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 -19 June
Debenhams issues profit warning
Debenhams has issued a warning saying it now expects pre-profits to be “in the range of £35m-£40m” significantly lower than City forecasts of £50m. The company blamed poor conditions on the high street and said that it doesn’t expect improvement anytime soon. The warning is Debenhams third of the year…
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19 June
ASOS to stop selling silk and cashmere in animal welfare policy update
Online retailer ASOS has announced that it will stop the sale of products made with silk, cashmere, angora, feather/down, bone, horn and shell as part of its updated animal welfare policy. It has also pledged to only sell leather, wool and animal hair which is a by-product of the meat…
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19 June
CMA reveals Asda-Sainsbury’s merger comments
Industry responses to a Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) consultation on the proposed Asda-Sainsbury’s merger have revealed concerns about higher prices and reduced choice for customers. A number of submissions concerned the impact of the proposed merger at a national level, with fears it would lead to increased concentration in…
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18 June
Most Brits would use smartphones as shopping tools for augmented reality
The majority of Brits were found to be willing to use their own smartphones for augmented reality (AR) to better visualise items before buying online, a study has found. Mindshare analysis, conducted on behalf of UK online retail marketplace OnBuy, surveyed 1,000 UK smartphone users focusing on finding the preference…
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18 June
Google and JD.com partner to create ‘frictionless shopping’
Search giant Google and online retailer JD.com have announced a partnership to create “frictionless shopping” experiences. Google, which invested $550m in cash, and JD.com will offer what they are calling “the next generation of retail solutions”, exploring “helpful, personalised and frictionless shopping experiences”. Both companies will work on strategic initiatives,…
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18 June
Bitcoin in retail could ‘bring the internet to a halt’
A new report from the Bank of International Settlements (BIS) in Switzerland has claimed Bitcoin would “bring the internet to a halt” if used as a mainstream payment method in the retail sector. The report also claimed that Bitcoin was a “poor substitute” for state-backed currency as the BIS says…
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18 June
John Lewis pilots buy-back service for unwanted clothing
John Lewis has announced it is to trial an industry-first scheme allowing customers to sell back unwanted clothing to help reduce the amount of landfill waste in the UK. Some 300,000 tonnes of clothing is sent to landfill each year in the UK, and John Lewis’ service will collect…
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18 June
Card payments overtake cash for the first time in the UK
Cards have overtaken cash as Britain’s most frequently used method of payment, thanks to the rise in contactless cards. Steve Newton, executive vice president, UK and Europe of Worldpay, said the UK has passed “a major milestone on its journey to a more digital future”, adding that “the popularity of…
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18 June
Calvetron Brands to shut 102 Jacques Vert and Precis concessions
Benjamin Wiles, Trevor Birch and Philip Duffy of Duff & Phelps, joint administrators to Calvetron Brands, have announced they are serving notice on 102 Jacques Vert and Precis concessions in the UK and Republic of Ireland. These closures and those announced previously, including Dash and Eastex closures made on 4…
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15 June
Microsoft to take on Amazon in checkout-free showdown
Microsoft is reportedly working on technology to cut out cashiers and checkout queues in shops in the first challenge to Amazon Go who opened their checkout-free store in Seattle in January. Sources close to the development of the technology told media that Microsoft is developing software to track what shoppers…
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