Retail insight on November 10th 2009

November 10, 2009

News for the retail industry

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News

India tops global retail theft barometer Business Standard India's fledgling retail industry has topped the 'Global Retail Theft Barometer' survey for 2009. The country topped the retail "shrinkage" rate -- a term that bunches shoplifting, employee theft and process failures -- in 41 countries surveyed across the world, for the second year in a row.

Wal-Mart in China; a blueprint for India? The Daily Deal Wal-Mart Stores Inc. chairman S. Robson Walton last week made clear his interest in expanding the company's India footprint. Walton met with India Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi to lobby for more access to the India market.

Retail is all about scale: Kishore Biyani Economic Times In the last few years, Pantaloon Retail has emerged as the country's largest retailer and it continues to expand at a breakneck pace. But has this growth been too fast? The company is operating on wafer thin margins and poor cash flows. Now it has announced a fresh bout of corporate restructuring.

Reliance, Gini & Jony tie up to offer Levi's, Puma footwear Business Standard Reliance Footprint, the footwear store of Reliance Retail, today said it has tied up with kidswear brand Gini & Jony to introduce children's footwear ranges of Levi's and Puma in the country.

Lilliput captures a tenth of Rs 3500-cr kidswear market Economic Times The journey began soon after Narula finished his graduation and joined a trading house in Delhi. The most important lesson he learnt there was, "I should never take a job." It was difficult to live and grow in an environment where employees stole credit for others' work and indulged in politics, says the 45-year old.

No change in India's foreign investment policy in retail Economic Times There will be no change in the government's policy of a ban on foreign direct investment in multi-brand retail industry, Commerce Minister Anand Sharma said here Sunday.

Barista to expand with 25 more outlets Financial Express The country's second largest coffee chain, Barista Lavazza, is planning to invest Rs 12 crore during the second half of the current financial year to open 25 outlets across the country.

Low rentals make mall developers, retailers opt for revenue sharing> Business Standard With slowdown seemingly slipping away from sight, an increasing number of mall developers and retailers are now opting for rental revenue sharing model. As vacancy levels and rentals continue to dip especially in the metros, developers are banking on this 'performance based sharing' scheme to make up for the damages.

Small pharma retailers form company to take on big chains Indian Express With the country's organised retail market growing at 15-16 per cent and big players entering the segment, over three lakh pan-India retail outlets have planned to create a common brand in the next few years under the umbrella of the All-India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD).

F&B brands look to increase volume growth Economic Times Key players in the over Rs 1,500-crore branded food retail market in India are on an expansion overdrive. They're reaching out to more consumers by setting up shop in railway stations, airport or reducing prices of premium offerings.

Furnishing sales revive as people buy homes Daily News & Analysis Kishore Biyani, managing director, Pantaloon Retail, told DNA Money the segment has started to pick up since last month and Home Town is showing growth of 5-7% this month. Manish Parekh, director, Nilkamal Ltd, that runs the @Home chain of furniture stores, said there has been quite a lot of movement in the real estate sector and that people are buying new homes, which is a positive sign for sales of furniture and home furnishing in the coming months.

Retail Trends

Cost control, expansion to hasten growth Economic Times An early festive season this year has facilitated a faster recovery in the domestic retail sector. And it is not just the higher sales volume, but improved profitability that has prompted the market and analysts to take note.

Party continues for consumer durables firms Business Standard The party has not ended for consumer durables manufacturers, who recorded a 20-30 per cent growth during the festival period this year. They anticipate similar growth this winter, with the return of consumer finance schemes.

IT growth in Indian retail slowing in '09: Survey CIOL The IT market in the Indian retail sector will grow at an estimated Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 23 per cent during 2008-2012; reaching $1.4 billion by 2012, says the latest research from Springboard Research, an IT Market Research firm.

Focus shifting to profitability at store, regional levels in retail Livemint As consumers return to stores, retailers are again eyeing growth plans in the wake of a reviving economy, except this time they are focusing firmly on profitability at the store and regional levels.

Retail Insight

RFID Adoption in the Retail Industry USA Strategies Inc The inevitable change from printed UPC identification of industrial and consumer products to Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) systems has been written about for several years. This study recognizes that inevitability but addresses the rate of such adoption specifically at the individual package (unit) level.