Reliance Trends plans to revamp 150 stores

Hyderabad: Reliance Retail plans on revamping around 150 Trends stores pan-India with a new brand identity. The company is adding contemporary and tech-enabled features ranging from self-checkout counters to electronic shelf labels to attract customers of younger generations. Trends has opened its first such store with a new brand identity in Surat with several more in the pipeline to be opened shortly.

The stores will have a new look right from the façade to fixtures, lighting, ceiling and flooring, becoming more aspirational for shoppers, the retailer said. Trends account for a major share of Reliance Retail's garment sales. It operates more than 4,000 fashion and apparel stores, housing brands such as Trends, Centro, Azorte and Fashion Factory.

Reliance Fashion & Lifestyle President & CEO Akhilesh Prasad said: "Consumers nowadays are demanding fresh and unique experiences. In our latest Trends store opened at VIP Road, Surat, we have introduced a brand new retail identity by incorporating several new-age tech interventions in the form of self-checkouts, electronic shelf labels, RFID-enablement and dual-sided cash tills. Given the brand's vast appeal across town classes, the new concept remains warm and inclusive. We have dedicated space in our stores where local artists are invited to express the city's identity in their most unique and artistic ways. The start has been made with the Surat store where the city's skyline has been represented with thread work."

Going forward all new Trends stores to be opened by Reliance Retail in the future will be based on the new format, which may also have a dedicated space for local artesian to showcase the city's identity. The new concept is designed by an international innovation studio. In its quarterly results last week Reliance said its retail business is witnessing a trend towards premiumisation, where people are spending more on articles such as apparel and footwear.

Reliance Retail CFO & Corporate Development Dinesh Taluja said: "On the fashion and lifestyle, our stores business for apparel and footwear, we saw a significant uptick in-store traffic as well as growing average bill values as we see people buying more items as well as a trend towards premiumisation where people are spending more. We are seeing a merging of the two where the semi-casuals, both in non-office and office wear are getting acceptable. So, there's a trend where people are looking to buy something which can be used both in the office and outside and we are capitalising on that trend. We are seeing a significant uptake in smart casuals as well as leisure," he said.