Retail news

• Asda axes more than 4,000 SKUs under simplification efforts

  17-12-2025 11:26 via retailgazette.co.uk
  Asda is pushing ahead with its plans to axe 5,000 SKUs (Stock Keeping Unit) as part of efforts to simplify its supply chain and shelves. 
  The grocery giant said that “north of 4,000” SKUs had been scrapped from its shops since chair Allan Leighton outlined Asda’s plan to ditch 5,000 to 6,000 lines over the next 12 months in March, The Grocer reported.
  The chair said that Asda stocked around 30,000 SKUs and that he wanted to reduce the figure to between 24,000 to 25,000.Rel
  
  Read more

• Feeling the bite: is Greggs on a roll or is its expansion overbaked?

  03-01-2026 13:00
  UK pastry chain has plans for two new factories and 800 more branches, despite sales falling in 2025 and analysts questioning brand’s direction An enormous carpet of pastry snakes its way around the factory. Four huge metal urns of meat filling are waiting to be added. Workers in hairnets and overalls buzz about, checking a production line that holds 4.5 tonnes of pastry at any one time.This is food production on an industrial scale, designed to satisfy the UK’s seemingly insatiable
  
  Read more

• How to unclog our cities

  03-01-2026 06:00 via ft.com
  Instant deliveries take their toll on urban centres but rewarding a few minutes’ delay can help
  
  Read more

• How to maximise your Avios point collection in 2026

  03-01-2026 06:00 via ft.com
  From investing to pizzas and property, travellers can boost their points balance in new ways
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Saks Global CEO steps down as luxury retailer reportedly preparing for bankruptcy

  02-01-2026 22:45
  Executive chair Richard Baker to replace Marc Metrick after company misses $100m interest payment on debtSaks Global said on Friday that its CEO, Marc Metrick, has stepped down and named executive chair, Richard Baker, as his successor, amid reports that the luxury retailer is preparing for bankruptcy.The change at the top comes days after the Wall Street Journal reported that the Neiman Marcus parent company is preparing for bankruptcy after missing an interest payment exceeding $100m on debt f
  
  Read more

• Asos shakes-up returns policy with transparency tool launch

  02-01-2026 15:41 via retailgazette.co.uk
  Asos has updated its returns policy in the UK, as it launches a new transparency tool for shoppers.
  From 6 January, shoppers whose historical returns surpass 70% of the total value of their past orders will be exempt from paying the fashion retailer’s £3.95 charge if they return less than £40 worth of products from an order. 
  The policy is intended to give more flexibility to frequent returners who keep most of the products they purchase.
  Customers will be able to view the
  
  Read more

• Morrisons unveils 2,500 January price cuts

  02-01-2026 13:23 via retailgazette.co.uk
  Morrisons has dropped the prices of thousands of products in stores and nationwide as it kicks off the New Year.
  From today, (2 January), the supermarket, which launched 160 price cuts ahead of Christmas, has cut the prices of over 2,500 items including fresh fruit and veg, meat and fish, everyday kitchen cupboard staples and cleaning essentials.
  Fresh favourites such as tenderstem broccoli, sweet potatoes, blueberries, and baby plum tomatoes are included in the price reductions, the grocery gia
  
  Read more

• Seasalt unveils ambitious store expansion plan

  02-01-2026 11:47 via retailgazette.co.uk
  Cornish fashion retailer Seasalt is planning to launch new stores throughout 2026.
  The business is in the final stages of signing for three new shops early this year, The Times reported. Seasalt is also looking at further openings later in 2026.
  The clothing brand currently has 79 shops throughout the UK and Ireland and is believed to be targeting market towns for its new openings.Related Story Birkenstock profit jumps amid robust final quarter19/12/2025 x 11:36 AMAdditionally, Seasalt said that
  
  Read more

• Advertisement

• Retail investment boosted as 40% first-year tax allowance takes effect

  02-01-2026 11:02 via retailgazette.co.uk
  Retailers investing in stores, logistics and equipment will be able to cut their tax bills as the new 40% first-year allowance for plant and machinery comes into force.
  The permanent relief, effective from yesterday (1 January), allows businesses to deduct 40% of the cost of qualifying main-rate assets and machinery investments, such as warehouses or construction equipment, in the year of purchase.
  It was first announced by chancellor Rachel Reeves during the Budget in 2025 as part of a bro
  
  Read more

• Asda signs Ashley Roberts as face of activewear collection

  02-01-2026 10:47 via retailgazette.co.uk
  George at Asda has unveiled media personality Ashley Roberts as the new face of its Gym Locker activewear collection.
  The partnership unites Roberts’ love of fitness and fashion with “high-performance, affordable activewear designed for real life,” according to the retailer.
  The collection features a colour palette of forest green, chocolate, black and graphite, with products ranging from standout statement pieces to everyday essentials.
  Designed to support every workout, the r
  
  Read more

• Cotswold Company posts bumper Christmas as showroom expansion pays off

  02-01-2026 10:32 via retailgazette.co.uk
  The Cotswold Company is celebrating a strong Christmas trading performance, as it revealed it had “significantly outperformed” the broader home and furniture market over the festive period.
  For the ten weeks ending 28th December, the digitally-led furniture and homeware brand said sales surged 17% (£3.3m) to £23.2m, boosted by growth across both its online and physical channels.
  Dining, bedroom and upholstery ranges were among the strongest performers as customers prepare
  
  Read more

• Latest tax assessment rules for businesses

  02-01-2026 10:21 via retailgazette.co.uk
  Whether you’re a new business owner or started a side hustle, chances are you’ll have to pay tax on your earnings, writes HMRC deputy director for Self Assessment Jashoda Pindoria.
  With the deadline for filing Self Assessment and paying the tax fast approaching, below is the latest guidance on what to do.Related Story Counterfeit clothes fraudsters sentenced after £90m tax scam29/08/2025 x 11:28 AMSelf Assessment is how the self-employed and sole traders pay tax on their income
  
  Read more

• The Cotswold Company reports 17% sales growth in run-up to Christmas

  02-01-2026 09:56 via theretailbulletin.com
  The Cotswold Company has seen a strong increase in sales in the run up to Christmas with growth across both digital and physical channels. In the... View Article
  
  Read more

• Lidl sees record breaking Christmas

  02-01-2026 09:40 via retailgazette.co.uk
  Lidl GB has reported its biggest Christmas trading period to date, with new figures showing sales up 10% year-on-year, with turnover exceeding £1.1 billion in the four weeks to Christmas Eve.
  The performance was driven by a sharp increase in shopper numbers, which rose 8% compared with last year. Nearly 51 million customers visited Lidl stores over the festive period, almost four million more than in 2024.
  Monday 22 December marked the busiest trading day by sales, while Tuesday 23 Decembe
  
  Read more

• Seasalt plans to open around ten new stores a year

  02-01-2026 09:10 via theretailbulletin.com
  Seasalt is planning to open around ten new stores a year from 2026, reflecting its continued confidence in physical retail. According to The Times, the Cornish... View Article
  
  Read more

• Aldi launches winter warmth charity appeal

  02-01-2026 09:10 via theretailbulletin.com
  Aldi is encouraging customers to support their local communities with a post-Christmas clear-out of warm clothing and unwanted gifts as part of its partnership with The... View Article
  
  Read more

• Why supermarkets are taking a bigger slice of UK pizza night

  02-01-2026 06:00 via ft.com
  Rising costs and changing tastes are pushing people away from long-established chains
  
  Read more

• Japan’s ‘Goldilocks crisis’ is a make-or-break moment

  01-01-2026 14:23 via ft.com
  The curious surge in the shares of retailer Aeon underlines the pressure building in the country’s economy — and politics
  
  Read more

• Russian shoppers pay double for sanctions-hit luxury goods from Europe

  01-01-2026 06:00 via ft.com
  Famous Moscow department store Tsum still lists thousands of luxury items from high-end marques despite EU ban
  
  Read more

• Waitrose urges customers not to drink Deeside water over shards of glass risk

  31-12-2025 18:21
  Food Standards Agency issues product alert for still and sparkling 750ml bottles of Waitrose No 1 Deeside mineral waterWaitrose customers are being urged to return and not drink large bottles of Deeside mineral water over fears they could contain shards of glass.The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has issued a consumer alert over the still and sparkling 750ml bottles of Waitrose No 1 Deeside mineral water because of the possibility of glass fragments, making them unsafe to drink. Continue reading...
  
  Read more

• Conversation with… People in Retail Awards Judge Sophie Melrose

  31-12-2025 15:38 via theretailbulletin.com
  In the latest Conversations interview, we speak with Sophie Melrose, global head of talent acquisition at Astrid & Miyu and a judge for The People in... View Article
  
  Read more

• London Designer Outlet reports strongest ever Boxing Day

  31-12-2025 15:31 via theretailbulletin.com
  London Designer Outlet (LDO) has reported over £1 million worth of sales on Boxing Day for the first time since it opened in 2013. Sales increased... View Article
  
  Read more

• 60% of UK adults believe food is their love language, Waitrose research reveals

  31-12-2025 12:41 via retailgazette.co.uk
  A new study from Waitrose, which surveyed 2,000 adults, found that 30% of respondents believed that not being able to cook would be a dealbreaker when it came to looking for a romantic partner.
  According to the survey, food was the love language of 60% of UK adults.
  The research showed that the best foods to say ‘I love you’ with were homemade bakes, chocolate, breakfast in bed, a steak dinner, a roast dinner, chocolate cake, strawberries, a full English breakfast, pizza or a pasta d
  
  Read more

• M&S unveils new nutrition range

  31-12-2025 11:43 via retailgazette.co.uk
  M&S has unveiled a new range of salads, snacks and meals to make it easier for consumers to eat their recommended amounts of fibre and vitamins.
  Titled ‘Nutrient Dense’, the new line consists of 20 products, which were developed in collaboration with M&S nutritionists. The products were designed with a  ‘Nutrient Dense nutrition criteria’  in mind, which was made in consultation with the British Nutrition Foundation (BNF).
  According to the retailer, each
  
  Read more

• Waitrose’s own-brand continental meat to meet higher welfare standards

  31-12-2025 10:42 via retailgazette.co.uk
  Waitrose has introduced higher welfare standards for its own-brand continental meat.
  The supermarket collaborated with European producers to partner with farmers that “lead the industry standard for continental charcuterie”.
  Waitrose introduced the new standards across its Italian producers two years ago and, since then, has been working to expand them across all of its European producers.
  The new standards include ensuring that its continental pork is 100% free-farrowing and free fr
  
  Read more

• Cal Corcoran joins Asda as group chief information officer

  31-12-2025 09:48 via retailgazette.co.uk
  Supermarket chain Asda has appointed Cal Corcoran as its group chief information officer.
  Corcoran will join the firm from 5 January 2026 and will be responsible for leading the retailer’s technology and data teams.
  He has over 25 years of experience in IT leadership. Prior to joining Asda, Corcoran held senior technology roles at companies such as Barclays, BP, Gatwick Airport and Microsoft.
  Asda’s executive chairman Allan Leighton said: “Our use of data and technology is a cr
  
  Read more

• Retail industry predictions for 2026 – Part 2

  31-12-2025 07:00 via retailgazette.co.uk
  After a whirlwind 2025, the retail industry looks towards 2026.
  In the second of a two-part series, Retail Gazette hears from seven more industry experts who share their thoughts on what the industry can expect over the next 12 months.
  Catering for humans and botsMike Fantis, VP managing partner of marketing agency DAC Group UK, hopes that omnichannel customer service will improve by “closer integration of opt-in customer data to in-store shopping experiences”.
  “I apprecia
  
  Read more

• Is ‘coasting’ the perfect way to enjoy an alcoholic drink this New Year’s Eve?

  31-12-2025 07:00
  Retailers say appetite for alcoholic drinks that are about half the strength of the traditional versions is soaringChristmas and New Year’s Eve celebrations often used to result in a hangover the next day, but with moderation now the order of the day the new drinks industry buzzword is “coasting”.This involves choosing a white wine, lager or even a cocktail that is about half the strength of the traditional version of the drink – meaning you can have the same number of dr
  
  Read more

• Asda appoints group chief information officer

  30-12-2025 21:59 via theretailbulletin.com
  Asda has appointed former Microsoft senior executive Cal Corcoran as group chief information officer. Due to take up his role on 5 January, he will lead... View Article
  
  Read more

• M&S launches nutrient rich range for customers on weight loss medication

  30-12-2025 21:24 via theretailbulletin.com
  M&S is launching a new range of nutrient rich salads, snacks and meals to help people who are taking weight loss medication. Called Nutrient Dense, the... View Article
  
  Read more

Follow @retailuknws on Twitter!