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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May- 2021 -10 May
UK retail footfall drops 4.1% amid poor weather
Footfall across UK retail destinations declined by 4.1% last week from the week prior, which was attributed to the impact of poor weather, according to the latest data from Springboard. Activity in high streets also dropped to 6.6%, whilst in retail parks and shopping centres footfall declined by just 1.3%…
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10 May
Ikea eyes Topshop’s former Oxford Street flagship
Ikea has reportedly held advanced talks to take over the former Topshop flagship store Oxford Street as part of a strategy to expand into city centres, This is Money has reported. According to reports, the furniture giant previously considered moving into other buildings on Oxford Street, including the former BHS,…
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10 May
Greggs sales recover to near pre-pandemic levels
Greggs saw its two-year like-for-like (LFL) sales close the gap to just a 3.9% decline for the eight weeks to 8 May. It follows a 13.5% fall in LFL sales for the 18 weeks to 8 May when compared to FY19, as the group also showed signs of recovery following…
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10 May
Travis Perkins accelerates employee mental wellbeing initiatives
Travis Perkins has revealed that it has accelerated its commitment to ensure there are six times more mental health first aiders (MHFAs) in its business this summer than there were at the start of the year. The safety and wellbeing of colleagues is reportedly the group’s “number one priority”, with…
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10 May
Andy Rubin steps down from JD Sports’ board
JD Sports Fashion has announced the departure of Andy Rubin as non-executive director from its board, leaving the position on 6 May 2021. Rubin has been replaced on the board by Andy Long, as a non-executive director, with effect from 6 May 2021. Currently, Long serves as an executive director…
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7 May
Dixons Carphone commits £25m to colleague investment
Dixons Carphone has announced that it will invest £25m in skills, wellbeing, and reward programmes for its colleagues over the next two years. The investment will include almost 500,000 hours of learning in 2020, training nearly 1,000 staff members as mental health first aiders, and the opening of a new…
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7 May
Fashion and lifestyle sales see record surge amid reopening
Retailers reported record results across fashion, lifestyle and homeware and sustained growth of online sales in April, as consumer confidence was boosted by the easing of lockdown and progress with the COVID-19 vaccination programme, according to BDO. BDO’s High Street Sales Tracker (HSST) found that non-store like for like sales…
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7 May
Body Shop owner fundraises over £700m in sustainability-linked bonds
Natura and Co, the parent company of The Body Shop, Avon, and Aesop, has announced the completion of an international fundraising effort of $1bn (£718m) in bonds attributed to sustainability goals. According to the group, the funds will be put towards refinancing existing debt, as part of the group’s liability…
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7 May
10p plastic bag charge to be enforced from 21 May
The single-use carrier bag charge is set to double from 5p to 10p and be extended to all businesses in England from 21 May. As a result of the charge, which has seen a 95% cut in plastic bag sales in supermarkets since 2015, the average person in England now…
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7 May
Joules secures ESG-linked financing arrangement
Clothing retailer Joules has announced an extension to its current funding arrangements, converting the facility to an ESG-linked financing arrangement. Placed through Barclays Bank, the scheme includes a £25m revolving credit facility and £9m term loan to September 2024. Under the terms of the arrangement, Joules’ interest rate loan margin…
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