News
News is Retail Sector’s 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 Sector’s news coverage focuses on the business realities behind the headlines — 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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Oct- 2025 -27 October
M&S ends IT service desk partnership with TCS
Marks and Spencer (M&S) has reportedly let go of its IT service desk partnership with its India-based IT consultancy. According to The Telegraph, the retailer terminated its contract with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) in July, but TCS said the move was not related to the cyber attack incident that occurred…
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27 October
Supermarkets urge chancellor to drop new rates surtax
Nine of Britain’s biggest supermarket chains have called on chancellor Rachel Reeves to exclude large retail stores from the government’s proposed business rates surtax, warning it would add pressure to food prices. The letter, organised by the British Retail Consortium (BRC), was signed by the heads of Aldi, Asda, Iceland,…
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27 October
Asda to open second standalone George store in Hull
Asda is set to open its second standalone George concept store in Hull on 31 October, as part of plans to replace its Asda Living brand with the George format nationwide. The new store, located at Anlaby Retail Park, follows the pilot site at Crown Point in Leeds, which opened…
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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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