Swiss-based watch giant Swatch Group has announced plans to open about 15 retail stores in Hong Kong in 2009, showing the group's confidence in China's luxury market regardless of the current economic slowdown.

According to Zheng Wanhe, the chairman of Wangfujing Department Store, the company will take the downturn in the market as a period of expansion for Wangfujing and open four or five new outlets around China in 2009 to lay the foundation for its future development.

Marks and Spencer, one of the leading retailers in the United Kingdom, has announced that its managing director in China, Richard Sweet, has stepped down.

According to a representative from the international supermarket chain Metro, the company's two outlets in Wuhan will stop selling plastic shopping bags from 2009, making Metro the first plastic-free supermarket in the city.

Sanlian Commerce has announced that the Shandong-based Sanlian Group has sued several companies, including the Chinese electronics retail giant Gome, for the illegal acquisition of 27 million share in Sanlian Commerce owned by Sanlian Group and has asked the court to announce the bid as invalid, as well as seeking CNY50 million compensation from these [...]

Zhou Minghai has resigned from his position as president of Hong Kong-listed Intime Department Store and Chen Xiaodong, former COO and vice president of the company, has been appointed CEO and president of the group.