Retail news

• The £1 billion profit club: What comes Next for the fashion giant?

  27-03-2025 21:40
  
  To date, only three UK retailers have ever made it into the £1bn profit club – and fashion giant Next has just become the fourth member.
  It seems the retailer’s cautious tone at the start of the financial year was somewhat misplaced, as the business raised its guidance three times in the last 12 months, reporting a final profit in the year to January 2025 of £40m above its initial forecast.
  It joins the likes of Tesco, which has profits of more than £2bn, B&Q ow
  
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• Next continues success story by reporting first £1bn in annual profits

  27-03-2025 17:42
  
  Retailer ‘defies gravity’ to become only fourth in UK to pass £1bn profit thresholdIt may not be a fashion leader or the cheapest place to fill your wardrobe, but Next has quietly confirmed its place as a British success story by ringing up £1bn in profits for the first time.Next’s growth came despite static sales of its own label in the UK as it expands the brand overseas – including via online marketplaces such as Zalando – and sells other labels it ha
  
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• Decathlon appoints new chief executive

  27-03-2025 17:22 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Decathlon has appointed Javier López as its new chief executive. Having worked for 26 years with the sporting goods retailer, López has served in numerous positions... View Article
  
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• Mustard Made announces new inclusive parental leave package

  27-03-2025 17:18 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Colourful homewares brand champions support for all parents, regardless of labels Colourful homewares brand Mustard Made has announced a new parental leave package as the small... View Article
  
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• Interview: Gymshark’s GM on its global growth and why it has no ‘big competitors’

  27-03-2025 17:18
  Since its inception in 2012, Gymshark has redefined the gymwear industry, rapidly evolving from a startup to a global fitness powerhouse with an unwavering focus on community and innovation.
  As the brand prepares to unveil its third permanent London store this weekend in Westfield London, Retail Gazette sits down with Adidas Veteran Hannah Mercer, Gymshark’s first-ever general manager of wholesale and retail, to discuss her vision for the company’s global domination.Gymshark Westfie
  
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• Flowwow research reveals how Brits are shopping for Mother’s Day 2025

  27-03-2025 17:08 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Personalisation, speed, and cultural relevance are reshaping the gifting landscape as spending climbs to £2.4 billion New research from global gifting marketplace Flowwow reveals that UK... View Article
  
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• [Interview] Kirsty Barton, Alternative Flooring

  27-03-2025 16:52 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  As part of our Retail as a Career series, we’re shining a light on the diverse and dynamic roles that exist within the retail sector. From... View Article
  
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• Asda chief customer officer steps down after 18 months

  27-03-2025 16:30
  
  Asda’s chief customer officer David Hills is stepping down from the grocer, after joining the business in September 2023.
  The executive is leaving to join airline company Jet2, Retail Week reported, with the move believed to be followed by further senior staff members exiting as Asda pushes forward with its turnaround.
  Hills recently led the revival of Asda’s Rollback campaign, which was brought back as the supermarket seeks to revive its fortunes.
  Before joining Asda, Hills served a
  
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• Evelyn & Bobbie lands at John Lewis

  27-03-2025 16:19 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  US lingerie brand Evelyn & Bobbie has launched at John Lewis & Partners, introducing its patented wireless bras to customers across the UK. Designed by women,... View Article
  
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• Next warns Labour’s worker rights reforms threaten ‘huge burden’ for employers

  27-03-2025 16:18 via ft.com
  
  UK fashion retailer says employment rights bill could cause ‘havoc’ for employers as group posts record £1bn profit
  
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• Asda announces £80m pay rise and new family leave policies

  27-03-2025 16:03 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  sda Announces £80m Pay Rise and New Family Leave Policies Asda has unveiled a major £80 million investment in retail pay, benefiting around 115,000 store-based colleagues... View Article
  
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• WHSmith to choose buyer of high street stores within days

  27-03-2025 15:50
  
  WHSmith is set to decide the buyer of its high street chain within days, holding final talks with the two remaining bidders for the company.
  The stationery giant is set to confirm as early as next week whether it has agreed the outline of a deal to offload its circa 500 high street shops to either Modella Capital or Alteri Investors, Sky News reported.
  Sources said the situation was “too close to call,” and that both groups were thought to be in close contention to snap up the stores
  
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• How a US discount retailer learned the hard truth about low prices

  27-03-2025 14:50 via ft.com
  
  Family Dollar was a bet on spending by the poorest urban Americans, and they are not doing so well
  
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• Asda unveils £80m investment into retail pay

  27-03-2025 14:46
  
  Asda has unveiled an £80m investment into retail pay, raising hourly rates for store-based workers to £12.60 from October.
  Around 115,000 Asda retail and Asda express staff members will be given a pay rise of 4.7% across three phases, boosting wages from £12.04 to £12.60 per hour.
  Additionally, hourly pay rates for staff members at stores within the M25 will increase to £13.82.
  The supermarket has invested over half a billion into retail pay since its acquisition by
  
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• The Very Group unveils online beauty hub amid tech overhaul

  27-03-2025 13:42
  
  Very has unveiled its new beauty inspiration hub, consisting of a series of blog-style content to inspire customers and transform how they shop.
  The launch comes after the rollout of Very’s beauty studio earlier this year, which overhauled the way shoppers experience the online retailer’s beauty range by allowing them to shop by trend, ingredient, and brand.
  The beauty inspiration hub has been launched as part of the brand’s new cloud-based system, Skyscape.
  The new system mark
  
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• First look: Inside Gymshark’s Westfield London store

  27-03-2025 12:48
  
  Gymshark is set to open the doors to its third permanent UK store in Westfield White City this weekend (29 March).
  The opening comes after the gymwear giant unveiled plans last year to launch three new permanent stores and a retail outlet pop-up in the next 12 months.
  The 9,000sq ft site at Westfield White City follows its debut at Westfield Stratford City this July.While its Amsterdam store will open in spring 2025, as Gymshark said the Netherlands was one of its biggest markets.
  The retailer s
  
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• Morrisons More loyalty scheme launches on Deliveroo

  27-03-2025 11:52
  
  Morrisons’ loyalty scheme has launched on Deliveroo, allowing shoppers to link their Morrisons More account to their Deliveroo account to rack up points from their purchases from the supermarket.
  Once shoppers have earned 5,000 points, they will be given a Morrisons Fiver, which can be redeemed on a future shop in Morrisons supermarkets or on the grocery giant’s website.
  Customers will be able to input their Morrisons More loyalty card number at the checkout on Deliveroo, with the ca
  
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• 98% of U.K. frontline workers face customer incivility: Axonify survey reveals urgent need for enhanced training

  27-03-2025 11:45 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Axonify’s frontline worker survey highlights training gaps as rising customer incivility threatens worker safety, performance and morale. Axonify’s recent report, Polling the frontline: Dealing with difficult... View Article
  
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• Cequence Security research uncovers 66.5% of malicious traffic targets retailers as PCI DSS 4.0 deadline looms

  27-03-2025 11:36 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Cequence’s CQ Prime threat research reveals 300M account takeover attempts, with retail facing the brunt of malicious traffic Cequence Security, a leader in API security and... View Article
  
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• Amazon Fresh axes Richmond site three years after opening

  27-03-2025 10:51
  
  Amazon Fresh has scrapped its Richmond store just over three years since its opening, reducing the retailer’s UK grocery stores to 19 sites.
  The shop, which launched in December 2021 on The Quadrant, next to Richmond station, marked Amazon’s 10th Fresh site in the UK.
  Speaking to The Grocer, an Amazon spokesperson said: “Certain store locations work better than others, and after an assessment of our offering we’ve decided to close our Amazon Fresh store in Richmond.
  &ldqu
  
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• Foot Locker names Franklin Bracken as president

  27-03-2025 09:24 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Foot Locker has appointed Franklin Bracken, currently executive vice president and chief commercial officer, to the role of president. In his new position, he will continue... View Article
  
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• Next reports £1bn in annual profits for first time but warns on UK economy

  27-03-2025 09:23
  Retailer says big business cannot afford to finance ‘excessive regulation’ and government debtNext has rung up £1bn in annual profits for the first time but warned of growing risks to the UK economy, saying big business could not afford to finance “excessive regulation” and government debt.The retailer said pre-tax profits rose 10% to just over £1bn in the year to January after sales increased 8.2% to £6.3bn, led by strong overseas growth and sales of ot
  
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• Next raises profit guidance after strong start to year

  27-03-2025 09:11 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Next has raised its full year sales and profit guidance after seeing its pre-tax profit for the 12 months to January 2025 surpass the £1 million... View Article
  
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• H&M profits drop as external pressures and markdowns slow growth

  27-03-2025 09:03
  
  H&M has reported a dip in profits for the first quarter of its fiscal year, citing “negative external factors,” increased markdowns, and ongoing investments.
  The Swedish fashion giant posted operating profit of SEK 1.2bn (£95m) for the period from December 1, 2024 to February 28, 2025, a decrease of 42% compared to SEK 2.1bn (£160m) in the same period last year.
  Sales increased by 2% in local currencies to SEK 55.3 billion (£4.3bn), falling slightly short of ana
  
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• M&S, Next and JD Sports under pressure to pay staff real living wage

  27-03-2025 08:47
  
  Major investors, including Axa and Scottish Widows, are backing shareholder resolutions calling on Next, M&S, and JD Sports to commit to paying staff a “real living wage.”
  The campaign, led by responsible investment group ShareAction, has gained the support of more than 100 individuals and eight institutional investors managing over £1tn in assets.
  The Guardian reports that it aims to push retailers to ensure their employees earn at least £12.60 an hour outside London
  
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• Next upgrades forecast after strong start to year

  27-03-2025 08:36 via ft.com
  
  UK fashion retailer records £1bn in pre-tax profits for first time in 12 months to end of January
  
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• Next hits £1bn profit for first time as it raises profit forecast

  27-03-2025 08:24
  
  Next has posted a record-breaking annual profit of over £1bn for the first time in the company’s history, marking a 10.1% rise in profits year-on-year.
  As a result, it has raised its sales and profit forecast for 2025, with full-year sales expected to increase by 4.3%.
  For the year ending January 2025, the fashion and home retail giant reported a pre-tax profit of £1.01bn, up from £916m the previous year, driven by strong sales performance, particularly in its online oper
  
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• What to expect from the Retail Technology Show 2025

  27-03-2025 08:00
  
  The Retail Technology Show (RTS) 2025, taking place at ExCeL London on 2 and 3 April, will bring together over 15,000 retail professionals to explore how the industry is evolving in the digital age.
  With a focus on adapting to new technologies, the event will cover key topics such as omnichannel retail, AI, sustainability, and workforce management.
  Attendees can expect valuable insights from top industry leaders, including:Archie Norman, chairman of Marks & Spencer, on M&S’s ongoin
  
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• JYSK to open first stores in Africa

  27-03-2025 07:49 via theretailbulletin.com
  JYSK has announced another expansion milestone, this time with the opening of its first stores in Africa. The Danish homewares and furniture retailer will be launching... View Article
  
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• Morrisons’ transformation gains pace ft

  27-03-2025 07:34 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Morrisons has said it has made exceptional progress in its renewal programme after posting an uplift in first quarter sales. In the 13 weeks to 26... View Article
  
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• Morrisons’ transformation gains pace

  27-03-2025 07:34 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Morrisons has said it has made exceptional progress in its renewal programme after posting an uplift in first quarter sales. In the 13 weeks to 26... View Article
  
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• Co-op launches “biggest ever” member value campaign

  27-03-2025 07:30 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Co-op has launched its biggest ever value campaign in which it matches Aldi prices on over 100 everyday essential items for its six million members. These... View Article
  
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• The strategic advantage of digital twins in retail visualization

  27-03-2025 07:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  By Mark Elfenbein, Head of North America, Nfinite: Despite e-commerce’s remarkable evolution, the challenge of helping customers authentically experience products before purchase remains stubbornly persistent. The... View Article
  
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• The strategic advantage of digital twins in retail visualisation

  27-03-2025 07:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  By Mark Elfenbein, Head of North America, Nfinite: Despite e-commerce’s remarkable evolution, the challenge of helping customers authentically experience products before purchase remains stubbornly persistent. The... View Article
  
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• [ TRB+Legion Report ] State of the UK Hourly Workforce

  27-03-2025 07:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  As economic headwinds continue and Government policies drive up employment costs, businesses must find ways to increase efficiency and productivity or risk falling behind. Findings from... View Article
  
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• Surging cost of cocoa leads UK shoppers to shell out more for smaller Easter eggs

  27-03-2025 06:00
  
  Prices of some chocolate products have risen by 50% in a year while many have also shrunk in size, Which? reportsShoppers are shelling out for smaller eggs this Easter as shrinkflation takes a bite out of the favourite seasonal treat.The price of eggs made by big names including Cadbury, Mars and Terry’s have risen by as much as 50% in some cases while some have also shrunk in size, according to research by consumer champion Which?. When pack sizes are reduced and prices stay the same, or
  
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• US companies feel China squeeze as new Trump tariffs loom

  27-03-2025 02:49 via ft.com
  
  Executives look for workarounds and rethink supply chains to lessen reliance on China
  
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• Major UK investors join push for retail giants to pay workers ‘real living wage’

  27-03-2025 01:01
  
  Axa and Scottish Widows back ShareAction campaign for chains such as Next to pay at least £12.60 an hourMajor investors including Axa and Scottish Widows are backing shareholder resolutions pressing retailers Next, Marks & Spencer and JD Sports to increase pay for thousands of workers.More than 100 individuals and eight institutional investors, which manage over £1tn in assets, are backing an effort to encourage companies to pay a “real living wage”, which is designed
  
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