Retail news

• UK budget surplus for January falls short of expectations

  21-02-2025 12:50
  Figures come as chancellor struggles to revive the economy, with business survey showing activity is stalling
  
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• Lidl TikTok Shop launch sells out in under 20 minutes

  21-02-2025 12:02 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Lidl’s TikTok shop launch sold out in less than 20 minutes as it became the first UK supermarket to use the platform’s ecommerce channel.
  The grocery retailer went live on TikTok Shop yesterday (20 February) at 10am with 3,000 protein products and sold out its entire stock in just 18 minutes, The Grocer reported.
  The discounter’s £5 bundles were made from a selection of high-protein products, which cost more than £30 to buy separately in-store.
  Brands sold in the bu
  
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• Lidl TikTok Shop launch sells out in minutes

  21-02-2025 12:02 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Lidl’s TikTok shop launch has sold out in 18 minutes, setting a benchmark for UK supermarkets using the platform.
  The UK grocery retailer went live on TikTok Shop yesterday (20 February) at 10 am with 3,000 protein products, only to sell out within 18 minutes, according to the Grocer.
  The discounter said its £5 bundles were made from high-protein products which would have cost more than £30 to buy separately in-store.
  Brands sold in the bundle included Belbake Protein Pancake M
  
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• Exclusive: The Original Factory Shop sold to Hobbycraft owner Modella

  21-02-2025 11:35 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  The Original Factory Shop has been acquired by Hobbycraft owner Modella Capital, Retail Gazette has learnt.
  The private equity firm, which also has its eye on WHSmith’s high street business, has snapped up the discount chain’s 180 UK stores and its workforce of around 1,800 employees.
  Modella made a last minute bid for the discount chain last week after talks with In The Style owner Baaj Capital stalled.
  The sale of the retailer marks the end of more than 17 years ownership by privat
  
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• Aldi boosts pay again to cement position as ‘best-paying’ supermarket

  21-02-2025 11:12 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Aldi has raised its hourly wage rates for store assistants once again, following an earlier announcement made in January.
  The German discounter, already the highest-paying in the UK, will increase its minimum hourly rate to £12.75 nationally and £14.05 within the M25 from 1st March 2025.
  This new increase comes as part of a series of pay rises announced by Aldi for its store colleagues.
  The retailer previously revealed in January that hourly rates would rise to £12.71 (£1
  
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• Consumer confidence improves this month

  21-02-2025 09:51 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Consumer confidence has risen in February as people feel more optimistic about their personal finances, although their views on the economy are lower than a year... View Article
  
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• Alibaba shares jump 14% after pledge to invest ‘aggressively’ in AI

  21-02-2025 09:17
  
  Chinese tech group says it will spend more on artificial intelligence in next three years than over past decade
  
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• UK consumer confidence and job openings climb

  21-02-2025 09:01 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  UK consumer confidence and job openings have both seen a notable increase, sparking optimism for the retail sector as businesses adapt to ongoing economic challenges.
  The GfK consumer confidence index showed an improvement of two points from January to mid-February, rising from -22 to -20. Households reported greater optimism about their personal finances, following recent interest rate cuts by the Bank of England.
  Despite this positive shift, experts remain cautious, as the effects of high infl
  
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• OpenAI’s new tool set to transform online shopping lands in UK

  21-02-2025 08:44 via retailgazette.co.uk
  OpenAI’s Operator AI agent has launched in the UK, bringing a new level of automation to online shopping. The tool is designed to carry out tasks such as completing an online shopping order based on a user’s input, without the need for manual browsing or checkout.
  Introduced last month, Operator can autonomously interact with websites, including navigating menus and buttons, to complete tasks like placing grocery orders.
  Users can upload a photo of their shopping list, and the AI wil
  
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• OpenAI’s new tool set to transform online shopping in the UK

  21-02-2025 08:44 via retailgazette.co.uk
  OpenAI’s Operator AI agent has launched in the UK, bringing a new level of automation to online shopping. The tool is designed to carry out tasks such as completing an online shopping order based on a user’s input, without the need for manual browsing or checkout.
  Introduced last month, Operator can autonomously interact with websites, including navigating menus and buttons, to complete tasks like placing grocery orders.
  Users can upload a photo of their shopping list, and the AI wil
  
  Read more

• AI shopping assistant set to transform online shopping lands in UK

  21-02-2025 08:44 via retailgazette.co.uk
  OpenAI’s Operator AI agent has launched in the UK, bringing a new level of automation to online shopping. The tool is designed to carry out tasks such as completing an online shopping order based on a user’s input, without the need for manual browsing or checkout.
  Introduced last month, Operator can autonomously interact with websites, including navigating menus and buttons, to complete tasks like placing grocery orders.
  Users can upload a photo of their shopping list, and the AI wil
  
  Read more

• Aldi to invest £67 million in store upgrades in 2025

  21-02-2025 08:29 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Aldi is to invest £67 million in upgrading its existing shops this year as it moves onto the next stage of its store enhancement programme. The... View Article
  
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• Retail sales bounce back with 1.7% growth in January

  21-02-2025 08:26 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Retail sales across the UK saw a stronger-than-expected increase of 1.7% in January, according to figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) today. This marks a recovery following a 0.6% decline in December.
  Economists had predicted a more modest monthly rise of 0.3% in sales volumes, making the actual growth significantly higher than anticipated.
  The January boost was largely driven by food sales, which experienced a notable 5.6% rise in sales volumes. This marked the largest
  
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• Primark announces opening date for first standalone homewares store

  21-02-2025 08:12 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Primark has announced the launch date for its first-ever standalone homewares store. The shop in Belfast city centre will open to the public on Thursday 6... View Article
  
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• Wong says she expressed ‘importance of Oscar Jenkins’ condition’ to Russian foreign minister – as it happened

  21-02-2025 07:55
  
  This blog is now closedCommercial flights diverted as Chinese warships undertake apparent live-fire drill in sea between Australia and New ZealandGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastVictoria to offer contactless public transport tickets from next yearVictorians will be able to use their phones, bank cards or smartwatches to pay for public transport travel from “early next year in a staged approach”, according to reports.Following a successful start of a ticketl
  
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• New Look to exit Ireland with the closure of 26 shops

  21-02-2025 07:39 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  New Look is to exit the Republic of Ireland with the closure of around 26 high street stores. The fashion retailer’s Irish arm, New Look Retailers... View Article
  
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• The Perfume Shop to extend partnership with Deliveroo

  21-02-2025 07:30 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  The Perfume Shop is to extend its partnership with Deliveroo to further locations.  The move follows the success of the initial tie-up last year, where over 1,000... View Article
  
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• Australia news live: extreme fire danger warning for parts of Victoria and South Australia with weekend temperatures to push 40C

  21-02-2025 05:40
  Follow today’s news headlines liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastVictoria to offer contactless public transport tickets from next yearVictorians will be able to use their phones, bank cards or smartwatches to pay for public transport travel from “early next year in a staged approach”, according to reports.Following a successful start of a ticketless bus trial in Wangaratta, the Allan Labor Government will begin switching on tap-and-go technology acro
  
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• Australia news live: education union boss says Dutton’s attacks on ‘woke agenda’ send dangerous message about role of knowledge

  21-02-2025 05:01
  Correna Haythorpe made comments at Australian Education Union’s annual conference. Follow today’s news headlines liveGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastVictoria to offer contactless public transport tickets from next yearVictorians will be able to use their phones, bank cards or smartwatches to pay for public transport travel from “early next year in a staged approach”, according to reports.Following a successful start of a ticketless bus trial in
  
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