Daily Archives: April 7, 2016

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BRC – NIELSEN March 2016: This month shoppers can celebrate three years of falling non-food prices

BRC – NIELSEN SHOP PRICE INDEX – MARCH 2016
NON-FOOD PRICES FALL FOR 36TH CONSECUTIVE MONTH

Period Covered: 07 – 11 March 2016

– Overall shop prices reported deflation of 1.7% in March from the 2.0% decline in February.
– Non-food deflation rose to 2.6% in March from the 3.0% fall in February.
– Food deflation remained at 0.4% for the second consecutive month.
– Fresh Food deflation reported annual deflation of 0.9% for the second month in a row.
– Ambient Food inflation rose to 0.4% in March, slightly above the 0.3% reported in February

LONDON, 2016-Apr-07 — /EPR Retail News/ — Helen Dickinson OBE, Chief Executive, British Retail Consortium

“This month shoppers can celebrate three years of falling non-food prices. While non-food deflation slowed to 2.6 per cent in March, lower than the 3.0 per cent reported over the last three months, March was the 36th month in which consumers have benefited from falling prices. March also marked the 35th month of falling overall prices.

“Overall, shop prices fell by 1.7 per cent last month compared to March 2015 as a result of continuing intense competition and retailers ongoing investment in price.

“Food prices dropped 0.4 per cent for the second consecutive month, driven largely by reductions in fresh food, while ambient prices rose slightly.

“Despite consumer confidence remaining at zero, a relatively benign economic environment (inflation remains very low and oil is trading at just under $40 per barrel) and a fiercely competitive market will see retailers continue to respond to their customers with prices and promotions to maintain market share as the Spring season kicks off.”

Mike Watkins, Head of Retailer and Business Insight, Nielsen

“Shoppers are still making changes to how they spend to stay within their household budget and looking out for price cuts and promotions is one of the ways to save money. So with shop prices continuing to be lower than a year ago this is good news for shoppers. With Spring arriving, retailers will be hoping that this drives store traffic as so far this year, retail sales have been rather unpredictable.”

For Media Enquiries:
Zoe Maddison
British Retail Consortium
T 0207 854 8924
E Zoe.Maddison@brc.org.uk

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Kesko to rundown Kerava logistics centre

HELSINKI, 2016-Apr-07 — /EPR Retail News/ — Kesko sold Anttila’s business operations to investment fund 4K Invest in March 2015 and part of the transaction was an agreement according to which Kesko would produce all logistics services for the department stores and online trade needed by Anttila Oy from the logistics centre in Kerava.

Anttila has decided that it will not extend the agreement with Kesko after the expiry of the term, and despite careful examination, no replacement warehousing operations have been found. For these reasons, Kesko has to start planning the rundown of the logistics centre. At the same time, however, Kesko will continue to examine options for the future of the logistics centre.

Cooperation negotiations on possible workforce reduction will start involving a total of 131 Rautakesko Ltd employees working in the logistics centre. The aim is to find a job in Kesko’s other functions for as many of them as possible.

“The logistics centre in Kerava was primarily designed to serve the logistics need of such home and speciality goods trade which Kesko has abandoned in line with its new strategy. In this division, our focus is on the building and technical trade. So far, we have not found replacement warehousing operations for the centre despite careful examination”, says Vice President Tommi Kasurinen of Kesko’s home improvement and speciality goods trade.

Further information: Vice President Jennie Stenbom, HR and communications, Kesko’s home improvement and speciality goods trade, tel. +358 105 322 356

Kesko is a Finnish listed trading sector company. Kesko operates in the grocery trade, the home improvement and speciality goods trade and the car trade. Its divisions and chains act in close cooperation with retailer entrepreneurs and other partners. In 2015, Kesko’s net sales totalled €8.7 billion and it employed nearly 20,000 people. Kesko has over 1,500 stores engaged in chain operations in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Russia and Belarus. Kesko’s shares are listed on Nasdaq Helsinki. The company’s domicile and main premises are in Helsinki. Kesko is the most sustainable trading sector company in the world (Food and Staples Retailing, The Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World). www.kesko.fi

Media desk:
viestinta (at) kesko.fi or tel. +358 10 53 50200.

Merja Haverinen
Vice President, Group Communications
Phone +358 10 53 22764
firstname.lastname@kesko.fi

Harri Utoslahti
Communications Manager
Phone +358 10 53 22616
firstname.lastname@kesko.fi

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SONIC® Drive-In to create the SONIC Square Shake inspired by SONIC’s new line of Creamery Shakes designed for Instagram

America’s Drive-In creates #SquareShakes, inspired by new Creamery Shake line and perfect for photographing and sharing on Instagram

OKLAHOMA CITY, 2016-Apr-07 — /EPR Retail News/ — In a first-of-its-kind partnership, SONIC® Drive-In (NASDAQ: SONC) is collaborating with Instagram celebrity chef, @ChefJacquesLaMerde, and a group of renowned Instagram design influencers to create the SONIC Square Shake inspired by SONIC’s new line of Creamery Shakes. The Square Shake is made for Instagram, designed by Instagram influencers and only available for order through Instagram.

The SONIC Square Shake will be entirely square, perfect for photographing and sharing, complete with a square cup and a square straw. To top things off, the Shakes will be served on a square tray featuring square versions of the inventive and opulent Creamery Shake ingredients, highlighting the brand’s newest shake addition to its frozen beverage lineup.

Inspired by SONIC’s new Creamery Shakes line, flavor profiles such as Vanilla Bean, Buttered Toffee, Dark Chocolate, Bourbon Brown Sugar,Dulce De Leche and Wildberry & Lavender will be available exclusively through “Shop Now” sponsored ads on Instagram to Coachella festival goers at the Base Camp festival grounds only on April 16. Through Instagram’s “Shop Now” geo-targeted sponsored ads, attendees will be able to order the shakes and sample them on the spot – a first-of-its-kind program for Instagram. Samplers are then encouraged to share their Square Shakes on Instagram with the hashtag #SquareShake, thus completing the Insta-circle.

“We’ve refocused our visual strategy and presence on Instagram, transforming popular SONIC menu items into digital artwork, which has resonated with our followers and resulted in enormous engagement,” said Todd Smith, president and chief marketing officer for SONIC. “We’ve seen a 72 percent growth in Instagram since last September, and partnering with the social platform and @ChefJacquesLaMerde to develop the world’s first shake designed for Instagram is another innovative step forward in our social presence and strategy.”

The SONIC Square Shake is the brainchild of SONIC’s advertising agency, Goodby Silverstein & Partners, and will be a meta-homage to the platform that launched #beautiful food imagery into the mainstream, with more than 56 million photos tagged with the topical hashtag and more than 178 million tagged #food. To play with this cultural phenomenon, SONIC brought in @ChefJacquesLaMerde, aka Christine Flynn, Executive Chef at Toronto’s IQ Food Co., a well-known food Instagrammer who pokes fun at fine dining by styling and photographing approachable foods in sophisticated ways, to re-create and design SONIC’s new Creamery Shakes into the one-of-a-kind Square Shakes. To further enhance these creations, SONIC recruited a select group of Instagram graphic design influencers @DSchwen, @TimothyGoodman, @VelvetSpectrum, @VPavlovVisuals, @WillBryantPLZ, @MikeyBurton and @JoshuaNom to create colorful backdrops inspired by the unique ingredients and used for all campaign photography.

“People are obsessed with capturing the world on Instagram so we thought ‘What if we manipulated the real world to fit on Instagram?’ instead,” said Margaret Johnson, ECD & Partner, Goodby Silverstein & Partners, SONIC’s creative agency. “We are excited to partner with @ChefJacquesLaMerde, who is famous for turning simple ingredients into works of art on Instagram every day.”

For those unable to attend the festival and try a Square Shake first hand, SONIC’s famous Shakes – including the new line of Creamery Shakes – are available for half-price after 8 p.m. now and all summer long.

About SONIC, America’s Drive-In
SONIC, America’s Drive-In is the nation’s largest drive-in restaurant chain serving more than 3 million customers every day. Nearly 90 percent of SONIC’s 3,500 drive-in locations are owned and operated by local business men and women. Over more than 60 years, SONIC has delighted guests with signature menu items, more than 1.3 million drink combinations and friendly service by iconic Carhops. Since the 2009 launch of SONIC’s Limeades for Learning philanthropic campaign in partnership with DonorsChoose.org, SONIC has donated more than $5 million to public school teachers nationwide to fund essential learning materials and innovative teaching resources to inspire creativity and learning in today’s youth. To learn more about Sonic Corp. (NASDAQ/NM: SONC), please visit sonicdrivein.com and please visit or follow us on Facebook andTwitter. To learn more about SONIC’s Limeades for Learning initiative, please visit Limeadesforlearning.com.

 

SONIC Drive-In
Matthew Young, 512-542-2802
Matthew.Young@cohnwolfe.com
or
Jason Acock, 405-225-4828
Manager of Communications
Jason.Acock@sonicdrivein.com

Source: SONIC Drive-In

News Provided by Acquire Media

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ALDI to Open 10 New Stores on Thursday, April 21

One of America’s Favorite Grocers* to Open 10 New Stores on Thursday, April 21

Batavia, Ill., 2016-Apr-07 — /EPR Retail News/ — Residents in Los Angeles and Orange Counties will soon be able to experience a whole new way to grocery shop at ALDI, one of America’s favorite grocers. On Thursday, April 21, ALDI will open 10 new Southern California locations, six of which are in Los Angeles County, three in Orange County and one new store in San Bernardino County. The easy-to-shop food market takes a simple approach to grocery shopping that translates into big savings for ALDI shoppers. In fact, shoppers have found that switching from national brands to ALDI exclusive brands can save them up to 50 percent** on their grocery bill.

“California customers who are new to ALDI might not recognize our brands, but they definitely will recognize the great taste and quality, and will love our everyday low prices,” said Gordon Nesbit, Moreno Valley division vice president for ALDI. “It’s clear shoppers throughout the country, including those in the Southland, appreciate saving money on the groceries they buy the most, including everything from fresh meat, fruits, vegetables, dairy and bakery items to organic and gluten-free foods. And it’s our approach to making great quality groceries affordable that has helped ALDI become one of the fastest growing retailers in the US. We look forward to our continued expansion across Southern California.”

The April grand openings are the next step in the grocery retailer’s plan to open approximately 45 stores in Southern California by the end of 2016, eight of which opened last month. The Southern California store openings play a significant role in the company’s strategic plan to expand to nearly 2,000 ALDI stores from coast-to-coast by the end of 2018.

Now Accepting Credit Cards at Stores Nationwide
ALDI recently announced plans to accept credit cards – including Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express – at all of its stores nationwide. The move to accept credit cards is yet another way ALDI is making grocery shopping as simple and enjoyable as possible for its more than 30 million customers each month.

ALDI Grand Opening Celebrations
Stores celebrating their grand opening on April 21 will host an official ribbon-cutting ceremony at 8:45 a.m. The first 100 shoppers to arrive at each store will receive a golden ticket redeemable for an ALDI gift certificate of various amounts, and all shoppers will be invited to enter an on-site sweepstakes for a chance to win Produce for a Year. Additionally, shoppers on April 21, 22, 23 and 24 will receive a complimentary ALDI reusable eco-bag, while supplies last.

“Great-quality groceries and everyday low prices make for an unmatched combination that shoppers love, and that couldn’t be more true than it is right here in California,” said Gordon Nesbit, Moreno Valley division vice president for ALDI. “We are thrilled to be part of the SoCal community and are humbled by the very warm welcome that we’ve received so far. We encourage everyone to stop by and check us out… and start getting fresh groceries for less. ”

About ALDI Inc. A leader in the grocery retailing industry, ALDI operates nearly 1,500 US stores in 33 states. More than 30 million customers each month save up to 50 percent** on their grocery bills, benefiting from the ALDI simple and streamlined approach to retailing. ALDI sells the most frequently purchased grocery and household items, primarily under its exclusive brands, which must meet or exceed the national name brands on taste and quality. ALDI is so confident in the quality of its products, the company offers a Double Guarantee: If for any reason a customer is not 100 percent satisfied with any ALDI food product, ALDI will gladly replace the product and refund the purchase price. ALDI was honored with the 2015 Supermarket News Retail Achievement Award, recognizing the company for its ongoing business expansion and product evolution. For more information about ALDI, visit aldi.us.

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*According to a survey of US consumers conducted in April 2015 by Market Force Information. **Based upon a price comparison of comparable products sold at leading national retail grocery stores

 

Contacts:
Eniko Bolivar
(310) 854-8292
ebolivar@webershandwick.com

Allison Wilson
(310) 854-8261
awilson@webershandwick.com

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Starbucks Corporation to release its Q2 FY 2016 financial results on Thursday, April 21, 2016

SEATTLE, 2016-Apr-07 — /EPR Retail News/ — Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ: SBUX) plans to release its second quarter fiscal year 2016 financial results after the market close on Thursday, April 21, 2016, with a conference call to follow at 2:00 p.m. PT.

The conference call will be webcast and can be accessed on the company’s website: http://investor.starbucks.com. A replay of the webcast will be available on the company’s website until end of day Saturday, May 21, 2016.

About Starbucks
Since 1971, Starbucks Coffee Company has been committed to ethically sourcing and roasting high-qualityarabica coffee. Today, with more than 23,000 stores around the globe, Starbucks is the premier roaster and retailer of specialty coffee in the world. Through our unwavering commitment to excellence and our guiding principles, we bring the unique Starbucks Experience to life for every customer through every cup. To share in the experience, please visit our stores or online at news.starbucks.com and Starbucks.com.

For more information on this news release, contact us

 

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Starbucks Corporation to release its Q2 FY 2016 financial results on Thursday, April 21, 2016

Starbucks Corporation to release its Q2 FY 2016 financial results on Thursday, April 21, 2016

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Starbucks Philippines shared coffee knowledge with consumers at the Coffee Appreciation Festival in Shangri-La Plaza

MANILA, PHILIPPINES, 2016-Apr-07 — /EPR Retail News/ — The key to appreciating good coffee lies in knowing the story and art involved in creating every cup.

Recently, Starbucks Philippines shared coffee knowledge with consumers at the company’s Coffee Appreciation Festival, which took place at the Grand Atrium in Shangri-La Plaza. This two-day exploration showcased the origins of coffee and how it is roasted, blended and brewed before it’s enjoyed by Starbucks customers.

“Our goal in staging our very first Starbucks Coffee Appreciation Festival was to help coffee enthusiasts better appreciate the story and the art that goes into every cup,” said Keith Cole, head of marketing for Starbucks Philippines. “We were able to give coffee enthusiasts a peek into the regions where coffee beans grow best, the type of beans that are cultivated in different origin countries and how the geographical conditions of these places affect the quality and flavor of the coffee bean.”

Festival participants experienced how to unlock the full potential of coffee and the best way to create a perfect cup every time with four basic fundamentals of brewing. This includes the right proportion of coffee to water, different grind levels, clean water at the right temperature and freshness of coffee.

During coffee tasting activities, consumers also learned how to recognize the nuances of coffee’s flavor, including its aroma, acidity and body. Starbucks Coffee Masters led coffee tastings to demonstrate how to smell, slurp, locate flavors on the tongue and describe coffee characteristics.

Brewing demonstrations were also highlighted at the event and featured methods such as the Pour-Over and the classic Coffee Press. Brewing with a coffee press retains the precious natural oils that paper filters absorb, and extracts the coffee’s full flavor while giving it a consistency that’s thick and rich. The Pour-Over is a beautifully simple and accessible way to brew a single cup of coffee with clean, fully developed flavor and body.

For more information on this news release, contact the Starbucks Newsroom

 

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Starbucks Philippines shared coffee knowledge with consumers at the Coffee Appreciation Festival in Shangri-La Plaza

Starbucks Philippines shared coffee knowledge with consumers at the Coffee Appreciation Festival in Shangri-La Plaza

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Starbucks next Roastery location will be in New York City

SEATTLE, 2016-Apr-07 — /EPR Retail News/ — Today, Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX) announced that its next Roastery location will be in New York City in the heart of the Meatpacking District at 61 Ninth Avenue, which is currently under development.

Scheduled to open in 2018, this New York location will get inspiration from the first Starbucks Reserve® Roastery and Tasting Room that debuted in December 2014 in the company’s hometown of Seattle, Washington. An homage to coffee, this first-of-its-kind experience has immersed customers in the craft of roasting and brewing the finest small lot coffees from around the world.

A local sensation since opening its doors, the Roastery is coffee as theater, encouraging customers to interact with Starbucks roasters and baristas in order to deepen their understanding of the art behind sourcing, roasting and brewing rare coffees. With Starbucks unique, small batch process taking center stage, the Seattle Roastery has transformed specialty coffee and reframed what is possible to do within the four walls of a retail environment.

“Our Seattle Roastery experience created something that had never been done before, transforming a retail environment into something far beyond just a coffeeshop and into the single best retail experience of any kind,” said Howard Schultz, chairman and chief executive officer of Starbucks. “In New York, we want to take elements from what we originally created and build something even bigger and bolder, celebrating coffee and craft in a completely unique and differentiated way. We want this experience to tell our customers that we’re coming to Broadway.”

The massive, 20,000-square-foot New York Roastery experience will build upon everything Starbucks has learned from integrating coffee roasting, manufacturing, education and retail, while ensuring an experience that is locally relevant to the market.

This project will be led by Arthur Rubinfeld, chief creative officer and president, Starbucks Global Innovation, and Liz Muller, vice president of Starbucks Creative and Global Design. Both executives will work closely with the joint venture of Vornado Realty Trust (NYSE: VNO) and Aurora Capital that is developing 61 Ninth. The development site, formerly Prince Lumber, was acquired by the joint venture in 2015.

The new building, designed by Rafael Viñoly, will be located one block south of Chelsea Market. Upon completion – which is expected by the end of 2017 – 61 Ninth Avenue will be approximately 170,000 square feet and rise nine stories.

Related: The Siphon Brewing Method

For more information on this news release, contact the Starbucks Newsroom

 

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Starbucks next Roastery location will be in New York City

Starbucks next Roastery location will be in New York City

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Marks and Spencer Group’s Q4 2015/16: Food sales continue to outperform the market

LONDON, 2016-Apr-07 — /EPR Retail News/ —

Marks and Spencer Group Plc

Quarter 4 2015/16 Trading Statement

13 Weeks to 26 March 2016  

 ‘Another good quarter in Food; more to do in Clothing and Home’

Food sales continue to outperform the market

  • Sales +4.0%; LFL +0.0%; grew market share to 4.3%
  • New store opening programme performing ahead of expectation

Significant increase in Clothing and Home gross margin

  • Gross margin now expected to be between +240 to +250bps
  • Continued improvement in buying margin and some investment in price

Some progress in Clothing and Home sales but more to do

  • Sales -1.9%; LFL -2.7%; reduced proportion of sales on promotional discount
  • M&S.com sales +8.2%; further improvement in customer satisfaction

Strong cash generation 

  • Continued tight management of costs and cash
  • £150m share buyback programme completed

Steve Rowe, Chief Executive, said:

“I am very proud and privileged to be leading M&S.  We are focused on getting even closer to our customers and putting them at the heart of everything we do.

“We had a mixed performance in the final quarter of the year. Our Food business once again outperformed the market by c.3.5% pts.   Although the sales decline in Clothing and Home was lower than last quarter, our performance remains unsatisfactory and there is still more we need to do.

“Turning around our Clothing and Home business by improving our customer offer is our number one priority.  I will update you on my thoughts on the business in May.”

Trading summary

Overall, group sales were +1.9% for the quarter.

The Food business continued to outperform a highly competitive market. In line with our strategy, our store opening programme continues to drive strong sales growth. We opened 80 new stores in the year and as a result we grew our market share to 4.3%. Customers turn to us for special occasions and this quarter was no exception with our biggest ever Mothers’ Day. We continued to invest in our special and different products launching 400 new lines whilst also offering great value for our customers.

In Clothing and Home, we faced a challenging backdrop characterised by price deflation and a flat market. Spring/Summer season launched with significantly higher product availability than last year. We continued to make improvements across range and design, for example, our Autograph sales were up 10%. We also began to reduce the proportion of sales on promotional discount and will continue to do so as we head into the new financial year. However as flagged at quarter three, we had more stock into sale. At the same time, we invested in sharpening our prices on a number of lines, whilst delivering a strong gross margin improvement. Although these actions contributed to the sales run rate improving since the last quarter, we still have a number of areas to address.

M&S.com delivered a good performance with strong improvement in customer satisfaction scores driven by improved website speed and ease of navigation. We ran fewer online only promotions giving customers a more consistent shopping experience across our channels.

Despite improved sales in both our franchise and owned businesses in International, the previously guided currency pressure and challenging trading conditions are still expected to heavily impact the full year profitability.

Fourth quarter sales 13 weeks to
26 March 2016
Group sales1 +1.9%
Food2
–          Like-for-like		 +4.0%
+0.0%
Clothing and Home2
–          Like-for-like		  -1.9%
-2.7%
M&S.com sales3 +8.2%
Total UK sales
–          Like-for-like		 +1.6%
-1.1%
International sales1 +3.8%

1Stated on ex-VAT and constant currency basis. International sales at actual currency were +4.3% and Group sales were +1.9%. 2Timing of Easter contributed 1.0% to Food and 0.4% to Clothing and Home sales. 3Memo only.

Outlook

We now expect the full year Clothing and Home gross margin to be between +240 to +250bps.  All other trading guidance remains unchanged.

Marks and Spencer Group plc will report its full year results for the 53 weeks ended 2 April 2016 on 25 May 2016.  All of the above guidance is stated on a 52 week basis.

Statements made in this announcement that look forward in time or that express management’s beliefs, expectations or estimates regarding future occurrences and prospects are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the United States federal securities laws. These forward-looking statements reflect Marks & Spencer’s current expectations concerning future events and actual results may differ materially from current expectations or historical results. Any such forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, including failure by Marks & Spencer to predict accurately customer preferences; decline in the demand for products offered by Marks & Spencer; competitive influences; changes in levels of store traffic or consumer spending habits; effectiveness of Marks & Spencer’s brand awareness and marketing programmes; general economic conditions or a downturn in the retail or financial services industries; acts of war or terrorism worldwide; work stoppages, slowdowns or strikes; and changes in financial and equity markets.

For further information, please contact: 

Investor Relations:

Majda Rainer+44 (0)20 8718 1563
Helen Cox+44 (0)20 8718 8491

Corporate Press Office:+44 (0)20 8718 1919
Out of hours calls:+44 (0)20 8718 2000

Investors & Analysts Conference Call:
The call will be hosted by Steve Rowe and Helen Weir at 8.30am on Thursday 7 April 2016:
Dial in number: +44 (0)20 3427 1907
Access Code: 4274999

A recording of this call will be available until 17 April 2016:

Dial in number: +44 (0)20 3427 0598

– Ends –

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H&M group’s sales increased by 9 percent in Q1 2016

STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN, 2016-Apr-07 — /EPR Retail News/ — First quarter (1 December 2015 — 29 February 2016)

  • The H&M group’s sales including VAT increased by 9 percent in local currencies in the first quarter. Converted into SEK, sales including VAT increased by 8 percent to SEK 50,624 m (46,791). Sales excluding VAT amounted to SEK 43,691 m (40,276).
  • Gross profit amounted to SEK 22,699 m (22,213). This corresponds to a gross margin of 52.0 percent (55.2).
  • Profit after financial items amounted to SEK 3,327 m (4,723). The group’s profit after tax amounted to SEK 2,545 m (3,613), corresponding to SEK 1.54 (2.18) per share. Profits in the quarter were negatively affected by substantially higher purchasing costs due to the strengthened US dollar and by increased markdowns.
  • Very satisfactory sales and profit development for H&M’s e-commerce.
  • As of 31 March 2016 H&M offers e-commerce in an additional seven countries: Croatia, Estonia, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg and Slovenia. Very soon H&M will launch e-commerce in Japan and later in the year also in Greece, Canada and South Korea. A total of 11 H&M online markets will thus be added in 2016 which means that H&M will offer e-commerce in 34 markets by the end of the year.
  • The H&M group’s sales including VAT in March 2016 increased by 2 percent in local currencies compared to the corresponding month the previous year. Total sales in March, April and May should be seen together, since Easter and weather effects during this period affect the comparability of an individual month.
  • The H&M group plans a net addition of around 425 new stores for the 2015/2016 financial year. Most of the expansion will take place in existing markets. New Zealand, Cyprus and Puerto Rico are planned to become new H&M markets.
  • The group’s store number 4,000 will open in April, in Mall of India in New Delhi.

Comments by Karl-Johan Persson, CEO
“Sales including VAT in the first quarter amounted to almost SEK 51 billion and profit before tax to just over SEK 3.3 billion. In local currencies, sales increased by 9 percent, which was slightly below plan. This should be seen in the light of a very good first quarter last year when sales increased by 15 percent in local currencies and profits in SEK increased by 35 percent.

Profits in this year’s first quarter have been negatively affected by a continued very negative US-dollar effect which made our purchasing much more expensive, as well as by increased markdowns due to larger volumes of winter garments that remained as a result of the warm autumn. The negative dollar effect continues for purchases made for the second quarter 2016, although the negative effect has begun to gradually decrease due to the start of the annualisation of last year’s strong US-dollar exchange rate. Should today’s exchange rates continue, the effect of the US dollar on purchasing costs for the fourth quarter will be neutral or slightly positive compared to the corresponding quarter the previous year.

Our strong expansion continues, we are gaining market share and we are confident that we can grow at a fast pace both through stores and online, in existing as well as in new markets, for many years to come. The spring will bring many store openings, for example the opening of flagship stores in South Africa, Switzerland, Hungary and India. Since 2010 we have doubled the number of stores in the group, and this April we will pass another milestone when store number 4,000 opens. The store will open in Mall of India, New Delhi – in India, where H&M has had a very good reception since the first stores opened last year.

For the past few years we have been in an intensive period of investments related to new brands and concepts, as well as IT and online. Among other things, these investments have enabled a fast roll-out of H&M’s very profitable e-commerce to further markets. This year alone we will add 11 new H&M online markets: Ireland, Croatia, Slovenia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Japan, Greece, Canada and South Korea, which means that H&M will offer e-commerce in a total of 34 markets by the end of the year and preparations are under way for a continued roll-out into all markets in the group.

Another important part of our long-term work on further strengthening the group’s future market position is our ability to offer customers a wider selection of brands with different identities. Our new brands – COS, & Other Stories, Monki, Weekday och Cheap Monday – represent an increasingly important part of the group and we are looking forward to launching more new brands further ahead.

We are also continuing our ambitious work on sustainability, which is an integral part of our customer offering. Tomorrow, on 7 April, this year’s edition of the much-appreciated “H&M Conscious Exclusive” collection will be launched in around 180 selected stores and online. If you want to know more about our sustainability work, our sustainability report “H&M Conscious Actions Sustainability Report 2015” will be available on hm.com as of 14 April.”

Contact
As previously communicated, press and telephone conferences will no longer be held in conjunction with the releases of the Q1 and Q3 reports. In order to avoid any phone queues when the reports are published, it will be possible for the financial market and media to call Nils Vinge, Head of Investor Relations, and ask questions during an open call between 09.00 – 10.00 CET on these report dates.

For log in details to the call on 6 April, please register at hm.com, investor relations, the calendar, three-month report 2016. This phone conversation will be held in English.

After 10.00 CET Nils Vinge will be available on +46 (8) 796 52 50 or via email:
nils.vinge@hm.com

To book an interview please contact Kristina Stenvinkel, Head of Communications +46 (8) -796 39 08
stenvinkel@hm.com

For other matters please contact the Communications and Press Department: +46 (8) -796 53 00
mediarelations@hm.com
   

The information in this interim report is that which H & M Hennes & Mauritz AB (publ) is required to disclose under Sweden’s Securities Market Act. It will be released for publication at 8.00 (CET) on 6 April 2016. This interim report and other information about H&M, is available at www.hm.com
    

H & M Hennes & Mauritz AB (publ) was founded in Sweden in 1947 and is quoted on Nasdaq Stockholm. H&M’s business idea is to offer fashion and quality at the best price in a sustainable way. In addition to H&M, the group includes the brands COS, Monki, Weekday, Cheap Monday, & Other Stories as well as H&M Home. The H&M group has more than 3,900 stores in 61 markets including franchise markets. In 2015, sales including VAT amounted to SEK 210 billion and the number of employees was more than 148,000. For further information, visit www.hm.com.

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Tesco to invest £6 million to help support British agriculture

CHESHUNT, England, 2016-Apr-07 — /EPR Retail News/ — Tesco has today announced that it will invest £6 million over two years to help support British agriculture.

The retailer has created the new Tesco Cheese Group (TCG), which will guarantee dairy farmers an above market price for the milk they produce for Tesco’s British own-label Mild, Medium, Mature, Extra Mature, Red Leicester and Double Gloucester cheese. The move will deliver a fair and consistent pricing model for UK farmers, and will provide them with the security and ability to plan ahead for the future.

Building on the success of the Tesco Sustainable Dairy Group (TSDG) which was established in 2007, and pays a market leading price for dairy farmers who supply Tesco with milk to the help them manage the economic volatility of the market; the new Cheese Group is the latest addition to the retailer’s programme of initiatives to support British farmers.

Commercial Director for Fresh Food Matt Simister said:

‘We have created this new cheese group to help us to meet customers’ needs whilst also establishing a long term sustainable livelihood for our farmers.  By providing them with the assurance of our commitment, we are hoping to give our producers the confidence to invest so that they can deliver what customers are looking for in an efficient way.

‘It is our hope that up to 200 more dairy farms across Britain who produce milk for our British cheese, in addition to the 600 producing milk through the TSDG, can work with us in partnership to create a successful and sustainable future for their production.

‘For almost a decade we have worked with dairy farmers to offer the best possible quality milk , produced to the highest standards for our customers, whilst ensuring farmers receive a fair price for their milk. We are confident that this new initiative will enable producers, for our own-label cheese, to also plan and budget for the future; and focus on the things that matter most-  meeting high animal welfare and food quality standards for customers.’

Peter Willes of Parkham Farms commented:

‘Over the past 15 year’s Parkham Farms has been proud to supply our great tasting cheese to Tesco. The new pricing model will ensure that we and our farmers are paid a premium price above that of the market reflecting the quality of our cheese and the milk that goes into it.  We believe it will provide a long term and sustainable structure to help build our relationship with Tesco even further.’

Mike Gallacher, CEO of First Milk said:

‘This new agreement we have concluded with Tesco is about establishing a long term, progressive and sustainable supply chain partnership over the coming years. While the current context is hugely challenging in dairy, we need to continue to keep focused on the long term ensuring that we put in place business models that can deliver for our customers, consumers and producers.’

The new mechanism provides clear, equitable and transparent pricing which will be set regularly throughout the year. The price will reflect the market and will also award farmers a two pence per litre bonus- in recognition that they must adhere to the Red Tractor assurance scheme, as well as additional Tesco welfare standards, to improve cow health and welfare.

 

ENDS

 

Notes to editors

 

  • In September 2015, Tesco announced it would provide additional financial provision for non- TSDG farmers who produce milk that goes into its own label cheddar cheese products.
  • The winter supplement payment was initially intended to conclude at the end of February 2016, but given the inclement weather and challenges faced by First Milk farmers during these uncertain times in the dairy market, Tesco extended the period until April to support the farmers through to spring and help them cover their production costs.
  • Currently only famers who supply milk for Mature and Extra Mature Cheddar are part of the TSDG. The new pricing model for cheese has been reviewed and standardised to make it more equitable for our producers for British cheese. The price dairy farmers receive will reduce the impact of the traditional time lag of the maturation period of milk to cheese production.
  • The new price, which is above the market price, will be set from the 17th April 2016.

 

Additional support Tesco provides British Agriculture includes:

  • Sustainable farming groups in lamb, beef, chicken, pork, eggs, potatoes and dairy.
  • Providing support for UK agriculture, with the development of a joint initiative with Anglia Famers – the ProducerClub.  The club delivers support for the day-to-day running of farms and an unrivalled combination of savings and benefits
  • Championing young farmers in British agriculture, offering a 12 month package of training, business planning, advice and supply chain experience through the Future Farmer’s Foundation.
  • An agriculture team, which works alongside a single product team responsible for the entire lifecycle of products.
  • A Supplier Helpline, where any issues raised by farmer, growers and producers are aimed to be resolved within 48 hours

For more information please contact the Tesco Press Office on
01707 918 701
We are a team of 480,000 in 11 markets dedicated to serving shoppers a little better every day.

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New high quality variety of English grown asparagus will soon be on sale at Tesco

CHESHUNT, England, 2016-Apr-07 — /EPR Retail News/ — A new high quality variety of English grown asparagus, which has been causing a sensation with gourmets, will soon be on sale – one week earlier than usual.

Only launched in 2012 Jubilee asparagus, which is grown exclusively for Tesco in Herefordshire, is an early season variety with a delicate sweet and nutty taste.

Last year it caused a quiet revolution in the asparagus world with demand rocketing by 150 per cent on the year before.

And, this year, due to the soaring demand, producer Cobrey Farms plan to double the amount they currently grow.

So what is it that makes Jubilee so coveted by asparagus lovers and how did it come about?

Tesco asparagus buyer Bart Vangorp said: “It’s fantastic to be able to offer customers an early season variety of asparagus with such a high quality taste profile. 

“Like any new produce variety it has taken a few years to get a name for itself but last year, thanks largely to word of mouth from food lovers, its popularity really took off. 

“We’ve worked in partnership with Cobrey Farms to ensure it’s in stores a week earlier than usual and before the traditional start of the English asparagus season.”

Cobrey Farms, based near Ross-on-Wye, in south Herefordshire, is run by the Chinn family.

In 2009 Tesco’s asparagus team asked Cobrey if they could find an early season variety that tasted as good as anything produced in mid-season.

Added Tesco’s Bart Vangorp: “English asparagus is considered by foodies to be the best in the world because of the UK’s almost perfect growing conditions.

“But because the traditional English season is so short, running from around April 23 until June 21, its always incredibly popular with customers.”

Tesco worked with Cobrey Farms to develop the Jubilee variety and the first, albeit small, commercial volumes of Jubilee hit supermarket shelves in 2012 and were immediately popular.

Chris Chinn, of Cobrey Farms, said: “The feedback from shoppers was very good so we planted more. Last year demand soared so much that we are now going to be doubling the amount of Jubilee asparagus we grow.

“It takes about three years to get the full yield and this year we will have more than ever before.

“Demand for asparagus increases significantly during the English season, so we wanted to reward all those British asparagus lovers with a superior product that was available longer than standard varieties.

“The product is sold in a punnet which protects the asparagus and gives the customer an extra day’s shelf life to enjoy it compared with the traditional bundle.”

Jubilee asparagus will go on sale on Monday April 11.

For more information please contact the Tesco Press Office on 01707 918 701
We are a team of 480,000 in 11 markets dedicated to serving shoppers a little better every day.

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New high quality variety of English grown asparagus will soon be on sale at Tesco

New high quality variety of English grown asparagus will soon be on sale at Tesco

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Amazon expands Prime FREE Same-Day Delivery to 11 New Metro Areas

  • Prime members in Charlotte, Cincinnati, Fresno, Louisville, Milwaukee, Nashville, Raleigh, Richmond, Sacramento, Stockton, and Tucsoncan now enjoy unlimited Prime FREE Same-Day Delivery
  • Over a million items available in more than 1,000 cities and towns nationwide

SEATTLE, 2016-Apr-07 — /EPR Retail News/ — (NASDAQ:AMZN) — Amazon today announced the expansion of Prime FREE Same-Day Delivery to even more metro areas including Charlotte, Cincinnati, Fresno, Louisville, Milwaukee, Nashville, Raleigh, Richmond, Sacramento,Stockton, and Tucson, plus new areas in Central New Jersey, Dallas-Fort Worth, Los Angeles, and San Diego. Prime members can place an order in the morning and receive all Same-Day orders over $35 before bedtime that very same day, seven days a week – even Sunday. With these newly added areas, Prime FREE Same-Day Delivery now serves 27 metro areas in the US, accounting for more than 1,000 cities and towns.

“Prime was developed to make shopping onAmazon fast and convenient, and millions of members have used Prime FREE Same-Day Delivery to make their lives even easier,” said Greg Greeley, Vice President of Prime. “We keep making Prime better, and as our operational capabilities grow, we will continue to invent and expand delivery options that customers love.”

Prime members shopping on Amazon.com can choose from more than a million eligible items for Prime FREE Same-Day Delivery including popular electronics, toys and games, home repair tools, outdoor gear, vacation must-haves and much more. Orders placed in the morning arrive by 9pm the very same day, orders placed in the afternoon or evening arrive the next day.

With Prime FREE Same-Day Delivery, millions of members can shop many of the most popular essentials for Spring and Summer. Some fun facts include:

  • Members have ordered enough camping chairs to seat 77 baseball teams around a campfire and enough beach towels to line Santa Monica beach twice, since the program launched.
  • Spring break Same-Day Delivery must-haves include SunBum SPF, Ray-ban Sunglasses, Wilson Outdoor Volleyball, and Kindle Paperwhite, to name a few.
  • Top selling spring-cleaning essentials include painter’s tape, handheld vacuums, and frame hanging strips.
  • Among the most popular items ordered with Prime FREE Same-Day Delivery so far this Spring are the Fire 7” and Fitbit Activity Wristband.

Prime FREE Same-Day Delivery is now available in 27 metro areas, including Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati,Dallas-Fort Worth, Fresno, Indianapolis, the greater Los Angeles area, Louisville, Milwaukee, Nashville, greater New York City including North and Central New Jersey, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Raleigh, Richmond, Sacramento, San Diego, the San Francisco Bay area including Oakland and San Jose, Seattle-Tacoma, Stockton, the Tampa Bay area, Tucson and Washington, D.C. Find eligible zip codes and start shopping at www.amazon.com/sameday or join Amazon Prime at www.amazon.com/prime.

Fast and Free Comes with Choices

Amazon Prime comes with multiple options for unlimited fast, free shipping. Members can use any of these options in eligible areas including:

  • Prime FREE Same-Day: Members in 27 metro areas, which include more than 1,000 cities and towns, can place an order in the morning and have that order delivered before bedtime. Members can choose from a broad selection of more than a million items, seven days a week – even Sunday. Learn more about Prime FREE Same-Day at www.amazon.com/sameday.
  • Prime Now: Members in more than 25 metro areas can choose from tens of thousands of everyday essentials for ultra-fast, free two-hour delivery from a dedicated mobile app. Learn more about Prime Now at www.amazon.com/primenow.
  • Prime FREE Two-Day: Prime members enjoy unlimited Free Two-Day Shipping on more than 30 million items across all product categories. Two-Day Shipping spans the continental US from large cities to rural areas.

More to Prime

Amazon Prime is an annual membership program for $99 a year that offers customers unlimited Free Two-Day Shipping on more than 30 million items across all categories, unlimited Free Same-Day Delivery on more than a million items in 27 metro areas, and one and two-hour delivery with Prime Now on tens of thousands of items available in more than 25 metro areas. In addition to fast, free shipping, members have access to unlimited streaming of tens of thousands of movies and TV episodes, more than one million songs and thousands of curated playlists and stations with Prime Music, early access to select Lightning Deals all year long, free secure, unlimited photo storage inAmazon Cloud Drive with Prime Photos and access to more than one million books to borrow with the Kindle Owners’ Lending Library. Not a member? Start a free trial of Amazon Prime at amazon.com/prime.

About Amazon
Amazon.com opened on the World Wide Web in July 1995. The company is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit www.amazon.com/about.

Source: Amazon.com, Inc.

Amazon.com, Inc.
Media Hotline, 206-266-7180
Amazon-pr@amazon.com
www.amazon.com/pr

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Sears introduces its “Meet With An Expert” service to the Lawn and Garden department just in time for spring

Launch Coincides with Sears’ First-Ever “Spring It On Black Friday” Event

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., 2016-Apr-07 — /EPR Retail News/ — Just in time for spring, Sears has expanded its “Meet With An Expert” service to the Lawn and Garden department to help shoppers make more informed outdoor equipment purchases. This free service lets online shoppers save time by scheduling in-store appointments with experts who will already know the products they’re interested in and help them find the right lawn and garden equipment for their home’s needs.

Coinciding with the launch, Sears has announced its first-ever “Spring It On Black Friday” event April 22-23, offering deals for the entire home at Black Friday-level pricing.

“From finding the right type of mower to a more powerful trimmer to the perfect-sized shed and more, Meet With An Expert takes the guesswork out of shopping for lawn and garden products,” said Joelle Maher, President and Chief Member Officer for Sears. “Our new ‘Spring It On Black Friday’ sale event is a great time to meet these experts and get incredible deals on everything to get yards in shape for spring – many items at the lowest price we’ve ever offered. Green is the new black!”

Taking a page out of its holiday playbook, Sears will hold a special Member Private Night – opening stores to select Shop Your Way members only, so they can shop the “Spring It On Black Friday” sale five days early on Sun., April 17 from 6-9 p.m. and online at sears.com from 5 p.m. Sun., April 17 to 11:59 p.m. Mon, April 18. Access to the Member Private Night is by invitation only, however members can secure an invitation by clicking a banner on the Sears mobile app.

Members can download the Sears app at sears.com/mobile to get a sneak peek of the Sears Spring It On Black Friday deals, or visit sears.com/SpringItOn. Special offers include:

About Meet With An Expert
Sears’ “Meet With An Expert” service launched in the fall of 2015, first serving home appliance shoppers. The expansion into both lawn and garden and mattress departments is the latest in a series of integrated retail innovations connecting the digital shopping world to in-store expert associates. Members can access the service several ways:

  • Visit sears.com/expert-advice
  • Click the “Meet with an Expert in our store” link from the merchandise product page
  • Click the “Meet with an Expert” link from the details page of a nearby Sears store

In addition to scheduling a personal appointment at their preferred time, Sears’ experts will know the lawn and garden, appliance or mattress product the member is interested in, compare and contrast different models, and offer advice specific to their needs.

Members can shop whenever and wherever they need using Sears’ other free integrated retail services like Buy Online, Pickup In-store; In-Vehicle Pickup; Anyone, Anywhere Pickup; and Ship-to-Home.

Becoming a Shop Your Way member is free and easy at sears.com/shopyourway. Members can access on-the-go online shopping, rewards, exclusive sales, personal shopping and celebrity content and sweepstakes. Discover more @Sears.com.

*Item and price may vary in California.

About Sears, Roebuck and Co.
Sears, Roebuck and Co., a wholly owned subsidiary of Sears Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ: SHLD), is a leading integrated retailer providing merchandise and related services and is part of Shop Your Way, a social shopping experience where members have the ability to earn points and receive benefits across a wide variety of physical and digital formats through shopyourway.com. Sears, Roebuck offers its wide range of home merchandise, apparel and automotive products and services through Sears-branded and affiliated full-line and specialty retail stores. Sears, Roebuck also offers a variety of merchandise and services through sears.com and specialty catalogs. Sears, Roebuck offers consumers leading proprietary brands including Kenmore, Craftsman, and DieHard — among the most trusted and preferred brands in the U.S. The company is the nation’s largest provider of home services, with nearly 12 million service and installation calls made annually. For more information, visit the Sears, Roebuck website at www.sears.com or the Sears Holdings Corporation website at www.searsholdings.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Brian Hanover Kamal Bosamia
Sears PR Zeno Group for Sears
847-286-6080 312-527-2SHC (2742)
Brian.Hanover@searshc.com Kamal.Bosamia@zenogroup.com

SOURCE Sears Holdings Corporation

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Douglas W. Sesler joins Macy’s, Inc. as EVP for real estate

CINCINNATI, 2016-Apr-07 — /EPR Retail News/ — Douglas W. Sesler, a recognized leader in real estate investments, restructurings, strategic transactions and portfolio management, will be joining Macy’s, Inc. (NYSE:M) as executive vice president for real estate, effective tomorrow.

At Macy’s, Inc., Sesler will oversee the company’s real estate function and lead high-priority initiatives to increase shareholder value through real estate strategies, including creating potential joint ventures or other partnerships involving the company flagship locations and mall-based properties. He will report directly to Terry J. Lundgren, Macy’s chairman and chief executive, and work closely with Macy’s, Inc.’s investment banking advisors, including Eastdil Secured, Credit Suisse and Goldman Sachs. He will be based in New York City.

“Doug Sesler is a world-class talent with a track record of success in developing, leading and implementing real estate strategies and transactions,” Lundgren said. “We will rely on his experience, expertise and discipline to create and structure real estate opportunities that will create shareholder value, sustain our long-term financial strength and enhance our retail business. We are fortunate to have an executive of Doug’s caliber at the helm of our real estate efforts.”

Most recently, Sesler was president of True Square Capital LLC, a real estate investment and advisory firm. He served from 2005 to 2011 at Bank of America Merrill Lynch International Ltd. in roles that included global head of principal real estate investments and global co-head of real estate investment banking. Previously, from 1989 to 2005, Sesler served in a variety of roles at Citigroup and its predecessors, including as managing director of the global real estate investment banking group, and managing director of the Travelers Realty Investment Company. He began his career in real estate roles at Chemical Bank.

Sesler holds a bachelor’s degree in government from Cornell University. He serves on the board of directors of Gazit-Globe, an international owner, developer and operator of shopping centers.

Macy’s, Inc., with corporate offices in Cincinnati and New York, is one of the nation’s premier retailers, with fiscal 2015 sales of $27.079 billion. The company operates about 870 stores in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Guamand Puerto Rico under the names of Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, Bloomingdale’s Outlet, Macy’s Backstage and Bluemercury, as well as the macys.com, bloomingdales.com and bluemercury.com websites. Bloomingdale’s inDubai is operated by Al Tayer Group LLC under a license agreement.

All statements in this press release that are not statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of Macy’s management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from those expressed in or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in this release because of a variety of factors, including conditions to, or changes in the timing of, proposed transactions, prevailing interest rates and non-recurring charges, competitive pressures from specialty stores, general merchandise stores, off-price and discount stores, manufacturers’ outlets, the Internet, mail-order catalogs and television shopping and general consumer spending levels, including the impact of the availability and level of consumer debt, the effect of weather and other factors identified in documents filed by the company with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

(NOTE: Additional information on Macy’s, Inc., including past news releases, is available at www.macysinc.com/pressroom)

Source: Macy’s, Inc.

Macy’s, Inc.
Media – Jim Sluzewski, 513-579-7764
Investor – Matt Stautberg, 513-579-7780

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Sainsbury’s replaces its Brand Match scheme with lower regular prices

LONDON, 2016-Apr-07 — /EPR Retail News/ — Sainsbury’s is reinforcing its commitment to offer great products and services at fair prices by replacing its Brand Match scheme with lower regular prices on products that matter most to customers.

  • The move is a further step in Sainsbury’s pricing strategy to lower regular prices and reassure customers they will always get a good price
  • Customer research shows that lower regular prices matter more
  • The money from the scheme will be wholly reinvested in lowering the regular prices of everyday products that matter most to customers
  • Customers will have more flexibility to buy what they want, when they want it, at great prices with no restrictions

All the money from the scheme will be reinvested in lowering the price of popular key products that customers buy week in, week out, including chicken, bread, cheese, fresh produce and household cleaning items.

Sainsbury’s spoke to customers across the country, and the vast majority said that lower regular prices were more important to them than Brand Match. The findings also reflect previous feedback, which showed that customers want clearer, simpler product pricing, and the flexibility to buy the products they want, in the quantities they need, whilst still enjoying great value.

Sarah Warby, Sainsbury’s Marketing Director said: “Customers have told us that they want lower regular prices, and that this is more important to them than Brand Match. We’ve taken this on board and will now be investing all of the money from the scheme into lowering the regular prices on everyday products.

We know that customers like the changes we’ve already made to the way we price our products because it fits in with the way people shop now. Our customers are shopping more frequently across multiple channels and they want to be able to buy the products they love, in the quantities they need, safe in the knowledge that they are getting great value for money. Our simpler, clearer pricing lets them do just that.”

Sainsbury’s will continue to monitor the prices of branded products to ensure it remains competitive, and offers customers great value.

The last Brand Match coupons will be issued on Tuesday 26 April.

 

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Sainsbury’s replaces its Brand Match scheme with lower regular prices

Sainsbury’s replaces its Brand Match scheme with lower regular prices

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British-grown Asparagus now available at Sainsbury’s stores

LONDON, 2016-Apr-07 — /EPR Retail News/ — British-grown Asparagus will be reaching selected Sainsbury’s stores from today.

These first British asparagus tips, grown by Lichfield-based New Farm Produce Ltd, have been harvested by hand and will be delivered to selected stores in time for customers to enjoy this weekend. Sainsbury’s asparagus is expected to be 100% British by the end of April.

Sainsbury’s British Asparagus Tips 100g are £1.75 and will be available from selected stores. Asparagus is an ideal vegetable accompaniment for Spring meals and is delicious served simply with either homemade or pre-bought Hollandaise sauce.

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British-grown Asparagus now available at Sainsbury’s stores

British-grown Asparagus now available at Sainsbury’s stores

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Waitrose launches new Garden Power campaign

Waitrose encourages customers to build hedgehog highways as part of new garden campaign

LONDON, 2016-Apr-07 — /EPR Retail News/ — This week sees Waitrose launch its new Garden Power campaign, to encourage customers to make their gardens wildlife friendly this Summer and to help reverse the decline of our much-loved garden creatures.

Waitrose has found that over three quarters of people are worried about the decline in the numbers of species found in their gardens*, and that the main reason stopping people from doing more to help protect wildlife is simply not knowing what to do. Therefore, over the next six months, Waitrose will be equipping customers with tips, advice and recommendations to help create a wild hive of activity in Britain’s gardens.

The Waitrose Garden Power campaign will launch through its publication, Waitrose Weekend, on 7 April, with the help of the nation’s favourite gardener Alan Titchmarsh.

Whilst many people are aware of the importance of protecting birds and butterflies, Waitrose has found that hedgehogs are creeping up the list, making them now the second most concerned about garden species after birds.

Britain has lost a third of these small mammals over the past decade, with Waitrose finding that three quarters of 18-24 year olds have never seen a hedgehog in their garden. This plight is largely due to keeping gardens private by fortifying them with fences and concrete, preventing hedgehogs from roaming – an activity which is necessary for their survival.

That is why through Garden Power, Waitrose is encouraging customers to create a ‘hedgehog highway’, to allow our favourite prickly friends to wander through our gardens during the night. Customers can look out for a ‘hedgehog highway template’ in Waitrose Weekend later this month, to help them create a ground-level hole in their garden fence for hedgehogs to crawl through.

As well as welcoming back the hedgehog, over the six month campaign customers will also discover plenty of other ways in which they can create a wildlife friendly garden, including creating a thriving mini pond and understanding the importance of attracting pollinators.

Alan Titchmarsh says: ‘Wildlife in the garden is just as important as the plants themselves, and that’s why I’m proud to be a part Waitrose’s Garden Power campaign. Whether you have a sunny windowsill or a patch of greenery, you can play a vital part in enriching Britain’s gardens and welcoming back the creatures that we have started to miss.’

Ollie Rice, Editor in Chief Waitrose Publications, says: ‘We know that gardening is the second most popular pastime for our customers after cooking, so this campaign presents an opportunity for our customers to get behind a hobby that they love, whilst also helping to make a difference to Britain’s wildlife.’

Customers can get involved by sharing photos of their green efforts on social media, using the hashtag #gardenpower, to be in with a chance of winning one of a selection of prizes.

Notes to editors

*A survey was carried out for Waitrose Weekend by OnePoll, with 1000 respondents.

Waitrose – winner of the Best Supermarket1 and Best Food and Grocery Retailer2 awards- currently has 346 shops in England, Scotland, Wales and the Channel Islands, including 60 convenience branches, and another 27 shops at Welcome Break locations. It combines the convenience of a supermarket with the expertise and service of a specialist shop – dedicated to offering quality food that has been responsibly sourced, combined with high standards of customer service.  Waitrose also exports its products to 58 countries worldwide and has seven shops which operate under licence in the Middle East. Waitrose’s omnichannel business includes the online grocery service Waitrose.com, as well as specialsit online shops including waitrosecellar.com for wine and waitrosekitchen.com for cookware, utensils and kithchen gadgets.

¹ Which? Customer Survey
² Verdict Customer Satisfaction Awards

Enquiries

For further information please contact:
Elli Share
Press Officer, Corporate, Waitrose
Telephone: 01344 825845
Email: elli.share@waitrose.co.uk

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John Lewis opens UK’s largest smart home technology experience at its Oxford Street store

New 1,000 square foot space is largest fixed retail offering dedicated to smart home technology in the UK

  • 18 times more people are searching for smart home products on www.johnlewis.com, compared to the same time the previous year (Dec 2014 – Dec 2015)
  • Sales of smart home products as a category at John Lewis have increased by 81 per cent year-on-year from 2014 to 2015
  • Large range of smart technology on display in an interactive setting for all areas of the home.

LONDON, 2016-Apr-07 — /EPR Retail News/ — John Lewis has set its sights on the future by opening the UK’s largest smart home technology experience at its flagship Oxford Street store.

The 1,000 square foot space, opening its doors to customers on the 7 of April, will boast futuristic gadgets for every part of the home.

From an oven that enables you to put dinner on before you leave the office, to a bedside device that monitors the quality of your sleep and a smart fridge which does your internet shopping for you, a wide range of the latest cutting edge technology will be on display in an interactive, real-life home setting.

The move comes in response to an 81 per cent increase in sales of smart home products in the past year at John Lewis.

Despite the futuristic nature of the products, when it comes to buying, seeing is believing and customers still need top quality customer service in stores. It is important for customers to touch and demo the technology with Partners in store before buying.

‘We are seeking to demystify the latest smartest technology for our customers,’ says Johnathan Marsh, Buying Director for Electricals and Home Technology, John Lewis. ‘In-store experiences are now key as we’ve seen customer demand for physical experiences before committing to purchase increase. To help customers understand which smart technology is for them, our Partners have received extensive training to provide added value. Given our home and technology credentials, John Lewis is perfectly placed to support and lead the customer on the smart home journey.’

Futuristic technology today

Four interactive zones: ‘Kitchen’, ‘Entertainment’, ‘Sleep’ and ‘Home monitoring’ will demonstrate how customers can save time, effort and enhance their busy lifestyles by controlling their homethrough the touch of an app on their smart device.  Demos from specially trained Partners will showcase how smart technology instinctively responds to human behaviour.

Innovations which mirror human behavior

The highly anticipated Samsung Family Hub Smart Fridge with built-in touch screen which brightens up automatically as you approach, allows you to internet shop from your fridge. A set of cameras inside the door mean you can view the contents of your fridge from your phone when out and about so you know when to buy milk.

It isn’t just kitchen appliances that can be programmed to undertake tasks. Also on show for the first time is the new S+ by ResMed, the world’s first non-contact sleep tracking system that helps analyse and improve quality of sleep. The ResMed S+ records light, noise and temperature conditions in bedrooms, and syncs to smart devices to provide personalised feedback on how to improve sleep.

All products featured in the space will be available to purchase in-store and online at johnlewis.com and the smart home experience will be rolled out to other shops across the UK starting with the new John Lewis Leeds store, scheduled to open in Autumn 2016.

The future of the Smart Home

John Vary, Innovation Manager, John Lewis, comments ‘Smart home technology is designed to make life more convenient, and the introduction of this new curated experience – the first on the high street – marks a brilliant step in innovation for John Lewis. Showcasing the latest smartproducts, this experience demonstrates in a real-life setting, how technology has exciting and far-reaching implications for today’s lifestyles.’

Customers will also benefit from the John Lewis Never Knowingly Undersold price promise, ensuring that products are available at the best price on the high street. All electricals come with John Lewis’s market leading two-year guarantee.

Products featured in the smart home experience include Philips Hue lighting; Sonos PLAY:5 Wireless Music System; Nest Protect 2nd Generation Smoke + Carbon Monoxide Alarm; AEG BS8836880B ProCombi Plus Smart Oven and the Netatmo Welcome Home Camera with Face Recognition.

The smart home experience at John Lewis Oxford Street is open to customers from 9.30am on Thursday 7 April.

www.johnlewis.com

www.johnlewis.com/smarthome

Notes to editors

The John Lewis Partnership – The John Lewis Partnership operates 46 John Lewis shops across the UK (32 department stores, 12 John Lewis at home and shops at St Pancras International and Heathrow Terminal 2), johnlewis.com, 346 Waitrose shops, waitrose.com and business to business contracts in the UK and abroad. The business has annual gross sales of over £11bn. It is the UK’s largest example of worker co-ownership where all 91,500 staff are Partners in the business.

John Lewis – John Lewis operates 46 John Lewis shops across the UK (32 department stores, 12 John Lewis at home and shops at St Pancras International and Heathrow Terminal 2) as well as johnlewis.com. It is part of the John Lewis Partnership, the UK’s largest example of worker co-ownership and all 30,000 John Lewis staff are Partners in the business. John Lewis, ‘Best Clothing Retailer 2015’ , ‘Best Electricals Retailer 2015’ and ‘Best Homewares Retailer 2015’¹, typically stocks more than 350,000 separate lines in its department stores across fashion, home and technology. Johnlewis.com stocks over 280,000 products, and is consistently ranked one of the top online shopping destinations in the UK. John Lewis Insurance offers a range of comprehensive insurance products – home, car, wedding and event, travel and pet insurance and life cover – delivering the values of expertise, trust and customer service expected from the John Lewis brand.

¹ Verdict Consumer Satisfaction Awards 2015

You can follow John Lewis on the following social media channels:
www.johnlewis.com/twitter
www.johnlewis.com/facebook
www.johnlewis.com/youtube.

Enquiries

For further information or images please contact:
Emma Gibson / Dan Wilson
Telephone: 020 7592 6003 / 020 7798 3915
Email: emma.gibson@johnlewis.co.uk / daniel.wilson@johnlewis.co.uk

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Guerlain opens new boutique dedicated exclusively to perfumes

PARIS, 2016-Apr-07 — /EPR Retail News/ — Guerlain has opened a new boutique dedicated exclusively to perfumes at 392, rue Saint Honoré in Paris. The boutique is an exceptional journey into the world of Guerlain Fragrances, celebrating the art of perfumery that has earned the House renown since 1828.

Fragrances mark the memory, arouse emotion and provoke unique sensations. The art of the perfumer is about crafting fragrances able to spark unique experiences. Guerlain’s new boutique spotlights this unique creative process, inspired by a remarkable array of ingredients.

The store showcases the spectacular library of over 100 Guerlain fragrances, a collection unique in the world, organized according to 14 of the perfumer’s emblematic ingredients. There is also a cellar where carefully controlled lighting and temperature preserve Guerlain perfumes in mythic Guerlain “bee” bottles, like rare vintage wines.

Two centuries of Guerlain heritage is displayed, including 19th century “dames-jeannes”, broad glass bottles encased in wicker used to preserve liquids, plus notebooks containing formulas that have been jealously guarded for five generations. Past meets the present with a unique digital experience too. Guerlain has developed a digital perfume organ that lets visitors travel the world of scented creations and olfactory emotions to determine their own personal “olfactory profile”, helping them select one of the 18 emblematic Guerlain fragrances.

In the spirit of personal exchanges and customization dear to Jacques Guerlain, visitors can also craft their own bottle, selecting the color, size, ribbon, bow, silk wrapping paper and even a signature. Each person’s creative fantasies are served by Guerlain savoir-faire.

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Guerlain opens new boutique dedicated exclusively to perfumes

© Guerlain

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Lowe’s Companies releases its 2015 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Report “Building Momentum”

MOORESVILLE, N.C., 2016-Apr-07 — /EPR Retail News/ — Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE: LOW) today announced the release of its 2015 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Report. Titled “Building Momentum,” the report shares an in-depth look at Lowe’s progress in meeting the needs of its customers, caring for its employees and communities, and responsibly managing its operations. The 2015 CSR report can be viewed on Lowe’s website.

“As a purpose-driven company, Lowe’s is committed to helping people love where they live. That’s the lens we use to do what’s right for customers and our communities,” Robert A. Niblock says in the report’s CEO Letter. “This report is a demonstration of that commitment. I’m proud of what we accomplished in 2015, and I’m looking forward to building on our momentum.”

Lowe’s continues to make improvements in important focus areas, including efforts to reduce waste, energy use and emissions, enhance workplace safety and diversity, improve product sustainability and grow charitable giving and employee volunteerism. For the second consecutive year, Lowe’s report contains standard disclosures from the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) G4 guidelines – an internationally recognized framework for sustainability reporting – and a GRI index to enhance transparency and access to key data.

Lowe’s highlights from 2015 include:

  • Lowe’s and the Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation gave more than $33 million in charitable contributions, and more than 43,000 Lowe’s Heroes employee volunteers donated their time and expertise to improve communities.
  • For the first time, every single Lowe’s store in the United States, more than 1,700 stores, participated in a Lowe’s Heroes volunteer project.
  • The company celebrated the 10-year anniversary of Lowe’s Toolbox for Education®. The program has awarded $48 million in grants, benefiting more than six million children and nearly 11,000 schools.
  • Focused on bringing better products to market and improving customer education, Lowe’s worked with suppliers to remove ortho-phthalate plasticizers from all residential vinyl flooring and committed to phase out the sale of products that contain neonic pesticides within 48 months to support pollinator health. Lowe’s also announced plans to eliminate window coverings with accessible cords that can form a hazardous loop from its in-stock assortment by the end of 2018.
  • To build a stronger leadership team, Lowe’s launched a mentoring program that pairs female and minority store managers with market directors to grow their leadership skills. Lowe’s also continued to build diversity through its recruiting efforts, attending more than 100 recruiting events to attract people with diverse backgrounds and ideas.
  • Lowe’s mobile health-screening units completed 111,792 free health screenings for employees, a 10 percent increase from 2014, and Lowe’s continued to build on the success of its cardiac surgery and hip and knee replacement programs. More than 200 employees received no-cost hip and knee replacements, and 84 employees received no-cost spine surgery, a new benefit Lowe’s launched in 2015.

To learn more about these activities, visit Lowes.com/SocialResponsibility. Feedback is welcome at SocialResponsibility@Lowes.com.

Download a PDF of the 2015 report

About Lowe’s
Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE: LOW) is a FORTUNE® 50 home improvement company serving more than 16 million customers a week in the United States, Canada and Mexicothrough its stores and online at Lowes.com, Lowes.ca and Lowes.com.mx. With fiscal year 2015 sales of $59.1 billion, Lowe’s has more than 1,855 home improvement and hardware stores and 270,000 employees. Founded in 1946 and based in Mooresville, N.C., Lowe’s supports the communities it serves through programs that focus on K-12 public education and community improvement projects. For more information, visit Lowes.com.

Contact

If you’re a journalist working on a story about Lowe’s:
704-758-2917
PublicRelations@lowes.com

SOURCE Lowe’s Companies, Inc.

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IKEA starts construction on its future Midwest distribution center in Joliet, Illinois slated to open in Spring 2018

JOLIET, IL, 2016-Apr-07 — /EPR Retail News/ — IKEA, the world’s leading home furnishings retailer, today officially began construction on its future Midwest distribution center in Joliet, Illinois on 72 acres at the Laraway Crossings Business Park, 48 miles southwest of Chicago. Slated to become operational in Spring 2018, the approximately 1.25-million-square-foot distribution center will serve inventory needs of stores throughout the Midwestern U.S., as well as customer fulfillment. Goods received by the Joliet facility will reflect the nearly 10,000 exclusively designed items currently sold at all IKEA stores worldwide.

IKEA has chosen Gray Construction to design and build its new IKEA Joliet distribution center. As a nationally ranked engineering, architecture and construction firm with more than 55 years of experience, Gray has designed and built more than 250 distribution facilities across the U.S., including other IKEA distribution centers.“We are pleased that construction has begun in Joliet for our Midwest distribution center, which will support our growing presence in that region of the country,” said Lars Petersson, IKEA U.S. president. “As we become even more accessible nationwide by opening new stores, this distribution center will help meet the home furnishing needs of Midwestern customers. We appreciate the support of Joliet city officials and staff for helping advance this project.”

With nearly, 1,000 suppliers in 50 countries, IKEA globally transports products to its stores through regional distribution centers. This Midwestern facility will complement the current U.S. distribution network comprised of two fulfillment centers on the west coast and three on the east. Its central location will allow goods to be received at coastal ports from both Asia and Europe and then transported inland to the Joliet facility. The facility’s proximity to a nearby railroad intermodal will provide additional long-term transportation options too. Operating this distribution center will eliminate 7,000 tons of CO2 emissions annually, with more reductions expected via future intermodal solutions.In terms of contributing to the local economy, this project will result in construction-related jobs and nearly 100 positions at the distribution center, plus property tax revenue generated for local governments and schools. In addition, IKEA is evaluating potential on-site power generation to complement its current U.S. renewable energy presence at nearly 90% of its U.S. locations.

This project represents the fourth significant investment by IKEA in the state of Illinois. Besides this future Joliet distribution center, there are two IKEA stores in the Chicagoland area, in Bolingbrook and Schaumburg. Additionally, last year, IKEA purchased a 49-turbine wind farm in Hoopeston, IL that is now operational.Since its 1943 founding in Sweden, IKEA has offered home furnishings of good design and function at low prices so the majority of people can afford them. There are currently more than 380 IKEA stores in 48 countries, including 41 in the U.S., where there also are 5 operating distribution centers. IKEA incorporates sustainability into day-to-day business and supports initiatives that benefit children and the environment. For more information see IKEA-USA.com, @IKEAUSA, @IKEAUSANews, or IKEAUSA on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Pinterest.

Contact: Joseph Roth, Expansion Public Affairs
(610) 834-0180, x 6500

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IKEA recalls ATTJO bat cape due to risk of strangulation

The fabric hook and loop fastener at the neck of the bat cape may not detach readily during use, posing a risk of strangulation to consumers.

CONSHOHOCKEN, PA, 2016-Apr-07 — /EPR Retail News/ — In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Safety Commission, IKEA announced on April 6th, 2016 a voluntary recall of the LATTJO bat cape. The fabric hook and loop fastener at the neck of the bat cape may not detach readily during use, posing a risk of strangulation to consumers. IKEA has not identified any reports of permanent injury, or any incident reports in the United States. IKEA is conducting this voluntary recall to help prevent injuries.

Please immediately take the LATTJO bat cape away from children and return it to any IKEA store for a full refund. Proof of purchase (receipt) isnot required.

The LATTJO bat cape was sold in US stores and online between November 2015 and February 2016 for $12.99.

For more information, please visit www.IKEA-usa.com or contact IKEA toll-free (888) 966-4532.

IKEA apologizes for any inconvenience. We appreciate your cooperation.

Press Contact Information
USA CORPORATE PUBLIC RELATIONS
Mona Astra Liss
1-610-834-0180 x 5852
USA PRODUCT PUBLIC RELATIONS
Janice Simonsen
1-610-834-0180 x 6349
USA EXPANSION
Joseph Roth
1-610-834-0180 x 6500

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IKEA recalls ATTJO bat cape due to risk of strangulation

IKEA recalls ATTJO bat cape due to risk of strangulation

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The Home Depot kicks off its Spring Black Friday sales event

Retail leader combines product innovation with enhanced shopping experience, welcoming the next generation of home improvement

ATLANTA, 2016-Apr-07 — /EPR Retail News/ — Spring is synonymous with home improvement for The Home Depot®, and the world’s largest home improvement retailer is kicking off the season with its Spring Black Friday sales event. Starting today, customers have access to 11 days of in-store and online savings on seasonal essentials, including mulch and mowers, as well as patio, grills and smart garden devices.

In 2016, The Home Depot is further enhancing its interconnected retail offering, including a more robust fulfillment repertoire while bringing scale and efficiency to an unprecedented in-store mobile experience.

“Our shoppers are demanding more of retailers, and we’re answering that call with an increasingly intuitive shopping experience that more efficiently merges the digital marketplace with our stores,” says Kevin Hofmann, senior vice president and president of online for The Home Depot. “We’ve made tremendous strides, building out features and functionality that eliminate pain points in our customers’ preferred path to purchase.”

Customers are quickly adopting The Home Depot’s interconnected programs and fulfillment options, such as Buy Online,Pickup In Store (BOPIS). As reported in Q4 2015, more than 40 percent of the retailer’s digital transactions are picked up inside a store.

While making it easier for consumers to find and buy, The Home Depot is simultaneously challenging vendor partners to bring new innovation into stores and onto homedepot.com.

“Another piece of the puzzle is providing customers with the brands and products they know at a great value while bringing the latest advancements and technology that make their homes work smarter for them,” says Jeanine Huebner, senior vice president of hardlines for The Home Depot. “We are constantly looking for the best and most inventive new products to help us lead this next generation of home improvement.”

Spring 2016 at The Home Depot comes with a trend-driven lineup of game changing products, industry leading brands and exclusive programs.

  • Smart home technology: This category includes functional products that make the entire home smarter, safer or more efficient – starting with wireless video doorbells and continuing with thermostats, cameras, lighting, smoke alarms, garage door openers and even smart irrigation devices.
  • Outdoor power: The latest advancements in outdoor power tools are designed to more efficiently keep yards maintained. Cub Cadet® has integrated Bluetooth® technology into a zero-turn riding mower, while ECHO® and EGO™ lead the way in cordless outdoor power that rivals the power and runtime of gas. Lithium ion batteries are increasingly popular, especially as brands like RYOBI® and DeWalt® add to their growing platforms of indoor and outdoor tools controlled by the same battery.
  • Simplified gardening: In addition to the rise of organics and edibles, simplified gardening is trending with low-maintenance flowers that produce vibrant colors, plants selected to thrive in local conditions and “patio-ready” container gardens or raised garden beds. The Home Depot’s live good merchants partner with 150 growers to stay up on trends and assort nursery selections regionally.
  • Connected garden: Technology is also playing a role in gardening. With water conservation top of mind, smart devices are making it easier to water more efficiently without sacrificing a healthy lawn and garden. From Wi-Fi irrigation controllers that manage your entire yard to garden sensors that help you maintain smaller areas, smart home technology now has a green thumb.
  • Outdoor living: Bringing interior design trends outdoors continues trending as customers look to transform their outdoor space. It often starts with selecting patio furniture, and The Home Depot’s Choose Your Own Color program offers 16 different frames and 15 fabric options. From there, it’s all about personalization with The Home Depot’s expanded assortment of patio accessories – from pillows and poufs to string lights, lanterns and umbrellas with solar-powered LED lights.
  • Grilling: The Home Depot is empowering customers with advancements in technology and design from some of the most respected brands in the industry. The 2016 selection of Weber® grills includes portability in the Weber Q®, the Original Kettle™ series and the Gourmet Barbecue System™. In addition to Weber, The Home Depot is expanding its overall assortment with infrared technology from Nexgrill®, pellet grills from Traeger® and a ceramic charcoal grill from Vision Grills™.

The Home Depot’s Digital Newsroom
For a closer look at what’s happening at The Home Depot this Spring, including behind-the-scenes interviews and trends for gardening, outdoor living and grilling, visit our digital newsroom, Built from Scratch at thd.co/spring16.

About The Home Depot
The Home Depot is the world’s largest home improvement specialty retailer, with 2,274 retail stores in all 50 states, theDistrict of Columbia, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, 10 Canadian provinces and Mexico. In fiscal 2015, The Home Depot had sales of $88.5 billion and earnings of $7.0 billion. The Company employs more than 385,000 associates. TheHome Depot’s stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: HD) and is included in the Dow Jones industrial average and Standard & Poor’s 500 index. 

SOURCE The Home Depot

For more information, contact: Chris Giallanza, Public Relations Manager, 770-384-3365, christopher_giallanza@homedepot.com

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Shopify Inc. to announce financial results for its first quarter ended March 31, 2016 on Wednesday, May 4, 2016

Ottawa, Canada, 2016-Apr-07 — /EPR Retail News/ — Shopify Inc. (NYSE:SHOP)(TSX:SH),  the leading cloud-based commerce platform, plans to announce financial results for its first quarter ended March 31, 2016 before markets open on Wednesday, May 4, 2016.

Shopify’s management team will host a conference call to discuss first-quarter results at 8:30 a.m. ET on Wednesday, May 4, 2016.  The conference call is available via webcast on the investor relations section of Shopify’s website at http://investors.shopify.com/events/Events-Presentations/default.aspx.

An archived replay of the webcast will be available following the conclusion of the call.

CONTACT:

INVESTORS:

Katie Keita
Director, Investor Relations
613-241-2828
IR@shopify.com

MEDIA:

Sheryl So
Public Relations Manager
416-238-6705 x 302
press@shopify.com

SOURCE: Shopify