Retail news

• Tote couture? My old bag’s a classic

  29-01-2025 19:15
  
  Tote bags | Charity charmer | Handwriting | Starmer’s brakes | Religious conversionReusable tote bags have been around a lot longer than Anya Hindmarch’s “I am not a plastic bag” one from 2007 (How the ‘forever tote’ became the It bag du jour, 23 January). In the early 1990s (possibly even the 1980s), Friends of the Earth sold canvas tote bags with the message “Say no to plastic bags”. Mine has been used at least once a week since then.
  Tony Green
  
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• Savers to roll out 30 new UK stores

  29-01-2025 17:20
  
  Savers is planning to launch more than 30 new UK shops this year, with its openings focussed on the south east of England.
  The discount giant is targeting sites in shopping centres and retail parks, adding to its store estate of more than 500 UK shops.
  The retailer is also on the hunt for new sites on high streets and in local convenience parades.
  Speaking to The Grocer, a spokesperson for the brand said: “Following a successful year of trading, Savers health home and beauty are seeking to
  
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• Tesco to cut around 400 jobs

  29-01-2025 17:15 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Tesco is to cut around 400 jobs as part of plans to “simplify” its business operations. The move will impact jobs in its in-store bakeries and... View Article
  
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• Lidl given green light to open first ever in-store pub

  29-01-2025 17:12
  
  Lidl has been granted permission by a High Court to open its very first pub in Northern Ireland.
  The German grocery giant will be able to go ahead with its plans to launch the pub inside its Dundonald store, based near Belfast, after a judge dismissed an appeal raised by another trader.
  During the ruling on Monday (27 January), Mr Justice Colton said he saw “no good reason for refusing the application”.
  The discounter’s proposals involve opening a pub, seating roughly 45 c
  
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• Sainsbury’s health and beauty offer to undergo shakeup

  29-01-2025 16:26
  
  Sainsbury’s health and beauty offering is set for a revamp, under the retailer’s Next Level strategy.
  In plans for a new beauty own label, or a refreshed beauty store format, the grocery giant registered the phrases ‘The Edit Sainsbury’s’ and ‘Sainsbury’s The Edit,’ with the government’s Intellectual Property Office earlier this month, The Grocer reported.
  The trademarks cover nine classes, including cosmetic and beauty items, vitamins and be
  
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• Morrisons warns Budget will mean deeper cuts

  29-01-2025 15:07 via ft.com
  Supermarket is latest UK retailer to caution on Labour government’s tax increases
  
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• THG Ingenuity cuts jobs as it moves out of London office

  29-01-2025 15:03
  
  THG Ingenuity is reducing its London-based workforce as it moves the company’s operations up to Manchester.
  The ecommerce specialist, which separated from THG at the start of the year, has launched a consultation with 134 members of staff across its ecommerce, marketing and CS teams.
  It is understood that the actual headcount reduction will be lower.
  Ingenuity currently shares its London office at 107 Cheapside in the city’s Square Mile district with THG’s companies, including
  
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• Morrisons CEO vows to keep ‘prices as low as possible’ despite Budget pressures

  29-01-2025 14:38
  Morrisons boss Rami Baitiéh has stressed the supermarket will keep prices low for shoppers, despite “significant costs coming at us”.
  Baitiéh pledged to do his best “to keep prices for customers as low as possible” but highlighted that there were “further cost pressures coming,” such as the National Insurance hikes from the Budget, and that it expected “inflationary pressures in the market”.
  However, he said the grocer has “iden
  
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• WH Smith UK high street sales fall as stores put on the market

  29-01-2025 13:24
  Revenues rise at travel arm, where retailer has shops at transport hubs and hospitals across 32 countriesBusiness live – latest updatesWH Smith has reported falling sales in its UK high street stores, while revenues rose at its more successful travel arm, as the retail group attempts to off-load its ailing town centres division.The retailer’s up-for-sale high street division – where it sells newspapers, books, stationery, cards and gifts – reported a 6% fall in sales in t
  
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• Crew Clothing plots 20 new stores this year after ‘exceptional’ golden quarter

  29-01-2025 13:12
  
  Crew Clothing is set to open at least 20 new stores in 2025 after reporting “exceptional growth” in the run up to Christmas.
  Sales for the fashion retailer surged 45% in the two weeks to 24 December, driven in part by a 70% increase in online revenue.
  Store sales rose 22%, boosted by the 15 new locations Crew Clothing opened last year as it ramped up its expansion plans. Related StoryCrew Clothing sues ex-boss over £600,000 bonus02/08/2024 x 4:19 PMContinued growth via the reta
  
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• Tesco to axe 400 jobs ahead of Budget tax hikes

  29-01-2025 13:03
  
  Tesco is set to cut 400 jobs across its stores and head office management as it looks to “simplify” the business ahead of tax hikes in April.
  The cuts impact several head office management roles, management in Tesco Mobile phone shops and staff at its in-store bakeries, where it plans to move away from scratch baking.
  Britain’s largest supermarket said the redundancies were caused by the “more competitive than ever” market that has meant it has to find new ways to i
  
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• Pret enters Africa with new store opening in Johannesburg

  29-01-2025 12:50 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Pret A Manger is entering Africa with the opening of a shop in South Africa’s Johannesburg. The move marks the food-to-go brand’s entry into its 20th... View Article
  
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• Castore’s ‘strongest ever’ Christmas performance fuels expansion plans for 2025

  29-01-2025 10:04
  British sportswear brand Castore enjoyed a “record Christmas” hailing its “strongest ever trading performance” over the period, driven by strong football shirt sales and growth in womenswear, as it plans to open five to 10 stores this year.The retailer said sportswear remained “more resilient” than other apparel categories over Christmas as customers looked to ”prioritise their health, wellbeing and fitness”.
  In the final weeks before Christmas top
  
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• Virgin Wines toasts ‘highly encouraging’ Christmas performance

  29-01-2025 10:00
  
  Virgin Wines has reported a “highly encouraging” performance over the key Christmas trading period and outperformed the wider market, although revenue remained flat year on year.
  Revenues increased 6.7% year on year over the six weeks to 27 December, with sales over the month as a whole up 9% year-on-year.The wine specialist said it was the highest level seen since the peak period during the Covid lockdowns.
  The retailer added its Christmas performance was underpinned by initiatives
  
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• Morrisons full-year profit rise bolstered by ‘strongest’ quarter since 2021

  29-01-2025 09:52
  
  Morrisons boss Rami Baitiéh said it’s been a year “urgent reinvigoration” as the supermarket reported its strongest quarter since the start of 2021.
  The chief executive noted that the grocer had made “positive progressive” against its turnaround strategy as it grew market share and made switching gains from its competitors.
  The supermarket reported a 4.1% rise in group like-for-like sales to £15.3bn in the year to 27 October, as fourth quarter sales cli
  
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• Sales drop at WHSmith’s high street stores as it looks for buyer

  29-01-2025 09:40 via ft.com
  Decline more than offset by increased revenues from airport and train station outlets
  
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• The accidental artisan food specialist

  29-01-2025 09:15 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Artisanal food brands proliferate today but going back two decades things were very different when Cotswold Fayre accidentally came into existence and has since gone on... View Article
  
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• WH Smith makes “good start” to new financial year

  29-01-2025 09:04 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  WH Smith has said it made a good start to its new financial year with group revenue up 4% at constant currency in the 21 weeks... View Article
  
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• Frasers Group snaps up stake in THG

  29-01-2025 09:01
  
  Frasers Group has deepened its ties with THG after it acquired a near 5% stake in the ecommerce giant.
  The Mike Ashley-controlled retail giant snapped up a 4.8% shareholding in the business earlier this week following the news that THG expects to return to growth later this year after the spin-off of its Ingenuity technology platform.
  Frasers previously bought £10m in THG’s shares as part of a “strategic investment” following the online group’s £95.4m fundrais
  
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• Virgin Wines revenue up 6.7% in run-up to Christmas

  29-01-2025 09:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Virgin Wines UK saw its revenue increase by 6.7% year-on year during the six weeks to 27 December. The retailer said the performance was driven by... View Article
  
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• WHSmith high street sales sink ahead of sale

  29-01-2025 08:40
  
  WHSmith said its high street division had traded in line with expectations over the golden quarter despite another weak performance as it sounds out prospective buyers.
  The high street stalwart, which has been put up for sale, recorded a 6% fall in sales on a constant currency basis during the 21 weeks to 25 January. On a like-for-like basis, revenue slipped 3%.
  The retailer said the business, which accounts for 15% of the group’s profits, exited the Christmas period with a clean stock pos
  
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• WHSmith high street sales sink ahead of possible sale

  29-01-2025 08:40
  
  WHSmith said its high street division had traded in line with expectations over the golden quarter despite another weak performance as it sounds out prospective buyers.
  The high street stalwart, which has been put up for sale, recorded a 6% fall in sales on a constant currency basis during the 21 weeks to 25 January. On a like-for-like basis, revenue slipped 3%.
  The retailer said the business, which accounts for 15% of the group’s profits, exited the Christmas period with a clean stock pos
  
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• Next CEO uses Lords status to table amendments to NI changes

  29-01-2025 08:25
  
  Next boss Lord Wolfson has used his position in the House of Lords to lodge amendments to the upcoming changes to employers’ national insurance following concerns over job cuts and sharp increases in business costs.
  The tax is set to increase from 13.2% to 15% in April, while the threshold will lower from £9,100 to £5,000 a year.
  Wolfson, who has been the chief executive of Next since 2001, supported Baroness Noakes’s amendments to introduce “a phased introduction t
  
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• Jollyes reports strong Christmas trading as it shifts to everyday low pricing model

  29-01-2025 07:52 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Jollyes has announced strong Christmas trading with like-for-like sales growth of 6% in the four weeks to 24 December. The pet retailer enjoyed its biggest-ever trading... View Article
  
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• Canada Goose appoints former Stella McCartney executive as SVP of merchandising

  29-01-2025 07:39 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Canada Goose has appointed former Stella McCartney executive Judit Bankus as senior vice president of merchandising. In her new role, she will oversee the development and... View Article
  
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• Executives who ran failed Amazon ‘aggregator’ sued over alleged sham business

  29-01-2025 06:00 via ft.com
  Collapsed US start-up Thrasio, once valued at $6bn, was backed by private equity groups Advent and Silver Lake
  
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