Retail news

• McColl’s to close over 300 stores

  28-02-2020 12:05 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  // McColl’s to close 330 stores in the next couple of years
  // It closed 120 newsagents and smaller convenience stores last yearMcColl’s has revealed plans to shut 330 stores in the next three to four years as it seeks to focus its activities in the food convenience market.
  The retailer currently operates 1430 stores, having closed 120 newsagents and smaller convenience stores last year.
  As part of wider a “strategic change programme” aimed at boosting performance, c
  
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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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• 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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• Defiant Ocado CEO Tim Steiner to stay until 2028, but succession planning starts

  06-07-2026 09:16 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Ocado chief executive Tim Steiner will remain in the top job until the start of the 2028 financial year, as the online grocery technology firm sets out its leadership transition plans.
  The group said Steiner, who co-founded Ocado in 2000, would stay on as chief executive for around two more years while it works to appoint a successor.
  He will then remain with the business through 2029 in a founder role, helping prepare the next generation of Ocado’s leadership.
  Ocado said Steiner remained
  
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• 7-Eleven sues Nike over Air Max 95 ‘Slurpee’ colourway

  06-07-2026 09:11 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  7-Eleven has sued Nike over claims the sportswear giant copied the convenience retailer’s signature colour scheme for an upcoming Air Max 95 release.
  The retailer filed a lawsuit in federal court in Texas, accusing Nike of using a “confusingly similar” version of its orange, green and red stripe branding on a new trainer due to launch on July 11.
  The date is widely associated with 7-Eleven’s annual 7-Eleven Day promotion, when participating stores offer free Slurpee drink
  
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• Retail park boom sparks warning over shortage of space

  06-07-2026 09:08 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Retailers are facing a growing shortage of retail park space as discounters, fashion chains, gyms and convenience-led operators compete for out-of-town sites.
  Vacancy rates across the sector have fallen close to record lows, with landlords warning there is limited space left, particularly for larger stores.
  The shift has been driven by rising demand from retailers including Lidl, Aldi, B&M and Home Bargains, as well as brands such as Superdrug, Mountain Warehouse, PureGym and The Gym Group.
  
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• Next eyes Harvey Nichols takeover as luxury retailer seeks buyer

  06-07-2026 09:05 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Next is preparing a potential bid for Harvey Nichols after the luxury department store chain was put up for sale, according to reports.
  The retailer is drawing up plans to make an offer for the business, which has been owned by Hong Kong billionaire Sir Dickson Poon for 35 years, Sky News reported.
  The talks are understood to be at an early stage, although Next is said to be serious about exploring a deal.
  It is not yet clear whether any bid would include Harvey Nichols’ regional stores or
  
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• Burnham high street tax plan ‘could cost £880m a year’

  06-07-2026 08:59 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Andy Burnham’s plan to overhaul business rates in favour of small high street firms could cost around £880m a year, according to new analysis.
  The proposals would lift more than 140,000 additional small premises out of business rates altogether, forecasts from global tax firm Ryan suggest.
  Burnham has proposed increasing the threshold for 100 per cent small business rates relief in England by 50 per cent, from a rateable value of £12,000 to £18,000.
  The upper threshold fo
  
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• Ocado paves way for exit of boss Tim Steiner in 2028 after succession clash 

  06-07-2026 08:56 via ft.com
  Founder to stay in post until group concludes succession planning following boardroom pressure to remove him
  
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