Retail news

• Is the US is still an attractive market for bricks-and-mortar retailers?

  17-08-2026 12:53 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  In the face of obstacles such as record low retail space availability, tariff pressures, and high living costs, the US may seem an unlikely location for international retailers to invest in bricks-and-mortar stores.
  However, brands such as Boden and Bershka have recently launched new stores in the country, while Primark has unveiled plans to open another new US site in September.
  The US still boasts attractive elements for international bricks-and-mortar retailers, including its physical retail
  
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• Giving Argos the attention it deserves

  17-08-2026 20:12 via theretailbulletin.com
  Selling Argos for £120 million recently compared with the £1.3 billion that it was bought for in 2016 suggests its owner Sainsbury’s was flogging a nag…
  
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• Former Next executive Jon Bennett joins ASOS as menswear product director

  17-08-2026 18:25 via theretailbulletin.com
  ASOS has appointed former Next executive Jon Bennett as menswear product director for its ASOS Design line. Bennett joins the online fashion retailer from Next’s wholly…
  
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• IKEA to launch second-hand marketplace in the UK for pre-owned furniture

  17-08-2026 18:23 via theretailbulletin.com
  IKEA is launching a second-hand marketplace in the UK where customers will be able to buy and sell pre-owned IKEA products directly with one another. The…
  
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• Purdey to launch pop-up boutique at Harrods

  17-08-2026 14:41 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  British outdoors and country lifestyle retailer Purdey is launching a pop-up at Harrods in September to mark the start of the game season.
  The heritage brand is running a boutique at the department store from 7 September until 8 November. 
  The boutique, which will be located in menswear designer collections on the store’s second floor, will sell a curated edit of “the most iconic Purdey products”.
  These will combine pieces from its sporting collection, the global sporting
  
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• Majestic Wine MD on why stores are at “the heart of everything”

  17-08-2026 12:58 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Majestic Wine recently kicked off a £4 million investment into its store portfolio, as it unveiled its newest shop in Trowbridge, Wiltshire.
  Its investment over 2026/27 includes the launch of at least four new stores, as well as a comprehensive programme of improvements to its existing UK shops.
  Majestic Retail managing director Elizabeth Newman shares more on the investment and its implications for its physical stores.
  New store and local fulfilment hub
  The new Trowbridge store is based i
  
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• Lacoste highlights tennis heritage with new trainer campaign

  17-08-2026 12:57 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Lacoste has unveiled a new campaign celebrating its tennis heritage.
  The marketing drive leads on from its Slam Break Premium campaign, which starred tennis player Arthur Fils.
  Showcasing the brand’s ‘Slam Break’ trainers , the spot swaps between the firm’s footwear atelier and the tennis court.
  It aims to highlight the retailer’s “creative approach to the visual iconography of the court”. Related StoryLacoste highlights tennis heritage with new trainer
  
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• Mothercare warns over future as revenue plunges 42%

  17-08-2026 12:55 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Mothercare has warned of “material uncertainty” over its ability to continue trading if conditions deteriorate further, as annual revenue plunged 42 per cent.
  It saw group revenue fall from £38.9m to £22.4m in the 52 weeks to 28 March 2026, while adjusted EBITDA dropped 63 per cent from £3.5m to £1.3m.
  Mothercare swung to a £5m statutory loss during the period, compared with a £6.2m profit the year before, while net debt rose to £6.4m from &p
  
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• Fashionphile head of UK brand on its new Vauxhall pop-up

  17-08-2026 12:46 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  US ultra-luxury resale platform Fashionphile recently opened its first physical retail space in the UK, launching a pop-up in Vauxhall.
  The launch marks the next stage in the brand’s UK expansion, and comes less than a year after it launched online in the UK market. 
  It also follows the retailer’s acquisition of former secondhand luxury fashion company Luxe Collective’s digital assets last year.
  “A strong appetite for pre-owned luxury”
  The new pop-up enables cu
  
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• Jollyes celebrates 125th store launch in Evesham

  17-08-2026 11:44 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Jollyes Pets opened its 125th store at The Valley shopping centre, Evesham, last week.
  The new store has created seven roles, including a manager and a deputy manager.
  The first VIP (very important pet) through the doors of the shop, which launched on 14 August, was local dog Jax, a cockapoo who received a lifestage goody bag to celebrate “being the first paws through the door”. 
  Councillor Bill Kimberley and mayoress Cllr Mrs Celia Kimberley of Evesham carried out the official
  
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• BFC to ‘decentralise’ British fashion with new event programme

  17-08-2026 11:20 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  The British Fashion Council (BFC) has partnered with Westfield to host ‘Fashion Britain’, a programme of events running across seven UK cities.
  The events include immersive fashion and music experiences curated by Tolu Coker at Westfield London, Priya Ahluwalia at Stratford City and Charles Jeffrey at Westfield St James Quarter in Edinburgh.
  They also form part of Westfield’s annual fashion campaign ‘Westfield Days’.
  Ciara Solmi, director of marketing and communicat
  
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• BRC urges government to back Saturday jobs as a vital first step into work

  17-08-2026 10:15 via theretailbulletin.com
  The British Retail Consortium (BRC) is calling on the government to ensure employment reforms do not make it harder for retailers to create entry-level jobs, as…
  
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• Personal safety technology giving retail colleagues a direct help line

  17-08-2026 10:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  Retail colleagues need to know that support is available when a situation changes quickly. Whether someone is opening a store alone, dealing with an aggressive customer,…
  
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• M&S introduces limited collection by London streetwear label Aries

  17-08-2026 09:47 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Marks & Spencer is teaming up with luxury streetwear label Aries on a 26-piece capsule collection that sees the relaunch of the heritage St Michael label.
  Spanning womenswear and menswear, the collection is designed to rework classic British wardrobe staples through Aries’ streetwear lens. It features pinstripe tailoring, preppy knitwear carrying the St Michael crest, casual separates and slip dresses.
  Accessories include a soft green leather handbag inspired by M&S’s iconic
  
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• BRC warns employment reforms risk squeezing out retail Saturday jobs

  17-08-2026 09:36 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  The British Retail Consortium has warned that planned employment reforms could make it harder for retailers to offer entry-level roles.
  New Opinium polling commissioned by the BRC found 80 per cent of UK adults believe part-time work, including traditional Saturday jobs, plays an important role in helping young people enter employment.
  Support rises to 91 per cent among those aged 55 and over, with the retail body arguing the findings underline the continued value of flexible work as a first ste
  
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• Aldi boss backs crackdown on ‘fake’ supermarket discounts

  17-08-2026 09:12 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Aldi UK boss Giles Hurley has backed government plans to crack down on misleading supermarket promotions, claiming loyalty prices and continual discounts can obscure the true value shoppers receive.
  Hurley said ministers were “right” to target misleading discounts and promotions as part of efforts to ease cost-of-living pressures, arguing shoppers were increasingly confronted with offers that appeared more attractive than they were.
  “For too long, shoppers have been bombarded w
  
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• B&M ramps up AI push with senior recruitment drive

  17-08-2026 09:03 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  B&M has announced that it plans to step up its investment in AI and data, particularly targeting how it makes decisions and runs the business.
  The company is recruiting for a new head of data and AI, who will be tasked with building and scaling its data, analytics and artificial intelligence capabilities across the group.
  B&M group IT director Suzie Williams said the business had reached an “important point” in its transformation, with data, AI and improved decision-making be
  
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• Hotel Chocolat forced to shut store as heatwave threatens to melt stock

  17-08-2026 08:56 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Hotel Chocolat has been forced to temporarily close one of its stores and bring in emergency cooling equipment as record temperatures threaten to melt its chocolate stock.
  The chocolatier drafted in additional air conditioning units and fans across parts of its estate last week as temperatures soared, with its Marylebone store in London temporarily closing as it struggled with the heat.
  At its London Bridge branch, a large fan was brought in to keep the shop cool in place of air conditioning.
  Ho
  
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• Waitrose outpaces John Lewis as it pushes ahead with £800m overhaul

  17-08-2026 08:52 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Waitrose is the financial powerhouse of the John Lewis Partnership, as its department store sister battles tougher trading conditions and presses ahead with an £800m transformation programme.
  The grocery arm of the company generated £256m in adjusted operating profit in the year to 31 January, more than four times the £58m delivered by John Lewis, despite both businesses growing sales.
  Waitrose sales jumped seven per cent to £8.5bn during the period, with volumes rising t
  
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• Asda tests new convenience wholesale model in three-store Scotland trial

  17-08-2026 08:51 via theretailbulletin.com
  Asda has launched a new wholesale supply model for independent retailers in the convenience market. The three-store trial, branded ‘Asda Convenience’, will initially roll out in…
  
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• Boux Avenue continues store investment with Guildford and Belfast refits

  17-08-2026 08:50 via theretailbulletin.com
  Lingerie and nightwear brand Boux Avenue is continuing to invest in its store estate with the refurbishment of its Guildford and Belfast stores. The stores will…
  
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• Renewed price pressure for retail as global shipping costs soar

  17-08-2026 08:45 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Freight rates have jumped sharply for retailers across key shipping corridors including the Red Sea, Panama Canal, Black Sea and Europe’s Rhine as war and drought disrupt global trade.
  The latest disruption threatens to push up sourcing costs for retailers and could ultimately feed through into higher prices for consumers.
  Container shipping has been particularly affected, with average spot rates from the Far East to the US East Coast climbing 234 per cent year on year to £7,600 for
  
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• Lakeside secures wave of jewellery signings including Beaverbrooks upsize

  17-08-2026 08:44 via theretailbulletin.com
  Lakeside has announced a flurry of new signings and upsizes from jewellery retailers. Browns Jewellers has signed for a 469 square foot space on Level 2,…
  
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• French Connection opens new store at Frasers Plus Designer Outlet Leeds

  17-08-2026 08:43 via theretailbulletin.com
  French Connection has joined the line-up at Frasers Plus Designer Outlet Leeds. Spanning 2,257 square feet, the new shop has introduced the fashion brand’s latest retail…
  
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• KFC and La Vieille Ferme to launch Coq au Vin pop-up wine bar in Shoreditch

  17-08-2026 08:41 via theretailbulletin.com
  KFC is teaming up with Famille Perrin to launch Coq au Vin, a pop-up wine bar bringing together KFC’s fried chicken and La Vieille Ferme’s popular…
  
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• Crocs launches first mascot as it goes all-in on brand storytelling

  17-08-2026 08:37 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Crocs has unveiled its first official mascot, Niles, with a view to increasing the power of its social content and long-term storytelling.
  The six-foot crocodile character has been developed from the silhouette that has appeared on Crocs footwear since the brand sold its first pair of shoes in 2002.
  Niles was introduced following a month-long teaser campaign that saw Crocs plant a series of ‘Easter eggs’ across its marketing channels, including a three-foot egg appearing in TikTok Sh
  
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• Sainsbury’s pauses AI facial recognition cameras after shopper wrongly ejected

  17-08-2026 08:31 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Sainsbury’s has paused the use of AI-powered facial recognition cameras after a shopper was wrongly removed from one of its stores as a suspected shoplifter.
  The company has suspended the technology involved while it investigates the incident, which took place at its Dulwich store in south London.
  Matt Arnold, who works with the nearby Dulwich Hamlet Comedy Club, was waiting at a self-service checkout with a trolley of drinks and snacks when security staff approached him and told him the r
  
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• Co-op overhauls transgender and non-binary toilet policy after new legal guidance

  17-08-2026 08:22 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Co-op has changed its transgender and non-binary inclusion policy, removing previous guidance that allowed staff to use the gender-specific toilets in which they felt safest.
  Its former policy told colleagues working at sites with gender-specific toilets that they could use the facilities they felt most comfortable using and would not be expected to use disabled toilets instead. Those instructions have now been removed.
  Under its updated policy, Co-op said it recognises that trans, non-binary an
  
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• Aldi calls for other supermarkets to offer free period products in store toilets

  17-08-2026 07:42 via theretailbulletin.com
  Aldi is supporting its charity partner Freedom4Girls by calling for more supermarkets to make free period products available in store toilets. Tina Leslie, founder of Freedom4Girls…
  
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• Ralph Lauren is winning the workwear wars as America returns to the office

  16-08-2026 13:00 via ft.com
  People are hanging up the casual aesthetic of the pandemic years to dress up again
  
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