A decade on from the first John Lewis How We Shop, Live and Look report, which looks back at the products and trends that shaped the year, we are a nation that has fallen out of love with DVD players and fidget spinners and gained a burgeoning obsession with air fryers and pizza ovens.
Over the last 12 months, we've seen customers return to shops, especially on Saturdays for a family day out where footfall is up 11 percent.
During the height of lockdowns, 81 percent of our sales came via the internet, this has fallen back to 57 percent with many dwelling in stores and hospitality and catering sales up 20 percent versus last year.
Posted: 1 December 2023
BAEKKE, the Danish sustainable jewellery brand, has announced a partnership with Wolf & Badger, the B Corp-certified platform curating over 2000 independent brands globally.
BAEKKE joins Wolf & Badger, known for championing skill, craftsmanship, and ethical production. BAEKKE's innovative jewellery, featuring interchangeable coloured beads, aligns seamlessly with Wolf & Badger's commitment to sustainability and ethical craftsmanship.
Founder Lene Schødt says: "Being part of Wolf & Badger is a fantastic end to our year. We've always looked to them for inspiration, and now, to be live on their platform is a real dream come true. This collaboration is a testament to our shared values of ethical production and quality design."
Posted: 30 November 2023
Anti Copying in Design (ACID), the UK's leading design and intellectual property (IP) advocacy organisation, and SnapDragon Monitoring, a renowned online brand protection and reputation management specialist, and have forged a strategic partnership aimed at safeguarding design businesses from the perils of counterfeits and IP infringements.
In today's landscape, counterfeiting poses a significant threat to all industries, as counterfeiters continually exploit genuine brand success to produce low-quality imitations of coveted products.
These counterfeit goods not only erode brand revenues and compromise IP, but also endanger consumers due to the use of toxic materials.
A recent SnapDragon survey discovered that nearly 20 percent of UK SMEs have fallen victim to counterfeit product sales, resulting in severe financial losses for 93 percent of them.
Posted: 24 November 2023
With just weeks until the big day, new research shows that 45 percent of Brits will be spending the same this Christmas as they did last year. 73 percent worry about finding the perfect gift and 98 percent are keen to support local businesses.
Despite cost of living concerns, over 45 percent of Brits will be spending the same this Christmas, with 33 percent spending more, according to new research from local gift card champions Town & City Gift Cards.
28 percent of people say they'll be spending £751-£1000 this Christmas, with the need to purchase gifts for friends and family given as the reason for Christmas spend staying the same or increasing.
Posted: 8 November 2023
Exclusive data from Kin + Carta, the global transformation consultancy, and Google Cloud has revealed that more than half of the UK's largest consumer facing brands see customer experience being the biggest area for AI innovation.
Business leaders from a range of consumer-facing brands, including Sky, EasyJet, ASOS.com and Tesco, came together for Gen.IE, an event co-hosted by Kin + Carta and Google Cloud to discuss the future of customer experience powered by AI technology.
Whilst there, attendees were asked: "What area do you see as the biggest opportunity for leveraging AI in your business?" with "enhancing customer experiences with innovative AI-driven solutions" coming out on top at 51 percent.
Posted: 26 October 2023
On the heels of latest ONS statistics showing a 0.5 percent rise in retail sales volumes in April, after a fall of 1.2 percent in March, FSB Policy & Advocacy Chair Tina McKenzie urged SMEs to have their say on FSB's Future of the High Street survey. She said: "These statistics prove the enduring potential of our high streets. A rise of 0.8% in sales in the three months to April 2023 tells us that our traditional high street still holds its own in the business arena. It's a feather in the cap of the nimble high street retailers that stay one step ahead of market shifts and trends.
Posted: 4 October 2023
ACID's trailblazing work and ongoing campaigning has been a game changer in championing designers and the importance of their intellectual property rights' protection. This has influenced and brought about positive change in the legal and political landscape. The Design Economy is one of the success stories of the UK contributing nearly £100 billion to the UK's GVA and the protection of its intellectual capital is critical. In its 25th year, they want to shine a light on, and celebrate with everyone the huge success that has been achieved since the organisation was co-founded by Dids Macdonald (a designer maker) and Simon Clark (an IP lawyer and Partner of Bristows). From a round table action group it has grown to be a key influencer in design law reform over many years.
Posted: 2 October 2023
The Giftware Association, the leading trade association representing the gift and home industry, has announced a significant partnership with Birmingham Mind, a prominent mental health charity serving the community with a wide range of support services.
This collaboration aims to create a positive impact by raising awareness of mental health issues within the industry and promoting mental wellbeing among its members.
The giftware industry has always been committed to enriching people's lives with thoughtful, meaningful gifts and home products. As the sector thrives, The Giftware Association recognises the importance of prioritising mental health and supporting the overall wellbeing of individuals working within the industry.
The GA has recognised this by creating a Wellness category within its Gift of the Year competition.
Posted: 25 September 2023
The warm weather couldn't deter eager crowds of buyers from visiting Top Drawer at Olympia London last week, with the season's biggest trend-led retail event closing its doors on a high, having delivered a 10% increase in attendee numbers vs. the same edition last year. Strong pre-registration was reflected in the breadth of visitors across the past 3 days, with a veritable who's who of retailers present, including from the likes of Anthropologie, Argos Asia, ASDA, Avoca, Blue Diamond Garden Centres, Burford Garden Company, Capital Gardens, Card Factory, Cardzone, Clintons, DFS, Dunelm, FatFace, Fenwick, Fortnum & Mason, Frasers Group, Fron Goch Garden Centre, Garsons, Graham and Green, Habitat,
Posted: 20 September 2023
French designer eyewear brand, bloobloom launches an exciting virtual try on option on their website.
bloobloom has a huge variety of sunglasses and glasses in different styles and colourways. The new AW23 collection will have 26 new styles, with 6 new models already launched and the virtual try on will give bloobloom's consumers the opportunity to test out the new innovative shapes.
bloobloom has its core classic collection from the Traveller to the Londoner, with the different styles varying from a circular shape to square. The virtual try on will allow the shoppers to test which model best suits their face shape and ensure they choose their most desired pair of glasses.
Posted: 12 September 2023