Digital Transformation
This coverage examines digital transformation initiatives shaping UK retail businesses. Reporting highlights technology adoption, e-commerce integration, data strategy, and organisational change driving operational efficiency and customer engagement. Insights are tailored for retail professionals overseeing strategic innovation, competitive positioning, and the shift to digital-first retail models.
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Aug- 2025 -5 AugustPeople Moves
Puma appoints Andreas Hubert as chief operating officer
Puma has appointed Andreas Hubert as its new chief operating officer (COO), effective 1 September 2025. Hubert, will join Puma’s management board, which will expand to five members.As COO, Hubert will oversee global sourcing operations, including sustainability and product development, as well as IT and logistics. The new board role…
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4 AugustDepartment Stores
Debenhams launches AI academy for employees
Debenhams Group has launched an AI skills academy, a new programme aiming to provide its employees with practical AI skills. The academy is being rolled out in partnership with workforce development platform Multiverse. It will be fully funded through the group’s £1.35m apprenticeship levy, and provide employees with “structured, on-the-job…
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Jul- 2025 -25 JulyFeatures
What Sycamore’s $10bn WBA takeover means for the UK high street
A $10bn (£7.4bn) takeover of Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) by Sycamore Partners has been officially approved, with 96% of shareholders voting in favour. This decisive vote underscores the significance of the deal, which is poised to transform a major entity at the intersection of retail and healthcare. Expected to close…
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Mar- 2025 -4 MarchDIY
Oak Furnitureland losses narrow by 19% to £12.4m in FY24
Oak Furnitureland has narrowed its losses by 19% to £12.4m, down from a previous loss of £15.4m, in the year ended 30 June 2024, despite group revenues falling by 17% to £236m due to a soft market and Red Sea disruptions. The group attributed its narrowed losses to its “diverse”…
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Jan- 2024 -19 JanuaryAdvice
The ultimate guide to retail digital transformation
The retail sector faces a host of challenges in the digital age, including: Changing consumer expectations: Consumers now expect seamless, personalised, and omnichannel shopping experiences. Competition: E-commerce giants and digitally-native brands have disrupted traditional retail. Data overload: Retailers must harness vast amounts of data for insights and decision-making. Operational efficiency:…
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Mar- 2022 -3 MarchComment
Why buying into digital transformation makes good business sense for retailers
It’s an understatement to say that COVID-19 – and the restrictions imposed on businesses as a result of it – have triggered change within the retail sector. Over 15,000 shops and 188,000 retail jobs were lost in the first twelve months of the pandemic, and 2020 has since been confirmed…
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Jun- 2020 -25 JuneComment
Is it time retailers challenged digital transformation?
I think we have all heard enough about how quickly we have adapted to working from home, the constant play on words of “new normal”, “next normal”, “old normal” (whatever that means) and the “I told you so” smugness of digital transformation agencies (yes, I am from one of them!)…
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Jul- 2019 -12 JulyAdvice
Why retailers must be ahead of the curve with digital transformation
When it comes to a strong relationship between retailer and customer, the golden rule is knowing the customer inside out. It’s an age old notion: meeting the desires of the customer keeps them coming back for more, again and again. Whilst the year ahead presents much for retailers to profit…
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Mar- 2019 -22 MarchAnalysis
Why retailers should put the customer at the heart of digital transformation
There are so many technology solutions available to the retail sector that arguably the most critical step in investing in this area is to separate the technology that will drive business growth from that which will end up being just another toy in the toy box. In previous eras, technology…
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Jan- 2019 -30 JanuaryAdvice
Digital transformation – the key to a truly engaged customer and workforce
Retail is one of the most challenging sectors in the UK right now, particularly with the collapse of the British high-street regularly splashed across the front pages. No matter whether a shop front is online or a physical store, all retailers are finding themselves facing the challenge of digital transformation…
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