How did the high street perform over Christmas?

High street sales slumped over Christmas, according to the Evening Standard, however there was positive news for online sales. Richard Lim, of Retail Economics, commented: “These results demonstrate the vast disparity in the performance of online and stores. The ongoing shift towards online, fiercer competitor dynamics and softer consumer confidence have damaged in-store sales.”

2019 FMCG & Retail Predictions

Surprise Partnerships, Robot Coworkers And A Brick-And-Mortar Renaissance is what we can come to expect from retail this year, according to experts. They predict that next year will present us with the cutting edge of a Cambrian explosion of change in the retail industry, driven by customer-centric strategies aimed at fulfilling consumer demands for hyper-personalised service and instant gratification.

Greggs goes vegan

The UK’s largest bakery chain this week launched its very own vegan sausage roll, following a petition calling for a vegan version of its bestselling product. Greggs, which sells 1.5m traditional pork sausage rolls a week, says the new version has been designed to mirror some of the original’s classic features. It will have 96 layers of light and crisp puff pastry – made with vegetable oil – and a “bespoke” Quorn filling. Delish!

Veganuary food launches

Greggs isn’t the only brand this week to announce new vegan product launches. Tying in with Jan’s Veganuary, McDonald’s, Ben & Jerry’s and Marks & Spencer have all announced new plant-based food ranges.

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