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Amazon reports slowest retail sales growth since 2019


By Will McCurdy

Amazon’s core retail business has experienced a 15 per cent sales growth rate, the slowest since 2019. The growth rate was lower than analyst expectations and the company’s shares dropped 7 per cent after its financial results were published.


Co-op launches online delivery in Central England

Central England Co-op has signed a partnership with Snappy Shopper to deliver online groceries from 141 local stores in the Midlands and East Anglia. Customers in the region could have groceries delivered to their homes in 30 minutes.

Pret A Manger ‘could introduce automated coffee dispensers'

Pret A Manger could be set to introduce automated coffee dispensers, according to sources reported by The Financial Times. The coffee chain reportedly trademarked the term “Pret Express” with the UK’s Intellectual Property Office under “coffee vending machines and dispensing machines”.

Mothercare loses £21.5m

Mothercare has reported a loss of £21.5 million in its latest end of year results. The loss, which was accumulated across the 52 weeks to 27 March 2021, was more than double that of the previous year. During the preceding 12-month period, the retailer experienced a loss of £8.5 million.

UK shop vacancies on the rise

The number of vacant UK retail stores is up 14.5 per cent in the second quarter of the year. This is an increase on the 14.1 per cent rise in the first quarter and 2.1 per cent higher than during the same period of 2020.
Klarna pledges £3m for SME recovery

Buy Now, Pay Later firm Klarna has launched a £3 million SME support package to help businesses recover from the pandemic. The move comes as new research reveals nearly a quarter of SMEs aren’t confident their business will survive the next two years, with 46 per cent of owners stating their main priority is to simply survive the next six months.

Tesco to expand drone delivery trial

Tesco is set to quadruple the size of its ongoing drone delivery trial, according to sources reported by The Grocer. The supermarket first launched the drone delivery service in the town of Oranmore in County Galway, Ireland, in October 2019.

Walmart to sell its own tech to third parties

Walmart is following in the footsteps of Amazon and Ocado by announcing that it will sell its own e-commerce and in-store technology to retailers in the US. The company revealed a strategic partnership with Adobe to integrate Walmart’s Marketplace, online and in-store fulfilment and pickup technologies with Adobe Commerce, a commerce solution for merchants and brands.

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