Black Friday

Monsoon owner sees FY losses widen to £7.5m

Monsoon and Accessorize owner, Adena Brands Limited, has reported a £7.5m loss before tax and an EBITDA loss of £2.4m for the year to 31 August 2024, due to “significant” cost inflation which was driven by the UK National Minimum Wage rise.  The loss also comes as group sales for…

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Retailers at risk: how cyber threats are shaping the future of commerce

In recent weeks two major UK retailers – Marks and Spencer and Co-op – have fallen victim to high-profile cyber attacks that sent ripples through the entire retail sector. These breaches were a stark reminder that no company, no matter how established or trusted, is immune from cyber threats.  As…

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How hard is it to turnaround a legacy brand?

Britain has a long and storied history with retail having a number of companies which have been established for well over a century. However, in recent years many of these legacy brands have struggled, especially as retail has become so much about online. Many of these brands have had to…

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Today’s news in brief-12/3/25

Inditex, the parent company of Zara, reported a strong financial performance for FY24, with sales rising by 10.5% to €38.6bn and profit-before-tax increasing by 10.3% to €7.6bn. The company achieved these results with 2.0% more commercial space and 2.3% fewer stores compared to 2023, reflecting its ongoing store optimization and…

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Sophie Ellis-Bextor partnership helps boost Freemans Q4 sales

Online department store Freemans has revealed its partnership with pop star Sophie Ellis-Bextor helped boost its sales 13% during the 13 weeks to 20 December 2024. It comes as its total fashion sales were up +5% and home and living category +18% over the same period. Meanwhile its Christmas sales,…

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Retail sales increase 2.6% despite ‘stormy’ January

UK total retail sales increased by 2.6% year-on-year in January, against a growth of 1.2% in January 2024, as consumer sentiment remained resilient despite stormy weather, according to the latest figures from the BRC-KPMG Retail Sales Monitor. This growth was above the three-month average growth of 1.1% and above the…

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Are we in the golden age of drinking at home?

The wine retail market has shown surprising resilience over the 2024 Christmas period, with a number of wine-specific groups outperforming the broader market. With trends shifting towards at-home experiences, and with people reportedly frequenting pubs less and less outside of special occasions, it’s tempting to wonder: Are we living in…

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Gloucester Quays sees 7.4% sales uptick in FY24

Gloucester Quays has announced a “record” Christmas trading with sales a 7.4% sales increase in FY24, 6.7% ahead of the national average. With Black Friday falling on November payday in 2024, and some retailer offers in advance of that date, the Christmas period proved successful for Gloucester Quays’ tenants.  Across…

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Today’s news in brief-30/1/25

Retail crime in the UK has surged to record levels, with theft losses hitting £2.2bn in 2023/24, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC). The trade body warned that organised crime groups are “systematically” targeting stores, while violence and abuse against retail workers spiked by over 50%, averaging 2,000 incidents…

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H&M FY profits rise despite weaker Q4 sales

H&M boss Daniel Ervér has said the Swedish retailer is “on track” as it revealed FY operating profits in the year to Nov 30 jumped 28% to SEK 17.3bn (£1.2bn). It comes as quarterly sales were SEK 62.19bn (£4.53bn), up 3% in local currencies but lower than analysts predicted. H&M…

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