Retail news

• Ocado to receive £260m compensation after Kroger axes warehouses

  05-12-2025 12:11 via retailgazette.co.uk
  Ocado Group is set to receive US$350m (£262m) from Kroger in compensation after its decision to scale back the number of automated distribution centres that it runs with the UK retailer.
  In November, Ocado shares declined by more than 17% in one day as the US supermarket said that it would shut three of its automated warehouses which use Ocado tech in January 2026, after they failed to meet “financial expectations”.
  The retail and tech business said that the warehouse closures
  
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• New Look appoints Mark Matthews as retail director

  08-12-2025 19:56 via theretailbulletin.com
  New Look has appointed Mark Matthews as retail director. Matthews was previously director of format and innovation at Co-op and prior to that worked as retail,... View Article
  
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• River Island losses soar as sales decline

  08-12-2025 17:19 via retailgazette.co.uk
  River Island saw losses swell in its latest annual results.
  The clothing brand’s operating loss nearly doubled (86.3%) to £65.3m for the 52 weeks to 28 December 2024.
  EBITDA nearly tripled (186.6%) from a £17.2m loss the year prior to a £49.3m loss in 2024.
  Sales declined 7.1% year on year to £537m.
  Additionally, the brand’s pre-tax loss nearly doubled (92.7%) to £64m over the period, compared to a £33.2m loss the year before.Related Story Vic
  
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• Victoria’s Secret boosts full year outlook as sales climb

  08-12-2025 16:39 via retailgazette.co.uk
  Victoria’s Secret has boosted its full-year outlook as sales rose in its third quarter.
  The lingerie retailer saw its operating loss narrow to £14m ($19m) for the 13 weeks ended 1 November, from £35m ($47m) the same time last year.
  Net sales jumped 9% year on year to £1.10bn ($1.472bn) over the period.
  The sales rise put the figure above the brand’s prior guidance range of between £1.04bn ($1.390bn) to £1.06bn ($1.420bn).
  Victoria’s Secret’s
  
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• Retail boost as government unveils £725m apprenticeship overhaul

  08-12-2025 13:47 via retailgazette.co.uk
  The Government has unveiled a £725m overhaul of the apprenticeship system, promising 50,000 more placements over the next three years.
  The move, which was revealed today (8 December), aims to see retail, hospitality and other service sectors benefit from new foundation apprenticeships aimed at tackling youth unemployment and widening access to training.
  The reforms include fully funded apprenticeship training costs for eligible under-25s at SMEs, removing the 5% co-investment contribution
  
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• France retracts demand for full suspension of Shein website

  08-12-2025 13:39 via retailgazette.co.uk
  French authorities have scrapped demand for a full suspension of Shein’s website.
  The country demanded on Friday (5 December) a series of measures from the fashion retailer to prove items sold on its website complied with the law, France 24 reported.
  However, it retracted its previous call for a three-month suspension of Shein over its sale of banned weapons and childlike sex dolls.
  During a Paris court hearing, a lawyer for the state said that the business must implement controls on its w
  
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• Ocado appoints former Darktrace CFO as independent non exec

  08-12-2025 13:13 via retailgazette.co.uk
  Ocado has appointed Cathy Graham to its board as an independent non-executive director, effective 1 February 2026.
  Graham was CFO of Darktrace from 2020 to 2025 and previously spent seven years at tech partnership business 2U.
  The former cybersecurity boss, who will also join the People Committee and Audit Committee, brings financial and operational experience from high-growth technology firms in the UK and US, including significant work on major tech and R&D investment programmes.
  Chairman
  
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• New Look appoints new retail director

  08-12-2025 11:12 via retailgazette.co.uk
  New Look has named Mark Matthews as its new retail director, tasking him with overseeing the store estate and accelerating the fashion chain’s omnichannel strategy.
  Matthews joins from a background spanning Co-op Food, Bonmarché, George at Asda and Selfridges, bringing experience in operations, visual merchandising and in-store digital.
  He said he was joining at “a pivotal time” for the brand and looked forward to building on its progress in delivering a seamless experie
  
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• Iceland chair Richard Walker made Labour peer

  08-12-2025 10:55 via retailgazette.co.uk
  Keir Starmer has appointed Iceland executive chairman Richard Walker as a Labour peer.
  Walker, who was previously a Conservative supporter, will be made a Labour peer when the party appoints a further 25 representatives to parliament’s upper house later in the month, The Sun reported.
  The supermarket boss is expected to use his seat in the House of Lords to campaign on dealing with the cost of living crisis.Related Story Asda plan to crackdown on sick days, says report08/12/2025 x 9:13 AMA
  
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• Matalan to refurbish 40 stores next year after uplift in revamped sites

  08-12-2025 10:42 via retailgazette.co.uk
  Matalan is ramping up its store modernisation programme after reporting its refurbished sites delivered stronger-than-expected trading this year.
  The value fashion and homewares chain has completed 30 refurbishments in 2025 as part of a £25m multi-year investment, which outperformed the wider estate by 14% in 2025.
  Stores in locations including Rhyl, Hull and Wrexham have reported sales uplifts of around 20% year on year, with customer satisfaction also rising.
  Following the performance of
  
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• Asda plan to crackdown on sick days, says report

  08-12-2025 10:13 via retailgazette.co.uk
  Asda is reportedly considering a crackdown on sick days as part of its turnaround efforts.
  The grocery giant has drawn up stricter disciplinary rules under an ongoing consultation, raising the chance of workers being let go for taking consecutive periods off sick, the Telegraph reported.
  As it stands, staff members who hit an absence rate of 3% or more are flagged for review. This is followed by two informal stages, before management conducts a formal disciplinary process.
  Under the current rule
  
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• Conversation with… Dan Ferris, managing director of TM Lewin

  08-12-2025 09:25 via theretailbulletin.com
  In this latest Conversations interview, we chat with Dan Ferris, managing director of TM Lewin, about his journey from teenage shelf stacker to leader of a... View Article
  
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• Poundland to close a further round of stores

  08-12-2025 07:40 via theretailbulletin.com
  Poundland is preparing to close a further round of stores as part of its restructuring programme. Some 14 shops will be shuttered before early February in... View Article
  
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• Waitrose makes loyalty scheme offers available on Deliveroo

  08-12-2025 07:35 via theretailbulletin.com
  Waitrose is making money saving offers available to members of its My Waitrose loyalty scheme when they shop via Deliveroo. The supermarket said customers will be... View Article
  
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• Fir real: expert tips on picking the perfect Christmas tree for the best price in the UK

  06-12-2025 09:41
  Millions of real trees are sold each year, and costs vary widely – we ask experts how to find good dealsFor many Britons, putting up their tree is the ritual that marks the official start of Christmas, with the second week of December a popular time to deck the halls.While surveys suggest that about two-thirds of the population will opt for an artificial tree, millions of real ones will be sold this month. As usual, the competition is fierce on the high street, with some supermarkets selli
  
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• HMRC warns Christmas side-hustle sellers over tax on festive earnings

  06-12-2025 08:00
  Crafters, artisans and others told to declare income if above £1,000 trading allowance in tax yearThis is a busy time of year for the thousands of people who earn a bit of extra income from a festive side hustle such as running a stall at a Christmas market or selling items online.The UK’s army of crafters, artisans and designers are being urged to check if they need to tell HM Revenue and Customs about their earnings. Continue reading...
  
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• I’ve been caught out by a Ring doorbell — have you?

  06-12-2025 06:00
  Doorstep surveillance devices are part of modern life whether we like it or not
  
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• Poundland confirms fresh wave of closures as restructuring accelerates

  05-12-2025 17:50 via retailgazette.co.uk
  Poundland is preparing a further wave of closures, confirming another 14 stores will shut by early February as it ramps up its turnaround plan under new ownership.
  The latest exits come on top of 19 previously announced closures due in the coming months.
  By early next year, the discount retailer will have closed more than 100 sites since launching its restructuring programme, which is focused on removing underperforming stores and simplifying the business. It is understood that clearance sales o
  
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• Dobbies completes latest store upgrade

  05-12-2025 15:37 via retailgazette.co.uk
  Dobbies Garden Centre at Moreton Park, Shropshire, has become the seventh store to be upgraded as part of the retailer’s national refurbishment programme.  
  The store now features a new large coffee shop on the mezzanine level, while the main restaurant has also been fully refurbished and expanded, and offers a full menu across the day.
  The site’s soft play has also been revitalised, with the creation of a new separate area which features more seating and play space for fam
  
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• Burberry makes two senior appointments

  05-12-2025 14:38 via theretailbulletin.com
  Burberry has appointed Matteo Calonaci as chief operating and supply chain officer and Johnattan Leon as chief customer officer. Reporting to Burberry chief executive Joshua Schulman,... View Article
  
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• Matalan appoints director of international

  05-12-2025 11:10 via retailgazette.co.uk
  Matalan has strengthened its leadership team with the appointment of Steve Ridehalgh as director of international, as the value retailer looks to speed up its global expansion plans.
  Ridehalgh reports to chief retail officer Katherine Davis and will focus on opening new overseas markets and building franchise partnerships as part of Matalan’s wider transformation programme.
  Ridehalgh brings long experience in global retail, with more than 20 years of helping British fashion brands grow abr
  
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• Superdry to open stores in Argentina

  05-12-2025 10:50 via retailgazette.co.uk
  Superdry is set to open in-store and online in Argentina, through its franchise partner Tango Fabric.
  The company, which rebranded to Superdry & Co in September, will launch superdry.com.ar to sell its goods online across the region, Superdry’s CEO told Drapers.
  In addition, the brand is gearing up to open five stores across the capital Buenos Aires, with the aim to open up to 45 shops throughout Argentina and the LATAM (Latin America) market over the next five years.
  Talks with landlo
  
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• Kroger pays Ocado $350mn for paring back automated warehouses partnership

  05-12-2025 10:45
  UK group’s shares jump after compensation agreed with US retailer
  
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• Budget and wet weather dent November footfall

  05-12-2025 10:15 via retailgazette.co.uk
  Rumoured tax hikes and poor weather discouraged consumers from shopping in November, according to trade association the British Retail Consortium (BRC).
  Total UK footfall fell 0.8% year on year in November, from a 0.7% decline the month prior, the latest data from the BRC-Sensormatic footfall monitor found.
  High street footfall dipped 1.2% over the month, compared to 0.6% in October, the organisation reported. 
  Retail park footfall fell 0.4% last month, rising from 0.5% in October. Addition
  
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• Q&A: Nicola Shepherd, deputy head of retail at Network Rail Property

  05-12-2025 09:49 via theretailbulletin.com
  Here we chat with Nicola Shepherd, deputy head of retail at Network Rail Property, about her career journey, the evolving retail offer in major train stations,... View Article
  
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• Morrisons launches slow checkouts to help combat loneliness

  05-12-2025 09:25 via theretailbulletin.com
  Morrisons has teamed up with Good Morning Britain’s 1 Million Minutes campaign, which asks people to donate their time, rather than money to help combat loneliness.... View Article
  
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• Kroger scraps planned Ocado distribution centre in US

  05-12-2025 08:40
  US retailer decided last month to close three warehouses that it said were underperforming
  
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• Crew Clothing ramps up new store openings

  05-12-2025 07:57 via theretailbulletin.com
  Crew Clothing is to open a raft of new stores in the coming weeks as it expands its footprint in shopping centres and destination high streets.... View Article
  
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• The Entertainer partners with Deliveroo for toy deliveries

  05-12-2025 07:31 via theretailbulletin.com
  Toy retailer The Entertainer has teamed up with Deliveroo to offer customers access to on-demand delivery on nearly 5,000 products. The move marks the first time... View Article
  
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• Frasers Group makes “solid” start to new financial year

  05-12-2025 07:00 via theretailbulletin.com
  Frasers Group has reported a strong uplift in profit as it delivered a “solid” first half. In the six months to 26 October, pre-tax profit climbed... View Article
  
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