This page provides a listing of, and links to, some of the media commentary produced by members of the Institute for Retail Studies on various retail related topics.
December 2011
Scotland’s shops gamble on £12m an hour sales bonanza – comment in The Scotsman, 27th December 2011, by Leigh Sparks
New way to window shop – comment in The Scotsman, 24th December 2011, by Leigh Sparks
Scots spend £150m on last-minute shopping as stores slash prices – comment in The Daily Record, 24th December 2011, by Leigh Sparks
Beanz meanz falling sales, swallowed by “instant” food – comment in The Scotsman, 20th December 2011 by Leigh Sparks
Retailers are hoping shoppers will loosen up in the next week – analysis in The Scotsman 19th December 2011 by Leigh Sparks
Trouble in store; retailers fear Panic Saturday failed to fill tills – comment in Sunday Mail 18th December 2011 by Leigh Sparks
Changing times to drive a hard bargain – article in ChinaDaily (USA) 16th December 2011, by Leigh Sparks
High Street woe as retail sales suffer record slump – comment in The Scotsman, 14th December 2011 by Leigh Sparks
Britons are best in Europe for using smart phones – comment in The Scotsman, 14th December 2011 by Leigh Sparks
Will Christmas rescue the high street? – comment in The Sunday Herald, 11th December 2011 by Leigh Sparks
How do you bring people back to town centres? – comment in The Scotsman, 8th December 2011 by Leigh Sparks
November 2011
Online shopping revolution may provide our local businesses with lifeline – comment in The Scotsman, 25th November 2011 by Leigh Sparks
Will Xmas shoppers go the extra mile – comment in The Evening Times, 24th November 2011 by Jonathan Elms
Internet sales and high street footfall – interview on Reporting Scotland, 21st November 2011 by Leigh Sparks
Guerrilla sales to tempt Scots Christmas shoppers – comment on new short term sales techniques in The Sunday Post, 20th November 2011 by Leigh Sparks
Retail sales in Scotland – interview on Newsnight Scotland, 16th November 2011 by Steve Burt
Predictions 2012: all eyes on the future -Retail – invited piece on the future for Scottish retailing 2012 in The Business Insider, November 2011 by Leigh Sparks
Supermarket unit pricing fails to add up for shoppers – comment on report into unit pricing in The Scotsman, 17th November 2011 by Leigh Sparks
Morrisons Buoyed by 2.4% rise in sales – comment on Morrisons performance in The Herald, 11th November 2011 by Leigh Sparks
October 2011
Galleries cash scheme is based on bold predictions – comment on funding for a possible extension to Glasgow’s Buchanan Galleries in The Evening Times, 27th October 2011 by Leigh Sparks
Middle classes join the shoplifting surge – comment on UK shoplifting levels versus European levels in The Scotsman, 25th October 2011 by Leigh Sparks
Supermarkets accused of baffling customers with ‘feel-good’ offers – comments on supermarket pricing policies and tactics in The Scotsman, 19th October 2011 by Jonathan Elms
Unveiled: the very latest i(must have one)Phone – comments on the demand for the new iPhone in The Scotsman, 5th October by Leigh Sparks
Boom or bust festive shopping – comments on potential for Christmas shopping and short term lets in The Sunday Post, 2nd October 2011 by Leigh Sparks
September 2011
Look out for more own-brand offers – comments on price strategies in The Scotsman, 30th September 2011 by Leigh Sparks
Discount stores are right up your street – comments on the rise of discount stores in Scotland on Sunday, 25th September 2011 by Leigh Sparks
Deck the halls with pots of money – comments on Christmas starting in September in The Scotsman, 22nd September 2011 by Leigh Sparks (Christmas, already – ugh)
The perfect supermarket shop – comments on supermarket layouts in Men’s Health 7th September 2011 by Leigh Sparks
August 2011
Rising cost of food keeps Britain’s families on financial tightrope – comment in The Scotsman 3rd August 2011 by Leigh Sparks (on food inflation and consumer spending)
July 2011
City rivalries inflamed as new index puts Glasgow above capital for tourism value – comment in The Scotsman, 21st July 2011 by Paul Freathy (on city popularity and value in Scotland)
Closing Time: Scotland’s high streets are battling a “perfect storm” – comment in The Herald (Glasgow) 17th July 2011 by Leigh Sparks (on the problems and opportunities facing Scotland’s high streets)
What’s happened to our high streets? Closures could be good for local shops – comment in the Sunday Post 3rd July 2011 by Leigh Sparks (on the state and possibilities of British high streets)
June 2011
Shoppers mourn the death of good taste – comment in The Scotsman 25th June 2011 by Leigh Sparks (on the demise of Habitat)
Doner nation: Scotland is takeaway capital – comment in The Scotsman 18th June 2011 by Paul Freathy (on the high proportion of fast food takeaways in Scotland)
May 2011
“Save our high streets”: retail chiefs demand action from SNP ministers – comment in Scotland on Sunday 22nd May 2011 by Leigh Sparks (on the TCRF and high streets)
Does Scottish retail need a champion? – comment in Scotland on Sunday 22nd May 2011 by Leigh Sparks (on Mary Portas and the town centre)
A significant other in Walmart’s Asda marriage – letter to the Editor of Retail Week, 13th May 2011 by Leigh Sparks (on the relative performance of Asda and Tesco since the Wal-Mart takeover)
April 2011
Discount venture will offer £150 suit for £8.53 – comment in The Herald (Glasgow) 16th April 2011 by Leigh Sparks (on the new store Big Offers Discount Warehouse and the recession and price consumer mindset)
City tipped to weather high street storm – comment in the Dundee Evening Telegraph 13th April 2011 by Leigh Sparks (on Dundee’s retail resiliency in the current sales slump)
Summer of discontent on the cards, with many more store closures to come – comment in The Scotsman 12th April 2011 by Leigh Sparks (on disastrous retail sales)
Shopping will never be the same again – comment in The Scotsman 12th April 2011 by Leigh Sparks (on disastrous retail sales, the high street and Poundland)
Retailers sign up for £70m Glasgow shops complex – comment in The Times 11th April 2011 by Leigh Sparks (on the development and reputation of Glasgow retail)
Subtle change of direction in new campaign – comment in The Scotsman, 7th April 2011 by Leigh Sparks (on Marks and Spencer adverts)
Time to offer hope to town centres – article in The Scotsman 6th April 2011 by Ross Martin and Leigh Sparks (on town centres and their regeneration)
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