Retail news

• Sosandar sees strong online growth despite M&S online disruption

  13-01-2026 09:33 via retailgazette.co.uk
  Sosandar reported strong growth in its third quarter, driven by a jump in direct-to-consumer sales, despite disruption from the M&S’ cyber-attack.
  The womenswear brand said for the three months ending 31 December 2025, revenue rose 10% to £13.4m compared with £12.2m a year earlier.
  Growth was led by Sosandar’s direct-to-consumer channel, with own-site revenue increasing 27% year on year.
  The company said higher site traffic, improved conversion rates and increased ord
  
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• Chanel offices searched by Italian authorities in labour abuse probe

  17-07-2026 18:56 via ft.com
  Luxury group has said it is co-operating and has terminated relationship with subcontractor in question
  
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• Superdrug marks first birthday of ‘beauty playground’ with host of new products

  17-07-2026 13:25 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Superdrug is marking the first birthday of its beauty playground concept by rolling out a host of new brands and products.
  Launched in July 2025 in its flagship Westfield Stratford London store, Superdrug’s beauty playground is now a permanent feature in its leading destination stores and online.
  The concept acts as “a hub of beauty discovery” where shoppers can “explore must-have brands, access beauty services, receive expert advice, and create content while they shop,&r
  
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• Checkout security has moved from the card to the customer

  17-07-2026 13:01 via theretailbulletin.com
  Most card fraud in the UK no longer happens at the till. It has followed shoppers online, into the remote, card-not-present transactions that make up the... View Article
  
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• FatFace’s product director and trading & sustainability director on collabs, marketplaces and European growth

  17-07-2026 12:27 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Kate Brown, product director, and Nick Stevenson, trading & sustainability director, at FatFace discuss building authentic, values-led collaborations; using marketplace partnerships to reach new European customers; and strengthening its international expansion. 
  The UK fashion brand’s latest design partnership has seen it work with the V&A, while it harnesses a Zalando tie-in to connect with shoppers across 20 European markets.
  Brown says: “We only partner with organisat
  
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• Brand Licensing Europe issues last call for speakers

  17-07-2026 11:55 via theretailbulletin.com
  Application deadline Friday 31 July / 61 applications to date / Agenda filling up with few spots remaining / Themes confirmed • BLE 6-8 October 2026,... View Article
  
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• Nobody’s Child launches new Cambridge boutique

  17-07-2026 11:30 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Womenswear retailer Nobody’s Child is opening a new store in Grand Arcade, Cambridge this month. 
  The 1000 sq ft space forms the brand’s tenth standalone boutique, and its third opening for 2026. 
  The store environment has been “mindfully designed to feel both timeless and welcoming,” featuring reclaimed and vintage furniture curated by the company’s in-house team.
  Nobody’s Child CEO Jody Plows said: “Opening our new Cambridge store marks an ex
  
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• Ted Baker plots standalone store comeback after two-year absence

  17-07-2026 10:32 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Ted Baker is reportedly preparing to reopen standalone stores in the UK as the fashion brand steps up its return to physical retail.
  It is expected to open its first new standalone shop later this year, with owner Authentic Brands Group indicating that the launch will take place “very soon”. A location has not yet been disclosed.
  Ted Baker recently opened a boutique inside Selfridges Birmingham at the Bullring, offering a curated range of occasionwear, accessories and lifestyle produ
  
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• Online Payments Move Into UK Retail Checkouts

  17-07-2026 10:28 via theretailbulletin.com
  Walk into a flagship store on Oxford Street, tap your phone at the till, and the transaction completes before the receipt even prints. Nothing unusual there.... View Article
  
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• Selfridges Birmingham to stock Ozzy Osbourne fragrance in retail first

  17-07-2026 10:18 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Czech & Speake has announced that it is expanding the distribution of its No.88 Prince of Darkness Limited Edition through a new partnership with Selfridges Birmingham.
  The tie-up marks the first time the fragrance, created in tribute to the late Ozzy Osbourne, will be available in a physical store.
  Previously sold exclusively through Czech & Speake’s website, the limited edition will launch at Selfridges Birmingham on 21 July and remain available until the end of August.
  The launc
  
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• Burberry returns to growth boosted by US and China demand

  17-07-2026 10:14 via ft.com
  UK luxury brand has been particularly popular with Gen Z consumers
  
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• Burberry boosted by healthy US demand as Iran war takes toll

  17-07-2026 10:14 via ft.com
  Shares fall as UK luxury group reports that the Iran war has hit tourist travel and spending in the Middle East
  
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• Burberry retail revenue up 5% but EMEIA sales decline

  17-07-2026 10:01 via theretailbulletin.com
  Burberry has increased it first quarter retail revenue by 5% to £455 million after delivering growth across its womenswear, menswear, accessories and childrenswear divisions for the... View Article
  
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• Burberry sales rise 5% as turnaround shows signs of success

  17-07-2026 09:41 via retailgazette.co.uk
  Burberry sales increased five per cent in its first quarter as chief executive Joshua Schulman’s turnaround strategy continued to gain momentum.
  Revenue climbed from £433m to £455m during the 13 weeks to 27 June, while comparable store sales rose five per cent , reversing a one per cent decline the previous year.
  Burberry recorded growth across womenswear, menswear, accessories and childrenswear for the first time in three years, led by a double-digit increase in outerwear sale
  
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• Frasers blames Labour for £10m increase in employment costs

  17-07-2026 09:35 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Frasers Group has revealed that increases to the minimum wage and employer National Insurance added an alleged £10m to its costs last year.
  The Sports Direct owner said the changes drove a £9.7m increase in operating expenses across its Premium Lifestyle division, which includes Flannels, House of Fraser, Jack Wills and Sofa.com.
  Profit from trading in the division dropped by £9.8m to £147.6m as the additional employment costs outweighed an improved gross profit performan
  
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• Shein’s £37bn IPO valuation under pressure as EU crackdown knocks growth

  17-07-2026 09:21 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Shein could be forced to accept a lower valuation for its long-awaited Hong Kong float as new European import charges weigh on sales and profits.
  The online fashion giant is targeting a valuation of between £30bn and £37bn, less than half the approximately £74bn price tag it secured during a 2022 funding round.
  However, some investors believe Shein may need to lower its expectations further amid slowing growth and increasing regulatory scrutiny of Chinese ecommerce businesses.
  
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• Ocado boss Tim Steiner denies he will be ‘puppet master’ after CEO exit

  17-07-2026 09:15 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Ocado co-founder Tim Steiner has insisted he will not seek to control the business from behind the scenes when he steps down as chief executive.
  Steiner is due to leave the top job in 2028 before moving into a founder role for a further year, during which he will provide strategic guidance and support to the board.
  The succession plan follows reports of tensions between Steiner and Ocado chairman Adam Warby, who was said to have started searching for a new chief executive without consulting the
  
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• Nobody’s Child opens third UK boutique of 2026 in Cambridge

  17-07-2026 09:14 via theretailbulletin.com
  Womenswear brand Nobody’s Child has opened its third UK boutique of the year at Cambridge’s Grand Arcade. Spanning 1,000 square feet, the space has been designed... View Article
  
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• Vodafone settles high street legal battle with 62 former franchisees

  17-07-2026 09:03 via retailgazette.co.uk
  Vodafone has settled a long-running High Court claim brought by 62 former franchise partners over the operation of its UK high street stores.
  The agreement brings the 19-month dispute to an end before it reached trial. Its financial terms will remain confidential and Vodafone has made no admission of liability.
  The former store owners had accused the telecoms giant of enriching itself at their expense by as much as £85m.
  Court documents alleged that Vodafone had cut the sales commissions p
  
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• Aldi launches hiring spree for 450 store roles amid expansion drive

  17-07-2026 08:56 via retailgazette.co.uk
  Aldi is recruiting more than 450 store assistants as it presses ahead with its UK expansion plans.
  The entry-level roles form part of Aldi’s continued investment in its store estate, with around 40 new locations set to open this year under a £370m expansion programme.
  Applicants do not need any formal qualifications, although the supermarket said it is looking for candidates who are friendly, positive and confident working with numbers.
  Aldi UK recruitment director Kelly Stokes said
  
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• Morrisons names Maz Ahmed as convenience and wholesale boss

  17-07-2026 08:52 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Morrisons has appointed Maz Ahmed as managing director of convenience and wholesale.
  Ahmed succeeds Matthew Heslop, who left his role as group wholesale and convenience director in February.
  He will oversee the continued growth of Morrisons’ convenience division, including plans to open hundreds more franchised Morrisons Daily stores over the coming years.
  The new boss will also be tasked with improving the performance of the grocer’s company-owned convenience shops.
  Ahmed has held s
  
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• Morrisons appoints Maz Ahmed to lead convenience and wholesale

  17-07-2026 08:44 via theretailbulletin.com
  Morrisons has named Maz Ahmed as its new managing director of convenience and wholesale. He has succeeded Matthew Heslop, who stepped down as group wholesale and... View Article
  
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• Aldi recruiting for 450 entry-level store assistants

  16-07-2026 18:20 via theretailbulletin.com
  Aldi is recruiting for more than 450 entry-level store assistant vacancies as it continues its expansion across the UK. The supermarket is planning to open round... View Article
  
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• Former Ocado Ads leader heads to Joybuy

  16-07-2026 18:04 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Jack Johnson is leaving Ocado after almost five years to join Joybuy, as the JD.com-owned ecommerce platform ramps up its European expansion.
  Johnson took to LinkedIn to explain he will depart the online grocer to lead and build Joybuy’s retail media business across the UK and Europe.
  He described his departure from Ocado Retail as “incredibly bittersweet”, as the creation of Ocado Ads and Beet by Ocado was “one of the most challenging, rewarding, and flat-out fun experie
  
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• The AI boom is making laptops and tablets more expensive. Could refurbished tech retailers be the biggest winner?

  16-07-2026 15:57 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Over recent years, the demand for artificial intelligence has skyrocketed – impacting everything from text and image generation to agentic forecasting. However, over the past few months, the surge in popularity for AI has begun to reshape an unlikely corner of the retail market.
  As technology companies race to build AI data centres, the industry has found that the memory chips needed to power them are becoming increasingly scarce, driving up the cost of everything from laptops to tablets.
  
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• The inside scoop: Little Moons’ Louisa Dodd on how the brand is reshaping its supply chain

  16-07-2026 15:54 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  The mochi ice cream maker is emerging from a turbulent few years. But amid new leadership and operational changes, sustainability has remained at the heart of the B Corp. Sustainability chief Louisa Dodd argues that responsible sourcing should not be viewed as a ‘luxury’ but as a crucial part of creating a resilient supply chain.
  For many businesses, an investment in making their operations more sustainable is an ambition that might be difficult to square with commercial reality. How
  
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• DFS expects £45m profit despite weaker second half demand

  16-07-2026 14:56 via theretailbulletin.com
  DFS is expecting to post an underlying pre-tax profit of around £45 million for the year to 28 June, in line with its previously upgraded guidance... View Article
  
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• Ocado shares plunge 18% as tech licensing division struggles

  16-07-2026 13:26 via ft.com
  Shares hit 13-year low after UK grocery delivery group reports lower profits and says new installations will be delayed
  
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• DFS credits platform innovation and people for projected £45m profit

  16-07-2026 11:48 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  DFS expects to hit a profit, before tax, of £45 million, as the furniture retailer issued a trading update for the year ending 28 June.
  As it ungraded its guidance, DFS reported its profit increased 15 per cent year-on-year, despite weaker market demand in H2.
  Profit performance was underpinned by 2.7 per cent revenue growth, gross margin expansion and continued cost discipline.
  “Continued investment in innovation across our platforms and people has achieved record customer Net Promo
  
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• Dreams beds in for year-long Channel 4 and UKTV sponsorship push

  16-07-2026 11:38 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Dreams has signed a year-long sponsorship deal spanning Channel 4 streaming, UKTV and Great! TV is it aims maintain a continuous presence in front of British viewers.
  The partnership, brokered by Havas Media UK, will place Dreams alongside a range of entertainment programmes under a bespoke ‘Entertainment You Love’ package.
  Launching this month and running until July 2027, the campaign covers Channel 4’s streaming service and eight linear television channels.
  Dreams will featur
  
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