NEWS | Round-up


Online retail boom may be over as analyst predicts ‘a tough year’


ONLINE RETAIL sales in April fell by 12% year on year and IMRG Capgemini suggests this may signal an end to the online sales boom. The April figures are the first, said analyst IMRG Capgemini, not to be skewed by lockdown comparisons and give a clearer indication of growth against the three-, six- and 12-month averages of -21.9%, -17.5% and -13.3%. The analyst also pointed out that April’s figure was an improvement over March’s -25.7% figure. The index tracks more than 200 online retailers and also showed that, despite rising inflation and the soaring cost of living, month-on-month growth was up 3.8% and average basket value hit a record high of £146, up £12 on March, which was £3 up over the previous pandemic record set in August 2021. The Index also reported that after their highs of 2021, electricals have seen poor performances for the past few months at -17.8% in April, with average basket values also down.


Commenting on the results, IMRG strategy and


insight director Andy Mulcahy, said: “Throughout the pandemic, there was much speculation as to what the ‘new normal’ might be once everything has settled down again. After two years of huge volume increases online, it would seem that growth is now over – this is not just a reflection of the pandemic effectively coming to an end in many people’s minds, the new phase of higher costs and bills is creating very unpredictable patterns of behaviour among shoppers. Many retailers report sluggish response to


activity and erratic spending, and it feels like this is only the start of a tough year for UK shoppers.” Looking to the future, Lucy Gibbs, senior manager, retail lead for analytics and AI at Capgemini, said: “Shifting priorities around new cost pressures and economic factors will also influence future demand patterns. Retailers and brands will need to remain agile, listening to customer needs, where consideration will likely now focus on price, necessity and value, to create a standout experience.”


Mermaid ‘takes planning to the next level’ with Virtual Worlds software


HPP staff raise money for Ukrainian children


HPP raises funds for children affected by Ukraine conflict


STAFF AT Oldham-based HPP have helped raise more than £1,000 for children caught up in the Ukraine conflict. Workers at boards and furniture fittings manufacturer and supplier Hill’s Panel Products raised a total of £1,069, which will be donated to Unicef, the United Nations Children’s Fund. Its appeal is providing funds to support the 7.5 million children in Ukraine who are embroiled in the growing humanitarian crisis caused by Russia’s invasion of the country. The fund-raising day was the idea of HPP managing director Keith Wardrope. He said: “The war in Ukraine is causing an immediate and growing threat to the lives and well- being of the country’s children. We wanted to provide humanitarian aid to the people of Ukraine, especially the children, which is why we chose Unicef as the charity. We felt that it was


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only right that we did something to raise money to do our bit to support those who have been forced to flee their homes.”


HPP workers were asked to donate £2 and to wear the blue and yellow colours of the Ukrainian flag for the day at its Scottfield Road site, where the company had organised a cake sale, barbecued food and sold money- raising scratch cards. Web developer Stuart Rose and content administrator Matt Barker toured the site with buckets and barbecued food was provided by web marketing assistant Mark Staines, while he and marketing coordinator Amy Fairbank helped to cook and distribute food from a charcoal grill outside the HPP trade counter. Fairbank said: “We had a really successful day and raised over £1,000, which is great. We were lucky with the weather for the barbecue.”


SHOWER PANEL specialist Mer - maid has partnered with CAD software provider Virtual Worlds to allow retailers to showcase its products in photorealistic 3D. Mermaid has added its portfolio of products to the Virtual Worlds platform so that retailers can now include their products in their 3D or 4D pre - sentations for customers, allowing them to get a better idea of how they will look in their own bathrooms. The company also pointed out that this also allows retailers to display a wider range of products than a typical showroom can accommodate. Commenting on the development, Mermaid national sales manager Keely Greenhalgh said: “Mermaid is thrilled to be joining Virtual Worlds. Offering our versatile range of panelling solutions digitally will allow retailers to provide a greater choice of products to consumers. By visualising in 3D


what can be achieved from using the panels, bathroom planning is taken to the next level, opening up a world of design ideas that some may not have even considered possible.” Greenhalgh added: “The brand’s inclusion in Virtual Worlds’ product catalogue will bring greater exposure to Mermaid and the bathroom panelling category as a whole. When realised in photorealistic 3D or fully immersive 4D virtual reality, even the biggest advocates of bathroom tiles are likely to be swayed by the striking effect panels can create. With an impressive range of styles also on offer, including stone, marble and wood effects, it


is even possible to


recreate the aesthetic of tiles, if that’s what the consumer desires.” Virtual Worlds managing director Nathan Maclean also spelt out the benefits: “We’re delighted to welcome the Mermaid brand on board to Virtual Worlds. The partnership enables retailers


to easily include these


products within their designs, while offering the consumer even more choice and opportunity for creativity when planning their new bathrooms.” He added: “Our design technology is playing an increasingly important part in the KBB retail dynamic, providing an immersive planning experience where consumers are able to try before they buy and the constraints of the physical showroom become a thing of the past.”


· June 2022


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