The UK's Office for National Statistics said October sales volumes and value fell by 0.1% month-on-month. But department stores reported growth while year-on-year sales rose 3.1% by volume and 3.3% by value.

German consumer goods company Henkel reported another quarter of decline on Thursday as its beauty unit battled fierce competition in western Europe and destocking in China.

John Lewis has unveiled its first-ever joint Christmas ad between its department stores chain and its supermarkets. The creative “tells the story of a little girl and her friendship with an excitable young dragon”. 

Natura continued to make progress in its latest quarter as sales rose at all three of its brands, despite the Hong Kong protests that impacted both The Body Shop and Aesop.

A good response to Riccardo Tisci-created products and a groundbreaking new digital-to-phsyical social shopping deal with Tencent were the big news Burberry had to share on Thursday.

Oliver Bonas has taken a 1,800 sq ft unit at Westquay in Southampton, and will be opening at the shopping centre in time for Christmas.

European outlet malls operator Via Outlets has reported “strong results and continued growth” on the back of  its major remodelling work across its portfolio.

IMRG thinks Black Friday and December online spending will be weak in the UK as shopper confidence is low and the signs so far are that discounts will rule.

At its launch, the brand offers an eight-piece brush collection designed to do the work of multiple brushes, simplifying a user's daily makeup application process. 

The next three years will see London's West End enjoying an almost £3 billion investment spend that will transform Oxford Street into an experiential location and boost visitors by 40%.

The chairman of consumer goods giant Unilever said on Wednesday he is stepping down after three years in the role. He will hand over the reins to Nils Andersen, but will remain on the board as a non-executive director.

Notonthehighstreet has reportedly told a string of suppliers to stop selling products on Joules’ new online marketplace, Friends of Joules.

The ‘real’ Living Wage has been increased by 30p per hour to an hourly rate of £9.30 across the UK and £10.75 in London to reflect the growing cost of living in UK cities.

Lush is betting on innovation, unique concepts and prime locations to underpin its retail expansion despite ongoing struggles on the high street.

It’s always interesting to see how the owners of UK shopping centres are faring, especially in an environment in which footfall to such centres is dropping and many stores are exiting leases on the back of CVAs.