Retail news

• Labour risks election wipeout unless it improves Britain’s high streets, study finds

  28-01-2026 11:01
  Decay of town centres a top issue among voters especially Reform UK supporters and is fuelling resentment against WestminsterHow has your local high street changed since 2019? Check your postcodeThe struggling billionaire-owned high street that shows Reform’s road to No 10Labour will be “washed away in a tide of discontent” at the next general election unless it tackles the decline of Britain’s high streets, a study has warned, as Guardian analysis lays bare the changing
  
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• Dr. Martens appoints Melanie Richards as non-executive director

  01-07-2026 12:23 via theretailbulletin.com
  Dr. Martens has appointed Melanie Richards as a non-executive director, with effect from 15 July. The appointment follows the footwear brand’s previous announcement that Lynne Weedall... View Article
  
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• JCDecaux secures Heathrow advertising contract for another eight years

  01-07-2026 11:11 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  JCDecaux has renewed its advertising contract with Heathrow for another eight years, extending a partnership that has been in place for more than 25 years.
  The new agreement will run from January 2027 and will see the outdoor advertising giant continue to manage Heathrow’s media estate, including more than 680 digital screens, Heathrow Express assets and premium sites such as the T5 Towers at Terminal 5.
  Heathrow, which handled a record 84.5m passengers in 2025, said the renewed partnershi
  
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• DFS appoints Risilience to expand climate risk programme

  01-07-2026 11:02 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  DFS Group has selected climate and nature analytics company Risilience to strengthen its approach to business resilience, climate risk and reporting.
  The partnership will cover risks across DFS’s facilities, suppliers and raw materials, including both physical climate risks and those linked to climate policy. Future expansion of the partnership could include location-based risk analysis and scenario modelling across its estate and operations.
  The furniture retailer will use Risilience&rsqu
  
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• ASOS completes Atlanta warehouse sale in £48m deal

  01-07-2026 10:54 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  ASOS has completed the sale of its former Atlanta fulfilment centre in a deal worth around £48 million, marking the end of its programme to dispose of non-core assets.
  The online fashion retailer said it has assigned the warehouse lease to a global consumer brand, while a member of the DHL Group has acquired the site’s automation assets.
  The transaction will also reduce annual costs by around £6 million through lower rent and occupancy expenses.
  ASOS said the site is no longer
  
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• Samsung takes over London with BTS-themed experiences

  01-07-2026 10:51 via retailgazette.co.uk
  Samsung Electronics UK, the official partner of BTS World Tour ‘ARIRANG’, has unveiled a series of London-wide BTS-themed Galaxy experiences.
  This comes as the Korean boyband perform their first London show in seven years.
  Fans will be able to pick up collectible pins and personalised keepsakes as well as take part in immersive Galaxy experiences inspired by the tour.
  From 24 June, shoppers at Samsung Experience Stores across the city will be able to receive Galaxy discounts and an e
  
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• Event: Improving workforce planning and operational efficiency

  01-07-2026 10:26 via theretailbulletin.com
  On 14 July, TRB will bring together retail HR, operations and finance leaders for an exclusive lunch event at The Brasserie of Light, Selfridges, London, focused... View Article
  
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• Primark like-for-like sales fall 2.2% in ‘challenging’ retail environment

  01-07-2026 10:11 via theretailbulletin.com
  Primark’s like-for-like sales fell by 2.2% in its third quarter, as the retail environment remained challenging across most of its markets. On a total basis, sales... View Article
  
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• Dodgy high street shops face crackdown as MPs warn town centres are being ‘hijacked’

  01-07-2026 09:53 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  The government has pledged to crack down on illegal high street shopfronts as MPs warned that town centres were being undermined by organised crime, empty units and weaker footfall.
  Speaking during a Westminster Hall debate on high street regeneration and unlawful storefronts, housing, communities and local government minister Nesil Caliskan said the government would publish a cross-government high street strategy later this year.
  The strategy will be backed by £300m to support retail, lei
  
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• Greggs appoints Ben Waldron as CFO as Richard Hutton retires

  01-07-2026 09:50 via theretailbulletin.com
  Greggs has announced that its chief financial officer Richard Hutton is to retire and step down from the board after 28 years with the company. He... View Article
  
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• US retailers rush Christmas stock out of China ahead of tariff threat

  01-07-2026 09:48 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  US retailers are reportedly pulling forward orders from China by up to six weeks to secure stock for Black Friday and Christmas before expected tariff hikes later this year.
  Shipping executives said that retailers had brought forward orders by four to six weeks, with May and June volumes higher than expected as businesses sought to protect holiday inventories.
  The early rush has helped push up container rates and tighten shipping capacity on China-US routes, adding fresh cost pressure to retaile
  
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• Shein and Temu hit by new EU customs duty on cheap parcels

  01-07-2026 09:43 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  The EU has introduced a new €3 (£2.60) customs duty on low-value ecommerce parcels in a move expected to hit Chinese-founded platforms including Shein, Temu and AliExpress.
  The charge, which came into force on 1 July, applies to goods worth up to €150 (£129) imported into the bloc from outside the EU.
  The temporary duty replaces the previous de minimis exemption, which allowed low-value parcels to enter the EU without customs duties.
  It will remain in place until 1 July 202
  
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• Sainsbury’s ramps up facial recognition rollout to tackle shoplifting

  01-07-2026 09:37 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Sainsbury’s is expanding its use of facial recognition cameras to up to 150 more supermarkets before Christmas as it steps up efforts to tackle shoplifting and abuse against staff.
  The company already has the AI-powered Facewatch system live in 55 stores, following earlier trials in Sydenham and Bath Oldfield Park.
  The technology alerts trained store colleagues when someone who has previously been involved in violence, aggression or theft is identified entering a participating branch.
  Sain
  
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• Topps Tiles warns profits will tumble as heatwave hits trade demand

  01-07-2026 09:25 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Topps Tiles has warned annual profits will fall sharply after weaker consumer spending and disruption from the recent heatwave hit third-quarter sales.
  The tile specialist now expects adjusted pre-tax profit for the year to the end of September to come in above £6.5m, down from £9.2m last year.
  The forecast is well below analyst expectations, with an LSEG poll of four analysts having pointed to around £9.2m in annual pre-tax profit.
  Topps Tiles said sales fell 1.8 per cent in t
  
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• Nike sales beat forecasts but China slump clouds recovery

  01-07-2026 09:22 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Nike has beaten quarterly revenue expectations, but warned its turnaround will take longer than hoped as weak trading in China and cautious consumer spending continue to impact the business.
  The retailer reported fourth-quarter revenue of £8.3bn, down one per cent on a reported basis and four per cent on a currency-neutral basis, ahead of analyst expectations of £8.2bn.
  Nike said full-year revenue came in at £35bn, flat on a reported basis and down two per cent on a currency-ne
  
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• Asda promotes Christopher Jones to senior director – retail technology

  01-07-2026 09:20 via theretailbulletin.com
  Asda has appointed Christopher Jones to the position of senior director – retail technology, a role he has held on an interim basis for the past... View Article
  
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• Primark owner AB Foods warns profits will fall as sugar woes deepen

  01-07-2026 09:16 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Primark owner Associated British Foods has maintained its warning that annual profits will fall this year, despite sales growth at the value fashion retailer.
  The group said it continued to expect adjusted operating profit and adjusted earnings per share for 2026 to be below last year, as worsening conditions in its sugar business offset steadier trading elsewhere.
  AB Foods reported flat group revenue on a constant currency basis in its third quarter, with retail sales up three per cent as Prima
  
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• Amazon’s AWS pumps £754m into new AI engineering unit

  01-07-2026 09:11 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Amazon Web Services is investing $1bn (£754m) in a new division that will embed AI engineers directly with customers to help them deploy artificial intelligence systems faster.
  The company said its new Forward Deployed Engineering organisation will send small teams of engineers into customer businesses to co-develop and launch agentic AI tools.
  Reuters reported that AWS plans to send five to six-person engineering pods to customers for 45-day periods, with the aim of helping businesses mov
  
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• Aldi reveals quietest times to shop this summer holidays

  01-07-2026 08:06 via theretailbulletin.com
  Aldi has revealed the quietest times to shop in its stores to help families avoid busier periods during the summer holidays. According to the supermarket’s in-store... View Article
  
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• Sainsbury’s boss says grocery inflation fears have yet to materialise despite ongoing cost pressures

  01-07-2026 07:05 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Sainsbury’s CEO Simon Roberts has said grocery inflation has so far remained lower than many in the industry feared, although he warned significant cost pressures continue to build across the food supply chain.
  Speaking alongside the supermarket’s first-quarter trading update, Roberts said there was still uncertainty over how prices would develop during the rest of the year, but suggested inflation could end up well below earlier industry forecasts of nine per cent by the end of 2026
  
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• Uniqlo’s plan to dominate global fashion

  01-07-2026 06:00 via ft.com
  The clothing retailer forged in Japan’s post-bubble economy is pinning its hopes on Europe and North America
  
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• Why choosing a payments partner should never become a popularity contest

  01-07-2026 05:06 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  For many retailers, the search for a new payments partner begins with discipline.
  Internal teams map out what the business needs. They review pain points, customer behaviour, technology requirements, security standards and whether each provider can support the company’s next phase of growth.
  Then the decision reaches the boardroom.
  Suddenly, the questions can change. Who are our competitors using? Which provider is best known? Who has the biggest clients? Which name feels safest?
  For the p
  
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• How retail teams are improving workforce planning and operational efficiency

  30-06-2026 17:25 via theretailbulletin.com
  Retail teams across the sector are continuing to adapt to rising employment costs, tighter margins and changing customer expectations. In response, many are focusing on how... View Article
  
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• Magnet proposes CVA with plans to close 15 underperforming stores

  30-06-2026 15:06 via theretailbulletin.com
  Magnet Group has announced proposals for a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) as it grapples with historic property costs that are weighing on the business. In a... View Article
  
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• Levi’s launches £650 made-to-order jeans at London Soho Atelier

  30-06-2026 13:41 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Levi’s has launched a premium made-to-order service at its Soho Atelier, with custom jeans priced from £650.
  The denim giant is offering customers a one-to-one tailoring experience at its Great Marlborough Street store in London, allowing shoppers to create personalised jeans using premium selvedge denim, finishes and hardware.
  The Lot-1 Made to Order service also includes bespoke options, with jeans priced from £950.
  The wider offer spans other categories, including bespoke ch
  
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• Shop price inflation holds steady at 1.2% in June

  30-06-2026 12:34 via theretailbulletin.com
  Shop price inflation has remained unchanged from May, holding at 1.2% year-on-year in June, as consumers benefited from summer discounting by retailers. According to the British... View Article
  
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• Touker Suleyman backs David Gandy Wellwear for next stage of growth

  30-06-2026 11:08 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  David Gandy Wellwear has entered into a partnership with retail entrepreneur and Dragons’ Den star Touker Suleyman, with the aim of accelerating its commercial growth.
  The partnership will focus on four key areas: scaling the brand’s direct-to-consumer platform, strengthening product development, building a wholesale distribution strategy, and expanding its UK and international reach.
  Suleyman, founder and chief executive of Low Profile Holdings, said the brand had established a &ldq
  
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• Former WHSmith chain TG Jones faces insolvency threat as court ruling delayed

  30-06-2026 11:00 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  TG Jones, the former WHSmith high street business, is facing fresh fears over its future after a High Court judge delayed a decision on its restructuring plan.
  The retailer, which was bought by Modella Capital last year and rebranded from WHSmith, warned it could struggle to meet millions of pounds of payments due this week without approval for the rescue plan, The Telegraph reported.
  Mr Justice Hildeyard said he needed more time to consider the complex case, leaving the future of the business h
  
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• Tesco announces ‘strawberries and cream’ activation for Wimbledon

  30-06-2026 10:39 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  With Wimbledon in full swing, Tesco will be handing out free strawberries and cream in Wimbledon.
  The retailer has taken an ice cream van and turned it into a ‘Strawberries and Cream van’ which can be found at 122 Wimbledon Bridge on July 2 and July 3.
  Callum Baker, buying manager of berries at Tesco, said: “Our customers love strawberries, especially at this time of year.Related Story Tesco, B&Q, John Lewis and Waitrose among names to join dunnhumby retail media pilot19/06
  
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• Sainsbury’s sales growth slows as consumer caution hits retailers

  30-06-2026 10:35 via ft.com
  Rival supermarket Tesco also reports slowdown
  
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