Executive Summary

October 4, 2019

• This week’s note “From the Desk of Deborah Weinswig” looks at the waning importance of holiday shopping for US retailers, with holiday sales accounting for a steadily decreasing proportion of annual sales.

In the news this week:

• Simon Property Group is teaming up with online shopping site Rue La La’s parent company to launch a new website for people looking for deals.
• Uniqlo has partnered with textile company Toray Industries to launch a line of apparel made from used Uniqlo down jackets and recycled plastic bottles.
• Carrefour has extended the use of blockchain technology to Camembert de Normandie cheese. Shoppers can trace producers’ locations and see the product’s path from farm to shelf with a QR code scan.