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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Feb- 2025 -24 February
DFS appoints former Holland and Barrett CEO as NED
DFS Furniture has announced the appointment of former Holland and Barrett CEO Tony Buffin as an independent non-executive director. Buffin was the leader of the health and wellness retailer between 2019 and 2021 and will join the DFS board with immediate effect. He is also the chair of Nobia AB,…
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21 February
Today’s news in brief-21/2/25
UK retail sales saw a 1.7% rise in January 2025, driven primarily by a 5.6% surge in food sales, the largest monthly increase since March 2020, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Despite this rebound, sales volumes over the three months to January fell by 0.6% compared to…
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21 February
Aldi to increase store assistants’ pay from March
Aldi has announced a new pay rise for its store assistants from 1 March, with hourly rates increasing to at least £12.75, maintaining Aldi’s position as Britain’s best-paying supermarket. The new minimum rate, which increases to £14.05 within the M25, exceeds the Real Living Wage set by the Living Wage…
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21 February
Primark to open first standalone homewares store in March
Primark has announced that it is set to open its first standalone homewares store in Belfast on 6 March 2025. The 8,700 sq ft one floor store is located in the iconic Fountain House building on Donegall Place in Belfast. Primark’s homeware offering will move out of the Bank Buildings,…
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21 February
UK retail sales rise by 1.7% in January
UK retail sales volumes increased by 1.7% in January driven largely by food sales, the ONS has revealed. According to the new figures, sales volumes fell by 0.6% in the three months to January 2025, compared with the three months to October 2024, but rose by 1.4%, compared with the…
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21 February
Aldi to invest £67m in existing stores in 2025
Aldi has announced it is set to invest £67m in upgrading its existing stores in 2025. The UK’s fourth largest supermarket has spent almost £600m on store upgrades since 2017, and with the first phase of these updates nearly complete, Aldi is moving on to the next stage of its…
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21 February
Frasers Group withdraws offer for Norway’s XXL ASA
Frasers Group has announced that it will not proceed with its intended voluntary offer for the shares in Norwegian sporting goods retailer XXL ASA at NOK 10 per share, which valued the company’s fully diluted share capital at NOK 246,357,450 (£17.45m). News comes after Frasers initially revealed its voluntary offer…
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21 February
Birkenstock revenues surge 19% in Q1 FY25
Birkestock has reported a 19% surge in revenues to €362m (£299m) for the first quarter ended 31 December 2024. The group’s adjusted EBITDA also increased 25% to €102m (£84m), while net profit hit €20m (£16m), up from a net loss of €7m (£5.79m) the previous year. The group attributed this…
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20 February
Today’s news in brief-20/2/25
Fashion retailer Quiz has appointed administrators to its subsidiary Zandra Retail, resulting in the closure of 23 loss-making stores and the loss of around 200 jobs. Advisory firm Teneo will oversee the administration process, while Orion Retail Limited, owned by Quiz’s founding family, will acquire certain assets, including 42 stores,…
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20 February
Dolce and Gabbana opens new store in Covent Garden
Italian luxury and lifestyle brand Dolce and Gabbana has opened a first-of-its-kind combined beauty and accessories store in Covent Garden. Situated in the historic Market Building, the opening marks Dolce and Gabbana’s return to Covent Garden following the success of its Christmas pop-up on the Piazza in 2022. Fitted out…
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