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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Nov- 2023 -23 November
BRC accuses Hunt of ‘selling out’ retailers and customers
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has accused the chancellor of selling out retailers and customers in his Autumn Statement delivered yesterday (22 November). In the budget Hunt froze the business rates multiplier for small businesses but offered nothing to larger ones. He also increased the National Living Wage to £11.44…
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23 November
Nisa appoints new director of retail and sales
Peter Batt, managing director at Nisa, has appointed Katie Secretan to his senior leadership team as director of sales and retail to help drive and implement its long-term business plans. Joining from her most recent role as retail transformation director at the Post Office, Secretan will be responsible for setting…
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22 November
Chancellor cuts National Insurance to 10% alongside NLW rise
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has announced a series of measures to help boost the UK economy as part of his Autumn Budget including slashing National Insurance by 2% and freezing business rates for retail and hospitality. As part of the new measures, Hunt revealed that National Insurance will be cut from…
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22 November
Kingfisher lowers profit guidance amid slight sales drop
Kingfisher has lowered its profit guidance for the year after it saw its sales slip 2.1% to £3.2bn for the three months ended 31 October 2023. The company’s sales fell 2.7% on a constant currency basis and it now expects its full-year profit before tax to end around £560m down…
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22 November
Urban Outfitters owner hits ‘record’ $1.28bn in Q3 sales
Urbn, the parent company of Urban Outfitters, Free People and Anthropologie, revealed it experienced “record” sales of $1.28bn (£1.02bn) during the third quarter of the year, ending 31 October. This comes despite sales at Urban Outfitters dropping 14.2% during the period. The group also experienced a 3.6% drop in wholesale…
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22 November
Victoria Plumbing sees revenues and profits rise in FY 2023
Victorian Plumbing Group has reported a 26% increase in operating profits to £15.3m and a 6% increase in revenues to £285.1m, for the year ended 30 September 2023. Its gross profit was up 11% compared with last year at £134.6m and adjusted EBITDA also increased 22% to £23.8m. The group…
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21 November
Today’s news in brief-21/11/23
AO World has reported a significant turnaround in its financials for the six months ending September 30. The company posted a profit before tax of £13m, marking a notable improvement from the previous year’s loss of £12m. AO World has adjusted its profit guidance for the fiscal year, now anticipating…
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21 November
Businesses call to freeze Northern Ireland rate
A diverse range of business organisations have united to call on the leaders of the local political parties to support their call for the regional rate in Northern Ireland to be frozen. The director of the Northern Ireland Retail Consortium, Neil Johnston led the appeal and has been supported by…
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21 November
AO World ups guidance as profits hit £13m
AO World has upped its profit guidance after it posted profit before tax of £13m, up from a loss of £12m, for the six months ended 30 September. As a result the company now expects to end the financial year with a profit before tax of between £28m and £33m.…
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21 November
Footfall improves ahead of Black Friday
Footfall edged up 0.4% in the week before Black Friday across all retail destinations, new data from MRI Software suggests. High streets recorded the strongest performance where footfall rose 1%. Shopping centres also witnessed a modest rise in footfall of 0.6%, however retail parks saw footfall decline by 1.3% from…
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