Swedish retailer H&M faced backlash last week after an advert showing a little black boy wearing a "coolest monkey in the jungle" hoodie was
labelled as racist. The ad, which has since been removed, came under fire on social media and drew criticism from a number of
local personalities as well. Rejecting the retailer's apology, the Economic Freedom Fighters
stormed into several H&M stores on the weekend upending racks and pushing over shop dummies.
In other top news, Woolworths is looking to bolster sales in the struggling Australian unit by
adding the Balmain brand to its offerings, and the Dutch Investors Association says it has been approached by many South African-registered Steinhoff shareholders interested in participating in its class action against the disgraced retailer.
#BizTrends2018 highlightsOn a more positive note, #BizTrends2018 remains in full swing, so be sure to keep an eye on the
special section for insights that will help your business prepare for the year ahead. In this week's must-read trend highlights:
• Dave Nemeth from Trend Forward delves into the
the call for authentic, experiential retail design.
• Maryla Masojada from Trade Intelligence shares Part 1 of her report
'What is shaping grocery retail in South Africa.' • Elizabeth Lee Ming from Pernod Ricard explains why
creating value remains key in the premium spirits brand experience.
• Tony Da Fonseca from the Franchise Association of South Africa answers the question
'Is franchising future-proof?'• Molefi Moloantoa from Primedia Unlimited Malls details how brands can
amplify emotional connections through consumer ecosystems.
All that and more. Enjoy!
Lauren Hartzenberg
Retail Editor: Bizcommunity.comComment online in our ed's column archive. Go mobile with apps and m.bizcommunity.com. Engage with us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Google+. Subscribe to YouTube and via RSS. Send all your retail news and event invitations to retailnews@bizcommunity.com, exclusive opinion pieces to contributors-retail@bizcommunity.com and international news to internationalnews@bizcommunity.com. Read "How to contribute to Biz, from op-ed pieces to news".
