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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Jun- 2018 -28 June
ASOS partners with London College of Fashion for pilot course
ASOS has announced that it is piloting a training programme on circular fashion for its designers, in partnership with London College of Fashion’s Centre for Sustainable Fashion (CSF). Last year, the online retailer pledged to deliver the training as part of its 2020 Circular Fashion Commitments, which were signed at…
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28 June
Fashion market could lose £350m over next year
The British fashion market – covering clothing, footwear and accessories – could lose £350m in the next 12 months, according to new projections from shopper behaviour experts, Kantar Worldpanel. While overall shopper numbers have increased by 228,000 in the 52 weeks ending 3 June, the fashion market declined by 0.4%…
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27 June
City centres ‘must break reliance’ on retail, says think tank
Too many city centres across England and Wales are over-dependent on retail, and must swap shops for offices, housing and public spaces, according to a new report. Research published by the think tank Centre for Cities with support from Capita, examined for the composition of commercial space in UK cities…
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27 June
124,000 petition against Sainsbury’s wage contract changes
A 124,000 strong petition supporting Sainsbury’s shop floor staff’s working rights was submitted yesterday to the company’s headquarters by Siobhain McDonagh MP, as contract changes across the organisation could see staff wages “plummet”. Michelle Cooper, who started the petition and is using a pseudonym to protect her identity, said Sainsbury’s…
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27 June
One in four companies hit by ‘domino effect’ of another’s insolvency
Some 26% of UK companies have suffered a hit to their finances following the insolvency of a customer, supplier or debtor in the last six months, according to new research from R3, the insolvency and restructuring trade body. The research found the financial impact of the insolvency of another business…
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27 June
John Lewis profits could be ‘close to zero’
John Lewis has issued another profit warning and admitted that it expects profits before exceptional items to be “substantially lower” than last year, or even “close to zero”. The retailer also outlined the next phase of its strategy, saying it would focus on “differentiation not scale”, maintaining a higher level…
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27 June
Costa Coffee sales dip 2% in Q1
Coffee chain Costa has reported a fall in like-for-like sales at the start of the year, blaming a lack of shoppers on the high street. Although total UK sales grew by 5.2% due to new store openings, according to Costa owner Whitbread, the UK’s biggest coffee chain revealed a 2%…
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27 June
‘Serial returners’ cost retailers £7bn a year
New research from Barclaycard has revealed that retail returns made by British shoppers amount to a loss of £7bn a year for retailers. Some 47% of clothing goods purchased are returned by consumers – while they spend on average £313 on online clothes shopping each year, they end up sending…
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26 June
British grocery market sees two years’ consecutive growth
Britain’s grocery sector has grown for two consecutive years, according to the latest grocery market share figures from Kantar Worldpanel for the 12 weeks to 17 June 2018. The figures published today, 26 June, showed supermarket sales have risen for 25 consecutive months and now stand at 2.1% compared with…
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26 June
Carpetright woes as CVA activity results in £70.5m loss
Carpetright has reported a £70.5m loss before tax as a result of the cost and accounting impacts of the group’s restructuring activity. Total group revenue decreased by 3.0% to £443.8m and like-for-like sales for the full year declined by 3.6%, with the first eight weeks of the new financial year…
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