Describing colours is not a black and white issue

There is no doubt that we are in politically correct times so it was all the more surprising that I came across a rather strangely named colour. It was listed on a box that had contained a headboard, which I had found lying on the dirty streets of north London. Anyone for a Gringo Brown headboard? Gringo Brown…

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For the last time, luxury really does sell online

The debate over whether luxury goods can be sold online has raged for years and probably bored many people en route. Thankfully we are close to a conclusion on this subject because increasing amounts of hard evidence suggests consumers will buy pretty much anything online – from cheap tat to ultra-expensive baubles. Devil of a time…

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Is Ocado’s £1bn valuation laughable?

The seemingly never-ending run up to flotation for online grocery retailer Ocado was knocked off course slightly this week with the publication of a critical report from broker Bernstein Research. At Retailinsider.com we have long reckoned the £1 billion valuation that has been mooted in the press has sounded a tad too rich. This has, admittedly, been based on…

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Discounters proved to be great disappointment

If Tesco had known just how badly the discounters would ultimately handle their post-recession come-down I don’t think they’d have worried so much about them during the downturn and even bothered launching their Discounter Brands range. The latest evidence to emerge of their continued weak performance comes from grocery experts IGD that found the main…

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Supermarket shares sweep the floor

Scanning my Financial Times the other morning I couldn’t help notice that it was a full house for the quoted supermarkets, with all their share prices hitting their 12-month lows. Supermarket shares shrink so much you can no longer read them Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Morrison all hit the deck and were even joined by that semi-supermarket Marks & Spencer…

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