Retail news

• ‘Membership is our superpower’: How Co-op used loyalty to bolster its bottom line

  03-04-2025 22:01
  
  Co-op revealed that its profits had quadrupled in its full year results today (3 April), as it leveraged its membership scheme to drive growth.
  The convenience giant saw pre-tax profits soar from £28m to £161m over the year to 4 January, although group sales stayed flat at £11.3bn. Across its food arm, underlying operating profit was up 16% to £201m. 
  It comes as Co-op saw a 22% hike in its membership growth over the period to 6.2m users, up from 5.1m in 2023. 
  
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• How to sift through Trump’s retail discount rack

  03-04-2025 19:18 via ft.com
  
  Merchants that buy and sell excess merchandise from top brands might benefit from the trade war
  
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• Co-op takes £80mn hit from shoplifting

  03-04-2025 16:30 via ft.com
  Wave of theft is adding to raft of cost pressures on retail industry
  
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• Percy Pig’s US adventure may be short-lived as M&S responds to Trump tariffs

  03-04-2025 16:07
  Retailer’s ‘gift to America’ could be hit by new taxes as it also adjusts to rules on advertising high fat, sugar and salt foodsBusiness live – latest updatesGlobal stock markets plunge and US dollar tumblesPercy Pig’s US invasion could be called to a halt amid fears that Donald Trump’s tariffs could affect sales of Marks & Spencer’s popular confectionery brand which has just launched in Target stores across the Atlantic.Archie Norman, the chair of M
  
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• Co-op to open at least 120 more grocery shops after profits rise five-fold

  03-04-2025 15:18
  Mutual reports increase from £28m to £161m, but says ministers ‘layering costs’ on retailers could hit high streetsThe Co-operative Group plans to open at least a further 120 grocery shops this year after profits rose more than fivefold, but told the government that “layering costs” on retailers could hit high streets and communities.The mutual, which owns more than 800 funeral parlours and an insurance and legal advisory business as well as operating more tha
  
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• UK software company launches first private sovereign AI for business

  03-04-2025 14:30 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Launch comes as business concerns about the unauthorised employee use of AI grow OneAdvanced, trusted UK headquartered software provider, has announced the launch of OneAdvanced AI... View Article
  
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• Percy Pig’s US adventure may be short-lived as M&S respond to Trump tariffs

  03-04-2025 14:25
  
  Retailer reconsiders ‘gift to America’ as it also adjusts to new rules on advertising high fat, sugar and salt foodsBusiness live – latest updatesGlobal stock markets plunge and US dollar tumblesPercy Pig’s US invasion could be called to a halt amid fears that Donald Trump’s tariffs could affect sales of Marks & Spencer’s popular confectionery brand which has just launched in Target stores across the Atlantic.Archie Norman, the chair of M&S, has descri
  
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• New Look to “supercharge” digital growth with £30 million investment

  03-04-2025 12:44 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  New Look has secured a £30 million investment from shareholders to help it accelerate its digital transformation and optimise customers’ online experience. During the last five... View Article
  
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• Lidl trials middle aisle click and collect scheme for loyalty programme members

  03-04-2025 12:18
  
  Lidl is trialling a new click, reserve and collect service on its app where customers will be able to reserve a Middle of Lidl product before it launches in store.
  From April 7, the discounter’s latest spotlight product will be available for shoppers to reserve the item two weeks before it hits the supermarkets as well as select their preferred store for collection on the Lidl Plus app.
  Lidl GB chief customer officer Jassine Ouali said: “We’re always exploring bold new ways to
  
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• Boux Avenue back in the black, bolstered by M&S and Next tie-ups

  03-04-2025 12:08
  Boux Avenue chairman Theo Paphitis credited an elevated product range and third-party partnerships for the lingerie operator’s return to profit.
  Boux Avenue recorded a return to the profit in the year to March 2024, up over £2m on the previous year and £7m over the last two financial years in EBITDA terms.
  The retailer, which is part of the Theo Paphitis Retail Group alongside stablemates Ryman and Robert Dyas, said its results were “driven by great product and strong imp
  
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• New Look owners inject £30m to accelerate digital transformation

  03-04-2025 11:19
  
  New Look owners are injecting £30m of fresh equity into the fashion chain in a bid to bolster its digital transformation.
  The retailer is to confirm this week that its shareholders Alcentra and Brait has provided the investment, Sky News reported.
  New Look employs about 10,000 people across its 340 UK stores. The retailer pulled the plug on its Irish operations earlier this year following “several years of sustained losses and challenging market conditions”.
  The new capital wil
  
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• Co-op reports surge in annual profit

  03-04-2025 10:14 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Co-op has reported a surge in annual profit after its strategy on delivering for its members paid off. In the year to 4 January, pre-tax profit... View Article
  
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• How Iceland, Aldi and more are helping shoppers with the cost of living crisis

  03-04-2025 09:28
  
  With a new host of hiked prices and bill payments arriving from this month, the cost of living crisis is certainly far from over for consumers.
  The latest wave of costs to hit consumers stem in part from changes unveiled in Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s October Budget, including a hiked minimum wage from 1 April, National Insurance rises coming from 6 April, as well as a £720m boost in business rates. 
  Earlier this week, research from Retail Economics found retailers would pass aro
  
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• Sainsbury’s appoints Katie Bickerstaffe and Steve Hare as non-executive directors

  03-04-2025 09:18 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Sainsbury’s has announced that Katie Bickerstaffe and Steve Hare will join its board as non-executive directors following its AGM on 3 July. Bickerstaffe has held numerous... View Article
  
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• Former M&S co-CEO Katie Bickerstaffe joins Sainsbury’s as non-exec

  03-04-2025 09:06
  
  Sainsbury’s has appointed former M&S co-chief executive Katie Bickerstaffe and The Sage Group boss Steve Hare as new non-executive directors.
  The supermarket giant said Bickerstaffe, who left M&S in March last year, is a “highly regarded retail and consumer business leader, bringing strong perspectives on digital business models and transformation programmes”.
  Hare, who is the current chief executive of The Sage Group, also joins the grocer’s board, bringing with
  
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• Pureseoul to open at Westfield Stratford

  03-04-2025 08:55 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Pureseoul, the UK Korean beauty retailer, has chosen Westfield Stratford as the location for its eighth store. Billed as the ‘Home of K-Beauty’ and opening on... View Article
  
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• TM Lewin returns to high street with new flagship store

  03-04-2025 08:47 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  TM Lewin has returned to the high street with the opening of a flagship store in Bow Lane in the City of London. The move follows... View Article
  
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• John Smedley names new managing director

  03-04-2025 08:47 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  John Smedley has promoted Jess Mcguire Dudley to the role of managing director. She has succeeded Ian Maclean, a member of the Smedley family, who has... View Article
  
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• Co-op profits quadruple but warns of rising costs

  03-04-2025 08:47
  
  Co-op has reported a fourfold increase in profits but warned it faces more than £200m of new headwind and investment costs in the upcoming year.
  The convenience store chain said part of the new costs relate to its active choices to support members, colleagues and communities with cost-of-living challenges.
  It comes has the retailer reported its pre-tax profits had skyrocketed from £28m to £161m in the year to 4 January, despite group sales remaining flat at £11.3bn.
  In it
  
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• Currys raises profit outlook for second time this year

  03-04-2025 08:26
  
  Currys has increased its profit guidance for the second time in four months following “robust” trading.
  The electronics retailer said it had enjoyed continued positive like-for-like sales growth in its UK and Ireland business as well as in the Nordics.
  As a result, it has increased its final year adjusted pre-tax profit from between £145m and £155m to be around £160m. Related StoryCurrys launches ‘largest ever’ safety investment to tackle retail crime01/
  
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• Pureseoul opens at Westfield Stratford

  03-04-2025 07:35 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Pureseoul, the UK Korean beauty retailer, has chosen Westfield Stratford as the location for its eighth store. Billed as the ‘Home of K-Beauty’ and opening on... View Article
  
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