclear on Black Friday performance
The Black Friday period could see sales growth of two to three per cent, although there is “a very real possibility” that it could be flat and the lowest sales figures ever recorded, according to IMRG, the industry association for online retail.
— Oct 28, 2019
Store-based profit margins at breaking point
A brand new report highlights more bad news for the UK High Street with store-based profit margins plunging by more than half in eight years, pushing swathes of retailers to ‘breaking point’.
— Oct 28, 2019
Small retailers are biggest crime victims
Small to medium sized retailers were the biggest target of crime in the last year, according to the latest survey from the Federation of Small businesses (FSB).
— Sep 28, 2019
Holiday firm loss adds to High Street woes
The collapse of package holiday company Thomas Cook has added to the woes of the UK High Street.
— Sep 28, 2019
Card payments overtaking cash on the High Street
Consumers spent more money on credit cards with UK retailers last year than they did in cash, according to a report from the British Retail Consortium (BRC).
— Aug 22, 2019
Retail report highlights inappropriate behaviour
With gender politics high on the political and business agendas in the wake of the #MeToo campaign, a new study has revealed that one in 10 retail workers – equal to 319,000 staff – have experienced inappropriate touching of a sexual nature in their current workplace.
— Aug 22, 2019
Lost in transit
Tote box and roll cage ‘repo’ firm saving retail supply chains millions of pounds
— Jul 25, 2019
Extent of empty shop fronts revealed
New figures released by local councils have revealed that 15.9 per cent of all shops in the UK now lie empty.
— Jul 25, 2019
Retail woes with worrying fall in sales
UK retail sales volumes fell at their fastest pace since the financial crisis in the year to June, according to the latest figures from the Confederation of British Industry (CBI).
— Jun 26, 2019
The 'disappearing' high street?
The scale of decline in bricks and mortar retailing was crystallised this month with a report highlighting that more than 20,000 shops have ‘disappeared’ from the high streets and communities they once served.
— Apr 30, 2019
Technology Driving Retail Job Losses
The growth of online shopping and new technologies has driven a loss of almost 75,000 retail jobs since last year, according to new data from the British Retail Consortium (BRC).
— Mar 28, 2019
Online retailers caught in the net of catfishing
More than three quarters (80 per cent) of consumers now consider post-purchase and delivery experience as fundamental to their desire to buy again from the same retailer, according to a study which found that customers feel ‘catfished’ if they are passed from one company to another.
— Mar 28, 2019
Department stores risk extinction, says report
A new report from Forrester has warned that department stores risk being a thing of the past if they do not embrace the future.
— Feb 28, 2019
Taxpayers foot the bill for failing stores
Failing stores are costing UK taxpayers hundreds of millions of pounds, according to new figures.
— Feb 28, 2019
How no-deal Brexit could impact shoppers
Retail industry bodies from the UK, Ireland and Northern Ireland have come together to issue a stark warning on how a no-deal Brexit will affect shoppers.
— Dec 19, 2018
Shoppers don't trust retailers with their data
A staggering 87 per cent of consumers do not trust retailers with their personal data, according to a recent survey.
— Dec 19, 2018
Has online bubble burst as return to sender increase is on the horizon?
The bubble for increased online sales over Christmas may be about to burst as ASOS and Boohoo report profit warnings and a new report predicts that the value of online returns are forecast to increase to £5.6 billion over the next five years.
— Nov 30, 2018
Germany looks to the UK for online sales
British cities and towns may be playing host to German street markets this Christmas, but German shoppers are themselves targeting UK online retailers for their purchases, according to new research.
— Nov 30, 2018
Black Friday proved a black day for the high street
Early data from Friday’s sales event shows online transactions were up 55 per cent on last year between midnight and 10am and up 46 per cent overall, with online shopping continuing to surge throughout the day and into the so-called ‘Cyber Weekend’.
— Nov 30, 2018
Retailers must take network connectivity more seriously, reveals CSL Group survey
CSL, the leading provider of secure connectivity for machine to machine (M2M) and Internet of Things (IoT) devices in mission-critical applications, has published the results of a study that highlights how UK retailers are failing to address connectivity concerns and how this is having a negative impact upon operational procedures.
— Oct 30, 2018
Report highlights sluggish online sales in September
The juggernaut of Internet shopping appears to be slowing down, with UK online retail sales in September growing at their lowest rate - 7.5 per cent year-on-year - since 2014, according to the latest IMRG Capgemini online retail sales index.
— Oct 30, 2018
Serial returners could be banned by retailers
Nearly half (45 per cent) of retailers are planning to ban ‘serial returners’ – those shoppers who deliberately and regularly buy multiple items with the intent to return some.
— Oct 30, 2018
Are we losing App–etite for frictionless payments?
More than half (52 per cent) of online small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) globally worry that the move to frictionless payments - such as transactions that take place behind the scenes in apps - is leaving them more open to fraud and will negatively impact revenues.
— Aug 30, 2018
UK leads European cashless payments
The UK leads the continental cashless payment market generating £81.3 trillion in electronic transactions, almost double the amount spent in any other European country, according to new research from Expert Market.
— Jul 30, 2018
Retailers 'prioritising' sales ahead of fraud prevention
Six in 10 retailers believe that lost sales in digital channels are a bigger concern than fraud, with 48 per cent stating that they are willing to face an increased risk of fraud if it means more sales.
— Jun 29, 2018
From shipbuilding to shop building
Belfast reinvents itself as Centre of Excellence in tackling retail crime
— Apr 29, 2018
Retail industry worst hit by cyber attacks
Cyber attacks in the retail sector are becoming more organised and structured, according to analysis of threat intelligence and breach incidents.
— Apr 29, 2018
Digital wallets 'are the near future', suggests research
Retail sales using smartphones look set for a major increase in the next 12 months, according to the latest research.
— Apr 29, 2018
Retail industry suffers from 1,060 reported incidents of shoplifting every day
Recorded store theft has reached new epidemic proportions, according to the latest research from global loss prevention solutions provider Checkpoint Systems.
— Mar 28, 2018
Why lone working should mean you are never alone
Lone working is increasingly commonplace in retail environments as it offers many benefits to businesses. But what are the risks and what should retailers be doing to protect their staff?
— Mar 28, 2018
Positive approaches to challenging behaviours
Tackling anti-social behaviour and abuse towards retail workers is back at the top of the priority list for many retailers.
— Mar 28, 2018
Dressed to kill
From counterfeit to counter culture. How that look-alike “Little Black Number” funds the black flag of hatred
— Mar 27, 2018
Risk-averse consumers still wary of wearable technology
Despite the hype, consumers are still wary when it comes to the security of their payments, according to a new survey.
— Mar 27, 2018
Violence and aggression factor in retail crime stats
Two new crime reports published this Spring point to a rise in violence and aggression against retail staff, compared to previous years.
— Mar 27, 2018
'Beast from the East' brings online benefits
While ‘bricks and mortar’ retail sales suffered at the mercy of the Beast from the East keeping shoppers at home, it was a fairer outlook for online purchasers, according to the latest research.
— Mar 27, 2018
Wagamama has ‘app-etite’ for 'just go' technology
Restaurant chain Wagamama has announced the launch of Wagamamago – an app that enables customers to simply walk out of the restaurant once they have finished their meal, with payment automatically taken from their account.
— Feb 27, 2018
Irish police warning over iTunes scam
The Republic of Ireland has become the latest territory for fraudsters using iTunes as currency by duping members of the public to purchase gift cards.
— Jan 30, 2018
Self-service theft equates to £5 per person, per month
Britons are stealing £3.2 billion worth of goods from self-service tills each year - equating to around £5 per person a month.
— Jan 30, 2018
UK Government raises awareness of the signs of money laundering
The UK Government is raising awareness of the signs of money laundering and the risks firms and professionals face if caught facilitating or failing to report financial crime.
— Jan 30, 2018
All systems go for Amazon Go
Amazon has announced the opening of its first Amazon Go supermarket in Seattle, which has no checkout operators or self-service tills.
— Dec 15, 2017
Make customer journey more enjoyable, says research
More than three quarters of UK consumers believe that retailers are not doing enough to make shopping in-store enjoyable, new research has shown.
— Dec 11, 2017
The Importance of Peakonomics
For most people in the Western world, the seasonal build up to December 25th is like living inside a snow globe that is shaken once a year to release the magic of Christmas.
— Nov 28, 2017
55 per cent of Chinese shoppers
China’s love affair with British brands has manifested itself in 55 per cent of shoppers purchasing their ‘little corner of England’ online in the past three months and spending an average of £104 per month on UK goods.
— Oct 30, 2017
An equal split between bricks and clicks
Half of British retailers are finally taking a joint approach to investing in the physical and digital shopping experience, new research has found.
— Oct 30, 2017
Wind of damage sweeps through Ireland
Ireland is facing a huge financial storm as the cost of Hurricane Ophelia could reach as high as €1 billion.
— Sep 28, 2017
Collaboration on food waste reduction
In the English language, the word “set” reportedly has the most number of different meanings - 464 according to the Oxford English Dictionary.
— Sep 28, 2017
Modern supply chains continue to hide a dark secret
In 2013, when she was Home Secretary, British Prime Minister Theresa May wrote in an editorial for the Telegraph, “It is walking our streets, supplying our shops and supermarkets, working in fields, factories, or nail bars, trapped in brothels, or cowering behind curtains in an ordinary street: slavery.
— Aug 31, 2017
Robot stores could open new doors
Stocktaking could soon become a totally automated daily process for large stores after US supermarket Schnucks began trials using robotics technology.
— Aug 31, 2017
Millennials and mythology - the future of shopping
The future of retail could be a lot more physical and less digital than first thought, according to new research across Europe.
— Aug 31, 2017
Brexit could bring food shortages
The British Retail Consortium has warned that the UK could face food shortages as a result of Brexit if the UK does not resolve issues around customs processes.
— Jul 28, 2017
Click & Collect Returns Research – Retailers Needed
The ECR Community Shrink and OSA Group is looking for retailers to participate in a short telephone survey with the academics from the University of Portsmouth who are looking at the loss prevention challenges related to the "buy online, return to store" customer proposition.
— Jun 30, 2017
Taking stock of stocktaking
Everyone knows that the first rule of managing shrink is being able to measure it.
— Jun 30, 2017
Col-LAB-oration Retail Meets Research in Laboratory Conditions to Create LP Solutions
Great retail ideas are seldom created in a vacuum, especially in the country that introduced the flat-pack furniture revolution to the rest of Europe.
— Apr 26, 2017
Ghost in the Machine
The fashion industry is losing out by a staggering €161 trillion in revenue due to overstocks, out-of stocks and returns, according to new research by IHL Group which refers to the phenomenon draining the sector as the ‘ghost economy’.
— Mar 29, 2017
Health and Safety Dispelling the Myths
As a young boy, my dreams and aspirations didn’t include wanting to be a health and safety professional.
— Mar 29, 2017
Fixing Shelf Out-of-Stocks
In the mature and highly competitive European retail sector, ensuring that the right product is on the right shelf at the right time is critical, yet the problem of shelf out-of-stocks remains as stubborn as ever.
— Mar 29, 2017
Morrisons minds the gap
One of the UK’s leading supermarket chains has announced the success of replenishment technology that uses artificial intelligence to keep the store shelves stacked and reduce out-of-stocks.
— Jan 31, 2017
Forget BREXIT – business rates could kill High Street
Despite many heralding Brexit as the key deterrent for international businesses to set up shop in the UK, new findings have revealed that the complex business rates system could be more to blame.
— Dec 15, 2016
Return to sender as Christmas marks the rise in serial returners
Barclaycard is prepared for an increase in ‘serial returners’ – those who deliberately over-purchase and return unwanted items – over Christmas.
— Dec 15, 2016
Just Walk Out
Online giant Amazon is entering the world of hassle-free physical shopping by allowing people to walk into stores, pick up what they want and leave without paying – seemingly.
— Dec 14, 2016
Seeing the bigger picture
There are few things as frustrating for a loss prevention leader than discovering product packaging they know will promote shrink, which could so easily have been prevented if those who created and approved the packaging had included shrink reduction in the initial design criteria.
— Nov 21, 2016
UK retailers have black outlook on Black Friday
The number of UK retailers that see Black Friday as an “unprofitable and unsustainable promotion” has doubled over the last 12 months – rising from 32 per cent in 2015 to 61 per cent this year, according to new figures.
— Oct 27, 2016
Tobacco Group Fights Crime
The Tobacco Retailer’s Alliance (TRA) has called on the Government to do more to fight against the sale of illegal tobacco in independent retailers.
— Oct 27, 2016
Participate in the ECR Community research project on omni-channel returns
Shoppers love “click & collect”: they can order their favourite items online and then collect, at a time that suits them, from their nearest store, saving them money and time waiting in for a delivery.
— Oct 6, 2016
Getting to Grips with Losses and Costs in Retailing:
We are all familiar with use of the word "shrinkage" to describe the losses experienced by retailers, although it is impossible to find any industry-wide agreement on what it actually means or the types of losses that are typically included when it is used by different retailers.
— Aug 31, 2016
UK Card Fraud the worst in Europe
The UK saw Europe’s largest annual jump in card fraud losses for 2015, according to a new report from analytic software company FICO which has released an interactive map of European plastic abuse.
— Jul 29, 2016
Skies no longer the limit
Amazon is partnering with the UK Government to test the various technologies that may one day make the delivery of parcels by small drones a reality.
— Jun 24, 2016
UBER enters the home delivery market
Online fraud managers looking to drive down losses and improve service standards within the carrier community have been set a new challenge as Uber has announced plans to be the latest player in the home delivery market.
— Jun 24, 2016
PM warns retailers over living wage abuse
The British Prime Minister David Cameron has formally warned retailers against undermining the new national living wage after high-profile stores were accused of trying to bypass the regulations.
— May 31, 2016
Swedish Retail Crime - A Bridge That's Not Too Far
Europe’s love affair with Scandinavian crime drama has taken a real life twist as the Swedish Retail and Wholesale Council (Handelsrådet) and The British Society of Criminology (BSC) plan to co-sponsor an international seminar on retail crime taking place in Stockholm on 15th September.
— Mar 16, 2016
Irish store theft the highest since 2004
Retail theft from Irish stores is the highest it has been since 2004, according to figures from the Garda Síochána.
— Feb 25, 2016
New ‘living wage’ will cost almost £4 bn per year to retail sector in next four years
The new national ‘living wage’ to be introduced in April will cost retailers a staggering £3.26bn per year in extra pay, national insurance and pensions, according to a new study by the influential Centre For Retail Research (CRR).
— Feb 25, 2016
The PM is thinking outside the box
The UK Prime Minister David Cameron has announced that criminals will no longer have to ‘tick the box’ that reveals past convictions on job applications.
— Jan 27, 2016
Charity thefts are a grey area
Gifts of clothing and other stock donated by the public to charity shops that are left on the retailer’s doorstep outside of opening hours are at risk of theft and may not be protected by the law, according to one retail loss prevention specialist in the not-for-profit sector.
— Dec 16, 2015
Cutting the carbs in all shapes and sizes
Carrefour has partnered with the Gueules Cassées (Ugly Mugs) collective to introduce the 'Tous AntiGaspi' (All Against Waste) range to its French stores as part of its efforts to reduce food waste and reduce its carbon footprint.
— Dec 9, 2015
Where Cash is No Longer King
Taking Note of Nordic Countries Going through the Change.
— Nov 30, 2015
'Black Friday' took on new name in France
While the US and the UK took advantage of Black Friday bargains, the event had to take on a new identity in the French capital.
— Oct 29, 2015
Bank of England encourages retailers to check banknotes over the festive period
Retailers and businesses will be much busier than normal over the Christmas period and often employ temporary staff, so there is an increased risk of counterfeit banknotes being passed.
— Oct 2, 2015
Will bag levy increase store losses?
England is following the rest of the United Kingdom in introducing a 5p charge for single-use plastic bags next week in an effort to spare the environment from the billions handed out by UK supermarkets every year.
— Oct 1, 2015
High street far from dead, says report
The growth in online is not likely to kill the high street, according to a new report.
— Jul 7, 2015
Walking the walk, but talking the ORC
Defining organised retail crime in Europe and the US
— May 28, 2015
Not so many happy returns
Satisfaction with online shopping remains buoyant, but concern is growing over ‘returns’ policies getting more ‘draconian’ which could impact sales, according to the latest IMRG Internet retailing survey.
— Apr 29, 2015
European gangs are ‘bagging’ millions in charity donations
Organised international gangs are targeting charity donated black bag collections which are preventing international fundraisers getting aid to the world’s needy, according to watchdog groups Clothes Aid and Charitybags.org.
— Mar 2, 2015
Think before you drink after international crackdown on ‘windscreen wash’ alcohol
Dangerous fake alcohol some of which is made from harmful chemicals including windscreen wash have been seized by UK Trading Standards working with Interpol and Europol.
— Jan 27, 2015
‘Don’ is no longer just short for Donald in Aberdeen
Scottish city is identified as top mafia base with interests in retail and catering.
— Nov 28, 2014
Global Economic Retail Crime getting worse, says PwC Report
Global economic crime impacting the retail and consumer markets is on the rise with almost half of respondents to a global survey being impacted.
— Nov 28, 2014
During the festive period, take extra care when checking your banknotes
To help protect your business, the Bank of England is reminding you to ensure all banknotes being passed in transactions are checked and to ensure all staff know what to do if they suspect a banknote is counterfeit.
— Oct 27, 2014
Santa’s Little Helpers – help themselves
Tips and guidance on how to handle seasonal worker screening.
— Sep 29, 2014
Bank fraud increase on the cards
New figures released by Financial Fraud Action UK show that card and remote banking fraud increased during the first six months of 2014.
— Sep 29, 2014
European ATM crime on the increase
Cashpoint or ATM fraud is on the increase, according to the European ATM Security Team (EAST) which has just published its second European Fraud Update for 2014.
— Aug 15, 2014
Charity checks out retail mental health
A leading retail charity has announced a new partnership which hopes to turn around the growing issue of stress and depression in the workplace.
— Aug 15, 2014
‘Hard’ Luck for business data losses
Hard disk drive crashes on desktop and laptop PCs continue to be responsible for the highest volumes of data loss by UK businesses and home users, according to new research from Kroll Ontrack. Two thirds (67%) of respondents said that HDD crashes caused data loss, compared with 14% who blamed human error and 10% who said software failure was responsible.
— Jun 26, 2014
New deal to secure European Supply Chain Security
Three powerful European transportation organisations have joined forces to reinforce cross border supply chain security. The International Road Transport Union (IRU), the Transported Asset Protection Association (TAPA EMEA) and EUROWATCH, specialising in police response to security incidents across more than 40 European countries, have signed Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) to jointly contribute to reducing losses incurred by the international supply chain stemming from criminal activity and security breaches.
— Jun 25, 2014
Whistle where you work
Reports Say Corporate Whistle Blowing across Europe Is in Crisis.
— Jun 23, 2014
UK Retailers welcome European Parliament vote on payments market
European consumers could soon benefit from a radical overhaul in the relationship between retailers and the banks over the cost of processing card payments. The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has welcomed a significant vote by MEPs in the European Parliament for a comprehensive overhaul of the European payments market.
— Jun 23, 2014
Biometrics in Loss Prevention
Biometrics refers to the quantification of human traits or characteristics into data that can be used for two main purposes: to identify and/or to validate. The most common forms of biometrics include facial recognition, fingerprint, iris, palm-vein scan and voice biometrics but other biometrics also exist to include things like ear shape and odour.
— Mar 20, 2014
Scan 'scams' research gets underway
A far-reaching global research project is under way into the uses and abuses of mobile scanning in store.
