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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Jan- 2018 -22 January
Small businesses struggle with poor ATM provision
More than 200 communities in Britain have poor ATM provisions, or no cash machines at all, affecting small businesses. Which? Research has stated it is “worried that proposals from LINK – the UK’s largest cash machine network – to lower its fees by 20% could lead to mass closures of…
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22 January
UK online SMEs ‘confident’ in 2018 sales growth
UK SME online retailers have expressed confidence in the year ahead with 74% anticipating sales will increase in 2018, according to a study commissioned by Royal Mail.Some 70% of retailers asked said they had experienced an uplift in sales in 2017 compared to the previous year. The health and beauty…
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22 January
Co-op creates modern slavery job lifeline programme
The Co-op is creating a national scheme that allows employers to help survivors of modern slavery by offering them permanent employment within its business. The project is based on the Co-op’s Bright Future programme, which provides survivors with a four-week paid work placement leading to a non-competitive interview. If they…
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22 January
Holland & Barrett appoints new managing director
Health and wellness retailer Holland & Barrett has appointed Steve Carson to the newly created position of managing director. Carson was previously director of retail and customer operations at Sainsbury’s and Argos, responsible for around 840 stores. He will oversee the day-to-day running of Holland & Barrett, driving further growth…
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22 January
Dixons Carphone CEO steps down for Boots role
Walgreens Boots Alliance has appointed Sebastian James as senior vice president, president and managing director of Boots. In order to take up the role James has left his position as Dixons Carphone CEO, a position he has held since 2014. James will join the Walgreens Boots Alliance this summer before…
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19 January
December 2017 sees retail sales slump
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has revealed that December 2017 had the weakest retail sales in over four years. The quantity of items bought in December decreased by 1.5% when compared with the stronger sales in November 2017. Although retail sales increased by 1.3% in December compared with the…
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19 January
Asda and Aldi ban energy drink sales to under-16s
Asda and Aldi have joined supermarket Waitrose in banning the sale of high-caffeine drinks to anyone aged under 16, the first of the ‘Big Four’ retailers to do so. The move will see an age restriction introduced on 84 products from 5 March in Asda. From this date customers wishing…
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19 January
Carpetright shares crash 41.9% amid profit warning
Specialist carpet retailer Carpetright has issued another profit warning prompting shares to fall by 41.9%, at the time of writing. Analysts expected profit figures of £15.6m for the year, but the firm revised its full-year profit guidance to between £2m to £6m. Sales for the post-Christmas period were significantly behind…
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19 January
Poundland owner Steinhoff plea for £176m life raft
The owner of Poundland, Steinhoff, has begun contacting potential lenders in search of €200m (£176m) in “interim liquidity support” to avoid going into administration. The company was at the centre of an accounting scandal towards the end of last year, and talks include a request for a temporary waiver on…
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19 January
Post Office joins convenience store for new 24-hour offering
The opening of a new Post Office on New Oxford Street in London has marked the first in the new strategy of the postal service. The new 24-hour branch is based inside The Convenience Store on 71 New Oxford Street. A further 25 openings are planned in London including in…
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