news Colour of the Year announced
research, what people need most right now is to feel the ground beneath their feet. When we can take comfort in the stability of simple things, we’re emboldened to express ourselves, stand up for what we believe and make new connections from the past to the future.
Brave Ground has been unveiled as AkzoNobel’s Colour of the Year for 2021. It’s a warm and grounding neutral shade that gives us the courage to embrace change. As unprecedented events and experiences become commonplace, it’s no wonder that people are feeling more off-kilter with the modern world. According to our extensive global trend
“The annual trend research we do with leading design professionals has applications across our paints and coatings businesses,” says David Menko, AkzoNobel’s chief marketing officer. “Our design teams use these insights to develop on-trend, market- specific colours and finishes for our decorative paints, architecture, aerospace, automotive, consumer electronics and wood coatings customers.”
Neutral colours like Brave
Ground can either stand strong on their own or help other colours to shine. Complementary colour palettes have been designed around the colour to make it easy to use and achieve the right look. Four palettes will help decorative paint consumers choose on-trend colours with confidence: the Expressive, Trust, Timeless and Earth palettes. “When consumers set out to
transform their living spaces, they find assurance in our colour expertise and guidance,” says Heleen van Gent, Creative Director of AkzoNobel’s Global Aesthetic Center. “That’s why our global colour research is at the top of our agenda every year.”
Trading update from Dunelm
Dunelm Group has provided an update on recent trading. Sales have been strong in the last two months, with total year over year sales growth up 59% in July, partly as a result of pent up demand following the store closure period and the timing of its Summer Sale, and up 24% in August. This performance “reflects the strength of our proposition
within a resilient homewares market, positive footfall growth to our mainly out-of-town superstores and continued strong growth in our home delivery offer”, Commenting on the
performance, a spokesperson for the company said: “Whilst the year to date
performance has been materially ahead of our initial
expectations, it is very difficult to provide any meaningful guidance on the future outlook given the uncertainty in the wider economy and the potential impact of further regional or national lockdowns. “However, we remain confident in our ability to adapt to the environment and are well positioned to continue to grow market share.”
Footfall rises in UK high streets
Latest data from retail experts Springboard reveals that footfall across all UK retail destinations rose by +0.4% on a week on week basis last week as Britain gets back to work after the August Bank Holiday Monday. The annual result for UK retail destinations has strengthened to -25%, the best year on year change since the start of the lockdown. Of the three destination types, it was only in high streets, where many workplaces are located, that footfall rose from the week before (by +2.6%) versus drops in both retail parks and shopping centres (-0.9% in retail parks and -2.7% in shopping centres). This result suggests that the return to work has begun, albeit modestly. The modest start of a return to work is supported by the result for
10 |
housewareslive.net
the four working days between Tuesday and Friday, when footfall rose in the UK’s high streets by +0.5% from the week before, versus declines of -3.4% in UK retail parks and -3.2% in UK shopping centres. In Greater London’s high streets, where office employment is greater than in any other part of the UK, footfall rose by +5.3% from the week before, more than in any other area, further suggesting that employees are starting to return to their offices. Footfall rose on a week on week basis in seven out of the ten UK geographies, but the next largest rises ranged from +4.1% in the West Midlands to +4.7% in the East Midlands. In contrast, in retail parks footfall rose from the week before in only three UK geographies and in shopping centres
•
HousewaresLive.net
footfall declined in all areas apart from in Greater London where it rose by +3.5%. Despite the improvement in high street footfall, it is important to appreciate the scale of the shift needed to recover the decline in activity that has occurred, with footfall in Greater London’s high streets remaining 40.9% lower than last year, 51.9% lower in Central London and 39.5% lower in the UK regional cities.
•
twitter.com/Housewaresnews September 2020
BHETA joins lobby on future for safety marking in housewares and DIY
The British Home Enhancement Trade Association (BHETA) has leant its weight to a forceful collective of trade associations lobbying Government on the future of the CE safety mark after Brexit. The CE mark itself which is used by suppliers across home enhancement as a signifier of safety approval on electrical products and products powered by lithium batteries, will cease to exist as of December 31 in the event of a no deal Brexit. While the CE mark is due to be replaced by
a UKCA safety mark, the criteria for applying the mark is not yet clear, potentially impacting on all housewares and DIY suppliers with electrical or lithium battery powered products. BHETA’s marketing manager, Steve Richardson explained, “This is an issue for many BHETA members and those impacted first are those who import from overseas where lead times dictate the need for the soonest possible guidance. The detail of the new UKCA mark is vital to briefing overseas manufacturers and it needs to be available as soon as possible, given that it is very possible that product for sale from January 2021 needs to carry the appropriate information. “The potential issue has come to the fore
since The Small Electrical Appliance Marketing Association (SEAMA) became part of BHETA. The Environment and Operations Standards Committee originally formed by the former SEAMA is now making its knowledge and expertise available across the BHETA membership, and we are lobbying accordingly.”
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44
