News
News is Retail Sectorโs central hub for breaking stories, market developments and company updates from across the UK retail industry. This category delivers authoritative, timely coverage on everything from trading performance and executive changes to store openings, brand activity and supply chain developments.
Retail Sectorโs news coverage focuses on the business realities behind the headlines โ providing retail professionals with context on how each development impacts operations, strategy and market confidence. Readers can expect clear, accurate reporting designed to keep decision-makers informed and competitive in a fast-moving retail landscape.
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Dec- 2025 -19 December
UK consumer confidence edges up but remains flat year-on-year
UK consumer confidence rose modestly in December, but remained unchanged from a year earlier, underlining continued pressure on household sentiment despite easing inflation. GfKโs long-running Consumer Confidence Index increased by two points to -17 in December, with all five underlying measures showing month-on-month improvements. The index has been published jointly…
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19 December
WH Smith FY profits dip as FCA probe over accounting error begins
WH Smith has seen pre-tax profits fall from ยฃ114m to ยฃ108m in its full-year results, as it confirmed an investigation by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA ) has launched regarding a previous accounting error.ย Despite the fall in profits, total revenues for the year rose by 5% to ยฃ1.55bn, with…
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19 December
Morleys Department Stores appoints new chief executive
Morleys Department Stores has announced that chief executive Allan Winstanley is set to step down at the end of December 2025 and Ray Clacher will take over as his successor on 5 January 2026.ย Clacher will join Morleys from online retailer BrandAlley, where he most recently served as chief commercial…
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19 December
UK retail sales dip in November amid weaker Black Friday boost
UK retail sales volumes fell slightly in November, as a weaker-than-usual Black Friday failed to offset falls in supermarkets and online jewellery sales, official figures show.Retail sales volumes dropped by 0.1% in November, following a revised fall of 0.9% in October, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). That…
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19 December
Waterstones and Barnes and Noble owner eyes IPO
The owner of Waterstones and Barnes and Noble, Elliott Management, is reportedly preparing for a potential multibillion-pound flotation with a listing expected next year, according to the Financial Times. According to people familiar with the matter, the US hedge fund has held discussions with potential advisers about an initial public…
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18 December
BoE cuts interest rates to 3.75%
The Bank of England (BoE) has voted to cut interest rates from 4% to 3.75%, the lowest the level has been since February 2023, and marking the fourth rate cut made this year.ย The bankโs Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted by a majority of five to four to reduce the…
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18 December
Mamas and Papas reports record Black Friday sales
Mamas and Papas has reported its strongest Black Friday trading period on record, with UK retail sales rising 10% in the five weeks to 30 November.ย ย The increase covered stores, concessions and online sales, with growth led by nursery furniture and travel systems. Furniture sales rose 13%, while travel systems…
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18 December
Consumer confidence remains subdued despite slight December uptick
Consumer confidence remained weak in December despite a modest improvement in expectations about the wider economy, according to new figures from the British Retail Consortium (BRC). Data from the BRC-Opinium survey showed expectations for the state of the economy over the next three months rose to -38 in December, from…
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18 December
Currys HY profits jump 144% to ยฃ22m amid stronger Nordics trading
Currys has seen profits before tax rocket 144% to ยฃ22m in the first half of the year, and expects to see growth in its full-year results, despite warning of โmutedโ customer sentiment in the UK and Ireland.ย For the period ended 1 November, group revenues rose 8% to ยฃ4.23bn, or…
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18 December
Footasylum partners with Apparel Group to expand into Gulf region
Footasylum has signed a strategic partnership with Apparel Group to expand its retail presence across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), marking the UK-based retailerโs first physical stores outside its home market. Under the agreement, Footasylum plans to open 40 stores across the GCC over the next five years, covering the…
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