​It may come as no surprise, but online retail orders in the UK have fallen as a result of the reopening of non-essential stores in England and Wales.

​The Hut Group plans to spend even more on making acquisitions in the future having set a new target of around £250 million a year for buying businesses, it said this week.

French specialist in licensed perfumes Interparfums’ future Parisian headquarters will be located at number 10 on the rue de Solférino, which housed the former headquarters of the Socialist Party.

​The Hut Group (THG) swung to an operating loss in its 2020 financial year as one-off items drove it into the red. However, the company’s revenues surged during the period as all divisions outperformed.

Businessman Mariano Puig, former president of Puig and architect of the multinational Catalan fragrance company's international expansion, has passed away at the age of 93. 

Following its failed sale of Delpozo in 2020, Spanish perfume business Perfumes y Diseño is making a foray into fashion once again by acquiring a minority stake in premium clothing brand Oteyza.

Swiss fragrance and flavour maker Givaudan confirmed its mid-term targets after like-for-like sales rose 7.7% in the first quarter, helped by strong demand for its fragrance and beauty products.

The reopening of non-essential shops in much of the UK on April 12 and workers back in their offices mark a big step in the return to normality. It seems that key product categories are likely to benefit.

​As shops in England return on Monday, Frasers Group will open a milestone development. It’s the first brand-new Frasers store in the UK with a debut in Wolverhampton. 

​ASOS released its interim results on Thursday and the fashion e-tail giant confirmed just how strong it is, as its own brands and Arcadia labels boomed. It saw sales rising globally and profits soared.

Kim Kardashian recently filed trademark applications to potentially launch a brand called SKKN by Kim encompassing “skin care, hair care, nail products, perfumes, candles, and more.” 

​As Fenwick prepares to reopen, its CEO has predicted “ a good opening, but a slow recovery as well”. Yet overall, he’s confident it's on the right track and can do well in the changed retail world of the future.

The UK government has confirmed that non-essential stores, beauty and hair salons will be able to open as planned in England on April 12. And John Lewis is the first big name to share its reopening plan.

​Burberry has become the first luxury brand to feel the backlash in China over its stance on accusations of abuses of Uighur Muslim minorities in Xinjiang.

In addition to the recent home decoration and sportswear launches, Mango will introduce a line of 12 fragrances for men and women, available from April in some 20 European countries.

​Burberry is continuing to focus on tech in the all-important Asia market and has just announced a new digital project. It has worked with Elle Digital Japan to create an “interactive virtual replica of its Ginza store”.