Retail news

• Cake Box suspends dividends

  14-04-2020 12:50 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Cake Box suspends dividend after closing stores in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic
  // However, it saw full-year like-for-like sales and adjusted profits increase 2% & 10% respectively
  // Cake Box has furloughed the majority of its head office, warehouse & bakery staffCake Box has suspended its dividend after the cake chain was forced to close its stores in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
  However, the retailer said it saw like-for-like sales and adjusted profits increase in
  
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• John Lewis Money relaunches car insurance with broker model

  07-07-2026 08:59 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  John Lewis Money has relaunched its car insurance proposition as it moves to a broker model for the first time.
  The financial services arm of John Lewis Partnership will now compare quotes from a panel of insurers to help customers find a more competitive option.
  The new car insurance panel launches with Ageas, Axa and Covéa Insurance, while RAC, Arag and Premium Credit will provide additional services.
  John Lewis Money said the wider network would allow it to insure a broader range of ve
  
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• Henkel marks 150th anniversary with STEM programme for students

  07-07-2026 08:55 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Henkel has marked its 150th anniversary by bringing its Forscherwelt STEM education programme to home-educated students at its UK headquarters in Hemel Hempstead.
  The global adhesive technologies and consumer brands business hosted more than 50 students as part of a wider anniversary event celebrating its history of innovation.
  Students took part in hands-on science activities including testing bond strength, creating glue sticks and investigating water hardness.
  Forscherwelt, also known as Rese
  
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• Summer holiday demand set to hand retailers seasonal spending boost

  07-07-2026 08:45 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  UK retailers could be in line for a summer spending boost as consumers prioritise holidays and pre-trip purchases despite pressure on household budgets.
  New research from KPMG UK found that 63 per cent of consumers have either booked or plan to book a summer holiday this year, with 45 per cent having already secured a trip and a further 18 per cent planning to book at short notice.
  Among those who have already booked a holiday, three-quarters said they planned to buy new items before travelling.
  
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• EG On The Move completes acquisition of 85 former Prax petrol stations

  07-07-2026 08:42 via theretailbulletin.com
  EG On The Move, the petrol and convenience retail operator, has completed the acquisition of 85 former Prax petrol forecourts. The move has brought its UK... View Article
  
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• Dior lands Taylor Swift wedding coup in blow to Chanel

  07-07-2026 08:37 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Christian Dior has scored a major celebrity endorsement win after Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce wore haute couture designs by creative director Jonathan Anderson for their wedding in New York.
  The couple, who married at Madison Square Garden on 3 July, both wore custom Dior looks created in the luxury house’s ateliers at 30 Avenue Montaigne in Paris.
  No official photographs have yet been released from the tightly controlled celebration, but the commission is already being seen as a signifi
  
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• GO Outdoors hosts first community campout to get shoppers ‘offline and outdoors’

  07-07-2026 08:05 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  GO Outdoors has hosted its first-ever community campout as part of its push to get more people “offline and outdoors” this summer.
  The outdoor clothing and equipment retailer brought together 100 campers at Tawd Vale in Ormskirk for a free weekend event featuring guided activities, brand experiences and evening entertainment.
  The event, which sold out shortly after going live, was open to members of the public and supported by brands including YETI, Ordnance Survey, Speedo and Kampa.
  
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• Q&A: Farid Mohsen, VP of UK Strategic Accounts at invent.ai

  07-07-2026 08:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  Invent.ai is a global leader in AI-driven retail solutions and our focus is helping retailers operate more effectively, efficiently and profitably through our multi-agentic AI platform. ... View Article
  
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• Met Police launches fraud probe into £170m Vashi collapse

  07-07-2026 07:56 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  The Metropolitan Police has launched a fraud investigation into the collapse of luxury jeweller Vashi, three years after the retailer fell into liquidation with debts of £170m.
  The force’s complex fraud team has opened Operation Palisade, which is understood to be examining suspected economic crimes linked to the failure of Diamond Manufacturers Ltd, the company behind Vashi, The Times reported.
  The luxury jewellery business, founded by Vashi Dominguez, collapsed in April 2023 follow
  
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• Bodycare plots 17-store reopening plan after high street collapse

  07-07-2026 07:40 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Bodycare has revealed the locations of 17 stores it plans to reopen as it rebuilds its high street presence following its collapse last year.
  The retailer, which shut all 147 stores after falling into administration in 2025, is preparing to return with a new-look store format and a refreshed proposition across beauty, fragrance and personal care.
  Its website confirms that Sheffield’s The Moor will be the first site to reopen in July, with further stores marked as “coming soon”
  
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• Iceland powers Scottish distribution centre with 3,300-panel solar system

  07-07-2026 06:46 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Iceland Foods has switched on a 1.5MW rooftop solar system at its Livingston distribution centre, in a bid to cut energy costs and reduce emissions across its supply chain.
  The installation, which covers the roof of one of Iceland’s key UK logistics sites, includes 3,300 solar panels and is expected to generate around 1.6GWh of renewable electricity each year.
  The retailer said the system will cut carbon emissions by about 202 tonnes of CO2e annually, while reducing its reliance on grid el
  
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• Retailers warn over potential scale of Burnham’s proposed warehouse tax

  07-07-2026 06:00 via ft.com
  Prospective UK premier wants to fund business rates cut for pubs, clubs and music venues by placing higher levies on warehouses and other large commercial sites
  
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• M&S hosts ‘first-ever’ pitlane catwalk at Silverstone

  06-07-2026 16:35 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Fashion has become synonymous with Formula One. From Lewis Hamilton’s grid looks and Lando Norris’s British Vogue shoot to Ferrari’s fashion and lifestyle brand and team collaborations with fashion brands such Cadillac and Tommy Hilfiger, fashion can be found everywhere within the sport.
  And last week, British retailer M&S brought the first ever pitlane fashion show to the British Grand Prix. Part of its Summer of Love That brand platform, the show took place on Media Day (
  
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• Government reviews toy safety rules as AI toys emerge

  06-07-2026 16:31 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  The government has launched a review of the UK’s toy safety rules to examine whether they remain fit for purpose as AI-enabled toys and new technologies become more common.
  The Call for Evidence, which opened on Monday, is set to gather views on issues such as chemical safety, AI toys and whether current regulations keep pace with changes in how toys are designed, sold and used.
  It is understood that the consultation will run until 6 October and is open to parents, consumer groups, busines
  
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• Evri files £1.2m claim against BBC over Panorama documentary

  06-07-2026 16:30 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Delivery firm Evri is suing the BBC for around £1.2 million, alleging a Panorama documentary caused financial losses and damaged its reputation.
  The High Court claim relates to a 15-minute segment of the programme ‘Evri: Where’s My Parcel?‘, which aired in December last year.
  Evri alleges the programme falsely suggested it used exploitative business practices and misled Parliament by denying its couriers were paid below the national minimum wage. However the company denie
  
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• Jessi Baker: Proof, not promises: the opportunity for retailers to win in AI-shopping

  06-07-2026 16:27 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  A decade ago, I was a frustrated shopper. I wanted to make the “right” choices, but I was overwhelmed by opaque marketing copy and unverified health and sustainability claims, writes Jessi Baker, founder of Provenance.
  I wanted to know whether the products I was buying really lived up to the promises on their labels. Perhaps I was naïve, but I assumed that if a brand claimed something was sustainable, ethically sourced or backed by science, there would be evidence somewhere. I j
  
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• Holland & Barrett opens wellness pub

  06-07-2026 16:24 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Holland & Barrett has unveiled a wellness pub activation to encourage people to take care of their health over the summer.
  Titled ‘The Wellness Tap’, the event features hydration drinks on tap and wellness talks. This follows research from the retailer which shows 53 per cent of respondents believed that “chaotic” summer schedules negatively impact their sleep.
  Lina Chan, director of missions at Holland & Barrett, said: “Summer is all about enjoying every si
  
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• How Westfield is ‘at the forefront’ of the experiential retail shift

  06-07-2026 12:52 via retailgazette.co.uk
  Retail destinations are evolving far from being transactional to become much more experiential spaces.
  Westfield is a business that claims to be “at the forefront of this shift,” as it reshapes “the role of the modern retail destination through cultural programming, live experiences and sustainability-led initiatives”. 
  Notably, the company recently hosted its Westfield ReLoved festival at Stratford City in partnership with homelessness charity Shelter, which brought
  
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• Plans revealed to ‘transform’ Queens Arcade shopping centre

  06-07-2026 12:21 via retailgazette.co.uk
  Property development firm Landsec has submitted a planning application for the first phase of works to transform Cardiff’s Queens Arcade shopping centre into a new food, beverage and leisure destination. 
  The submission marks the next milestone in Landsec’s long-term investment in St David’s shopping centre and the Welsh capital’s centre.
  The first phase of the plans announced today include three new restaurants and enhancements to the building’s façade.
  
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• How AI is reshaping the bricks and mortar experience

  06-07-2026 12:19 via retailgazette.co.uk
  AI has taken the retail industry by storm in recent years.
  It seems that many consumers are on board with the changes. A recent report by software development firm CI&T, which surveyed 2,000 consumers across the UK and Ireland, found that 64 per cent of consumers thought retailers should use AI to improve the shopping experience for their customers.
  Although a lot of the current AI discourse is centered around ecommerce and chatbots, it is also having an impact on the bricks and mortar exper
  
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• Is this the end of the line for TGJones?

  06-07-2026 12:15 via retailgazette.co.uk
  Last week it was reported that up to 150 former WHSmith stores were set to shut, while rent cuts would apply to most of its remaining sites, as its owner Modella Capital won approval for a major restructuring of its estate.
  The private equity firm blamed “challenging retail conditions” for the restructuring, claiming that its plans were vital for the survival of its business, the BBC reported.
  The High Court heard at the time that TGJones was on the brink of insolvency and would face
  
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• Aldi gifts first 500 shoppers £5 voucher after England win

  06-07-2026 12:01 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Aldi is giving its first 500 customers a £5 voucher to “help shake off the Monday morning slump” after England won its place in the Fifa World Cup’s quarter-finals at 2am this morning.
  The voucher is designed to give tired fans “a boost after a sleepless night of football,” after millions of fans stayed up into the early hours to cheer on the Three Lions.
  The £5 vouchers were made available from 8am today (6 July) on a first-come, first-served basis.
  Ald
  
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• Retail voices: digital transformation starts with the customer

  06-07-2026 10:32 via theretailbulletin.com
  As retailers race to adopt AI, there’s a risk we’re solving for technology before we’ve fully understood the customer problem we’re trying to fix. Over the... View Article
  
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• Digital transformation starts with the customer

  06-07-2026 10:32 via theretailbulletin.com
  As retailers race to adopt AI, there’s a risk we’re solving for technology before we’ve fully understood the customer problem we’re trying to fix. Over the... View Article
  
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• Can vending machines deliver the goods?

  06-07-2026 09:46 via theretailbulletin.com
  We were on a very quiet platform at Huntingdon train station when my children (as always) were desperate for a drink and without an on-site buffet/café... View Article
  
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• ASOS appoints Manoja Josyula as director of propositions

  06-07-2026 09:46 via theretailbulletin.com
  ASOS has appointed Manoja Josyula as director of propositions on a permanent basis, after she joined the company in March in an interim capacity. She previously... View Article
  
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• Next considers bid for Harvey Nichols department store chain

  06-07-2026 09:42 via theretailbulletin.com
  Next is considering making an offer for the Harvey Nichols department store chain. Sky News has reported that Next is drawing up plans to make a... View Article
  
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• ASOS names Manoja Josyula propositions director

  06-07-2026 09:35 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  ASOS has appointed Manoja Josyula as director of propositions on a permanent basis.
  Josyula joined the business in March on an interim basis and will now continue in the role permanently.
  She succeeds Macy Hong, ASOS’ former head of loyalty and customer engagement, who left the company in February.
  Josyula will report to Ben Blake, ASOS’ executive vice president of customer and commercial.
  Her remit includes some of the retailer’s key customer-facing propositions, including Pre
  
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• Russell & Bromley shuts final stores outside Next rescue deal

  06-07-2026 09:27 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Russell & Bromley has closed all 33 of its remaining stores after collapsing into administration earlier this year.
  The footwear retailer’s final closures include its two Scottish stores, at Edinburgh’s St James Quarter and on Glasgow’s Buchanan Street.
  The closures come after Next agreed to buy the Russell & Bromley brand and certain assets out of administration in January.
  However, the rescue deal only saved three stores, in Chelsea, Mayfair and Bluewater, leaving the
  
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• L’Oréal and Mondelez turn to AI to speed up product innovation

  06-07-2026 09:23 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Consumer goods giants including L’Oréal and Mondelez are using artificial intelligence to develop new products faster.
  L’Oréal said AI has helped it create products four times faster than before by identifying molecules in skincare products that can be repurposed for use in shampoo.
  The French beauty giant, which started using AI in its laboratories four years ago, has used the technology to predict how ingredients will affect skin and hair.
  One recent innovation involv
  
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