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The furniture retailer cited its use of AI as a major driver for growth

On this episode of Talking Shop I’m joined by Alain Bejjani—former Group CEO of Middle East retail giant Majid Al Futtaim, and author of the definitive new book, NEXT: Leading Through the New Realities. Drawing on his childhood in war-torn Beirut, and his experience steering a $9.5bn dollar retail and lifestyle empire through a global pandemic, Alain brings an unmatched perspective on leadership under pressure. Today, we break down his crisis survival playbook for retailers operating in distress. We discuss why resilience must always outpace efficiency, the four assets a brand must protect at all costs, and how to turn macro-turmoil into a long-term direction that scales.

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DFS has announced that its exclusive brand partnerships have seen “record sales levels”, as its reported profit before tax nearly doubled to £30.3m in its interim results for the 26 weeks ending 28 December 2025.

The furniture retailer’s revenue reached £547.7m, up 8.6% year-on-year, while its gross sales increased by 8.7% to £734.5m

The company attributed its strong performance to its use of AI in enhancing its online shopping experiences and operational efficiency, which it said inflated average order values.

It added it would capitalise on the success of its ‘high profile’ partnerships to expand its non-upholstery ‘Home’ category, while confidently striving for its £1.4bn full year revenue target.

This comes after the UK has seen wet weather dampen footfall and fragile consumer confidence, which the business said it will continue to navigate with its current strategy and “disciplined approach” to gross margin and cost management.

Tim Stacey, group chief executive officer, said: “In summary, the first half performance was reflective of our strengthening business and the dedication of our colleagues across the group. We delivered robust financial results in a subdued market environment and improved our financial position.

“As we look to the second half of the year and beyond, we remain focused on executing our strategy, driving profitable growth, strengthening our balance sheet and delivering long term value for our shareholders, customers and colleagues.”

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