Next
-
Jul- 2025 -15 JulyFeatures
From darling to downfall: what went wrong at Seraphine
Seraphine, once the darling of maternity fashion, has collapsed into administration. Known for its stylish bump-friendly dresses and famously worn by the Princess of Wales during her pregnancies, the brand entered administration this July, shuttering operations and making most of its staff redundant. For a label that grew from a…
Read More » -
15 JulyClothing & Shoes
Sosandar lowers FY26 guidance after M&S cyber attack
Sosandar has lowered its profit expectation for the current year, revealing that it now expects revenues to rise 18% to £43.6m with pre-tax profits of £400k, after a cyber attack at its second largest third-party partner M&S disrupted sales in the first quarter. The company previously expected £46.2m in revenues…
Read More » -
8 JulyClothing & Shoes
Seraphine enters administration after sales slump
Maternity fashion retailer Seraphine has ceased trading and entered administration, with most of its 95 employees made redundant. It comes after the retailer officially appointed Will Wright and Chris Pole from consultancy firm Interpath as joint administrators yesterday (7 July). According to the administrators, they are now exploring options for…
Read More » -
Jun- 2025 -27 JuneFeatures
Has homeware become a fast fashion rite of passage?
This summer marks a bold new chapter in Primark’s retail journey, as the brand opens its first standalone Home store in Great Britain at Trafford Palazzo in Manchester. Following the success of its debut Home concept in Belfast, this 11,900 sq. ft, two-floor space aims to bring the full breadth…
Read More » -
18 JuneComment
Why are retail sites installing EV chargers?
Why are EV Charge Point Operators taking such an interest in retail sites? The number of EVs on the road is expanding rapidly, however, there is a high demand for reliable charging infrastructure. Retail sites are the perfect locations for EV charging facilities since they have car park space and…
Read More » -
3 JuneProperty
Northern Ireland’s Abbey Centre sold to new owner for £59m
Abbey Centre in Northern Ireland has been sold by NewRiver to The Herbert Group of Companies in an off market deal for £58.8m. The 320,000 sq ft shopping centre, located six miles north of Belfast City Centre in Newtownabbey, houses over 70 shops and has a “strong” convenience offer, together…
Read More » -
May- 2025 -20 MayFeatures
What’s next for next-day deliveries?
Once the gold standard of eCommerce innovation, next-day delivery was long seen as the pinnacle of convenience – a service so fast, so frictionless, it fundamentally altered consumer expectations across retail categories. It forced grocers, fashion brands, electronics giants, and independent merchants alike to rethink supply chains, last-mile logistics, and…
Read More » -
16 MayClothing & Shoes
Next suffers shareholder rebellion over pay transparency
Next’s shareholders have pushed back against what some deemed as a lack of transparency over its staff pay after more than a fifth backed a resolution calling for more information. The vote at the retailers AGM yesterday (Thursday 15 May) saw 26.9% of shareholder votes in support of a resolution…
Read More » -
14 MayFeatures
A Lidl bit more: Why is Lidl investing in expansion?
On 28 April Lidl announced that it is going to invest £500m in store expansion, aiming to open more than 40 stores in the process. The budget supermarket has been rapidly gaining market share in the UK hitting a record 8.1% in May 2024, according to data from Kantar. With…
Read More » -
8 MayNews-In-Brief
Today’s news in brief-8/5/25
Next has increased its full-year profit guidance to £1.08bn, up £14m, following an 11.4% rise in Q1 full-price sales, outperforming its 6.5% forecast. The retailer attributed the £55m sales boost to warmer spring weather but cautioned that some demand may have been pulled forward from Q2. While retail sales surged,…
Read More »