News
The latest news, updates and analysis on the the UK retail industry. Covering every segment of the market, Retail Sector’s business journalists keep you in the picture.
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Oct- 2025 -24 October
Boots opens first standalone fragrance boutique
Boots has opened its first fragrance-only concept store in London and introduced more than 400 new perfume lines, including 20 brands new to its range. The Boots Fragrance boutique, located at Broadgate Central, features a curated selection of luxury and niche scents from international and independent perfume houses. The launch…
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24 October
Retail sales improve as good weather drives clothing sales
UK retail sales rose 0.5% in September as a result of a 1.5% increase in non-store retailing and a 1.2% increase in household goods, according to data from the Office for National Statistics. The rise in total sales in September was the fourth consecutive month of increase as volumes reached…
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24 October
Bira warns shoplifting data confirms indies face ‘retail crime crisis’
The British Independent Retailers Association (Bira) has said new figures showing a sharp rise in shoplifting confirm the “retail crime crisis” facing independent shops across the UK. Latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show shoplifting offences rose by 13% to 529,994 incidents, despite an overall 4% fall…
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24 October
AllSaints profits soar ‘record’ 55% to £28m in FY25
AllSaints has reported another year of record profitability for the year to 1 February, as profits before tax jumped 55% to £28m, while profit after tax almost doubled to £18.9m. This comes despite total revenues for the year falling 4% to £441.3m, reflecting what the group described as a “deliberate…
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24 October
Consumer confidence edges up as shoppers prepare for Black Friday
Consumer confidence in the UK rose two points to -17 in October, according to the latest GfK Consumer Confidence Barometer, with four measures up and one down compared with September as buying sentiment was lifted by early retail sales events. The monthly survey found that consumers were more positive about…
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24 October
Very Group posts record earnings of £307m despite revenue fall
The Very Group has reported record EBITDA of £307.1m for the 52 weeks ended 28 June 2025, up 15.9% on the previous year, as tighter cost control and a shift towards higher-margin categories offset weaker sales. The performance saw the group’s adjusted EBITDA margin increase to 14.7%, from 12.5% the…
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23 October
Wickes welcomes strong Q3 as retail sales rise 6.7%
Wickes has welcomed a “strong” Q3 as its retail sales outperformed the market, with group revenues up by 6.9% year-on-year to £420.1m, bolstered by volume-led growth. Retail revenues rose by 6.7% to £312.5m, driven by a sustained increase in volumes, combined with stable pricing, while Design and Installation revenue growth…
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23 October
Dunelm Q1 total sales rise 6.2% to £428m
Dunelm has revealed that its total sales rose 6.2% to £428m for the 13 weeks ended 27 September 2025. The company stated that this growth was driven by both higher volumes and increased average item values from product and category mix. Alongside this, its digital sales represented 40% of its…
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23 October
Shoezone FY profits fall to £2.4m amid slowdown in demand
Shoezone has reported that its adjusted profits before tax are expected to be about £2.4m for the 52-week period to 27 September, down from £10m a year earlier but in line with management expectations. It comes as the footwear retailer’s revenues fell 7.6% to £149.1m from £161.3m in 2024, which…
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23 October
Usdaw welcomes 6.7% rise in real Living Wage
Retail trade union Usdaw has welcomed a 6.7% increase in the real Living Wage, describing it as “a welcome boost for the lowest-paid workers”. It comes as the Living Wage Foundation announced yesterday (22 October) that the new rates will rise to £13.45 per hour across the UK and £14.80…
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