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European Retail Briefings - February 2007

HIGHLIGHTS: FEBRUARY 2007
Grocers
Clothing retailing
Multi-sector retailing
DIY retailing
NEWS ANALYSIS
 BAKERS (RETAIL)
UK: Thorntons H1 profits slip, sales flat
 CO-OPS (RETAIL)
UK: Merger creates world's largest co-operative group
 CONVENIENCE STORES
UK: Londis piles pressure on franchisees
 GROCERS
France: Casino
…reports mixed FY sales
…and sells Smart & Final stake
France: Chairman's share purchase sparks Carrefour rumours
Netherlands: Lagging US sales hold back Ahold
Spain: Caprabo returns to the black
Spain: Carrefour invests €10m in own brand
UK: Asda
…sells £9 DVD player
…to sell electricals online
…returns to 1950s packaging
…is condemned for new size-zero range
…cuts the price of a dozen roses to £2
…and launches campaign that enrages M&S
UK: Kwik Save
…rescued by property company
…and secures future
UK: Morrisons prepares to sell online
UK: Sainsbury's
…family sells £200m shares sparking takeover rumours
…is linked with further takeover speculation
…as a bidding war looms
…with Leighton lined up to run the company
…but a fight may be on the cards
…as Lord Sainsbury regains control of shares
…as Qatar eyes a strategic stake
…and Polygon grabs a slice
UK: Supermarkets to cut out trans-fats
UK: Survey claims shoppers prefer Lidl, Aldi to big four
UK: Tesco
…denies underhand tactics
…as employees share £148m windfall
…looks to boost Direct site
…rewards green shoppers
…and scraps refund policy
US: Safeway reports FY sales rise
US: Tesco
…chooses Arizona for first store
…and confirms Fresh and Easy approach
 CLOTHING RETAILING
Italy: Benetton posts FY sales rise
Sweden: H&M to launch premium chain, reports profit rise
UK: Adams finds buyer
UK: Alexon
…receives takeover approach
…then ends takeover talks
UK: Ethel Austin faces hedge funds takeover
UK: Gap to launch Banana Republic in UK
UK: Marchpole buys Greenmark for £3 million
UK: Matalan axes 100 jobs
UK: Monsoon sees sales plummet
UK: Phase Eight sold for £51.5 million
US: JC Penney posts solid FY results
 MIXED GOODS RETAILING
UK: Woolworths
…launches online travel site
…and wins supply deal with Virgin
…but faces OFT investigation
 MULTI-SECTOR RETAILING
Belgium: Colruyt reports 9% sales rise
Finland: Kesko sees FY sales climb 10%
France: Gucci helps PPR FY sales grow
Germany: Douglas posts strong Q1 results
Romania: Rewe to expand in Romania
Russian Federation: Wal-Mart set for Russian move?
UK: John Lewis
…plans huge expansion
…and joins chase for the green pound
UK: M&S
…hires food police
…launches bottle jacket
…wins tax ruling
...set to lose key directors
…and tries to keep retail director
US: Wal-Mart
…ends difficult year on a high
…pledges to become greener
…aims to bolster nine cities
…but must face bias suit
US: New technology could help DVD retailers fight back
 DEPARTMENT STORES
UK: Former HoF deputy to get Monsoon trial
 DIY RETAILING
Germany: Praktiker plans more Easy-to-Shop stores
UK: Kingfisher reports FY success as B&Q rebounds in Q4
US: Home Depot
…suffers from housing market slump
…and plans to add 15,000 jobs
 ELECTRICAL RETAILING
France: DSG set to close French PC City stores
UK: DSG CEO warns of fewer high street shops
US: Best Buy to add 130 new stores
 MUSIC AND VIDEO GOODS RETAILING
UK: Buyer found for Music Zone
 CARPET RETAILING
UK: Carpetright posts flat like-for-likes
 FURNITURE RETAILING
UK: Land of Leather struggles through Q2
 HOME SHOPPING
Europe: EC set to overhaul internet shopping regulations
UK: Baugur and Hunter plan 'mini Amazon'
UK: Dream Direct issues profit warning
US: Amazon’s Q4 profits cut in half
 HEALTH AND BEAUTY RETAILING
China: Alliance Boots enters China
UK: Body Shop like-for-likes increase in second half
UK: Boots offers Viagra for Valentines
UK: Superdrug offers private label for black women
US: Walgreen buys 53 Familymed stores
 BOOK AND STATIONERY RETAILING
UK: Stationery Box enters administration
US: Office Depot sees FY profits almost double
 SPORTS AND LEISURE GOODS RETAILING
UK: JJB
…sees founder sells £50m share
…but faces Which? lawsuit
UK: Sports World
...mulls float
…before Ashley cancels dividend
…then confirms float
…and reveals he’ll relinquish leadership
 JEWELLERY RETAILING
US: Signet sparkles in the US
 GARDEN CENTRES
UK: Blooms of Bressingham
…bought by Hunter for £30m
…who looks to create a gardening revolution
UK: Dobbies reports solid growth
ECONOMIC NEWS
Australian retail sales rise in December
German retail surges on month to end 2006
Italian retail sales edge ahead in December
Japanese retail sales fall again in December
Swedish retail sales rise in December
UK:
Retail sales soar in January, says CBI
BRC urge caution despite strong January sales
Retail sales disappoint in January, says ONS
MARKET ANALYSIS: FOOTWEAR RETAILING IN EUROPE
Retail sales
Figure 1: All footwear specialists: Sales as % all retail sales, 1994-2005
Germany – the largest footwear specialist sector
Figure 2: Europe: Specialist footwear retailers sales, 2005
Italy – the largest sector relative to the market
Figure 3: Footwear retailers’ sales as % all retailers sales, 2005
Footwear in the context of clothing and footwear specialists’ sales
Figure 4: Footwear specialists’ sales as % all clothing and footwear specialists’ sales, 2005
Market value
Figure 5: European footwear market: Estimated market sizes and spend per capita, 2005
The Italian love-affair with shoes
Figure 6: Europe: Spending on shoes per capita, 2005
Marked variations in attitudes to footwear
Figure 7: Europe: Spending on footwear as % all clothing and footwear spending, 2005
UK – smallest proportion of spending, but fastest growth in demand
Figure 8: Europe: Growth in spending on footwear, 2000-05
Channels of distribution
Figure 9: Footwear retailers’ sales as % all spending on footwear, 2005
Sector concentration
Figure 10: Europe: Market share of top 5 specialists by country, 2005
Leading players
Figure 11: Europe: Leading footwear specialists, 2005
COMPANY PROFILE: BRANTANO
Bare facts
Retail offering
Market positioning
Product offering
Figure 12: Brantano: Product offer – percentage of all products stocked, 2005
Pricing
Brands
Financial performance
Figure 13: Brantano: Financial performance, 2001-05
UK and Belgium
Denmark and Netherlands
Figure 14: Brantano: Performance by region, 2001-05
Store portfolio
Figure 15: Brantano: Outlet data, 2001-05
The future?

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