Retail
Coverage from the Retail desk.
Retailers could become health-testing hubs as buying shifts to consumer systems
Retailers may become community hubs for health monitoring, testing and interpretation as shopping moves from single products to combined consumer systems, according to Mintel’s Global Predictions 2027. In South Korea, Optima Wellness Pharmacy already offers in-store AI-led skin health analysis.
Intake Breathing secures $62M from Camino Partners to push nasal strips into retail
Direct-to-consumer nasal strip brand Intake Breathing has raised $62 million from Camino Partners, the investment firm founded by Kind Snacks founder Daniel Lubetzky, to fund a move into physical retail and expand its internal operations.
Perth Airport reveals designs for new terminal with 10,000sq m of retail and dining
Perth Airport has unveiled concept designs for a new terminal that will include around 10,000sq m of retail, dining and hospitality space, part of a multi-billion-dollar overhaul of Western Australia's main aviation gateway.
Furtuna Skin's Agatha Relota Luczo Pitches Extra Virgin Olive Oil in the Kitchen
Source signal: Agatha Relota Luczo Shares Delectable Recipes Made With Extra Virgin Olive Oil Sourced From Her Farm
Bath & Body Works Kicks Off Holiday Season With Zooey Deschanel Campaign
Bath & Body Works launched its holiday campaign on Monday, October 26, with actress Zooey Deschanel fronting the Season of Wonder collection, a push arriving as the retailer looks to protect a gifting period that drives roughly 40% of its business.
Mondelez travel retail chief says confectionery's 8% purchase rate is a relevance gap, not a demand gap
Mondelez World Travel Retail's Joost Rosmuller argues that with 91% of consumers snacking daily but only 8% buying confectionery in duty free, the industry's challenge is engagement rather than appetite. He points to a projected duty-free market of US$87 billion by 2031 as room to grow.
Brunello Cucinelli Opens Three-Storey Casa Cucinelli in Shanghai's Jing'an District
Brunello Cucinelli has opened Casa Cucinelli at the China Resources Centre in Shanghai's Jing'an district, a three-floor space built around the idea of an Italian home rather than a conventional boutique.
QVC lines up TikTok livestreams, celebrity guests and exclusive launches for 40th holiday season
QVC is marking its 40th holiday season with a push spanning television, TikTok and creator partnerships, backed by exclusive product launches and a three-day November sales event.
Apple’s $2,000 iPhone Duo Draws Early Complaints of Cracked Screens
A small group of early iPhone Duo buyers say the foldable’s inner display has cracked, creased or malfunctioned within hours or days of use, marring the launch of a $2,000 device Apple positioned as a form-factor breakthrough.
Kayali Enters China With 300-Door Sephora Exclusive
Dubai-based fragrance label Kayali has made its China debut through an exclusive rollout with LVMH-owned Sephora, spanning more than 300 stores alongside a founder-led push. The launch, two years in the making, starts with seven signature scents and expands to nine more in November.
Retailers Rework Holiday Hiring as Sales Forecast Tops $1 Trillion
U.S. retailers and logistics operators are adding seasonal staff with more targeted, flexible plans as holiday sales are projected to exceed $1 trillion for the first time. Companies are balancing store roles with fulfillment and cross-training needs.
MakeMyTrip Leans on Hotels, Buses and Cabs as Air Travel Cools
Source signal: MakeMyTrip Uses an Air Travel Dip to Reach Beyond Flights
DoorDash and TikTok Shop expand easier returns options
DoorDash has added retail returns with a $7.99 pickup fee, while TikTok Shop now lets shoppers return items through Happy Returns drop-off locations. Both moves reflect a push to make returns more convenient as marketplaces compete for sales.
Databricks co-founder: enterprise deals hinge on people and processes, not just product
Arsalan Tavakoli-Shiraji, co-founder and senior vice president of field engineering at Databricks, told a conference audience that strong technology alone rarely closes large enterprise contracts. He pointed to relationships, internal champions and readiness for legal and security scrutiny as the deciding factors.
Ferrero Travel Market Targets Younger Travellers With Biscuits and Digital Engagement
Ferrero Travel Market executives Roberta Masia and Chiara di Canossa outlined the group's push into biscuits, evolving flavour preferences and digital engagement with younger travellers in an interview at the TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes.
Harding+ plans 300 cruise retail activations across 40-plus ships in 2026
Harding+ has set out plans for about 300 brand activations across more than 40 cruise ships in 2026, alongside new product launches and deeper collaboration with brand partners.
Vietnam Duty Free reports strong early sales at Noi Bai airport stores
Vietnam Duty Free says its newly opened shops at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi are drawing encouraging consumer response and sales. The retailer opened the stores with an inauguration on 15 October.
China and EU Reach Understanding on Hybrid Vehicle Export Volumes
China and the European Union have reached an understanding on the volume of Chinese hybrid vehicles exported to the bloc, with projected shipments potentially cut by more than half over four years. The arrangement is not yet a signed, binding contract.
Walmart Connect goes direct to brands with on-site brand lift studies ahead of holiday ad deals
Walmart's retail media arm is approaching brand clients directly, rather than through their agencies, to offer on-site brand lift studies before the holiday shopping season. The pitch lands as marketers press for harder proof that retail media spending drives incremental sales.
Tom Ford Fashion Adds Three U.S. Boutiques in California and Florida
Tom Ford Fashion has opened three directly operated stores in San Diego, Costa Mesa and Bal Harbour, lifting its U.S. retail network as the brand's chief executive calls America a key growth engine.
Shanghai Fashion Week opens as a gateway for foreign labels eyeing China
The Spring/Summer 2027 edition of Shanghai Fashion Week opened on 8 October under the theme Renewed Radiance, with nearly 100 runway presentations and around 1,000 brands taking part. For overseas labels, the event doubles as a testing ground for entering the Chinese market.
Ospree Duty Free Takes Double Gold at Spiritz Achievers' Awards 2026
Ospree Duty Free, operated by Mumbai Travel Retail Limited, won two gold honours at the Spiritz Achievers' Awards 2026 for its Chivas Regal 15 Year Old launch activation with Pernod Ricard and its 'Spirit of India' initiative with House of Rampur.
Holiday Returns Need a Fresh Retail Approach, Sensormatic President Says
Retailers should rethink how they manage holiday returns, balancing shopper-friendly policies with return fraud and inventory-accuracy risks, says Tony D’Onofrio, president of Sensormatic Solutions.
Loro Piana Opens Two-Floor Boutique on Vienna’s Kohlmarkt
Loro Piana has moved its Vienna boutique to Kohlmarkt 6, opening a two-floor store that combines the Italian brand’s heritage with a warm, residential feel.
Jana Craig of 'Love Island USA' Enters Beauty With Aura by Jana Lash Line
The reality star and influencer is launching her own beauty brand, Aura by Jana, starting with a lash collection that goes direct-to-consumer on Nov. 6. The debut range comprises six glue-on lash packs and one self-adhesive cluster set.
NikeSkims debuts first outerwear collection in University Red
NikeSkims, the joint venture between Nike and Kim Kardashian’s Skims, is releasing its first outerwear collection worldwide on Thursday, led by a new University Red colourway and two new fabric lines.
Zenith Proposes High-End Pivot With Up to 200 Job Cuts and Retail Exit by 2029
LVMH-owned Zenith Watches has opened a staff consultation on a strategic repositioning toward higher-priced watches, a plan that could remove up to half its Swiss workforce and roughly 100 international roles. The brand also intends to discontinue many collections and wind down its retail operations by 2029.
Beijing's Post-00s Rethink Rubbish as Neighbors Scavenge Recycling
Young adults in Beijing are waiting until late at night to throw out waste and destroying packaging first, as older neighbors comb communal bins for cardboard and other recyclables.
Philip Morris Travel Retail Unit Lifts Smoke-Free Growth as Q3 Revenue Reaches $11.4 Billion
Philip Morris International's global travel retail business helped drive smoke-free growth in the third quarter and first nine months of 2026, with IQOS heated tobacco share at duty-free airports rising 1.6 percentage points to 19.6%. Group net revenues for the quarter climbed 5.5% to US$11.4 billion.
Montblanc and Gassan open redesigned boutique at Amsterdam Schiphol
Montblanc has opened a 35sq m redesigned boutique in Amsterdam Airport Schiphol's Terminal 2 transit area with retail partner Gassan, offering writing instruments, leather goods and Swiss-made timepieces.
Hermès nine-month revenue up 2.9% as leather goods offsets regional softness
Hermès reported a 5.5% rise in third-quarter revenue to €4.096 billion, lifting nine-month sales to €12.26 billion, up 2.9%, as leather goods demand in the Americas, Europe and Japan offset weakness in the Middle East, watches and ready-to-wear. Shares nevertheless fell 8.1% to €1,247.50 in Paris.
NBCUniversal shoppable TV expands to about 12 shows, led by Traitors and Love Island USA
Source signal: NBCUniversal’s shoppable TV business is seeing a boost from shows like ‘Traitors’ and ‘Love Island USA’
Target leans on daily deals, exclusives and AI assistant for holiday season
Target is rolling out more than 8,000 new gifts, most priced at $20 or under, alongside an AI-powered shopping assistant and a daily deal cadence running from Nov. 1 to Dec. 24.
L’Oréal Q3 sales rise 7.7% to $39.6B, led by professional and dermatological beauty
L’Oréal Groupe reported a 7.7% increase in third-quarter sales to $39.6 billion, with CEO Nicolas Hieronimus pointing to innovation-driven gains in hair care, fragrances and skin care. Professional products and dermatological beauty posted the strongest divisional growth.
Kohl's Pushes Clearer Discount Labels, Gift Bundles and Delivery Apps for Holiday Shoppers
Kohl's is sharpening its value message for the holidays with plainly marked percentage-off pricing, fixed $5 to $20 price tiers and buy-now, pay-later through Klarna. The retailer is also adding bundled gift sets and delivery through DoorDash, Instacart and Uber Eats.
Target Opens Reimagined Soho Store as a Test Bed for Discovery-Driven Retail
Target has completed a redesign of its Soho location in New York, turning the two-floor space into a curation- and design-led store meant to reposition the retailer around discovery. The Minneapolis-based company says it will borrow ideas from the format for its wider store network.
Kering Q3 revenue slips 1% as Gucci decline deepens to 6%
Kering reported third-quarter revenue of 3.35 billion euros, down 1 percent on a comparable basis, while flagship brand Gucci fell 6 percent at constant exchange rates and missed analyst expectations.
AI narrows the gift hunt, but shoppers still lean on reviews to close the sale
New survey data shows AI assistants are increasingly where holiday shoppers begin product searches, yet only a small fraction complete a purchase on the spot. Most still cross-check reviews, prices and retailer policies before committing.
Prada Group Nine-Month Revenue Climbs 12% to €4.54 Billion as Miu Miu Cools
Prada Group reported a 12% rise in first nine-month revenue to €4.54 billion, lifted by the addition of Versace, while growth at its Miu Miu label decelerated.
Swiss watch exports up 2.7% to $23.6bn in first nine months of 2026
Swiss watch shipments rose 2.7% to 19.5 billion francs ($23.6 billion) in the first nine months of 2026, as September marked a fifth consecutive month of growth on strong US and European demand.
Anthropologie Opens Holiday Push With 'Love Actually'-Style Film and DoorDash Tie-In
Anthropologie's holiday campaign, launching October 19, leans on airport-reunion romance and a product mix spanning travel outfits, partywear and pajamas, backed by an expanded food range, new home collaborations and a DoorDash partnership.
Brain Health Supplements Jump 47% as Creatine and Omega-3 Lead Consumer Interest
A joint Spate and NIQ report finds U.S. vitamins, minerals and supplement sales up 11 percent year-over-year, with brain health the fastest-rising subcategory online. Creatine, omega-3 and rhodiola rosea are drawing the strongest search and social engagement.
Deloitte survey: 28% of holiday budgets to be spent by end of October
A Deloitte holiday shopping survey of 4,000 U.S. consumers finds 22% plan to start buying earlier than last year, with 28% of budgets expected to be used up by the end of October — the highest share in six years.
Dermatologist Sheila Farhang Debuts Dose of Derm With $68 Skincare-Infused Foundation
Dermatologist Sheila Farhang has launched Dose of Derm, a color cosmetics brand starting with a single $68 foundation that combines buildable coverage with mineral SPF 45 and longevity ingredients. The line arrives as dermatologist-founded brands remain largely focused on skincare rather than makeup.
PepsiCo pushes into refrigerated fresh food with Alvalle soups and Tostitos guacamole
PepsiCo is expanding its refrigerated fresh-food portfolio, bringing Spanish chilled-soup brand Alvalle to the U.S. and launching Tostitos-branded guacamole as shoppers seek convenient fresh options.
The Design Solution completes Tuff Gong Studios redesign in Kingston
The Design Solution has completed a redesign of Tuff Gong International Studios in Kingston, the first phase of a 7,000 sq m tourism development by Bob Marley Group of Companies that will add visitor experiences and retail.
Beauty M&A Volume Hits Record 384 Deals in 2025 as Median Deal Value Slips to $22 Million
Beauty dealmaking reached a record 384 transactions globally in 2025, up 8 percent year on year, but Kearney's latest report shows the median deal value falling to $22 million from $26 million. Midsize brands are struggling to find buyers as capital concentrates on small and billion-dollar-plus targets.
Chinese brands retune overseas expansion around store productivity and localisation
Chinese retailers are moving away from rapid overseas store openings in favour of store productivity, localisation and brand building, with Hong Kong and Southeast Asia identified as key growth markets in a Savills retail occupier report.
Gap Beauty launches Bliss gourmand holiday fragrance and first body-care line
Gap Beauty has launched Bliss, a limited-edition holiday fragrance built on gourmand notes, with matching hand cream and body lotion marking its first body-care range. The collection arrives ahead of the holiday gifting season, with prices from $15 to $52.
Barefaced Launches Rx Platform for Clinician-Guided Prescription Skin Care
Skin care brand Barefaced, founded by nurse practitioner Jordan Harper, is moving into personalized medical skin care with Barefaced Rx, a platform pairing online intake with state-licensed clinician review.
Glow Recipe Turns to Buldak's Spicy-Noodle Fame for $38 Lip Balm Duo
Glow Recipe has partnered with Buldak, the viral Korean spicy noodle brand owned by Samyang Foods, on a limited-edition two-piece Glass Balm set tinted after the company's Original and Carbonara flavors.
Hong Kong Airport Authority Opens Tender for Terminal 1 Bakery and Dessert Units
Airport Authority Hong Kong is seeking bidders for a bakery and dessert concession across two spaces in Terminal 1 at Hong Kong International Airport, with submissions due by 4pm Hong Kong time on 11 November.
Estée Lauder Alum Reema Shihadeh Launches Zaiie, a Palestinian-Heritage Makeup Brand
Reema Shihadeh, formerly a global director of makeup marketing at The Estée Lauder Cos., is debuting Zaiie, a direct-to-consumer color cosmetics line built around olive oil from her family's West Bank groves.
Vietnam Duty Free opens at Hanoi's Noi Bai as Western Sydney and Paris retail plans take shape
Vietnam Duty Free has inaugurated its store at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi, headlining a trio of travel retail developments that also includes the retail build-out at Western Sydney International Airport and a spirits collaboration at Paris Charles de Gaulle.
Walmart's Shenzhen mooncake pop-up turns a herbalist's cabinet into a Woji Fresh showcase
Walmart staged an eight-day Mid-Autumn Festival pop-up in Shenzhen built around its Woji Fresh private label, using a traditional Chinese medicine cabinet as the centrepiece. The activation reached No. 2 on Douyin's trending list.
Andrea Lisbona Steps Down as Touchland CEO, Stays On as Brand Adviser
Andrea Lisbona has handed over the chief executive role at Touchland, the hand sanitizer brand she brought to the U.S. market in 2017 and sold to Church & Dwight in a deal worth up to $880 million. She remains with the company as founder and strategic adviser on brand, innovation and retail.
China's Golden Week travellers stretch trips longer but stick to value
Chinese holidaymakers are extending Golden Week itineraries, with longer hotel stays and multi-destination trips rising sharply, yet pre-holiday bookings show a continued focus on value over luxury.
Depop Builds Its Marketing Around Music, Tapping Zara Larsson and Olivia Rodrigo
Peer-to-peer resale platform Depop is using music to set itself apart from rival marketplaces, citing data that 56% of its community attends live music events. The London-based company has rolled out wardrobe drops with artists including Kacey Musgraves, Zara Larsson and Olivia Rodrigo.
Victoria’s Secret Ties Fashion Show to Beauty and Skin-Care Push
Victoria’s Secret is using its annual fashion show to spotlight a broader beauty expansion and its first skin-care partnership, with beauty president Amy Kocourek leading the effort ahead of the 2026 show.
Zhuhai Duty Free Reopens Expanded Arrivals Store at Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Port
Zhuhai Duty Free has reopened its arrivals duty-free outlet at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge's Zhuhai-Hong Kong Port after relocating and expanding the space, adding categories and speeding up checkout for travellers arriving from Hong Kong.
Brunello Cucinelli lifts 2026 outlook after 13.5% third-quarter revenue gain
Brunello Cucinelli raised its full-year 2026 revenue growth guidance to around 12% at constant exchange rates after third-quarter sales rose 13.5%, bucking a wider luxury slowdown.
Spring 2027 Runways Signal Bolder Eyes as Makeup Artists Weigh In on What's Next
Metallic eyeliner at Dior and colorful smoky eyes at Gucci hinted at a return to expressive makeup for spring 2027. Makeup artists and brand founders Patrick Ta and Mary Phillips shared their outlook at Beautyworld Dubai as prestige makeup growth lags the wider beauty market.
China’s Gen Z Gets a Pocket-Sized ‘Cyber Book of Answers’ for Everyday Dilemmas
A pocket-sized electronic device called the Halotomo Cyber Book of Answers is offering China’s youth randomized answers to everyday decisions, from lunch to texting an ex. The gadget pairs a digital screen and chunky buttons with blind-box culture and retro Y2K styling.
Zeekr opens Australian-first airport experience centre at Sydney Airport T3
Premium electric vehicle brand Zeekr has unveiled a six-month experience centre in Sydney Airport's Terminal 3, its first of the kind in Australia, showcasing a rotating line-up of models in the check-in area.
Teen beauty spend climbs 7% as hair care outpaces the wider market
Piper Sandler's 26th annual teen survey of 9,000 teens across 47 states shows overall beauty spending up 7%, with hair care growing fastest at 10%. Hailey Bieber's Rhode, backed by E.l.f. Beauty, appears in the ranking for the first time.
Bogg Expands Beyond Beach With Zippered Go Tote Line
Bogg is widening its range past the open-top EVA beach tote with the Go Tote, a zippered carry aimed at commuters, athletes and travelers, priced from $90 to $150.
Substance of Light Wins Inaugural Sephora Prize for Emerging European Beauty Brands
Sephora has named Substance of Light, a UV protective skin care label founded in 2021 by French entrepreneur Clara Nentille, as the winner of its first prize for emerging European beauty brands. The award was revealed in London ahead of the Sephoria festival.
Sprayground and Harding+ launch underwater pop-up aboard P&O Cruises' Arvia
Harding+ has teamed up with New York fashion label Sprayground for an underwater-inspired pop-up on P&O Cruises' Arvia, featuring graphic-led backpacks, luggage and travel accessories. The activation runs until late October across Norwegian Fjords and Mediterranean itineraries.
Ruggable shifts 10% of ad spend from Meta to creators and connected TV
Ruggable has moved roughly a tenth of its overall advertising budget out of performance channels such as Meta and into brand channels including influencers and connected television since last August, with plans to add another 15% to 20% next year.
Beauty brands push products into public view as wearables, from lipstick hair pins to gloss phone cases
Beauty companies are designing products meant to be worn and shown off rather than kept in a bathroom cabinet, following Rhode's viral lip gloss phone case in 2024. Givenchy's latest Paris runway put powder compacts on belts and lipstick tubes in hair.
Shannon Duty Free Puts Irish Whiskey at the Forefront of Destination Retail
Source signal: Images of the Day: Savouring a taste of Ireland at Shannon Duty Free
De Beers London reopens renovated Madison Avenue flagship in New York
De Beers London has reopened its renovated 2,156-square-foot boutique on Madison Avenue, bringing a retail concept already deployed in Paris and Hong Kong to the U.S. market. The company reports double-digit sales growth since the reopening.
Rituals Expands to 120 Travel Retail Doors, L'Oréal Rethinks Airport Beauty in October Wellbeing Curated
Source signal: Rituals growth, L’Oréal beauty vision and airport wellness innovation feature in latest Wellbeing Curated
Costa Coffee maps a more varied airport coffee journey as traveller habits shift
Costa Coffee International Managing Director Sam O'Brien says airport coffee is moving beyond a single format, as passengers seek convenience, quality and familiarity at different points in their journey.
Altavia Travel Retail White Paper Charts Shift From Indian Passenger Traffic to Spending
Altavia Travel Retail has published a white paper on how airports, retailers and brands can convert India's fast-growing traveller base into sales, pointing to a projected fourfold rise in Indian spending across Asia Pacific travel retail between 2025 and 2035.
TikTok Shop U.S. Beauty Sales Hit $992.9M in Q3 as Growth and Video Productivity Cool
Source signal: TikTok Shop Quarterly Beauty Sales Near $1B Again As Growth And Video Productivity Slow
Dermalogica Global CEO Aurelian Lis to Exit at End of December
Aurelian Lis is stepping down as global chief executive officer of Dermalogica after a decade at the professional skincare brand, with North America general manager Tim Bunch set to lead on an interim basis.
Chinese Beverage Brands Build Local Operations to Chase Southeast Asia's $29.7B Soft Drinks Market
Chinese drinks makers are pouring investment into local manufacturing, distribution and product tailoring across Southeast Asia, a soft drinks market forecast to reach $29.7 billion in retail value sales by 2030.
Ipsy Moves Into Supplements With Quarterly Wellness Boxes Priced at $65
Ipsy is entering the wellness category for the first time with Ipsy Wellness, a trio of curated supplement boxes covering skin, hair and overall well-being, each priced at $65 and released quarterly.
China's Factory Base Moves From Cheap Labour to AI and Automation
China's manufacturing sector is shifting away from its reputation for cheap, mass-produced goods toward highly automated plants turning out electric vehicles, batteries and renewable energy equipment, with up to $12 trillion in investment projected through 2035.