Shopping

Morrisons is to move into online retail in 2014

Morrisons chief says rival voucher discounts hurting sales

Morrisons unveiled steady results and confirmed it will take its first step into online retail in partnership with Ocado in 2014 as Sainsbury's announces higher annual profits.

Food sales fell in April, hitting retail sales

Early Easter hits UK retail sales, down 2.2% in April

The timing of Easter and the freezing weather seen at the start of the month caused retail sales to fall by 2.2 per cent on an annual basis.

Consumer spending power boost as shop inflation at 3-year low

The British Retail Consortium reports a big drop in shop price inflation, down to the lowest level since November 2009 as retailers compete to get custom, especially on non-food items.

Retail sales fall in March as cold weather keeps shoppers away

Retail sales fell by 0.50 per cent in March as the cold weather kept consumers away from the shops.

Tesco has announced a big fall in profits

Tesco exits US as as post-tax profits drop sharply

Tesco has unveiled its full-year results which confirm that the retailer is closing its US business, wiping almost £1.2 billion of its bottom line.

Clothing sales were hampered by poor weather in March

Retail sales prosper in March despite snow

The timing of Easter and Mothers Day has helped the UK retail sector post it best quarterly performance for four years but clothing and garden centres suffered due to the cold weather.

Positive retail signs but online sales pose a threat to traditional retailers

Retail sales surge in February after snow-affected January

Retail sales in February rebounded after the snow affected January to grow by 2.1 per cent lifting hopes that the UK economy will avoid a triple-dip recession.

Sainsbury's has increased sales across different parts of the business

Online sales deliver success for Sainsbury's

The recent horsemeat scandal has helped Sainsbury's make further inroads against its two main rivals Asda and Tesco as it posted better than expected results.

Tesco is offering money-off vouchers if customers could get their shopping cheaper elsewhere

Tesco price guarantee aims to win back cash-strapped shoppers

Tesco has announced that customers will receive vouchers up to the value of £10 if they could have got their shopping cheaper at Sainsbury's, Asda or Morrisons.

High street sales fell by 3.3% as snow curtailed shopping trips

BRC: UK shopper numbers fall to three-year low

The British Retail Consortium reports that shopper numbers fell by 4.6 per cent but the amount spent rose by 3.0 per cent, suggesting people spent more on fewer trips.

Retail sales posted healthy number in January

BRC: Retail sales provides bright start to 2013 for UK economy

Retail sales rose by 1.9 per cent in January, according to the British Retail Consortium, raising hopes that the UK will avoid falling into a triple-dip recession.

Insolvency firm warns 140 more retailers under threat in 2013

Blockbuster has announced that it is to go into administration becoming the third high profile casualty of 2013 as retailers struggle against online rivals.

John Lewis: One of the few retail bright spots

Shoppers warned "use or lose" local stores as retail sales dip

The latest retail sales figures were flat for November and business organisations warned that shoppers need to use local independent stores or risk losing them.

Shoppers are being careful this Christmas, according to the CBI

CBI: Christmas losing sparkle for retailers as shoppers go AWOL

The CBI has warned that retail sales in the first half of December are less than expected in the run up to Christmas and that the outlook for 2013 is bleak.

Customers have rights if they have been sold poor quality items

Unwanted Christmas gifts: What are your consumer rights?

As the dust settles on another Christmas many people will be thinking what to do with unwanted gifts. Our guide explains your consumer rights on refunds and returns.

The do's and don'ts of paying for Christmas

With pressure on household budgets remaining high, many people will be forced to pay for Christmas on credit, but there are good and bad ways of using credit.

Tesco saw a drop in UK sales in the third quarter

Tesco to leave US market as UK sales fall

Tesco is conducting a review of its US business Fresh & Easy with all options open as it suffered a 0.6 per cent drop in UK sales excluding VAT and petrol.

330 jobs go as Comet sale disappoints Christmas bargain hunters

330 jobs are to go at Comet as customers are disappointed to find just 10 or 20 per cent off items that are sold with no guarantee in the Comet firesale.

Retail sales largely unchanged despite Jubilee

Retail sales rise by just 0.1% in June despite Diamond Jubilee

Retail sales volumes increased by a mere 0.1 per cent over the month, dashing the high street’s hopes that the Diamond Jubilee would create bumper June figures.

More than seven in 10 shops are holding a sale

Three quarters of UK stores resort to slashing prices

Desperate retailers are cutting their prices in a bid to attract business after dismal weather hit customer footfall, latest research reveals.

Cash transactions on the increase, says BRC

More shoppers paying with cash to keep track of their finances

Paying with cash is more common than a year ago as cost-conscious consumers continue to watch the pennies, new research shows.

Surge in women's clothing sales during May

May sunshine lifts retail sales, says BRC

Shoppers filled the high streets at the end of May as sunny weather pushed up sales of food and drink, summer clothing and garden equipment, latest figures show.

Shop price inflation increases as discounts dwindle

Shop price inflation went up in May as retailers reined in their bargain offers, according to latest figures from the British Retail Consortium.

UK consumer confidence rises despite recession and Euro woes

There was a surprise increase in consumer confidence this month, in spite of the recession and mounting fears over the fate of the Eurozone, a new survey shows.