| Global retail industry news |  |
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 | Retail in Europe |  |  | | - Shop vacancies in UK city centres up, researcher says
Local Data, a retail researcher, said that shop vacancies in British city centres reached 14.5% at the end of last year, up from 12% the previous year. In 2008, the rate was less than 6%. "Marked differences in health of towns by location, size and retailer mix are more apparent than ever," according to Matthew Hopkinson, a director at Local Data. "These high streets will never revert back to what they once were." The Guardian (London) (15 Feb.), The Independent (London) (15 Feb.), Bloomberg (14 Feb.)      - Bulgari's London hotel will feature cinema, spa, ballroom
Rome-based Bulgari is planning to open its third hotel after signing an agreement to launch a property in London next year. The 85-room luxury hotel will be located in Knightsbridge and will feature an indoor pool, restaurant, bar, spa, private cinema and ballroom. Bulgari CEO Francesco Trapani said the hotel is "a further statement of our brand in the U.K., which is a strategic market for luxury goods." Bloomberg (14 Feb.) | Retail in Asia | | | | - Ikea poised to tap into South Korean market
Ikea is planning to open its first store in South Korea either in or near Seoul this year, according to a source. "Ikea looks to initiate operations this year. We recommended opening the first outlet in Gyeonggi Province but the firm preferred Seoul or a closer alternative," according to the source. "Ikea said that it might be able to launch a second outlet in Gyeonggi Province as its likely success in Seoul would prompt the head office in Sweden to approve expansion." The Korea Times (Seoul) (14 Feb.) - Shoppers Stop to hire fashion consultants for employees
India's Shoppers Stop is planning to recruit about 1,000 fashion consultants to revamp its front-end staff in an effort to attract wealthier consumers to its outlets. The move comes as Shoppers Stop repositions itself in the bridge-to-luxury retail category. "Service standard requirement of customers has gone up. We need employees with better understanding of customers and fashion. Hiring such staff will help control attrition," said Govind Shrikhande, managing director and chief customer associate at Shoppers Stop. Financial Chronicle (India) (14 Feb.) - KFC feeds demand for local dishes in China
Yum! Brands-owned KFC operates 3,200 restaurants in China and commands 40% of the country's quickservice market, due in large part to its focus on hiring local managers, sourcing homegrown ingredients and tailoring its menus to Chinese tastes. Some analysts are concerned that Yum! will become too dependent on China, which is likely to comprise more than half of its global revenue by 2015. The Washington Post (12 Feb.) - John Lewis' expanded website to cover more of Europe
John Lewis is planning to add channels to its e-commerce site to serve as many as 25 European countries. The retailer is said to be looking into stand-alone sites for certain European areas. Initially, John Lewis' plans will not include sales of big-ticket items, but the chain will reconsider as its online channel continues to develop. MarketingMagazine.co.uk (U.K.) (14 Feb.)  | Effective innovation is illusive, but is the key to sustained competitive advantage in the CPG industry. This report slide package examines best-in-class examples of innovation and marketing to drive success in this increasingly challenging environment. Learn more here. |
 | Spotlight on Grocery | | | | - Waitrose to ship groceries to US, Canada
Waitrose, the supermarket division of the John Lewis group, is planning to launch exports of foodstuffs to Canada and the US. The company, which moved into the export business a decade ago, has been steadily expanding its exports. Executives, however, said that the move is not a step toward establishing Waitrose branches abroad. Telegraph (London) (14 Feb.) | NRF News | | | | - Are Facebook credits leading to a new social payment system?
Thanks in part to social media sites like Facebook, retailers and customers are more connected than ever before. In an upcoming INNOVATE 2011 session, Jay Feitlinger of StringCan Interactive will discuss how interactions between retailers and customers via Facebook could be the beginnings of a near-future universal form of payment. Retail's newest show, INNOVATE 2011, will be held March 8-10 in San Francisco. Learn more.
| SmartQuote | | | |  | Cautious, careful people always casting about to preserve their reputation or social standards never can bring about reform."
--Susan B. Anthony,
American women's rights activist,
quoted for her birthday, Feb. 15, 1820  |
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