Retail news

• 'My God, it's chaos': Lush's founder on why he is so downcast

  29-02-2020 07:00
  
  Mark Constantine’s beauty brand is in tune with the zeitgeist: so why is his ethical approach to capitalism not bearing fruit?The badge on the lapel of Lush’s co-founder, Mark Constantine, does the talking for him today as his beauty retail empire is buffeted by one crisis after another.A potential pandemic is “closing half the bloody world”, he explains, as his lapel badge reads: “Fuck, fuck, fuckity fuck”. Continue reading...
  
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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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• Ocado paves way for exit of boss Tim Steiner 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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• Co-op faces backlash over ‘dangerous’ grocery delivery robots

  06-07-2026 08:53 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Co-op is facing criticism over its use of autonomous grocery delivery robots, as campaigners warn the technology risks making pavements less safe and accessible for pedestrians.
  Living Streets, the walking charity formerly known as the Pedestrians’ Association, has written to Co-op interim chief executive Kate Allum claiming the retailer’s robot delivery partnership with Starship Technologies is creating risks for older and disabled people.
  The small six-wheeled robots are already us
  
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• Aldi takes aim at Lidl’s fashion success with first French apparel drop

  06-07-2026 08:49 via retailgazette.co.uk
  Aldi is making its first move into branded fashion in France, as it aims to follow Lidl’s success in turning supermarket merchandise into sought-after apparel.
  The retailer will launch its Aldi Studio capsule collection across its 1,300 French stores on July 18, marking its first foray into clothing and accessories.
  The limited-edition summer range uses Aldi’s red, white, yellow and blue brand colours across a dozen items, including T-shirts, pool slides, hats, caps and a thermal fla
  
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• Garden Trading delivers record second quarter with 20% like-for-like growth

  06-07-2026 07:39 via theretailbulletin.com
  Garden Trading has delivered a record second quarter, with 20% like-for-like growth following a renewed focus on customer acquisition and retention. The home and garden retailer... View Article
  
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• London showcase spotlights emerging jewellery talent

  06-07-2026 05:00 via ft.com
  Dover Street Market’s summer exhibition presents innovative work from graduates, highlighting the institutions that shaped them
  
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