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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Oct- 2020 -2 October
M&S launches third-party fashion brand partnership
Marks and Spencer has begun stocking independent fashion brands on its site, with debut partner Nobody’s Child launching yesterday (1 October). According to The Guardian, the decision, initially announced in May, seeks to “reinvigorate” the retailer’s “struggling clothes arm” by widening its customer appeal. Nobody’s Child markets itself as “eco-conscious…
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2 October
The Hut Group acquires Perricone for £46m
The Hut Group has acquired Perricone MD, a US luxury skincare brand, in a $60m (£42m) deal. The sale follows the online retailer’s recent acquisitions of ESPA and Christopher Robin. Perricone MD describes itself as a ‘‘science-led’’ skincare brand and has approximately 100 product patents. The Hut Group said it…
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1 October
Retail coalition calls for government inquiry on retail violence
Several retail trade bodies have formed a coalition to call on parliament to launch an inquiry on retail violence, in a letter published yesterday (30 September). The British Retail Consortium, the Association of Convenience Stores, Usdaw and the National Federation of Retail Newsagents wrote to Yvette Cooper MP, chair of…
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1 October
H&M to close stores as online sales rise
H&M has announced that it is planning to close around 250 stores next year, as more of its customers shift to online sales. It comes as the group said that “rapid changes” in customer behaviour have been accelerated by the crisis. In light of this, the group will now “step…
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1 October
Sainsbury’s expands online delivery capacity
Sainsbury’s has announced plans to expand its online grocery capacity to deliver 700,000 weekly orders by the end of October. The supermarket is also set to extend delivery times, with early morning orders starting from 6.30am while late night deliveries finish by 11.30pm. According to Sainsbury’s, new subscriptions were up…
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1 October
Kingfisher offloads Russian chain in £73m deal
B&Q and Screwfix owner Kingfisher has announced it has offloaded Castorama Russia to Russian home improvement firm Maxidom in a £73m deal. Kingfisher, which has approximately 1,350 stores across eight European countries, said that the deal was closed on 30 September with 80% paid at the closing of the transaction.…
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1 October
Halfords raises expectations amid ‘positive momentum’
Halfords has announced that its pre-tax profit in the first half of the year is now expected to be in excess of £55m, following continued “positive” momentum in its cycling and motoring business. Its previous 20-week trading update on 8 September highlighted an “improving growth trend” throughout the period, reflecting…
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Sep- 2020 -30 September
Hammerson appoints Rita-Rose Gagné as CEO
Hammerson has announced the appointment of Rita-Rose Gagné as its new chief executive officer and executive director. Gagné was most recently president of Growth Markets at the global real estate company Ivanhoé Cambridge where she had responsibility for $7.6bn (£5.9bn) of real estate assets across Asia Pacific and Latin America.…
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30 September
N Brown reveals H1 recovery on back of homeware demand
The N Brown group has posted a “recovery” in H1 sales following an increased demand for homeware. N Brown said it has experienced a product revenue trajectory which has “continued to improve” throughout the second quarter, stabilising at -20.5% for H1. Losses in product revenue were down by 58.3% by…
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30 September
Studio reveals strong autumn retail performance
Studio Retail Group has reported strong retail trading in the early weeks of its autumn season, with gifting and early Christmas ranges performing well. The company’s product sales have grown by 30% in the six weeks since the announcement of its full year results on 24 August. First half product…
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