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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Jan- 2018 -12 January
HMRC report names retail gender-pay-gap culprits
An HMRC report listing gender pay figures for period 2016-17 has revealed the names of 39 companies in the retail and wholesale trades which it says failed to pay female workers the same rate as men in equivalent roles. Among the firms studied, on average women were being underpaid by…
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12 January
Shoppers make 80% of retail purchases online
Online shoppers in the UK make 80% of their retail purchases online, up from 74%, according to a new report. The Royal Mail’s ‘Delivery Matters’ report found that the proportion of money being spent online has increased year on year. The average online shopper spends £40 each month on clothes…
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12 January
GAME reveals first sales growth in two years
Video game retail store Game has posted its first positive sales growth in over two years. The retail group provided a trading update ahead of its annual general meeting, revealing that gross transaction value (GTV) was up 5.2% over the Christmas trading period and up overall by 3.8% for the…
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12 January
Ocado tests robotic assistant for use in its warehouses
Online home delivery supermarket Ocado has revealed the first prototype of a robot to assist staff in its warehouses. The project, dubbed ‘SecondHands’, is designed to maintenance technicians working in Ocado’s automated warehouses, and will learn through observation how to complete tasks that require a level of precision or physical…
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12 January
B&M reports sales increase of 22%
Discount retailer B&M has reported an increase in total sales of 22.7% on a constant currency basis, which were boosted by record Christmas trading. On an actual currency basis, total sales climbed by 22.9% to £969.8 million. UK sales revenue for the B&M store estate in the 13-week period…
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12 January
Diageo signs with UberEATs for convenience store alcohol deliveries
Alcoholic drinks giant Diageo has signed a new partnership with delivery app, UberEATs, to begin delivering its drinks brands to consumers from local convenience stores. Retailers will be invited to work alongside Diageo as supply partners to fulfil orders of its beverages, as well as mixers and snacks, via the…
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11 January
John Lewis issues profit warning despite ‘most successful trading day ever’
The John Lewis Partnership has reported an increase in sales for the six-week period ending December 30, but a competitive Christmas season characterised by heavy discounting across the retail industry will hit profits, it said today. Group sales were (which include John Lewis and Waitrose) were up 2.5% year-on-year, totalling…
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11 January
Carphone Warehouse fined £400,000 for security data breach
Carphone Warehouse has been fined £400,000 by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), after a data breach allowed unauthorised access to the personal data of over three million customers and 1,000 employees. The compromised data included names, addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth, marital status and, for more than 18,000 customers,…
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11 January
Train station Christmas shopping brings 9% sales growth
Figures released by Network Rail show total train station retail sales for the festive period grew by 9% this year. The figures, which span 18 November to 23 December, suggested a growing desire for convenience retail, Network Rail said. Station retailers saw a total of over £110m in sales during…
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11 January
Marks and Spencer sales take a hit over Christmas
The all-important festive season yield disappointing results for Marks and Spencer at the end of 2017 as sales fell 1.4% during the period. Like-for-like revenues fell 1.4% in the 13 weeks to 30 December, with clothing and homeware down 2.8% and food down by 0.4%. Steve Rowe, chief executive said:…
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