Essential reading for retailers and suppliers in the home improvement market

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Supermarkets blamed for retail insolvency five-year high

The number of businesses going under has reached a five-year high, with 1,287 businesses made insolvent in England, Scotland and Wales last year. 
17 June 2014

BRC hits out against 'complicated carrier bag charges'

A 5p charge for carrier bags will be introduced in England next year, but the British Retail Consortium says this will cause confusion for customers. 
17 June 2014

Shoppers leave high street and head out of town

High streets and shopping centres are losing out to retail parks, which are capitalising on the attractiveness of homewares as house prices continue to rise. 
17 June 2014

New Green Heart of Glee concept welcomed by industry

The industry has welcomed the introduction of the Green Heart, which is a new exhibition at Glee and will see growers and nurseries showing their latest ranges. 
17 June 2014

Womenswear retailer Bonmarché to open in more garden centres

After a successful trial in three garden centres last year, Bonmarché will open a further 15 to 20 concession stores this year. 
16 June 2014

Comet workers get payout after administrators 'flouted law'

Shopworkers union Usdaw is calling for a reform of insolvency regulations, saying that administrators at Deloitte "deliberately flouted the law" when handling the collapse of Comet
16 June 2014

Jail for £58,000 garden centre fraudster

A man who stole £58,000 from the Nottinghamshire garden centre and swimming pool business where he worked is now behind bars. 
16 June 2014

Cole & Mason wins CoolBrands status

DKB Household has revealed that one of its brands, Cole & Mason, has been awarded CoolBrands status 2014/15. 
16 June 2014

Collaboration 'can add £30,000 to an independent's sales'

Independent retailers that work together can end up enjoying a significant boost to their sales. 
16 June 2014

Kingfisher is in "good shape" to meet 2020 sustainability targets

In the first full year Net Positive report, Kingfisher boss Sir Ian Cheshire says that steady progress has been made in reaching 2020 targets. 
13 June 2014

Soudal acquires American company Accumetric

European company Soudal has continued with its plan to become a global player in the adhesives and sealants market by acquiring Accumetric. 
13 June 2014

Retailers invited to attend Glee pre-event study tour

New to 2014 retailers looking to expand their knowledge of the garden market can attend a three-day Glee pre-event study tour. 
13 June 2014

Bond It donates thousands of rugby shirts to Papua New Guinea

After teaming up with Papua New Guinea rugby league legend Stanley Gene, Bond It donated thousands of rugby shirts to young people in the Simbu province. 
13 June 2014

GIMA charity golf day scores hole in one

The rain didn't stop 96 keen golfers from taking part in this year's Garden Industry Manufacturers' Association's charity golf day. 
13 June 2014

Homebase and Argos put on positive Q1 growth

Homebase and Argos both enjoyed good like-for-like sales growth in this year's first quarter, boosted by strong demand for seasonal lines. 
12 June 2014

Revamped restaurant opens at the Brighton Garden Centre

The new Garden Kitchen restaurant opened this month at the Brighton Garden Centre and aims to bring the green of the garden onto the plate. 
12 June 2014

Q1 non-food sales on a steady climb

Slow food sales dragged down the overall performance of retail sales in May, but growth in non-food is accelerating. 
12 June 2014

Garden centre death driver sentenced to 300 hours' work

An out-of-control driver who killed a woman and injured two others - one of them seriously - in a garden centre car park has been ordered to carry out 300 hours of unpaid work. 
12 June 2014

Doff Portland rebrand adds 50% to sales

Doff Portland, manufacturer of insecticides, weedkillers and garden care products, has reported a steep rise in sales figures following its brand overhaul in autumn 2013. 
11 June 2014

Shopper numbers show cautious but steady recovery

The number of non-food shoppers out and about fell in May, but the longer-term trend shows that footfall levels are gradually recovering. 
11 June 2014
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