Features
Features delivers in-depth coverage of the people, brands, and trends shaping the UK retail landscape. This section offers detailed reports, case studies, and interviews exploring innovation, strategy, and performance across high street, ecommerce, and luxury sectors. Retail Sector’s Features coverage provides retail leaders, managers, and suppliers with contextual insight into business transformation, consumer behaviour, and the evolving commercial environment driving long-term success.
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Nov- 2025 -12 November
Will live facial recognition technology help retailers crack down on theft?
According to the British Retail Consortium (BRC), retailers in the UK have spent £1.8bn combating the rise in retail crime since the pandemic. In its annual crime survey, the BRC found that customer theft rose by more than 20% to £2bn, taking the total cost of crime – including prevention…
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6 November
How does installing an EV charging hub boost the value of your retail site?
The transition to EVs is not just a shift in how people purchase vehicles, it is a fundamental realignment of which businesses can profit from the expansion of transport infrastructure. Retail site owners are well positioned to capitalise on this change, as the market has shifted from the presence of…
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5 November
How innovative materials are shaping retail spaces
Spaces must be enduring, efficient, and in line with the evolving expectations of consumers. As shoppers continue to seek out immersive in-store experiences, the material components of a retail environment are playing an increasingly important role. From sustainable solutions to high-tech materials, innovative new materials are defining how brands differentiate…
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4 November
When the cloud crashes: what the AWS outage means for UK retail
At 08:09 BST on Monday 20 October, thousands of retail websites, payments systems and logistics platforms began to stutter. Shoppers couldn’t check out and delivery apps wouldn’t load. Even customer service dashboards went dark. The culprit was Amazon Web Services (AWS), the backbone of much of the world’s online infrastructure.…
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Oct- 2025 -28 October
Tackling 2025’s top three peak pressures – are you prepared?
Retail logistics experts from Advanced Supply Chain (ASC) and ReBound Returns outline strategies for retailers to overcome this year’s peak pressure points. 1) Sales surges Retailers have, in recent years, successfully stretched one-day price cuts to weekend sales events, through to month-long promotions – smoothing intense spikes. However, industry data…
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23 October
Insights to impact: How shopper behaviour testing drives stronger retail performance
In UK retail, the margin for error is narrowing. Costs are rising, shopper behaviour is unpredictable, and the pace of change is accelerating. Leaders must now make faster, smarter decisions, where every choice impacts profit, performance and reputation. Yet one area of retail strategy lags behind: how teams test, validate,…
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22 October
Is Pets at Home really a victim of a ‘subdued’ pet market?
“It’s not just one issue behind Pets at Home’s challenges. A squeeze on household budgets, rising costs in real estate and shifts in consumer behaviour have combined with the challenges of delivering a broad ‘pet care platform’ strategy,” says Anna King, a retail consultant, of the troubles facing the UK’s…
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22 October
The Cotswold Company: when success spurs a sale
When a private equity firm begins preparing to sell a company performing at its peak, it can seem counterintuitive. Yet reports that True, the private equity owner of The Cotswold Company, has appointed Arrowpoint Advisory to explore a potential sale suggest a strategic play. It’s one that reveals as much…
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6 October
Fresh no more: Amazon’s online grocery strategy explained
Amazon has announced it will close all 14 of its Amazon Fresh stores in the UK, while converting a further five into Whole Foods Market locations. By the end of 2026, the company will operate 12 Whole Foods stores across the country, including a recently opened branch in Chelsea and…
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Sep- 2025 -29 September
The dos and don’ts of installing EV chargers at retail parks
Electric vehicle (EV) adoption is accelerating across the UK, and retail parks are uniquely suited to support this shift. With more EVs on the road, the demand for good locations to charge is paramount. With their large car parks and numerous amenities, retail parks are well suited for hosting an…
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