Retail Critical Issues

Consumer spending rose 7.6 per cent in May compared to the same period in 2019 – the highest growth recorded since coronavirus restrictions began – as the further lifting of lockdown restrictions encouraged more Brits to shop and socialise.

By Ed Smith, freelance journalist

Self-checkouts have proven to be an increasingly popular option for shoppers to take control of their own scanning of items. It can feel a little quicker and allows you to scan then pack your goods at your own pace rather than trying to keep up with a cashier.

By Jon Walkington, Retail and System Integrator Sales Director, at Schoeller Allibert UK.

For many brands operating today, warehousing and distribution has never been more closely tied to a brand or retailer’s commercial performance. As part of the holistic value chain and the service offering for the consumer, logistics can no longer sit in isolation. How products are stored, handled and distributed have a core part to play in the success of a business.

A new survey of consumers in Northern Ireland has revealed how the pandemic has had a positive impact on consumers’ interest in sustainability.

By Ed Whitehead, Managing Director of EMEA at Signifyd.

Online shopping has exploded in the past decade. In 2015, e-commerce accounted for 7.4 per cent of global retail sales. In 2020, this had grown to 18 per cent with projections of a rise to 21.8 per cent by 2024. This is good news for businesses, as online platforms are allowing them to reach new customers and drive more sales.

Retailers looking to optimise their eCommerce offerings must reassess their approach to personalisation and ensure they are not pursuing a ‘one-size-fits-all’ strategy.

Retailers looking to optimise their eCommerce offerings must reassess their approach to personalisation and ensure they are not pursuing a ‘one-size-fits-all’ strategy.

More than two-thirds (68%) of UK consumers say they are regularly purchasing products from international ecommerce stores, outside of big-name brands such as Amazon, a new survey has found.

By Hayley Strang, Field Marketing Manager, Mapp

We all crave human interaction, especially as we navigate our way through the through the post-lockdown world. Who doesn’t miss being recognised by your favourite barista and being greeted with “the usual?”. In today’s world, this applies to online just as much as to a physical store experience.

Over half of consumers globally (53%) believe it is more important to shop with local businesses now than it was before the pandemic.

That’s according to new research released by Pollinate, the global software business that partners with banks to help them deepen and extend relationships with their business customers, in which over 4,500 consumers were surveyed across the UK, US, Australia, and Brazil.