BATH, England — International online sex toy retailer Lovehoney has been named as a finalist in two categories at the 2016 Retail Week Awards with Oracle.
In the OC&C Strategy Consultants Pure-Play Etailer of the Year category Lovehoney will go head-to-head with electronics e-tailer AO.com and fashion e-tailers ASOS and Missguided. The company says being nominated in the same category reflects Lovehoney’s progress in making sexual wellbeing a mainstream product category.
Lovehoney’s international sales growth sees it shortlisted with F&F, Graze.com and Holland & Barrett in the International Growth Initiative of the Year category.
Lovehoney’s co-owner Richard Longhurst said, “Lovehoney has had an incredible year. Sales have increased by more than 50% with international sales nearly tripling year-on-year. We’re delighted that our achievements have been recognised in being nominated for not one, but two highly regarded awards.”
Lovehoney has expanded rapidly in recent years, dominating the online market for sex toys in the U.K. and launching dedicated sites for the U.S., Australia, France, Germany and the E.U. Lovehoney also has the exclusive worldwide license to manufacture pleasure products under the “Fifty Shades of Grey” brand.
Longhurst added, “Seeing Lovehoney up against these huge household names is a real sign that we are making yet more inroads to the mainstream."
For more than two decades, the Retail Week Awards has celebrated the innovations and achievements in the U.K.’s retail sector.
The shortlist will be judged by a panel of retail industry authorities, including: Alex Baldock, Chief Executive Officer at Shop Direct; Richard Pennycook, Chief Executive at the Co-operative Group and Chairman at The Hut Group; Peter Ruis, Chief Executive Officer at Jigsaw; Nigel Oddy, Chief Executive Officer at House of Fraser.
Speaking of this year’s shortlist, Retail Week Editor-in-Chief Chris Brook-Carter said: “This year we’ve been struck by not only the quality of the award entries, but the quantity of high caliber admissions — making it the hardest year ever to pick our finalists. This is testament to the standards of excellence demonstrated by British retailers and is the reason why British retail is such an asset to the U.K. economy, through both its contribution to GDP and as the largest private sector employer.
“As the U.K. retail industry continues to innovate, grow and respond to the challenges they face by the ever-demanding consumer, the 2016 Retail Week Awards with Oracle is set to celebrate, toast and acknowledge the very best in our industry.”
The Retail Week Awards with Oracle take place on March 17 at the Grosvenor House Hotel, London.
