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PRShots Digest brings you the latest retail news from Warpaint London, Freemans, John Lewis, Skechers, Asos, Kingfisher, Tesco, Currys, Halfords, and AO. Plus articles on the top ten tips for using LinkedIn for PR, the best email subject lines, how Google AI will change how we shop and more.  

THE LATEST RETAIL INDUSTRY NEWS

Tesco delivers robust sales as focus on value and quality pays off

Tesco sales for the latest quarter to May 27 were up 8.8% to £13.79bn with strong results across all formats driven by a “relentless focus on value.”

Currys begins strategic review of Greek business Kotsovolos

Currys is conducting a strategic review of its Greek business Kotsovolos, which could lead to a sale of the company.

Halfords shares falter after auditor BDO extends deadline

Halfords has delayed the publication of its annual report after its auditor BDO requested more time to complete audit procedures.

Warpaint London is significantly ahead of expectations

Warpaint London sales for the five months to 31 May were 45% up on 2022 at £29.7m up from £20.5m and now expects FY23 to be “significantly ahead of its prior expectations”.

Frasers raises Asos stake to over 10%

Frasers Group has doubled its stake in Asos over the last month, with the latest rise on Monday taking its stake in Asos from 9.9% to 10.6% and follows three other raises over the past 31 days.

Freemans to rebrand as ‘modern, pureplay retailer’

Digital department store Freemans has appointed MullenLowe to help it rebrand and complete the process started to two years ago to make the brand a “modern, pureplay retailer”.

Shaftesbury rides off the success of West End, with 13% sales surge

West End Retail landlord Shaftesbury Capital saw its tenants’ like-for-like sales reach 13% above 2019 figures and Shaftesbury expects another wave of clientele surge over the summer.

Sunak scraps plan for supermarket price cap after backlash

Rishi Sunak has abandoned plans to ask supermarkets to impose a voluntary price cap on basic goods after a backlash from retailers.

TikTok's venture into e-commerce paying off

TikTok's new venture into online shopping is paying off, with its e-commerce affiliate growing its gross merchandise value (GMV) from $600k in 2021 to $4.4bn last year.

TRENDS, STRATEGY AND TECHNOLOGY

Ten top tips for using LinkedIn for PR

Launched in 2003, LinkedIn has 930m members in 200 countries worldwide. This gives you a huge audience for your PR efforts, so to help you make the most of it here are top 10 tips.

How retailers can capitalise on the “refund effect”

Consumers treat refunds as money already lost, and less painful to spend, so long as cross-selling occurs before the money is reissued to the customers’ original payment method.

How Google is using AI to change how you shop

Google wants to make it easier for online shoppers to know how clothing will look on them before making a purchase and is using AI to do it.

Email subject line tips and best practices

Your subject line is the key to grabbing attention, driving action, and safeguarding your brand reputation. Don't let it be an afterthought.

What does Frasers stand to gain from taking a £75m stake in AO World?

Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group is known to lead with an aggressive acquisition strategy, but news of its purchase of an 18.9% stake in ecommerce electrical retailer AO.com came as a surprise to many.

10 things PRS need to know about Google Analytics 4 (GA4)  

Universal Analytics will cease to work on 1 July 2023, so if you haven’t installed the GA4 property in your own and your clients’ Google Analytics accounts, the time is now.

John Lewis predicts summer of Mermaidcore and sensible sandals

John Lewis’s summer 23 trends report predicts that Britons will be buying metallics, noughties brands, sensible sandals and more swimwear than a year ago, albeit also more covered-up.

PEOPLE, MOVERS AND SHAKERS

Frasers Group fashion CEO exits

Frasers Group fashion CEO Greg Pateras has left the business. Pateras oversaw the retailers Missguided and ISawItFirst.com – he was previously CEO there - after their acquisition last year.

BRAND NEWS

Shein expands to appliances, smart home and home DIY products

Chinese fast-fashion giant Shein is expanding its range into appliances, smart home and home DIY products via collaborations and third-party sellers on its global marketplace.

Kingfisher joins global taskforce to tackle Scope 3 emissions

Kingfisher has partnered with several other home improvement retailers including Bunnings and Home Depot to form a global taskforce to help the sector reduce its Scope 3 emissions.

Skechers rocks with The Rolling Stones in new collaboration

Skechers has teamed up with The Rolling Stones on a new global footwear collection which launched at the RS No.9 Carnaby store and is available worldwide online.

Tracy Anderson collaborates with Bloch Dancewear

Fitness pioneer Tracy Anderson has unveiled a collaboration with dance footwear and apparel brand Bloch on a women’s activewear line that celebrates physical freedom in movement.

AND FINALLY

MSCHF'S microscopic handbag is a lil' Louis Vuitton

Meet the MSCHF Microscopic Handbag, a nearly invisible little speck that's actually a remarkably accurate rendering of a Louis Vuitton OnTheGo handbag, but you’ll need a microscope to see it.

PRSHOTS TOP 10 SEARCHES

What were our users searching for on PRShots Week ending June 9^th 2023?

1/ Summer

2/ Father’s Day

3/ Kitchen

4/ Garden

5/ Beach bags

6/ Bedroom

7/ Swimsuit

8/ BBQ

9/ Blouse  

10/ Bikini

COLLABORATIONS ON PRSHOTS

Our PRShots brands are looking for media and influencers who want to work with them on collaborations. Register for free at PRShots new collabs service to find out more https://collabs.prshots.com/ 

NEW BRANDS TO PRSHOTS

Lola Starr ranges are designed with the environment and functionality in mind. They source only the highest quality recyclable materials designed to be recycled, recreated and remoulded again and again. They are a British brand that champions local expertise and keeps the carbon footprint to its lowest level.

Arran Sense of Scotland puts quality and fragrance first, so you can be sure that each of their Bath, Body & Home products have been expertly crafted and manufactured with the greatest care on the Island home of Arran.

Jessica Russell Flint is a British designer who creates vibrant, entirely unique hand-illustrated prints, with luxury products ranging across accessories, clothing, sleepwear and homeware.

Tweedmill is a family-run business established in 1971 that creates beautiful British-made blankets, picnic rugs, home accessories and more and are stocked in more than 4000 retailers UK-wide.

HELP WITH YOUR IMAGE SEARCHES

The latest images on PRShots are found here https://www.prshots.com/whatsnew why not bookmark the page for a regular feed of the latest images on PRShots!! You can select the latest images from the last 24hours, week, or month.

BRANDS WITH NEW IMAGES

Clothing, beauty and accessories

Accessorize has new jewellery, summer clothing, hats, scarves, shoes and bag ranges.

Dune London has new sandals.

Monsoon has new summer clothing including dresses, kaftans, jackets and jumpers plus shoes,  bags,  scarfs, accessories and jewellery and kids clothing ranges.

Threadbare has more summer clothing and beachwear from its new Greecian Getaway range.

Peacocks has new womenswear ranges with Louise Redknapp and menswear ranges with Ashley Banjo.

New Look has new women’s summer wear, accessories, and footwear ranges.

PrettyLittleThing has a new GirlsVsCancer holiday outfits for the beach and the clubs, a bodycon range, a festival collection, a Molly Mae Summer edit, a Bridal edit, Kappa and Gemma Owen collaborations, plus beach outfits.

Barbour has new festival fashion ranges for all weathers.

Primark has a new Barbie movie range, band shirts,  a Hip Trip festival range, a Pride range, a Bridgerton range of clothes and accessories, makeup ranges, swimsuits and beachwear.

River Island has new summer holiday ranges from clothes for going out to beachwear.

Curvy Kate has new Senses, Authority, Lifestyle, Wonderfully, Enclose, Boost in Bloom, Scantilly, Twist & Shout ranges.

Roman Originals has new floral outfits, spring and summer ranges in all sizes.

Matalan has new pink and Barbie ranges, Father’s Day gifts, summer accessories, mens Taylor & Wright suits, kids summer outfits and beachwear plus new womenswear.

Oliver Bonas has new fashion, bags, accessories and jewellery collections.

Fatface has new festival wear, beachwear – with a collaboration with the Marine Conservation Society - summer clothing, shoes, bags, jewellery, and accessories.

Seol + Gold has new jewellery and womenswear ranges.

George at Asda has new women’s summer clothing and tops for Father’s Day.

Lipsy  has new Laura Whitmore x Love & Roses collaboration and new Love & Roses collections.

Teva have new sandal ranges.

Daisy Park Has a new range of all-purpose bags.

The Night Store has a new range of Moroccan nights nightwear sets.

Office has mens summer shoes and new sandal and trainer ranges.

See additional new clothing and accessories images from the last few weeks at

Very  Bonmarché F&F Silk & Lawn National Trust Shop Shoe Zone Scamp & Dude Dunelm Tu Clothing Regatta Dune London Men’s TK Maxx Aspiga Nologo

Home, garden and food

Hobbycraft has new weaving and clay kits, sewing kits, cross stitching kits, gifts, Pride clothing, summer party ranges, Father’s Day gifts, foam mosaic art and paint and sew your own ranges.

Cuckooland has new furniture for outdoors.

Ivyline has new Christmas gifts and decoration ranges as well as garden and indoor plant pot ranges for this summer.

Biscuiteers Baking has new ranges for summer, for graduations and for Father’s Day.

The Range has fans to keep you cool,  new beach accessories, homeware, festival gear, and a honey comb collection of kitchen and table ware.

Imp & Maker has new food hampers and gift ranges.

B&M has new Natural bathroom, kitchen pantry and Winter Harvest ranges.

Hotel Chocolat has new velvetisers and chocolate gift ranges.

Oliver Bonas has new kitchen gift ranges and home ranges as well as Father’s Day gifts.

Furniture Village has new lounge and bedroom solutions.

Cartwright & Butler has new picnic hampers and Father’s Day ranges.

Daisy Park has new homeware and new Gisela Graham Christmas candle ranges and Christmas decorations.

Wilko has new presents for Father’s Day

Designers Guild has new ranges for AW23 including John Derian fabric and wallpaper and an Essentials range and an Accessories range.

Cambridge Imprint has new stationery storage ranges.

Next has new Nomadic range of homeware and Reflections, Optimism and Moss Green ranges of furniture, Kitchenware and homeware.

Dobbies Garden Centres has new plants, Meadowmat instant turf, picnic ideas, terrariums and indoors and outdoors ranges  for the home.

Dunelm has new homeware and furniture ranges, plus Disney and Natural History Museum collaborations plus Timeless and Pride & Joy homeware ranges. 

Sofology has new furniture for the home.

George Home has new homeware and outdoor furniture ranges as well as ranges for your pets.

National Trust shop has new picnic and outdoor ranges.

Cutter & Squidge has new coffee ranges, Father’s Day treats, afternoon tea selections and picnic hampers.

See additional new home images from the last weeks from

Joe Browns Cardfactory Homesense Primark Regatta TK Maxx Nologo Studio Fritz Fryer Habitat DFS Primark Home Marks & Spencer Cult Furniture Next Branch Jewellery GettingPersonal Nest

Looking for inspiration?

Our trends lightboxes section has lots of ideas for features and themes but If  you can't find something or you need help then email us at support@prshots.com, and we'll see if we can help

DIARY

PRShots Retail Calendar Alerts

Days until Father’s Day - 2

Days until Halloween - 137

Days until Singles Day - 148

Days until Black Friday – 161

Days until Christmas Day - 192

How to get your brand on the June Editorial Calendars, higher up on search engines and in social media

Summer is here - and hopefully the weather will improve – so add anything summery, including summer clothing, and swimwear and push anything to do with outside so garden furniture, anything for a garden party, or a picnic or barbecue, and don’t forget to add all of the other spellings BBQ, Bar-B-Que etc.

We’re also at the start of the festival season, so make sure you add festival or Glastonbury or any of the other big festivals, Isle of Wight, British Summer Time, Boardmasters, Reading/Leeds, to your keyword lists. 

The media are starting to ramp up their summer holiday features, so add swimwear, beachwear, beach, holiday, suitcases, travel bags, travel accessories etc to your keywords. Because of the cost-of-living crisis people are cutting back and are either staying at home, or are thinking of holidays closer to home, so add in keywords and phrases like “staycation”, “holistay”, “holiday at home” to your keywords and why not suggest clothing like hoodies and cardigans for the colder UK evenings.

Also, look at sports, particularly anything tennis-related for Wimbledon, which is coming up in early July.

June Diary - Weeks/Months

June is LGBTQ Pride Month.  It’s also Men’s Health Week (10^th-17^th), Diabetes Awareness Week (12^th-18^th), National Picnic Week (18^th-26^th). Shorter events include - Royal Ascot (20^th-24^th) and the return of the Glastonbury festival (21^st-25^th)

June - Days

17^th – King Charles III official Birthday

18^th – Sustainable Gastronomy Day

18^th – International Picnic Day

18^th – Father’s Day

18^th – Juneteenth

20^th – Royal Ascot Starts

21^st – Glastonbury Festival Starts

21^st – International Yoga Day

21^st – Summer Solstice (The end of Spring)

22^nd – World Rainforest Day

22^nd – Windrush Day

23^rd – Take your dog to work Day

24^th – Midsummer’s Day

25^th – 6 months until Christmas Day

30^th – International Asteroid Day

Do you have any news on your brand that you want us to feature, or have a new appointee or a new event that you would like us to feature? Get in touch at news@prshots.com We don't charge, so get emailing now!!!

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