Retail news

• US egg prices soar as avian flu rips across farms

  12-02-2025 21:07 via ft.com
  
  Wholesale prices have doubled over the past year as culls to stop spread of virus prompt shortages and rationing
  
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• ‘No signs of slowing’: US egg prices soar as avian flu rips across farms

  12-02-2025 21:07 via ft.com
  Wholesale prices have doubled over the past year as culls to stop spread of virus prompt shortages and rationing
  
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• A challenge for readers to go plastic-free | Letter

  12-02-2025 18:08
  
  Gwen Harris on her efforts to cut down on plastic use and the salutary lessons awaiting those who do the sameI can fully endorse Emma Beddington’s experience (My no-plastic life: I tried to cut out single-use items for a month – and it almost broke me, 12 February). Two years ago, I tried to give up using single-use plastic for Lent. I managed reasonably well for about a week while I used up fresh and frozen food in my fridge and freezer. But as soon as I started having to purc
  
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• Meet Terry Cannon, founder and MD of WeComm

  12-02-2025 16:54 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  We’re super chuffed to announce Terry Cannon, as a judge for this year’s People in Retail Awards. With over 18 years of experience in the retail... View Article
  
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• John Lewis adds 49 new fashion brands in time for Spring

  12-02-2025 16:22 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  John Lewis has added 49 fashion brands to its roster in time for the spring/summer season.
  The new signings across women’s and menswear, which include labels favoured by Harry Styles and Alexa Chung, will see the department store retailer sell over 350 brands alongside its own-label ranges.
  Customers will be able to shop from the likes of Dragon Diffusion, Second Female, NN07, Norse Projects, Theory, Summery Copenhagen and Fabienne Chapot in-store and online in the coming months.
  It has al
  
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• Søstrene Grene to open central London flagship off Oxford Circus

  12-02-2025 15:50 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Søstrene Grene is set to open its fifth London store this spring around the corner from Oxford Circus.
  The two-storey 441sq m flagship on Argyll Street will stock the Scandi brand’s extensive range of homewares, crafts, stationery, kitchenwares and children’s toys.
  It will also feature new store concepts for the retailer, including an interactive customer experience room and a room focussed on the senses. Related StoryInterview: Søstrene Grene – the unusually name
  
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• Abercrombie & Fitch to double UK store presence this year

  12-02-2025 15:49 via retailgazette.co.uk
  Abercrombie & Fitch is targeting between eight and 10 new stores by the end of 2025, aiming to double its UK high street presence.
  The fashion retailer, which employs around 100 people at its London head office, is eyeing locations in high street and shopping centre sites, including a new store on Kensington High Street, Abercrombie & Fitch EMEA managing director Scott Clarke-Bryan told Drapers.
  Last month, it opened two new London stores, located at 325 Oxford Street near Bond Street st
  
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• Aldi and GCA clash over £3.7m supplier delisting case in court fued

  12-02-2025 15:47 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Lawyers for Aldi and the Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) are battling over whether the government body should be able to get involved in a landmark High Court hearing concerning a supplier’s delisting.
  Legal teams for both bodies fought it out in London yesterday, with the GCA insisting it should be permitted to give evidence in court, The Grocer reported. 
  The case concerns farmers Matthew Rawson and John Clappison, whose company ran the last sprout and brassica farm in Yorkshire.
  T
  
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• Tesco to offer 1,500 apprenticeships by 2027

  12-02-2025 13:55 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Tesco is expanding its Stronger Starts Apprenticeship programme, introducing five times more places in 2025 and targeting 1,500 apprenticeship opportunities for young people by 2027.
  Following its initial cohort of 82 apprentices last year, the grocer is increasing its intake to 450 places this year.
  Tesco subsidiary One Stop convenience stores is also launching 10 Stronger Start apprenticeships for the first time.
  Designed in collaboration with Lifetime Training and the King’s Trust, part
  
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• Beales to close last store, blaming costs ‘foisted on us’ in Reeves’s budget

  12-02-2025 13:31
  
  Poole shop to shut again only five years after it was revived following retail chain’s administrationThe department store chain Beales is to close its last remaining shop, in Poole, for the second time as it blamed rising costs linked to Rachel Reeves’s budget for a failed rescue attempt.The 144-year-old retail institution, which first opened its doors in Bournemouth in 1881, collapsed into administration in January 2020, leading to the closure of all its 22 stores. The store in Pool
  
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• Watches of Switzerland named as headline sponsor for the King’s Trust

  12-02-2025 13:07 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Watches of Switzerland Group has joined forces with The King’s Trust to become the headline sponsor of its 2025 change a girl’s life campaign, ahead of International Women’s Day on 8 March.
  On 6 March, the luxury watch specialist will support the campaign with nationwide ‘brilliant breakfast’ fundraising events – designed to support young women in the UK by hosting breakfasts.
  The campaigns raise funds to give women a working future via training courses with p
  
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• Sephora to open second Manchester store this summer

  12-02-2025 11:15 via retailgazette.co.uk
  Sephora is expanding its presence in the north of England with a new store at Manchester Arndale, set to open this summer.
  It follows the success of the French beauty giant’s Northern debut at the Trafford Centre last year, where over 2,000 shoppers queued up on opening day.
  This will be the 10th store for the brand, which has been ramping up its store network in the UK and has more openings planned in Sheffield and Liverpool this year. Back in November, the retailer unveiled plans to ope
  
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• Aldi celebrates Random Acts of Kindness Day with £3,000 giveaway

  12-02-2025 11:07 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Aldi is celebrating Random Acts of Kindness Day by giving customers the chance to win their food shop for free on 17 February.
  Any shoppers visiting the discounter on 17 February could win their shopping for free, with £3,000 worth of Aldi vouchers to be won.
  To enter, shoppers need to email a picture of their receipt to [email protected], with 30 customers to be chosen at random to each receive a £100 voucher in return.
  Aldi communications director Richard Thornton said
  
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• Data: UK online retail sales hit record £127bn in 2024

  12-02-2025 10:40 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  The value of online retail sales in the UK reached a record-breaking £127bn in 2024, marking the highest figure ever recorded outside of the Covid-19 lockdown surge, according to a new study.
  Digital agency Koozai’s data, based on recent figures published by the Office for National Statistics, found that online sales in the year ending December 2024 were valued at £127.41bn, up 3.4% from £123.3bn in 2023.
  This growth marks a notable recovery after a 9.8% decline in 2022,
  
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• Sainsbury’s loses loyalty card battle against Tesco as ASA dismisses ad complaint

  12-02-2025 10:36 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Sainsbury’s has had its complaint against a Tesco ad, which claimed its Clubcard points are worth more than its rivals Nectar card points, rejected by the advertising watchdog.
  The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) dismissed the complaint against a digital poster from Tesco that displayed a stack of sandwiches with the text: “Clubcard gives you more to spend on your groceries than Nectar. Stacks more”, and “Get more with Tesco Clubcard”.
  The advert also featured
  
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• Beales closes final store after 140 years amid tax rises

  12-02-2025 10:00 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Beales is set to close its last remaining department store as it winds down the business after more than 140 years.
  The retailer, which first opened in Bournemouth in 1881, will shutter its store in Poole’s Dolphin Centre at the end of May.
  Chief executive Tony Brown told The Telegraph that upcoming increases to employers’ National Insurance contributions and minimum wage announced in Labour’s first fiscal Budget last year meant the business had become “unviable”.
  B
  
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• Bringing belonging to the workplace

  12-02-2025 09:46 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  As recruitment and retention become increasingly challenging retailers should focus greater attention on the important dynamics of communications, culture and engendering belonging among the workforce. These... View Article
  
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• N Brown completes £191m takeover by founding family

  12-02-2025 09:20 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  N Brown Group has completed its £19m acquisition by Joshua Alliance, the retailer’s non-executive director and fourth-largest shareholder.
  The deal sees the Alliance family, which already holds a controlling stake, take the Jacamo and Simply Be owner private.
  Under the cash acquisition, which was approved in October, the remaining shares of the business were acquired by Falcon 24 Bidco, a company controlled by Joshua Alliance.The acquisition was finalised after the Financial Conduct
  
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• Dr. Martens appoints two new non-executive directors

  12-02-2025 09:01 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Dr. Martens  has appointed Robert Hanson and Benoit Vauchy as non-executive directors. With a strong track record of delivering growth at consumer brands, Hanson is a... View Article
  
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• Dr Martens strengthens board with ex-American Eagle CEO and Permira partner

  12-02-2025 08:53 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Dr Martens has appointed Robert Hanson and Benoit Vauchy to its board as non-executive directors, effective 26 March 2025.
  Hanson brings a wealth of experience, having previously served as CEO of John Hardy and American Eagle Outfitters.
  He also held senior roles at Constellation Brands and Levi Strauss & Co., including president of the Americas division and global brand president, Americas. He also serves as CEO of The Duckhorn Portfolio.
  Vauchy, a partner at Permira, Dr Martens’ larg
  
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• Dr Martens strengthens board with ex-American Eagle CEO

  12-02-2025 08:53 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Dr Martens has appointed Robert Hanson and Benoit Vauchy to its board as non-executive directors, effective 26 March 2025.
  Hanson brings a wealth of experience, having previously served as CEO of John Hardy and American Eagle Outfitters.
  He also held senior roles at Constellation Brands and Levi Strauss & Co., including president of the Americas division and global brand president, Americas. He also serves as CEO of The Duckhorn Portfolio.
  Vauchy, a partner at Permira, Dr Martens’ larg
  
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• Next ad banned by ASA for promoting unrealistic body image

  12-02-2025 08:42 via retailgazette.co.uk
  Next has been reprimanded by the UK advertising watchdog after an ad for its “power stretch denim leggings” was deemed to feature an “unhealthily thin” model in digitally altered clothing.
  The ASA launched an investigation after receiving complaints about the appearance of the model in the online advert. The campaign, which ran on Next’s website, showcased the retailer’s leggings but sparked controversy for highlighting an unrealistic body image.
  In its defenc
  
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• River Island chair steps down as former CEO returns

  12-02-2025 08:19 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  River Island has announced that its executive chair Richard Bradbury is stepping down for personal reasons. In addition, former chief executive Ben Lewis is returning to... View Article
  
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• JD Outdoor poaches Hobbycraft CEO as boss departs after 12 years

  12-02-2025 08:12 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  JD Sports has poached Hobbycraft CEO Dominic Jordan to lead its outdoors business as boss Lee Bagnall steps down.
  Bagnall, who joined the Go Outdoors, Blacks and Millets owner in 2013, will remain with the sports giant for a handover period.
  His successor Jordan joins from Hobbycraft, departing from the crafts specialist after seven years. Related StoryGo Outdoors launches new running department09/10/2024 x 3:36 PMA JD Sports spokesperson told Drapers: “We are delighted to welcome Dominic
  
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• JD Outdoor appoints new chief executive

  12-02-2025 07:37 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  JD Sports has appointed former Hobbycraft chief executive Dominic Jordan to succeed Lee Bagnall as chief executive of its outdoor division. The business includes the GO... View Article
  
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• Boots rolls out national blister pack recycling scheme

  12-02-2025 07:36 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Boots is rolling out a blister pack recycling scheme across the UK. The move follows a successful trial in London and the south east last year... View Article
  
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• Next ad banned over ‘unhealthily thin’ model in digitally altered leggings

  12-02-2025 06:00
  
  Watchdog upholds complaint about advert that digitally altered clothing and used low angle to accentuate long legsThe UK advertising watchdog has banned an advert from high street retailer Next for featuring an “unhealthily thin” model in digitally altered clothing.The advertisement, which ran on its website, featured a model marketing Next’s “power stretch denim leggings”. Continue reading...
  
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• Fair and Square? Chinese retail chain’s expansion rankles Kenyan rivals

  12-02-2025 06:00
  Local business owners in Nairobi said the rapid expansion of China Square had created an uneven playing fieldOn a cool Friday morning in an expansive mall in Nairobi, dozens of people thronged outside a retail store covered in colourful banners, balloons and flowers.When the shutter doors finally rolled up a few hours later, fireworks were let off and music blared through speakers, the crowd now swollen to more than 100. Continue reading...
  
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• Can lingerie brand Victoria’s Secret win with Gen Z?

  12-02-2025 06:00 via ft.com
  
  US group attempts to reboot and recapture the glamour of its 1990s and 2000s heyday after years of flagging sales
  
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