Marks & Spencer has introduced a new scheme that encourages customers to bring their own reusable containers to M&S's Market Place food-to-go counters, whereby they receive a 25 pence discount off each meal for doing so. M&S already offers a 25p incentive for hot drinks served in reusable coffee cups since last year. The retailer hopes the discount will encourage a change in consumer behaviour and reduce the use of disposable items on the high street.

M&S also just launched a new, widely recyclable terracotta CPET tray to replace the hard-to-recycle black plastic used in its ready meals. The retailer pledged to completely remove all black plastic from its food division by the end of 2020.

Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle is partnering with clothing brands to create a new clothing line. Markle explains that she partnered with retailers Marks & Spencer, John Lewis & Partners, Jigsaw, and designer Misha Nonoo, to create a capsule line of clothing. For each piece sold in the stores, another will be donated to Smart Works, an organization that provides clothing to women in need. The collection will be made available at the end of this year.

In January, Kensington Palace announced that Markle was appointed Royal Patron of Smart Works, a charity that helps women get appropriate outfits for job interviews. "Once they score their dream job, they come back for a second outfit, to see them through until their first pay cheque," Markle writes.

Major US department store chains JCPenney and Macy's have both announced they will debut selling used apparel through partnerships with San Francisco-based fashion resale company ThredUp.

JCPenney said that 30 of its stores will start offering a seasonal array of resale handbags and women's fashion from the secondhand apparel company, with the assortment uniquely branded in a 500 to 1,000-square-foot presentation. To keep things fresh, the department store chain said it will be switching up the curated assortment of ThredUp items on a weekly basis.

Macy's said its pilot program would involve 40 stores, offering styles and brands not normally found at Macy's. It's a good use of store space and a good match. However Macy's won't take ThredUp consignments or returns, except for returns of ThredUp merchandise purchased at Macy's stores.

ThredUp has made a name for itself as one of the best-known online outlets for better-quality and premium-brand secondhand clothing. The company allows customers to shop for individual items, as well as order packages of clothing based on preferred styles, brands and sizes. Customers then pay only for the items wish to keep. The company also lets people send in secondhand clothing that it sells on consignment if it meets ThredUp's quality standards.

Fashion rental company Le Tote will acquire Lord & Taylor for 99.5 million Canadian dollars in cash (USD 75 million) and a secured promissory note for CAD 33.2 million payable in cash after two years. Le Tote will get the Lord & Taylor brand and related intellectual property, and assume operations of 38 stores, digital channels and associated inventory. Meanwhile, Hudson's Bay Company will get an equity stake in Le Tote, two seats on its board and "certain rights as a minority shareholder." As for the reat estate, it remains with Hudson's Bay. Le Tote can operate the existing stores rent-free for three years.

press release on HBC selling Lord & Taylor to le tote

Buyout firm Catalyst Capital Group Inc said it will acquire a significant stake in Hudson's Bay Co, a move that could block the department store's executive chairman's plans to take it private for C$1.74 billion.

Catalyst's acquisition, which it plans to finalize within days, represents the most significant move yet that could prevent Hudson's Bay executive chairman Richard Baker from taking the company private with a consortium of shareholders holding 57 percent of the company. Baker needs a majority of minority shareholders to approve any deal he offers for the owner of department stores Saks Fifth Avenue, Lord & Taylor and Hudson's Bay.

On the occasion of its quarterly results announcement, Macy's left its top-line forecast for the year unchanged, that is flat or up by a maximum of 1%, but lowered guidance for adjusted diluted earnings per share. Management cited a slow month of May, the weather and a drop in tourism which hurt mainly Bloomingdale's. The announcement was a blow to retail in spite of the news that the White House was to delay tariffs on Chinese imports. Shares in Nordstrom and Kohl's, which report next week, were down around 10%. JC Penney was down 8%. Macy's is trying to breathe life into its business through initiatives such as the Backstage discount concept, and the Story pop-up brand, as well as generating double-digit growth from its digital business.

Retail giant Nike has launched the Nike Adventure Club, which sends a pair of Nike or Converse kicks at regular intervals. Aimed at children aged roughly from two to 10-years-old, families can get the sneakers on a monthly, bimonthly, or quarterly basis (four pairs each year for $20 per month, six annual pairs for $30 per month and 12 pairs for $50 per month). Customers can choose what style they want, from performance shoes for sport to casual everyday sneakers, and they can also skip months and easily swap sneakers if they don't fit or their kid doesn't like them.

Nike brought on 10,000 families from its customer base to test it out, and ultimately found that the parents most interested in this program were people who valued convenience and time over price. Kids grow out of their outfits very fast and families don't find the time to shoe shop with them. Nike is also pitching this program as a way to make kid's shoes more sustainable. When your child grows out of a pair or they get worn out, you can send shoes back (even non-Nike shoes)—either in the Adventure Club box or by requesting a prepaid shoe bag—to the company. If a shoe is in good condition, Nike will donate it to a non-profit; otherwise it will recycle it through its Grind program, which breaks down athletic footwear to turn it into other products, including running tracks and playgrounds.

Nike joins Target, Gap and plenty of others in focusing on a box subscription service for kids as retailers try to target busy parents with a convenience offering.

US retailers are warning that the new round of trade tariffs threatens to accelerate job losses in retail, the only sector of the economy to have shed jobs in the past two years. A wave of bankruptcies and store closures show that the retail trade is employing 49 000 fewer people in July 2019 than in July 2017. In contrast, transport and warehousing added 370 00 positions over the same period, according to the Federal Reserve Bank and the U Bureau of Labor Statistics. Although the 10% tariffs are lower than the 25% previously threatened, several retail associations have warned that they will prove too much for weaker businesses already struggling with thin margins and other pressures from changing consumer tastes and habits.

Job losses have been driven by bankruptcies of big employers including Sears as well as cost-cutting and store closures from May's and more recently from Lowe's.

Alibaba group and others are challenging department stores in China according to a report in Nikkei Asian Review. Scitech shopping center which opened in Beijing in 1992 has put up a sign announcing it will go out of business by the end of the month. Scitech had been a joint venture between a local partner and Japanese retailer, Yaohan, which went bankrupt in 1997. Even after Yaohan pulled out in 1994, the store continued to thrive offering brands not easily available at the time. But competition heated up, sales dropped, and the store's most recent operator, Wangfujing Group, has decided to sell it off to a major real estate company which will run the business with another partner. Another store, Tianqiao Department Store, was put up for auction by the court to pay off creditors. It had been for sale but investors were apparently put off by the minimum asking price of around $65m. Ito-Yokado which opened in Beijing in 1998 is rethinking its strategy. After operating 9 stores in the capital, it closed all but one which it is now transforming into more of a leisure venue by inviting food and drink operators into the premises as well as a gym. Two months ago, Takashimaya decided to close its store in Shanghai and end its operations in China. It cited competition as well as slowing private consumption amid the trade war with the US. The store reported sales last year of 3.2 billion yen, up 0.7%, but an operating loss of 900 million yen, its seventh straight year of losses. It will concentrate on its three other foreign outlets: Ho Chi Minh City (with another possible opening in Viet Nam), Bangkok (which opened in autumn 2018), and Singapore (generating 20% of the company's operating profit).

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In what can only be seen as a step in the wrong direction, John Lewis is now allowing customers to enter their stores with their pet dogs. While the John Lewis stores and indeed many shopping centres have in the past resisted this request by pet owners, they are now saying that, if the dogs are well-behaved, there can be no objection. A successful pilot was run in Peter Jones on Sloane Square in London. Euphemisms such as "four-legged friends" are being used to make it more acceptable. The Trafford shopping centre in Manchester, for example, still forbids dogs from entering the centre. However, since the John Lewis store has a separate entrance, dogs can enter the store directly without going through the centre. Statistics show an increase in dog ownership in the UK. Apparently 24% of the adult population now owns a dog, with a national dog population of 8.9 million. Pet ownership in general is increasing. No figures are available on how many of the 76% of adults not owning a dog would prefer to be able to shop among humans only. One way of driving customers to shop online.

Saks Fifth Avenue has finished the last part of the renovation of the 4900sqm accessories main floor of its NYC flagship. Powerhouse luxury brands planted stakes near the high-traffic Fifth Avenue side of the store, for tourists to see ; and now the store carries a more robust offering than before, and nearly every luxury brand has created exclusive styles or colors for the retailer. There's also a section of emerging brands, the first Rimowa concept shop at a North American multibrand retailer, and an emphasis on personalization with Royce New York, among others.

full article from wwd on saks main floor renovation

Globus of Switzerland, which was put up for sale recently by owners Migros Group, has appointed a new merchandise director in the person of Franco Savastano who will take up his post on 1 October of this year. Mr Savastano was CEO of Jelmoli department stores before which he was a director at Grieder-Bon Genie.

He replaces Reto Braegger who will move to become General Manager of the Navyboot, part of Globus since 2018, and which will play a more important role in the future.

press release on globus' new merchandise director (in french)

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Amazon has recognised that third-party sales are now greater than own sales: third-party have grown from $0.1 billion in 1999 to $160 billion in 2018. Also the company makes more money from third-party sales. There's a new Marketplace Growth programme that gives sellers an account rep who advises them on all aspects of business. The company also lets sellers participate in Fulfillment by Amazon, which doubled sales for small to medium businesses on the site in 2018. Amazon also lends money to third-party sellers.

read article: Amazon is chasing growth and shifting resources to third-party sellers

London-based fashion resale app Depop has opened its first retail space in the UK, after partnering up with Selfridges.

Depop has taken over the luxury department store's Designer Studio up on the third floor, where it will trade for three months until October 2019.

The marketplace app will use the pop-up to champion its top sellers, giving them space to curate a selection of rare vintage pieces, up-cycled items and accessories.

The pop-up will also host a range of workshops and events led by key sellers, looking to creating an immersive experience where visitors can discover new pieces and learn how to turn their own Depop accounts into a business, and bringing the Depop ethos to life.

Depop has already opened two bricks and mortar stores in New York and London, while Selfridges is its first spot in the UK.

The in-store pop-up will also go full circle, with Selfridges making an exclusive selection of Depop clothes and accessories available on its own website.

To date, Depop estimates a third of all 16-24year olds in the UK have used its app, with more than 90 per cent of its users under the age of 26, and counting 13 million users worldwide.

US department store chain Kohl's announced the introduction of Curated by Kohl's, a new selection of products from emerging brands available in more than 50 Kohl's stores and Kohls.com beginning mid-October 2019. The chosen assortment, which will include apparel, accessories and home goods, will be refreshed quarterly, and found in each selection's respective department, giving Kohl's customers the opportunity to shop and discover emerging brands. Beginning in 2020, Kohl's will partner with Facebook on brand curation, identifying and engaging with brands that have built a strong online community on the social media platform.

press release: curated by kohl's

The new American Dream mall scheduled to open in New Jersey on 25 October next will include a 2200 sq ft Its Sugar store, the "world's largest non-manufacture candy store", also dubbed the world's first candy department store, on three levels. It will offer 10 000 choices and will feature a 60-foot replica of the Statue of Liberty made entirely from candy. In contrast to the growing trend towards wellness and healthy eating, the US population consumes more sugar per head than any other country in the world. On average, Americans consume 126.4 grams of sugar daily. That represents more than 10 times the lowest recommendation.

Nordstrom said it's launching a new online page dubbed Sustainable Style for more than 2,000 products from 90 brands "that are made from sustainably sourced materials, manufactured in factories that meet higher social or environmental standards or that give back." While the Sustainable Style category is available online, many of the products can be found in stores, so right now Nordstrom is exploring ways to help customers learn about and find these products in stores.

The department store also said that it has joined the G7 Fashion Pact, a coalition of 32 global retailers convened by French President Emmanuel Macron at the annual G7 Summit in Biarritz, France. Committing to the G7 Fashion Pact isn't the only way Nordstrom is improving its affect on the climate. The brand has made an effort to use more responsible materials when producing Nordstrom-made products and reduce the amount of materials used when packaging and shipping its offerings.

press release: Nordstrom Joins G7 Fashion Pact To Address Global Climate Crisis

Retail expert Terry Duddy is stepping down from his post of executive chairman at Debenhams in September, as the owners of the UK department store chain appoint Stefaan Vansteenkiste as the new chief executive. He has been chief restructuring officer at the retailer since April. Vansteenkiste will replace Sergio Bucher, who stepped down from his role in April, shortly after the company was put into administration.

The appointment of Vansteenkiste underlines the new shareholders' belief that Debenhams requires a turnaround specialist to fix it in a historically challenging trading environment, rather than a retail veteran, and especially so as the all-important Christmas trading period is just around the corner.

Meanwhile, Debenhams is currently in the midst of an existential threat of a legal challenge, funded by Mike Ashley's Sports Direct, pertaining to its restructuring process.Debenhams has plans to close down 50 of its 166 UK stores, with the first tranche of 22 closures planned by early next year.

Read press release below:

Press release: debenhams appoints new CEO

Stockmann of Finland has appointed a new CEO who will take up his position on 19 August 2019. For the last few months, the executive chairman has been filling the role after the previous CEO left in April. Jari Latvanen, the new CEO (pictured here), has served as CEO of HKScan, as president of Stora Enso, and CEO of Findus Nordic as well as occupying several positions at Nestle.

At the same time, Pekka Vähähyyppä has been appointed CFO to take up his duties on the same date, replacing current CFO Kai Laitinen. Pekka Vähähyyppä acted as CFO of Stockmann from 2000 to 2015 before moving to Finnair.

Stockmann has also released its half-yearly results in which it emphasises the need for cost reductions, aiming for €40m by spring 2021.

The Lindex fashion part of the group has updated its strategy for the next four years, and intends to further strengthen international growth and digital transformation. In the words of the press release, "the Board of Directors sees great potential in the future development of Lindex and has therefore decided to explore strategic options for the company's ownership."

See press release on appointments

See press release on results

Major department store chain David Jones of Australia has recorded a third consecutive year of sales contraction, the company announced in a trading update, with little sign the slashing of interest rates has encouraged consumer spending. The David Jones and Country Road Group, bought by South African retailer Woolworths Holdings in 2014 for $2.2 billion, have laid out plans for store closures and downsizing floor space to lean on the recent success of its online shopping. Online sales rose 46.8% and now account for 7.7% of total sales in the 52 weeks to end June. David Jones' like-for-like sales was 0.1% lower, and total sales were down 0.8%.

David Jones is downsizing its Sydney flagship store from two sites spread over 17 floors into one store with 11 floors and a food mezzanine, closing its Market Street branching and squeezing into the one Elizabeth Street premises. Natural light will stream in from huge windows on to an area the company has dubbed "shoe heaven". Above the shoes, in an area that was once offices for executives, will be a mezzanine with a champagne bar boasting commanding views over Hyde Park. But this transformation is costing David Jones in the short-term as the country struggles through a "retail recession".

Nordstrom has added a new position to its leadership ranks and is filling it with a company veteran. Teri Bariquit, who has been with Nordstrom for 33 years, has stepped into the new role of Chief Merchandising Officer. She is now a member of the company's executive team and will lead the full-price and off-price merchandising. With the change, full-price and off-price General Merchandise Managers will report into the Chief Merchandising Officer. As for Teri Bariquit, she will report to co-president Pete Nordstrom.

The merchandising vet has spent a significant part of her career at Nordstrom, and she has been the executive vice president of merchandising planning and solutions since 2012.

press release on nordstrom new Chief Merchandising Officer

Luxury marketplace Farfetch has bought New Guards Group, bringing in-house the ability to co-create and scale buzzy brands and products. In doing so, Farfetch is effectively building out its own private label platform through which it can launch, test and scale brands on its existing online and offline sales channels.

New Guards Group is the Milanese holding company founded in 2015 that has launched many of luxury streetwear's most-hyped and successful brands, including Off-White, Palm Angels and Heron Preston.

Farfetch acquired New Guards for $675 million in a cash-and-stock deal, twice the group's annual revenue and seven times its earnings before taxes. The deal is expected to close in the third quarter of 2019. Farfetch sees the value in New Guards not necessarily for its portfolio but for its ability to spot talent and launch highly sought after brands like Off-White — the Virgil Abloh label that is the pre-eminent example of the new luxury streetwear boom. The deal also adds to its own slate of operated businesses, which includes Browns department store and sneaker reseller Stadium Goods. "[New Guards is] a platform — they are not a brand, they are not a Maison, they are not a conglomerate," said Farfetch founder and Chief Executive José Neves. "They are absolutely best in class in terms of spotting the new stars of tomorrow." Farfetch is betting that the addition of New Guards will create a flywheel effect that will grow brands at a fast rate. It hopes to capture more of the profits of transactions on its marketplace and give its owned labels a boost online and through its network of more than 650 boutiques stores.

read full article: why Farfetch bought New Guards Group

Bloomingdale's is entering the subscription rental business. The online subscription rental service, called "My List at Bloomingdale's," is scheduled to launch in mid-September with a fall ready-to-wear assortment with hundreds of women's styles from more than 60 brands and more than 100 exclusive pieces. Consumers, particularly Millennials, are responding to subscription rentals because they support recycling and sustainability, and these services provide the chance to often change what they're wearing, without a big investment.

Bloomingdale's program will be head-on competition, especially considering the upscale department store's clout with designers and brands and formidable merchandising. If My List proves successful, it's conceivable that Macy's rolls out a subscription rental business as well. Bloomingdale's and Macy's are part of Macy's Inc. and they learn from each other.

full article by wwd: Bloomingdale's to launch 'my list' subscription rental business

Launched at the G7, convened by French President Emmanuel Macron and led by French billionaire François-Henri Pinault, Chairman and CEO of Kering, the Fashion Pact gathers leading global and textile companies that make commitments on climate, biodiversity and oceans. Galeries Lafayette and Selfridges Group have signed on this Fashion Pact, along Nordstrom. The Pact is a first-of-its-kind initiative that units the biggest names in fashion and revolves around science-based targets in three areas: global warming, restoring biodiversity and preserving the oceans.

G7 press release on the fashion pact