The Trafford Centre has today welcomed a brand new River Island store – and it’s absolutely massive.
With high-tech changing rooms, an in-store coffee tuk tuk, and a huge selection of the high street brand’s clothing, the old Topshop unit has been completely transformed.
River Island’s brand new concept store spans 21,000 sq ft and has opened its doors for a weekend-long fashion event over this weekend.
One of its major selling points is the high-tech, interactive changing rooms, which detect which items you’ve carried into the space with you.
Then, if something’s not quite the right size or fit, you can use the touch pad in your changing room to request a new size, without having to traipse back across the huge site.
The changing rooms look beautiful too, decorated with pink floral wallpaper on walls and ceiling, plus huge black-lit mirrors to see your new outfit from all angles.
The changing rooms in River Island. Credit: The Manc GroupOutside River Island in Manchester. Credit: The Manc GroupAccessories display. Credit: The Manc Group
Back in the main store and everything’s split neatly into three departments – women’s, men’s, and kid’s.
The largest space has been stripped back to brick, with natural drapes, plants, and soft lighting suspended from the industrial ceiling.
There are boho rugs chucked about and marble tables displaying River Island’s huge range of accessories.
And on the men’s side of things, the seating has been taken from a car, and coffee tables are made from engines.
The new Trafford Centre shop was launched today with the help of Louise Roe, a fashion journalist and broadcaster, who hosted a styling workshop.
Menswear at River Island. Credit: The Manc GroupComplimentary floral bouquets from The Bud & Pot. Credit: The Manc GroupMenswear at River Island. Credit: The Manc Group
Gemma Scarfe, digital and marketing director, said: “We are extremely excited to announce that River Island is opening a brand new store in the Trafford Centre.
“Manchester has been on our radar for some time; it has continued to receive huge investment over the last few years and has cemented its position as a world-class city.
“We’re delighted to have identified a new, larger retail space that will deliver a fun and refreshing shopping experience to our loyal customers as well as complement the thriving city.”
Bruce Gardner, brand experience director at Trafford Centre, said: “River Island is a high street giant and hugely popular brand with our visitors, so we’re really excited to see their stunning, vibrant new store open in a new location here at The Trafford Centre.”
As part of River Island’s launch weekend, shoppers who spend more than £75 will be able to take home a complimentary flower bouquet from The Bud & Pot.
River Island’s new store is open now at the Trafford Centre.
Featured image: The Manc Group
Shopping
The UK has a new cheapest supermarket for the first time in nearly two years
Emily Sergeant
Aldi has officially been dethroned, as the UK has a new cheapest supermarket for the first time in nearly two years.
We know that two years doesn’t sound like that long of a timeframe, but when you consider the fact that consumer choice company Which? names the UK’s cheapest supermarket every month based on its latest data, you begin to realise that it’s a slightly more impressive feat than it initially sounds.
For the past 21 months, Aldi has reigned supreme in the Which? rankings – claiming the title of the UK’s cheapest on a consecutive basis.
As it does every month, Which? checked the prices of 76 popular branded and own-brand groceries at eight of the UK’s biggest supermarkets throughout July to see how they compared, with items including things like Hovis sliced bread, milk, and cheese.
For each supermarket, the company works out the average price of each item across the month, then adds those up to get each one’s average total price.
The average price for a shop of all the 76 items in July would’ve set Lidl shoppers back £128.40, compared to £129.25 at Aldi.
Lidl has been named the UK’s cheapest supermarket / Credit: Lidl GB
The next cheapest after Lidl and Aldi was Asda, which doesn’t offer loyalty prices in the same way its competitors, but even then, the price was 9% more than at Lidl for our shopping list.
Meanwhile, the latest data found that shopping at Tesco without a loyalty card was still cheaper than shopping at Morrisons with one.
Sainsbury’s was running Nectar price promotions on 15 items on our list, while Tesco had Clubcard prices on 16, Lidl had three items with a loyalty discount, and Morrisons had More Card scheme discounts on only two items in the basket.
Aldi has been dethroned for the first time since October 2023 / Credit: Aldi UK
On the other end of the spectrum, as you might expect, was Waitrose – with the price for the 76 items here setting shoppers back £170.91 in total, which is more than £42, or 33%, more than Lidl.
Waitrose also offers some loyalty prices to members, but there were none for items on the Which? shopping list this month.
When it comes to annual grocery price inflation, this figure was found to have jumped to 5.2% in the four weeks leading up to 13 July, according to market analysis from Worldpanel by Numerator, which is the highest level since January 2024.
Prices are rising faster for items such as chocolate, butters and spreads, and fresh meat, and they are falling fastest for dog food, sugar, confectionery, and laundry.
Featured Image – Aldi
Shopping
Opening date for Britain’s first standalone Primark Home store in Manchester announced
Emily Sergeant
The opening date of Britain’s first standalone Primark Home store here in Manchester has been announced.
In case you hadn’t heard, it was announced earlier last month that our region had been chosen as the first place to get a dedicated Primark Home store.
Following the opening of its debut Home location in Belfast, Primark went on to confirm that the home of its first ever Great Britain site will be here in Greater Manchester – arriving at the popular Trafford Palazzo this summer.
The 11,900 sq ft, two-floor store will bring together the very best of Primark’s interiors offering, all under one roof.
Manchester shoppers can discover an expanded range of homeware and lifestyle essentials to give their home the glow-up it deserves, including high-quality essentials like cotton bedding and towels, soft furnishings, small furniture, and quirky ceramics.
The new store will feature Primark’s recently-launched ‘Edit’ – an elevated collection of home products such as chic tableware, plush towels, and luxury home fragrances.
It will also include a dedicated Travel Shop to help customers get holiday-ready all year round, with a range of stylish and practical travel essentials.
Primark is opening its first dedicated Home store in Manchester this summer / Credit: Primark Corporate
The addition of the new Primark Home at Trafford Palazzo doesn’t mean that any of the other Primark shops across Greater Manchester will be going anywhere though, so shoppers can still continue to get their Primark fix at the main Trafford Palazzo store, as well as on Market Street in Manchester city centre, and right through to the boroughs in places like Bolton, Oldham, Bury, and Wigan.
“The opening of Primark Home at Trafford Palazzo is an incredibly exciting moment for us,” commented Mark Whittaker, who is the Managing Director at Peel Retail and Leisure.
“Not only because we are the first destination in Great Britain to do so, but the opening is going to be adding a leading concept to our already unique mixture of immersive shopping and leisure experiences.
“Primark Home will have something for everyone, and we look forward to the store opening in summer.”
The store will bring together the very best of Primark’s interiors offering, all under one roof / Credit: Primark Corporate
Ceara Doyle, who is the Store Manager at Primark Trafford Palazzo, added: “It’s incredibly exciting to be bringing the Primark Home concept to Trafford, and I know there’s already lots of anticipation locally for opening day.
“We’re busy working behind the scenes to bring the new space to life, alongside a refresh of our main Trafford store, and we can’t wait to welcome shoppers through the doors.”
Primark Home store will officially be opening down at Trafford Palazzo on Friday 29 August, and launch day plans are set to be announced it due course so keep your eyes peeled.
Daisy Jackson -
6th May 2023 
