New look

Value shops tip growth as shoppers trade down

Aldi, Lidl and Netto are forecast to increase their share of Britain's grocery market by 60 per cent over the next four years

Rose faces institutional protest at M&S meeting

Sir Stuart Rose faces a protest vote from shareholders over his decision to become both executive chairman and chief executive

Consumers are our Achilles heel

Last week’s sales warnings from M&S and John Lewis highlighted how vulnerable the economy is to high-street spending

Marks and Spencer faces City's biggest revolt

Stuart Rose under fire as up to 30% of investors prepare to rebel against his dual role as chairman and chief executive of retailer

Tills ring for Mary Portas, queen of shops

Retail guru Mary Portas has struck a chord with her second TV series, helping beleaguered boutiques fight off bankruptcy

Freecycle booms as middle class feels squeeze

Middle-class households struggling to cope with the downturn in the economy are turning to an internet swap shop for help

John Lewis blames 'delicate' economy

Patrick Lewis, director of retail operations at John Lewis, says there has been a notable fall in customer confidence

Cooking oil waste gives new twist to takeaway

Rocketing petrol prices have prompted a rash of grease thefts from outside fast food stores as demand for biodiesel grows

M&S house broker cuts profit forecast by 20%

Citigroup expects the retailer's sales will continue plummeting next year and slashes profit expectations to just £730m

Qatari's make fresh swoop on Sainsbury's shares

Retailer shares rally after QIA raises its stake in Britain's third largest supermarket chain to 26 per cent

John Lewis department store sales dive 8.3%

Lack of big ticket items reveals middle classes are tightening their belts but Waitrose continues to increase sales

Video games a boon for families feeling the pinch

Families facing escalating household bills are turning to Nintendo Wii and PlayStation 3 video games for affordable fun

China loses production of Steiff bears

Fed up with poor workmanship, high staff turnover, delays and shipping costs, the company is going back to its birthplace

Steiff’s decision is barely believable

The decision to repatriate the manufacture of its teddy bears from China back to Germany is a reversal of the globalisation process

Sweet spot consoles in an otherwise torrid cycle

As driving, dining and drinking become more expensive, it is easy to see why an evening with the joystick seems appealing