Biggest German Optician chain Fielmann based in Hamburg reports on half-year figures: Higher sales, but costs also rise. Share remains under pressure.Although the eyewear provider was able to increase its sales in the first six months by eight per cent to 854.5 million euros. But at the same time they faced higher costs for material and personnel . This is putting pressure on the margin, which is below the Group's longer-term targets.Fielmann previously targeted a profit margin of 16 per cent for 2025, but now expects a figure of eleven per cent for 2022.Another challenge for the Group with 21,000 employees: the pandemic is leading to "comparatively high levels of sick leave among employees". At the same time, costs have also risen sharply here. In order to counteract the shortage of skilled workers, salaries have been increased, it was said.

A few trends from the food trade: Germany buys cheaper, boom of discounters, Germany is buying organic, but also increasingly from discounters. Although the share is still small, the rates of increase are considerable: more and more people are paying attention to whether their food comes from . Even discounters like Aldi or Lidl and grocery chains like Rewe or Edeka have discovered organic food and are constantly expanding their range of products. The turnover of organic food has risen from 6 billion to 16 billion in the last 10 years, which is almost 7% of the total market. . On the other hand, this boom is causing a crisis in health food shops and organic supermarkets. Germans are reaching for cheaper products more often because of the sharply rising prices. Current figures show: Brand-name manufacturers and specialist retailers of sustainably produced food are facing an existential crisis because Germans are cutting back on their good conscience.

It opened a pop-up store in Seoul in April and is set to open a flagship outlet in Hong Kong's Causeway Bay shopping mall next month. While the focus remains on e-commerce, the company aims to have at least one signature store in key Asian markets where it also has an online presence, Pak said.

Esprit is changing its strategy at a time when the fast-fashion model is coming under increasing criticism for environmental, social and governance issues such as waste, questionable sourcing of materials and sweatshop labour.

Esprit was founded in San Francisco in 1968 by Susie and Doug Tompkins and spread globally in the 1970s. The share is still listed in Hong Kong and Esprit currently has a market value of around 447 million dollars.

Levi's® SPACE recently opened in the heart of Shanghai's stylish shopping district and popular meeting place for Generation Z, Yuyuan Road, and was designed as a six-month pop-up. Inside the two-story building, the modern design brings the Levi's® brand to life and creates an immersive experience for Chinese consumers through various events such as new product launches, artisan workshops and networking meetings. From authentic 501® jeans to futuristic metaverses and NFTs, SPACE offers an elevated and immersive experience that educates and entertains.

Next week, it will open its most ambitious pop-up yet, a 9,000-square-foot space showcasing 62 brands on London’s popular Regent Street. Dubbed The Conscious Concept Store, the pop-up will run throughout September, with independent fashion, beauty and lifestyle brands, each vetted for their social and environmental impact by third-party compliance platform Compare Ethics. Joining them will be circular fashion businesses Sojo — “the Deliveroo of clothing repairs” — and rental platform Rotaro. Non-profit Fashion Revolution will put on educational events, and Web3 converts can shop via avatar through metaverse partner The Immersive Kind. Brands including Chinti and Parker, #GenZ favourite Senja By Maddie, and Birdsong are included.