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
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 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
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
Drawing buyers from across the UK, Ireland and across the globe, the leading wholesale marketplace for home, gift and fashion, Autumn Fair opened Sunday with a spectacle of newness and source of inspiration from over 500 exhibitors. Buyers from Homebase, Graham & Green, The Royal Shakespeare Company, The Card Shop, Mothercare, Paper Tiger, The Olive Branch, Wilkies, John Lewis & Partners, Mooch, The Cotswold Shop, Ashwood Nurseries, and many more flocked to the show enjoying a host of special features including the New Product Showcase, Connect Buyers Lounges, and captivating fashion brought to life on the Moda Catwalk.
Posted: 4 September 2023
Women's power is at work in the next episode of the Digital Academy: three top international designers and architects share their views on the challenges, opportunities and successes of women in architecture and design-related fields. Esha Gupta, Founder and Editor, Design Pataki, India, Molly McGowan, Management Partner, Ennead Architects, USA, and Shida Salehi, Founder and Principal, Customs Bureau, England talk about their different experiences and share their requirements for the future. The discussion will be hosted by Mike Chapman, co-founder and executive producer of the television series ByDesign TV.
Posted: 1 September 2023