Retail news

• Tapestry appoints new board of directors

  20-04-2020 10:58 via retailgazette.co.uk
  // Kate Spade owner Tapestry appoints John Bilbrey to its board of directors
  // John Bilbrey was previously president and CEO of The Hershey CompanyTapestry, the parent company of Kate Spade, Stuart Weitzman and Coach has appointed John Bilbrey to its board of directors.
  “We are extremely pleased that John has agreed to join our board,” Tapestry chairman and CEO Jide Zeitlin said in a news statement.
  “He brings to our board deep consumer and operational experience along with br
  
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• New Look turns to AI to speed up product design

  30-06-2026 10:29 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  New Look has announced a new partnership with AI visualisation platform Fermat with the aim of making buying and design process faster and more flexible.
  It will reportedly use the technology to help its teams create virtual product renders, test design variations and experiment with different prints, colourways and styling options before products are physically sampled.
  New Look said the partnership would help its buying and design teams bring ideas to market more quickly, while supporting a mo
  
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• Maersk lifts outlook as demand and freight rates climb

  30-06-2026 10:15 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Maersk has raised its full-year profit guidance after stronger container demand and higher freight rates boosted the global shipping market.The Danish shipping giant now expects underlying EBITDA of between $8bn and $10bn for 2026, up from its previous forecast of $4.5bn to $7bn.
  It also lifted its underlying EBIT guidance to between $2bn and $4bn, compared with its earlier range of a $1.5bn loss to a $1bn profit.
  Free cash flow is now expected to be at least negative $1.5bn, an improvement on
  
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• British American Tobacco to cut 9,000 jobs in AI-led overhaul

  30-06-2026 09:38 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  British American Tobacco is to cut or outsource around 9,000 roles globally as part of a major restructuring drive designed to reduce costs and make the business more technology-led.
  The FTSE 100 tobacco giant, which owns brands including Lucky Strike, Dunhill, Vuse and Velo, said it would cut around 5,500 jobs and move a further 3,500 roles to strategic partners.
  The shake-up forms part of BAT’s Fit2Win transformation programme, which is expected to deliver around £600m in annualise
  
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• Sainsbury’s posts quarterly sales uplift as value focus drives growth

  30-06-2026 09:34 via theretailbulletin.com
  Sainsbury’s has increased its like-for-like sales excluding fuel by 2.1% in its first quarter as it focus on value helped it make market share gains. In... View Article
  
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• Sainsbury’s grocery sales rise, but Argos and Tu struggle

  30-06-2026 09:32 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Sainsbury’s has posted an “encouraging” start to the year as stronger grocery sales helped offset weaker trading across Argos, clothing and general merchandise.
  The supermarket said total retail sales, excluding fuel, rose 2.7 per cent to £9.15bn in the 16 weeks to 20 June.
  Sainsbury’s-branded sales increased 3.1 per cent to £8.04bn, with grocery sales up 3.6 per cent year on year.
  The retailer said growth had been supported by continued investment in value, i
  
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• Co-op extends GXO transport deal, supporting deliveries to over 1,000 stores

  30-06-2026 09:13 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Co-op has extended its transport partnership with GXO Logistics in a new five-year agreement to strengthen its UK supply chain.
  The deal covers GXO’s transport operations at Avonmouth, Andover and Lea Green, supporting deliveries to more than 1,000 Co-op stores across the UK.
  The agreement will take the partnership between the two businesses beyond 20 years, with GXO continuing to manage key parts of Co-op’s transport network.
  Co-op head of logistics operations Stuart Rendall said th
  
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• Shein and Temu hit by French ultra-fast fashion crackdown

  30-06-2026 09:07 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Shein and Temu are facing tighter restrictions in France after lawmakers passed new legislation targeting ultra-fast fashion retailers.
  The French Parliament has definitively adopted a bill designed to reduce the environmental impact of the textile industry, following more than two years of debate between the country’s lower and upper houses.
  The law will impose financial penalties on ultra-fast fashion companies, with fines ranging from €0.25 to €6 per product in 2026 and rising
  
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• David Gandy Wellwear announces strategic partnership with Dragons’ Den star Touker Suleyman

  30-06-2026 08:56 via theretailbulletin.com
  David Gandy Wellwear has announced a strategic partnership with retail entrepreneur, Dragons’ Den star, and Low Profile Holdings founder Touker Suleyman, as the menswear brand looks... View Article
  
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• Boots extends late-night deliveries to 25 stores for World Cup viewing surge

  30-06-2026 08:44 via theretailbulletin.com
  Boots has extended its opening hours up to midnight across 25 new locations via Deliveroo to meet demand from customers watching World Cup football games. Stores now offering  on-demand... View Article
  
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• Retail workers lose £3.6bn in earnings as hours dry up

  30-06-2026 07:53 via retailgazette.co.uk
  More than 300,000 retail and hospitality workers are struggling to secure the hours they want as rising employment costs force businesses to rein in hiring and shifts.
  New research from Retail Economics and Legion Technologies found 8.5 per cent of workers across the two sectors are now underemployed, meaning they want to work more hours but cannot secure them.
  The study estimated that around 320,000 retail and hospitality staff are missing out on a combined £3.6bn in earnings as employers
  
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• Ocado investors push back against Tim Steiner exit plan

  30-06-2026 07:49 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  A group of major Ocado shareholders are pushing the board to rethink plans to replace chief executive Tim Steiner, as the retailer faces a growing split over the future of its long-standing boss.
  Several top 10 investors have written to Ocado’s board in recent days to express support for Steiner, according to the Financial Times, after the online grocery and technology group confirmed it was working on long-term succession planning.
  Ocado said earlier this week that its chief executive and
  
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• Retailers urge Burnham to turn business rates pledge into high street action

  30-06-2026 07:46 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Retailers have welcomed Andy Burnham’s pledge to reform business rates, but warned that high street businesses need meaningful action rather than another round of promises.
  The former Greater Manchester mayor, who is now the MP for Makerfield and frontrunner to replace Sir Keir Starmer as Prime Minister, used a speech in Manchester to call for a reset in how Britain is governed.
  Speaking at the People’s History Museum, Burnham said he wanted to deliver “good growth in every pos
  
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• Portmeirion hires former Denby executives as it accelerates transformation plan

  30-06-2026 07:42 via theretailbulletin.com
  Portmeirion Group has appointed former Denby executives Jane Mason and Hayley Baddiley to its senior leadership team to support the delivery of its transformation plan. Previously... View Article
  
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• John Lewis Partnership ramps up retail media push with Kevel deal

  30-06-2026 07:40 via retailgazette.co.uk
  John Lewis Partnership has appointed Kevel to power its on-site retail media network across the John Lewis and Waitrose websites.
  The partnership will see Kevel’s AI-powered, API-first Retail Media Cloud used to support a bespoke advertising platform across JohnLewis.com and Waitrose.com.
  The move comes as John Lewis Partnership continues to build out its retail media capabilities, with online now accounting for 60 per cent of John Lewis orders.
  The new platform will allow brand partners t
  
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• Boots extends late-night delivery as football fans drive demand for match-day essentials

  30-06-2026 07:06 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Boots is extending on-demand delivery hours to midnight across 25 more locations as football fans turn to rapid delivery for match-day essentials.
  The health and beauty retailer said new data from Boots and Deliveroo showed rising demand around England matches, with shoppers ordering products to homes and pubs rather than leaving the game to visit stores.
  Boots said suncare SPF orders rose sharply in the hours before England games, while hayfever tablet orders were up more than 80 per cent as fa
  
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• Dr. Beckmann launches campaign to tackle textile waste

  29-06-2026 16:21 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  White clothing is more likely than any other colour to end up in landfill, according to new research from Dr. Beckmann and circular fashion business Reskinned.
  The study found the average Brit throws away eight white garments each year, adding up to an estimated 440 million items across the UK annually.
  To highlight the issue, Dr. Beckmann unveiled an installation on London’s South Bank featuring a five-metre-high mound of discarded white clothing. Fronted by Judy Murray, the display was c
  
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• Vinted finds no evidence of criminal activity after viral trafficking claims

  29-06-2026 16:13 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Vinted has said it has found no evidence of criminal activity on its platform after social media users claimed some listings were coded adverts linked to child trafficking.
  Screenshots of listings, mostly for toys, have circulated across TikTok, Instagram, Reddit and X in recent days, prompting speculation that some adverts contained hidden references to children.
  The posts pointed to details such as age, height, gender or race appearing in product descriptions, as well as unusually high prices,
  
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• Nike teased 2027 German football shirt with help from Jamal Musiala

  29-06-2026 15:48 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Sportswear firm Nike has teamed up with German footballer Jamal Musiala to hijack Germany’s game in New Jersey.
  The activation aimed to tease the German squad’s 2027 shirt and premiered on 25 June.
  As part of the campaign, a Nike branded barge will sail across the Hudson River with the message ‘Hallo New Jersey’.Devised by creative agency Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam, it also featured a spot with German footballer Mario Götze and streetwear brand 6PM founder Achraf.
  This
  
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• Introducing The Fashion Think Tank: Inside fashion, not observing it

  29-06-2026 15:43 via theretailbulletin.com
  The Retail Bulletin is proud to announce a partnership with a new platform that does something the fashion media world has been missing: puts the people... View Article
  
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• Harvey Nichols owner explores sale after mounting losses

  29-06-2026 15:42 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Harvey Nichols owner Sir Dickson Poon is reportedly exploring a sale of the luxury department store chain after years of losses.
  The Hong Kong billionaire, who has owned the business for 35 years, is understood to have appointed advisers to examine options for the retailer, which could include new investment or an outright sale.
  FTI Consulting is reported to be advising on the process in the UK, while Derya Akyuz is handling global markets.
  Harvey Nichols is understood to be in active discussion
  
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• Delivery robots could be heading for England’s pavements under new law change

  29-06-2026 15:33 via retailgazette.co.uk
  Delivery robots could soon become a much more common sight outside shops, restaurants and homes across England as ministers prepare to support legal changes allowing them to operate on pavements.
  The government is expected to update the law around low-speed autonomous delivery devices, paving the way for wider use of pavement robots across towns and cities.
  The move could open up a major new last-mile delivery channel for retailers, grocers and takeaway operators, with robots already being used
  
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• Returns reform: how retailers are rewriting the rules without losing customers

  29-06-2026 14:32 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  UK retailers could risk losing £34.1 billion in sales due to “strict” returns policies, according to new research released this month. While the statistic highlights the connection between a transparent returns policy and conversion rates, it fails to capture the complexity of ecommerce returns.
  As ecommerce sales volume grew, so did return rates. Retailers were suddenly faced with soaring reverse logistics costs and unsustainable shopping habits.
  Free returns may have initiall
  
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• Ford rehires veteran engineers as AI quality systems disappoint

  29-06-2026 13:47 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Ford has rehired 350 veteran engineers after the artificial intelligence and automated quality systems it was relying on failed to deliver the standards the company was aiming for.
  The engineers, including former Ford employees and specialists recruited from suppliers, have been brought in to identify potential issues before parts reach the production line, according to Bloomberg.
  Kumar Galhotra said: “We had been relying more and more on automated quality systems.” He added that the
  
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• Retail’s customer experience problem: Shoppers don’t want channels, they want answers

  29-06-2026 13:44 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  It’s a phrase you hear within the retail industry constantly, but it’s never been more true – the customer doesn’t think in channels.
  They don’t care whether their problem started on a website, moved to a chatbot, ended up in a contact centre, or needs a store colleague to fix it. They care whether the retailer knows who they are, what’s happened, and what needs to happen next.
  That’s where many retail customer experience strategies still fall down.
  Reta
  
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• Kenneth Liu on how SHEGLAM has grown in the UK

  29-06-2026 12:47 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Singaporean beauty brand SHEGLAM was launched in 2019 by ecommerce platform Shein.
  It has grown exponentially in the UK over the past few years and SHEGLAM’s General Manager of Europe Kenneth Liu explains how the brand has grown its presence in the UK.
  He says the biggest driver of growth for SHEGLAM within the UK market, is the brands “product innovation and clear differentiation from other brands”.
  According to Liu, it takes a three step approach to innovation, its first its
  
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• Charlotte Tilbury introduced to select Boots stores

  29-06-2026 12:22 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Luxury cosmetics brand Charlotte Tilbury will be available in 31 Boots stores from July, as the two beauty giants partner for the first time.
  The Puig-owned brand,  founded by makeup artist Charlotte Tilbury, will introduce skin care, makeup and fragrance products in Boots’ locations such as Aberdeen, Chester, Leeds, Derby and Plymouth.
  “My mission has always been to empower everyone, everywhere to feel and look like the most beautiful, confident versions of themselves,” s
  
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• Apple and Xbox raise prices as AI drives up chip costs

  29-06-2026 11:55 via retailgazette.co.uk
  Apple and Microsoft have raised prices on some of their products as the cost of memory and storage chips continues to rise.
  Apple has increased prices on selected MacBooks and iPads around the world, with some products rising by almost 20 per cent.
  The tech giant cited the price hike to rising demand for chips used in AI data centres, which has pushed up costs across the electronics industry.
  In a statement, Apple said: “We have shielded our customers from these increases so far, but we ha
  
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• Iran and US agree to renew talks over Strait of Hormuz

  29-06-2026 11:22 via retailgazette.co.uk
  
  Iran and the United States have reportedly agreed to halt recent military strikes and resume talks over their dispute in the Strait of Hormuz.
  According to Axios, the two sides are expected to meet in Qatar on Tuesday after agreeing to renew negotiations following several days of escalating attacks in the Gulf.
  The reported breakthrough follows accusations from both countries that the other had breached an interim agreement reached less than two weeks ago to end their four-month conflict. Relate
  
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• Conversation with… Matt Randle, general manager of Dreamland Bedding

  29-06-2026 10:26 via theretailbulletin.com
  Here we chat with Matt Randle, general manager of Dreamland Bedding, a finalist in this year’s People in Retail Awards, about learning, leadership, and what it... View Article
  
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