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- 2020 -24 November
JD Sports enters Debenhams takeover talks
JD Sports has reportedly entered into talks with advisors regarding a deal which would see the sportswear company take full control of Debenhams. According to the Telegraph, the retailer is interested in purchasing the entire department store shop estate, but is not looking to convert the outlets into JD Sport…
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24 November
Pets at Home ‘optimistic’ as sales rise in H1
Pets at Home has announced that group revenue grew by 5.1% to £574.4m in the half-year ended 8 October 2020, noting that the underlying pet care market remains “in good health” despite the pandemic. While the group saw pre-tax profit fall by 5.1% to £39.6m in the period, down from…
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24 November
AO World revenue soars 53% in H1
AO World has reported that total revenue soared by 53.2% to £717m in the six months to 30 September. The group’s UK revenue rose by 53.9% to £616m in the same period. The online electrical retailer said that group pre-tax profit increased to £18.3m, from a loss of £5.9m in…
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23 November
PM outlines Covid Winter Plan
Boris Johnson has unveiled his ‘Covid Winter Plan’ in the House of Commons this afternoon, whilst outlining England’s return to a three tier system. He confirmed that national restrictions in England will end on 2 December and will “not be renewed”. This will mean that non-essential retail, gyms and the…
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23 November
The Very Group names former BBC tech director as CIO
Online retailer The Very Group has named Matt Grest as chief information officer (CIO), with his role set to come into effect on 21 December 2020. Grest joins from the BBC, where he worked as director of digital platforms and oversaw the transformation of the corporation’s digital and broadcast products…
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23 November
Government to confirm reopening of non-essential retail
The government is today (23 November) set to confirm that all non-essential retail in England will be permitted to reopen next week, following a four-week lockdown over November. According to Sky News, Boris Johnson is set to make an announcement later this afternoon, where he is expected to lay out…
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23 November
Lululemon appoints new CFO
Fashion retailer Lululemon has announced that Meghan Frank has been promoted to CFO, and will assume the role with immediate effect. Frank, who joined Lululemon in 2016 as senior VP of financial planning and analysis, will become the company’s first female CFO, offering more than 20 years of experience within…
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23 November
Cake Box reports sustained recovery in H1
Cake Box said it has made “sustained recovery” since the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic when its stores were closed for six weeks. During the six months to 30 September, EBITDA slightly edged up 0.5% to £1.98m, although pre-tax profit fell by 4% to £1.66m. The specialist cake retailer’s online…
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23 November
Third of consumers to shop this Black Friday
More than a third of UK shoppers are planning to participate in this year’s Black Friday, with 36% stating they will make a purchase during the annual event, according to new research by KPMG. Its latest study polled 2,000 consumers about their spending intentions for Black Friday, and found that…
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20 November
Early Christmas shopping boosts retail in October
The Office for National Statistics has released its October report which showed that retail sales increased by 1.2% in the month, adding that it was the sixth consecutive month of growth in the industry. The year-on-year growth rate in the volume of retail sales saw a “strong increase” of 5.8%,…
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