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
Kite Packaging, a leading UK supplier of innovative and eco-friendly packaging, has added a brand new range of bubble mailers to its offering.
Available in twelve sizes in gold or white, this comprehensive range caters to the diverse packaging needs of any business and is particularly great for those with a large product profile.
Kite mailers comply with Royal Mail's PiP guidelines and can help businesses calculate and regulate their shipping costs to avoid any surprises.
Air-filled bubbles also keep overall package weights to a minimum whilst providing an effective, shock-absorbing barrier which cushions and minimises the risk of damage occurring during handling or transit.
Posted: 17 November 2023
Introducing Luella Grey's AW23 collection, abundant with a rich autumnal colour palette and fresh texturisation. This season, the range comprises stylish, luxurious handbags and accessories with a contemporary edge yet timeless appeal. The collection features a sumptuous colour palette of autumnal tones such as classic black, rich conker, damson, luscious petrol and winter rose all in Luella Greys statement silhouettes - perfect for the season.
Posted: 31 October 2023
Introducing Heating & Plumbing London's meticulously hand-assembled ivory umbrella with burgundy detail. Combining timeless style and craftsmanship, this long walking stick umbrella is a statement piece for those who appreciate both style and function. Stay poised and protected in any weather with the latest creation, hand assembled in London. Meanwhile a slim contrasting burgundy tie holds the closed umbrella in place. The high quality Japanese polyester is manually cut for the canopy and assembled over a sturdy frame which opens and shuts extremely smoothly. A protective metal tip on the base of the shaft is the final touch that finishes off the beautiful umbrella.
Posted: 18 October 2023
The new JPLUS collection starts from the street - in the sense of a reference point and reflection of today's society - to observe the everyday life in constant evolution; from style choices for the working day to more relaxed choices for a fun and informal evening. A continuous becoming with respect to the 'LIBRE' polyhedricity of genres, styles, choices, approaches that each individual decides to adopt with respect to the environment and situations that surround him or her. This is the inspiration of JPLUS, which presents a collection expressing a mix of these moods recoded to give the product a light but profound awareness without definitions, totally free to express one's personality to the full.
Posted: 16 October 2023
Textile designer Fiona Ross, the proud owner of Candy Coated Accessories, located in the North East of Scotland, advises on why investing in wool accessories this winter is better for the environment than quick-fix acrylic accessories from the highstreet. Fiona's top reasons why... 1. Wool is Biodegradable As a natural fibre, it breaks down quickly unlike synthetic fibres making it a much better choice for the future of our planet. 2. Wool is an all-natural product Sheep are part of the natural carbon cycle, consuming the organic carbon stored in plants and converting it to wool. Half of the weight of wool is pure organic carbon. So you can buy wool with a clean conscience knowing that your beautiful scarf or cosy hot water bottle cover supports carbon reduction.
Posted: 20 September 2023
BAEKKE, the Danish sustainable jewellery brand, is excited to unveil its new brand look and announce its arrival in the UK.
Timed perfectly with a new interest in coded jewellery thanks to the 'Pear' dating ring, BAEKKE takes the concept a step further, and BAEKKE fans are excited to tell their own story using these first-of-a-kind pieces.
BAEKKE jewellery features interchangeable coloured beads that click on and off, allowing wearers to customise their jewellery according to their mood, style... or even send subtle coded messages.
BAEKKE jewellery is more than an accessory; it's a means of authentic self-expression, so it can be used to communicate values, support causes or perhaps share gender identity or neuro diversity.
Posted: 18 September 2023
Thousands of retailers including Sainsbury's, Next, Dunelm, Boots, Ocado, Waterstone's, Osprey London, Brand Alley, Tropic Skincare, Scribbler, Clintons, Oliver Bonas, Fenwick Ltd, Cardzone, Lakeland, M&S, Matalan, Pengethley Garden Centre, Aldi, Tesco, TJX Europe, Toys R Us, The Works, WHSMITH, and The Walt Disney Company,to name a few, converged at the NEC Birmingham from the 3rd – 6th September to shop the show for their next bestsellers across a huge breadth of product categories within Home, Gift and Fashion. Many enjoyed special features including the New Product Showcase and the Gift Of The Year Showcase which took centre stage in Hall 6 as well as an insightful and visual content programme on the Inspiring Retail Stage & Moda Catwalk.
Posted: 11 September 2023
Retailers are in for a treat this September, as Top Drawer prepares to open the doors to its biggest collection of new and exclusive brands to ever attend the A/W show. Over 35% of the exhibitors will be making their show debut this season, bringing both a dynamic new energy and a wealth of exciting products to Olympia London; from cutting-edge technology to one-of-a-kind crafts and artisanal goods, there's something for everyone to discover - here are just a few of the new names that visitors will be able to meet:
Posted: 7 September 2023
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has announced the appointment of Threadbare, a family-run fashion house where style and quality meets the needs of everyday life, to produce a wide range of apparel for women, men, children and – in a first for the RHS – dogs!
The first collection launches in time for RHS Flower Show Tatton Park in Knutsford, Cheshire (19-23 July 2023), and features eight pieces consisting of two tops, one pair of trousers and one dress – each in a choice of two colourways.
All the designs used in this collection have been inspired by assets from the RHS Lindley Collections, the world's finest collection of botanical art. The partnerships with the RHS will be highlighted on the Threadbare website.
Posted: 5 September 2023