The battle of the big beauty retailers expanding into key locations continues with Superdrug now open in Westfield London, White City.
The new 9,100 sq ft “state-of-the-art” destination for health, beauty, and wellbeing, forms part of Superdrug’s wider growth strategy, which includes the launch of 25 new stores across the UK in 2025.
The flagship was officially opened by television personality Ekin Su while a pink Superdrug bus was parked near the shopping centre’s entrance, “creating a focal point in Shepherd’s Bush to ‘Paint White City Pink’”.
With an “elevated retail experience, combining a comprehensive product offering with professional beauty and healthcare services”, the store features a large international skincare range including the retailer’s largest-ever stand for its exclusive cosmetics brand, Troublemaker.
It also features Superdrug’s own-brand cosmetics range, Studio London, as well as other best-selling ranges such as B. Skin, Me+, Vitamin E, and Optimum.
Adding to the in-store experience a dedicated Beauty Studio offers “professional treatments at affordable prices” including brow, nail and piercing services. In addition, the store ha a new nurse-led aesthetic clinic, offering treatments from travel vaccinations through to Botox.
Alongside a premium fragrance counter, its new in-store technology allows digital screens “to have the power to transform the store into a high-value advertising platform, enabling Superdrug suppliers to target the right customer, with the right advert, at the right time”.
The Westfield White City opening makes it one of 30 Superdrug destinations nationwide to feature the innovative Beauty Playground concept, “which is redefining the in-store experience for customers”.
Positioned as a hub for beauty discovery, it enables customers to test and trial the latest products, interact with new and exclusive brands, and receive expert guidance from trained brand ambassadors. The concept also incorporates content creation spaces, including social stations with ring lights, allowing shoppers to capture and share their experiences in-store.
Superdrug CEO Peter Macnab said: “With this larger space, we’ve challenged ourselves to create an immersive destination for today’s beauty customer, whilst always providing great value and accessibility. Our new Westfield store combines engaging customer experiences with exciting career opportunities, creating 70 new jobs, further supporting the local economy.”
The demerger of Unilever‘s ice cream division, to be named ‘The Magnum Ice Cream Company,’ which had been delayed in recent months by the US government shutdown, will finally go ahead on Saturday, the British group announced.
Reuters
Unilever said in a statement on Friday that the admission of the new entity’s shares to listing and trading in Amsterdam, London, and New York, as well as the commencement of trading… is expected to take place on Monday, December 8.
The longest federal government shutdown in US history, from October 1 to November 12, fully or partially affected many parts of the federal government, including the securities regulator, after weeks without an agreement between Donald Trump‘s Republicans and the Democratic opposition.
Unilever, which had previously aimed to complete the demerger by mid-November, warned in October that the US securities regulator (SEC) was “not in a position to declare effective” the registration of the new company’s shares. However, the group said it was “determined to implement in 2025” the separation of a division that also includes the Ben & Jerry’s and Cornetto brands, and which will have its primary listing in Amsterdam.
“The registration statement” for the shares in the US “became effective on Thursday, December 4,” Unilever said in its statement. Known for Dove soaps, Axe deodorants and Knorr soups, the group reported a slight decline in third-quarter sales at the end of October, but beat market expectations.
Under pressure from investors, including the activist fund Trian of US billionaire Nelson Peltz, to improve performance, the group last year unveiled a strategic plan to focus on 30 power brands. It then announced the demerger of its ice cream division and, to boost margins, launched a cost-saving plan involving 7,500 job cuts, nearly 6% of the workforce. Unilever’s shares on the London Stock Exchange were steady on Friday shortly after the market opened, at 4,429 pence.
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Burberry has named a new chief operating and supply chain officer as well as a new chief customer officer. They’re both key roles at the recovering luxury giant and both are being promoted from within.
Matteo Calonaci becomes chief operating and supply chain officer, moving from his role as senior vice-president of strategy and transformation at the firm.
In his new role, he’ll be oversee supply chain and planning, strategy and transformation, and data and analytics. He succeeds Klaus Bierbrauer, who’s currently Burberry supply chain and industrial officer. Bierbrauer will be leaving the company following its winter show and a transition period.
Matteo Calonaci – Burberry
Meanwhile, Johnattan Leon steps up as chief customer officer. He’s currently currently Burberry’s senior vice-president of commercial and chief of staff. In his new role he’ll be leading Burberry’s customer, client engagement, customer service and retail excellence teams, while also overseeing its digital, outlet and commercial operations.
Both Calonaci and Leon will join the executive committee, reporting to Company CEO Joshua Schulman.
JohnattanLeon – Burberry
Schulman said of the two execs that the appointments “reflect the exceptional talent and leadership we have at Burberry. Both Matteo and Johnattan have been instrumental in strengthening our focus on executional excellence and elevating our customer experience. Their deep understanding of our business, our people, and our customers gives me full confidence that their leadership will help drive [our strategy] Burberry Forward”.
Traditional and occasion wear designer Puneet Gupta has stepped into the world of fine jewellery with the launch of ‘Deco Luméaura,’ a collection designed to blend heritage and contemporary aesthetics while taking inspiration from the dramatic landscapes of Ladakh.
Hints of Ladakh’s heritage can be seen in this sculptural evening bag – Puneet Gupta
“For me, Deco Luméaura is an exploration of transformation- of material, of story, of self,” said Puneet Gupta in a press release. “True luxury isn’t perfect; it is intentional. Every piece is crafted to be lived with and passed on.”
The jewellery collection features cocktail rings, bangles, chokers, necklaces, and statement evening bags made in recycled brass and finished with 24 carat gold. The stones used have been kept natural to highlight their imperfect and unique forms and each piece in the collection has been hammered, polished, and engraved by hand.
An eclectic mix of jewels from the collection – Puneet Gupta
Designed to function as wearable art pieces, the colourful jewellery echoes the geometry of Art Deco while incorporating distinctly South Asian imagery such as camels, butterflies, and tassels. Gupta divides his time between his stores in Hyderabad and Delhi and aims to bring Indian artistry to a global audience while crafting a dialogue between designer and artisan.