The Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts will hold the 54th edition of its Indian Handicrafts and Gifts Fair from October 14 to 18 at the India Expo Centre and Mart in Noida to promote the industry globally.

Swedish furniture, homeware, and home textile business Ikea will open its second store in Mumbai in the city’s R City Mall in Ghatkopar. This will be Ikea’s first store located inside a mall in India.

​H&M’s first half and Q2 were all about its ongoing recovery as the retail giant benefited from “increased full-price sales and lower markdowns”. But there remain challenges and comparison periods are getting tougher.

The pan-India ban of low utility single-use plastics will come into effect on July 1 with the aim of making retail more environmentally friendly but several groups are requesting more time.

Multi-brand fashion fair Ensemble will hold a ‘Rakhi Edit’ exhibition on August 7 at the JW Marriott Hotel in Pune to showcase over 30 brands from across India for the upcoming late summer and autumn festive season.

The Republic of India and the United Kingdom concluded the fourth round of talks for an India-UK Free Trade Agreement on June 24 after addressing 20 policy areas.

Flipkart has signed a memorandum of understanding with Telangana’s Society for the Elimination of Rural Poverty to facilitate market access for self help groups and farmer producer organisations in the state.

Reliance Industries Limited’s mall chain Nexus Malls has partnered with Jio-bp, a fuel and mobility joint venture between RIL and bp, to launch electric vehicle charging stations across its 17 malls in 13 cities.

Swedish furniture and home textiles retailer Ikea has announced its plans to invest Rs 3,000 crore in the state of Karnataka over the coming few years as it sees India as having string potential for retail growth.

​Ikea India plans to source more products locally to combat rising inflation, as the Swedish furniture group looks to connect better with the country's burgeoning middle class, a top executive said on Tuesday.

Open Network for Digital Commerce will enable kirana and other small store owners to run digital storefronts at a minimal cost with wider logistics and inventory options, analysts posit as the pilot continues.

A parliamentary committee set up to address e-commerce has advised the Department for the Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade to add a comprehensive e-commerce framework to the upcoming national policy. 

From July 23 to 24, business-to-customer shopping event Kidszone Fair will present a wide selection of children’s clothing and accessories among other products at the Thakur Banquet in Kandivali, Mumbai.

​H&M had good reason to be happy on Wednesday as it reported Q2 sales with a bigger than expected increase. The world’s second-largest fashion retailer had a good time of it in the March-to-May quarter with sales up 17%.

Online furniture, homeware, and home textiles retailer Pepperfry has opened its first brick-and-mortar studio outlet in Marathahalli, Bengaluru as it works to build an omni-channel business and penetrate niche markets. 

Fashion show India Fashion City Tour will hold an edition in Bengaluru on June 17at WelcomHotel by ITC Hotels for a runway show and networking sessions among other features.