| Global retail industry news |  |
- Couche-Tard on track to grow in Europe, N. America
Canada-based convenience store operator Alimentation Couche-Tard booked big increases in its fourth-quarter and full year sales and earnings on Tuesday. The company, which operates brands including Mac's, Circle K and On the Run, says the acquisition of Norwegian energy retailer Statoil Fuel & Retail positions Couche-Tard to expand rapidly in Europe as well as at home. Canadian Business (10 Jul.)       | Top 5 HR Compliance Concerns for Small Business
Small and medium sized companies spend a lot of time focusing on core business issues, but they may overlook one of the most potentially serious and costly issues — regulatory compliance. How do you know what issues to look for in order to protect the company? Download this must-read paper that discusses the top 5 HR compliance issues. |
 - The task for Marks & Spencer's new retail guru
Marks & Spencer turned to 25-year retail veteran Belinda Earl to fill its newly created style director post this week. Earl's career includes a stint running Debenhams and, more recently, attempts to turn around iconic luxury brands Aquascutum and Jaeger. Her biggest challenge at M&S will likely be to change the chain's apparel image to appeal to younger consumers, industry watchers say. The Guardian (London) (10 Jul.) - M&S to open Simply Food store in London's tallest tower: Marks & Spencer will open a Simply Food franchise in the Shard, a London skyscraper that's the tallest building in western Europe. The tower is adjacent to London Bridge train terminal, which is used by about 55 million passengers a year. Bloomberg Businessweek (11 Jul.)
 | Any business expanding globally needs to be aware of the complex and oftentimes stringent privacy regulations they'll encounter as they move into new markets. In the EU, for instance, a strict regulatory framework that could spell headaches for U.S. businesses who don't have the facts. Download this FREE eBook to avoid common pitfalls and streamline EU legal compliance. |
 | Retail in Asia |  |  | | - Old Navy to open 1st store outside North America this week
Gap-owned apparel brand Old Navy will open a 10,000-square-foot store in Japan on Thursday, the chain's first brick-and-mortar foray outside North America. Rather than locate on a tony shopping street, Old Navy is setting up shop in a new mall on Odaiba island in Tokyo Bay, alongside several other fashion brands including Zara, H&M, Uniqlo and American Eagle. Women's Wear Daily (subscription required) (10 Jul.) | E-commerce Spotlight | | | | - Report: Europe's online shoppers stay close to home
Few online shoppers in Europe stray to e-commerce companies beyond their home countries, according to the European Commission's annual Digital Agenda Scoreboard. "There are still too many barriers for easy cross-border purchases. As many as 60% of attempted cross-border Internet shopping orders fail due to technical or legal reasons, such as the refusal of non-domestic credit cards," said EC vice president Neelie Kroes. Internet Retailer (09 Jul.) - Why Rakuten's billionaire CEO is bullish on Pinterest
 Rakuten CEO Hiroshi Mikitani recently participated in a $100 million investment round in photo-driven social site Pinterest. He plans to become a strategic partner to the newer venture, and aims to capitalize on marketing opportunities that send more potential shoppers to Rakuten. Forbes (10 Jul.) | Spotlight on Luxury Goods | | | | - Canada's luxury retail space proves a relative bargain
Rents for retail space in some of Canada's most upscale shopping areas have been steadily rising but still prove a bargain compared to other global markets, according to an annual report by Colliers International. Toronto's Bloor Street came in 34th on the report's Top 50 high-rent retail districts, the only Canadian district to make the cut. Financial Post (Canada) (10 Jul.), CBC.ca (Canada) (10 Jul.) - Is Burberry a bellwether for upscale retail?
Burberry's sales growth slowed in the second quarter, spurring analysts to wonder whether the European economic crisis and China slowdown are starting to take a toll on the luxury market. "The slowdown at Burberry highlights caution for peers," said Morgan Stanley's Louise Singlehurst. Bloomberg (11 Jul.) | NRF News | | | | - Brazil and China: The emerging online retail powerhouses
Take a guess: Which are the five largest markets today in terms of online users? The U.S.? The U.K.? Germany? Actually, try China, in first place with 369 million online users, followed by the U.S. (253 million), then India (133 million), Japan (104 million) and Brazil (91 million). In a BIG Show session on global e-commerce for 2012, retail executives from China, Brazil and Forrester Research shared why the Chinese and Brazilian markets are prime opportunities for retailers looking to expand e-commerce operations. Read more. Shop.org Blog (16 Jan.)
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