Retail news

• Starbucks’ profit slumps as costs mount from turnaround effort

  29-04-2025 23:00
  Revenue at the coffee chain edges up but store operating expenses rise
  
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• White House lashes out at ‘hostile and political act by Amazon’

  29-04-2025 21:01
  Spat comes after report alleged tech giant was planning to display price increases caused by Trump’s tariffs
  
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• M&S cyber-attack linked to hacking group Scattered Spider

  29-04-2025 18:54
  Reports on group thought to have previously hit MGM Resorts come as Marks & Spencer online orders remain pausedA major cyber-attack on Marks & Spencer has been linked to a hacking collective known as Scattered Spider, which is previously thought to have hit MGM Resorts and the US casino operator Caesars.The group, which has previously been found to include people in their 20s from the UK and the US – some of whom faced charges over attempts to steal cryptocurrency via phishing atta
  
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• I like real maps, but mobile phones can be vital in an emergency | Brief letters

  29-04-2025 18:01
  Using GPS in the wild | A toast to healthy hearts | Staffing self-checkouts | Digital assistance | Happy birthday, dear readersHaving rambled for 65 years with Ordnance Survey maps and a compass, I agree with John Harris about using GPS in the wild (We now leave navigation to our phones. The result: more of us are getting hopelessly lost, 27 April). A phone screen is too small to see the wider terrain. But having carried an emergency whistle and pocket heliograph, I have to admit that phones can
  
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• Boots launches menopause zones across 150 stores

  29-04-2025 17:58 via retailgazette.co.uk
  Boots is introducing dedicated menopause zones to 150 of its UK sites this summer alongside a widened range of items in the category.
  The cosmetics giant is making new menopause items, services and expertise more accessible in-store and on its website, Retail Week reported.
  The zones will feature key signs and symptoms of menopause, such as vaginal dryness, hot flushes and low energy, designed to make it easier for women to find products.
  In-store shoppers will be able to speak to the retailer&r
  
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• Insights from the 2025 State of the UK Hourly Workforce Report: The Manager Perspective [Part Two]

  29-04-2025 16:48 via theretailbulletin.com
  Retail Managers Are Overwhelmed—It’s Time to Fix That Retailers are facing an employee retention crisis—but they’re also struggling with another major issue: manager burnout. With rising... View Article
  
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• M&S cyberattack related to hacking group Scattered Spider

  29-04-2025 15:58 via retailgazette.co.uk
  A hacking group called Scattered Spider has been named in connection with the ongoing M&S cyberattack.
  The hackers carried out a ransomware attack on M&S’s IT network, according to an unverified report from cybersecurity website Bleeping Computer.
  Criminal gangs can typically demand for up to £10m to reinstate access, industry sources have indicated.
  The report said the hacking group, which comprises young adults and teenagers operating in the UK and US, initially gained acce
  
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• Whistles names former Topshop exec as creative director

  29-04-2025 15:53 via retailgazette.co.uk
  Whistles has named former Topshop design chief Jacqui Markham as its new creative director.
  Markham will be in charge of the elevation of the fashion retailer’s design direction and “wider creative vision,” Drapers reported.
  The executive will report to the brand’s product director Camille Sullivan.
  Markham started her career as a designer for Oasis stores in 1994, before becoming a designer for Karen Millen in 1998.
  She joined Topshop in 1998 as a formal designer, workin
  
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• Adidas warns Trump tariffs will put up US shoe prices

  29-04-2025 15:12
  Company had strong first quarter but says it cannot raise outlook for this year owing to tariffs uncertaintyAdidas has said the price of its popular trainers, including the Samba and Campus models, is likely to rise as a result of Donald Trump’s tariffs.The German group said the uncertainty around US import tariffs had prevented it from raising its outlook for sales and profit this year despite reporting strong first-quarter results. Continue reading...
  
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• M&S hit with empty shelves following cyberattack

  29-04-2025 13:04 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  A number of M&S stores have been left with empty food shelves as the business grapples with its ongoing cyberattack.
  Shoppers reported issues using contactless pay and click and collect during the Easter weekend, while online orders have been paused on its app and website since Friday.
  Although it remains unclear how widespread its empty food shelves are, M&S has reported “pockets of limited availability in some stores”.
  Shelf stock will return to normal within a couple of da
  
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• The Manager Perspective – Reducing admin burdens & embracing AI

  29-04-2025 12:56 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Retail Managers Are Overwhelmed…It’s Time to Fix That… Retailers are facing an employee retention crisis—but they’re also struggling with another major issue: manager burnout. With rising... View Article
  
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• Easter sales rise across UK supermarkets as shoppers seek out value

  29-04-2025 12:49 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Easter sales climbed across the UK’s supermarkets over April, as customers sought out value over the period.
  Take-home sales at the UK’s supermarkets were boosted by Easter falling later this year, rising by 6.5% over the four weeks to 20 April compared to 2024, according to Kantar.
  Although grocery price inflation increased to 3.8%, spending on Easter eggs was up 11% compared to the same time last year.
  The market research company’s head of retail and consumer insight Fraser M
  
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• UK supermarkets spend hundreds of millions on promotions in price war

  29-04-2025 12:23
  
  Nearly 30% of total spending by biggest chains over four weeks was on special offers and discounts, says KantarBusiness live – latest updatesSupermarkets are spending hundreds of millions of pounds on promotional deals for shoppers, as the grocery price war ramps up.Together, nearly 30% of total spending by Britain’s biggest supermarkets was on special offers and discounts in the four weeks ended 20 April, according to the market research company Kantar. Continue reading...
  
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• Primark owner’s shares drop as sales fall amid Trump tariff fears

  29-04-2025 11:23
  
  Company says consumer confidence could deteriorate further as countries face risk of recessionBusiness live – latest updatesShares in the owner of Primark fell after the budget clothing chain posted a sharp drop in UK sales and lost market share, as the company warned that consumer confidence was likely to worsen further amid Donald Trump’s trade wars.Associated British Foods (ABF), which also owns a sugar business and food brands such as Ryvita and Kingsmill, said several countries
  
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• Asda slashes kids cafe meal deal price to mark 60th anniversary

  29-04-2025 10:21 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Asda is slashing the price of its ‘kids eat for £1’ café meal deal to mark the start of its 60th birthday celebrations.
  The supermarket is cutting the price to 60p from the 1 May to 31 May, with the initiative available across 205 Asda cafes over the month. The deal means a family with four children can receive a hot meal for less than £2.50.
  There are more than nine different meals for shoppers to choose from, including penna pasta with meatballs, chicken nuggets,
  
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• Primark sales decline in the UK as key markets in Europe and the US deliver growth

  29-04-2025 10:03 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Primark has seen its first half sales fall by 4% in the UK and Ireland despite a good like-for-like performance over the Christmas period. Owner Associated... View Article
  
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• Analysis: Will Gen Z be filling their fridges from TikTok?

  29-04-2025 09:37 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Ordering groceries on our phones has become second nature to many of us thanks to the likes of Tesco’s Whoosh, Deliveroo and Uber Eats.
  That said, it may come as some surprise that more and more consumers are also using platforms such as TikTok Shop to stock their fridges and pantries.
  At least one product that you could also buy in a supermarket is now sold every minute on the platform, with TikTok reporting its grocery sales are up 180% year-on-year.
  It is also now one of the UK’s
  
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• Gymshark breaks £600m revenue barrier despite profit dip in FY24

  29-04-2025 09:34 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Gymshark has reported a record revenue of £607.3m for the year to 31 July 2024, surpassing the £600m mark for the first time.
  This is a 9% increase from £556.2m in the previous year, marking the twelfth consecutive year of growth for the Solihull-based sportswear brand.
  For FY24, the gymwear giant‘s pre-tax profit fell to £11.8m, down from £13m the previous year. This marks the third consecutive year of declining profits, as the business continues to invest he
  
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• Vinted profit triples, driven by second-hand boom and Europe-wide growth

  29-04-2025 09:13 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Second-hand marketplace Vinted has a reported sharp rise in revenue and profits for 2024, fuelled by growing consumer appetite for affordable pre-owned goods and ongoing expansion across Europe.
  The Lithuanian-based business posted a net profit of €76.7m, up from €17.8m the previous year, as sales climbed 36% to €813.4m. Adjusted EBITDA also more than doubled to €158.9m.
  Chief executive Thomas Plantenga said: “This performance is the result of our hard work to deliver p
  
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• Primark UK sales hit by consumer caution as international markets drive growth

  29-04-2025 08:47 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Primark’s performance in the UK and Ireland has been hit by ongoing cautious consumer sentiment, with sales falling by 4% in the 16 weeks leading up to 4 January 2025.
  Its market share also saw a slight dip to 6.8%, while like-for-like sales decreased by 6%.
  However, this decline in the retailer‘s largest market was offset by strong performances in Primark’s international growth markets, with the US seeing a 17% increase in sales, and Central and Eastern Europe achieving growth
  
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• THG Beauty drives revenue as MyProtein faces setbacks in FY 2024

  29-04-2025 08:35 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  THG has reported a 5% drop in total revenue to £1.94bn for FY 2024, although it remains confident of meeting its full-year expectations.
  The company’s Beauty division, which includes brands like Lookfantastic and Cult Beauty, saw strong growth, with revenue increasing 4.6% to £1.1bn. This was driven by a solid performance in both skincare and fragrance, with fragrance sales up 32% during peak trading.
  In contrast, THG’s Nutrition arm, which includes MyProtein, faced chall
  
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• Oner Active reports doubled sales for 2024

  29-04-2025 08:33 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Oner Active, the fitness wear brand founded by Krissy Cela, has seen its turnover almost double in 2024. Gross revenue increased to $107.6 million from $61.3... View Article
  
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• Dunelm acquires Designers Guild brand and design archive

  29-04-2025 08:33 via theretailbulletin.com
  
  Homewares retailer Dunelm has acquired the Designers Guild brand and design archive for an undisclosed sum. In a strategic collaboration, Dunelm has also licensed the brand... View Article
  
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• Adidas posts strong profits but cautions US tariffs could push up prices

  29-04-2025 08:21 via retailgazette.co.uk
  Adidas has reported a better-than-expected start to 2025, with a rise in both sales and profits — but warned that rising tariffs on imports into the US could push up costs and prices in the months ahead.
  The German sportswear giant saw revenues rise by nearly €700m to €6.15bn in the first quarter, a 13% increase on a currency-neutral basis. The Adidas brand grew 17% during the period, with double-digit gains across all markets and channels.
  Operating profit surged by 82% to &euro
  
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• Guess what’s coming to ever-expanding Greggs

  29-04-2025 06:00
  UK’s largest bakery chain is not curtailing its ambitious growth plans despite investor worries
  
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• Amazon pressures suppliers to cut prices to limit Trump tariff shock

  29-04-2025 06:00
  Trade war leads ecommerce group to seek steep discounts from sellers, particularly from China
  
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• UK food inflation hit 11-month high in April

  29-04-2025 01:01
  
  Increase in price of essential items comes as retailers grapple with higher employment costs
  
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• Food inflation up in April amid rising labour costs

  29-04-2025 01:01 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Food inflation rose in April, as the sector faced an increase in labour costs, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC).
  Overall shop price inflation nudged up to -0.1% year on year in April, for the period 1 to 7 April, compared to a -0.4% decline in March.
  Non-food inflation jumped to -1.4% over the month from a decrease of -1.9% in March, while food inflation rose to 2.6% compared to growth of 2.4% the month prior.
  Fresh food inflation sunk to 1.8% in April against growth of 1.4% in M
  
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