Wonderful to have Nick Bubb on the podcast this week. We discuss:
đ Christmas trading results â winners and losers.
đ» Why electricals retailing is poised for a comeback in 2024.
đ What JD Sportsâ and Burberryâs profit warnings tell us about the state of retail.
đ What went wrong at John Lewis and whether Peter Ruis can revive the brand.
đ Frasersâ stake-building strategy â what is the end game for Asos and Boohoo?
đ Supermarket switching and the importance of physical stores in food retail.
TLDL: skip to 26 minutes to hear 3 reasons why Currys is Nickâs tip of 2024. Last year, he picked Marks & Spencer so Iâd listen up!
Category: Supermarkets
Chris Noice, Communications Director at the Association of Convenience Stores, joins Natalie to discuss Britainâs shoplifting epidemic. They explore:
- The scale of the problem and factors driving the growing wave of shoplifting.
- What motivates shoplifters and is it a victimless crime?
- Cops in shops â will we see more retailers and shopping centres collaborate with the police for in-store police stations?
- From equipping staff with body cams to hiring undercover security guards â what more can retailers do to deter theft?
- Retail staff abuse and the issue of under-reporting.
- The rise of middle class shoplifting and how automation is exacerbating the problem.
- Will retailers see more TikTok-inspired mass shoplifting rampages?
- How can the government take action to curb the rise in shoplifting?
George Nott, Technology Editor at The Grocer, joins Natalie to discuss the evolution of quick commerce. They examine the latest Uber Eats / Getir collaboration, how traditional supermarkets are responding to the quick commerce trend and whether the world is ready for AI-powered conversational shopping experiences.
Fun Fact: Did you know âgetirâ means âbringâ in Turkish?
âWe hate Amazon. Theyâll bully us and do horrible things to us. Theyâll use us, we donât want anything to do with them.â -Iceland Managing Director, 2018
Fast forward five yearsâŠ
This morning Amazon UK announced that frozen food specialist Iceland will begin selling groceries on its platform. In this episode, Natalie explores the rationale behind Icelandâs shift in strategy and why Amazon is expanding its relationship with third party supermarkets like Morrisons, Co-op and now Iceland.
Amazon may need the grocery industry but does the grocery industry need Amazon? Letâs explore.
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Categories
Friction vs. Reward
Richard Hammond, CEO of Uncrowd and fellow retail author, joins Natalie to explore the differences in US and UK grocery retailing. Why have British retailers failed to crack the American market? When is it ok to have friction? Automation â how can retailers balance customer satisfaction and operational efficiencies? And what is the risk of deprioritizing CX investment in the current climate?Â
Listen to the end to hear Richardâs own experience of being stuck in self-checkout jail.Â
Categories
Grocery Greedflation?
Are the UK supermarkets profiteering? Food price inflation remains stubbornly high at 18.4% â its highest level since the 1970s â and now lawmakers want to understand if the supermarkets are lining their pockets at the expense of the shopper. In this episode, Natalie shares her views on why the grocers arenât guilty of greedflation: they have no choice but to remain price competitive, while simultaneously doing everything in their power to protect their inherently low profit margins. Harvir Dhillon, Economist at the British Retail Consortium, joins the show to explore some of the cost pressures that retailers are facing, whether inflation has now peaked, and why a supermarket price cap is a bad idea.
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