Turnaround
Turnaround in the UK retail sector refers to the strategies and interventions businesses deploy to recover from financial distress, operational challenges, or market disruption. For store owners, retail executives, and supply chain professionals, understanding turnaround efforts is crucial to navigating periods of change and identifying opportunities for growth or collaboration. Retail Sector’s coverage of turnaround includes breaking news on struggling retailers, analysis of restructuring plans, insights into leadership changes, and case studies of successful recovery strategies. We provide retail professionals with the information they need to anticipate market shifts, assess risks, and learn from the operational and strategic decisions driving transformation across physical stores, ecommerce, and omnichannel retail.
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May- 2025 -12 MayClothing & Shoes
Debenhams Group exploring £175m debt refinancing deal
Debenhams Group, formerly known as Boohoo, is in discussions to refinance up to £175m worth of debt, according to reports from The Telegraph. The online fashion company is reportedly looking to access the high yield market for £50m of the proposed total. Debenhams Group has also sounded out several asset-backed…
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7 MayPeople Moves
TOFS appoints former commercial director Tim Bettley as MD
The Original Factory Shop (TOFS) has appointed experienced retail leader and its former commercial director Tim Bettley as its new managing director. Bettley was most recently commercial director at Poundland and Dealz, and before that operated in the same role at TOFS from 2015 and 2018, during which time the…
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Apr- 2025 -28 AprilFeatures
Why is Hilco Capital looking to acquire Lakeland?
British retail is no stranger to seeing a heritage brand acquired by a private equity firm. The latest name on that list seems to be family-owned homeware retailer Lakeland which is reportedly on the verge of being acquired by Hilco Capital. It was revealed in January that the company had…
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28 AprilHigh Street
Hilco Capital and Endless table offers for Poundland
Several potential buyers have reportedly tabled their offers to acquire Poundland, after the retailer has been hit by struggling sales and mounting losses in recent months. According to Sky News, Hilco Capital and turnaround investor Endless both set forth their respective proposal offers on Friday (25 April) ahead of a…
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24 AprilNews-In-Brief
Today’s news in brief-24/4/25
Chancellor Rachel Reeves is reviewing the Low Value Import scheme, which allows goods under £135 to enter the UK tariff-free, amid concerns over Chinese companies flooding the market with cheap products. Major retailers like Next, Currys, and Sainsbury’s have warned that such imports could undercut UK businesses. The potential reform…
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24 AprilClothing & Shoes
Asos H1 losses narrow amid turnaround despite sales dip
Asos losses narrowed to £69.5m in the first half of the year, down from a loss of £120m the prior year, the “strongest sign” its new commercial model is working, according to the group. Despite the narrowed losses, sales were down by 13%, driven by continued annualising declines in old…
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22 AprilNews-In-Brief
Today’s news in brief-22/4/25
Marks & Spencer has apologised to customers after a technical glitch disrupted contactless payments and click-and-collect services over the Bank Holiday weekend. Shoppers reported frustration at being unable to complete purchases, with some forced to abandon full trolleys. The issue also affected M&S’s email and chat systems, preventing advance customer…
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22 AprilSupermarkets
Asda to open 25 convenience stores as part of turnaround strategy
Asda is reportedly getting ready to expand its convenience store footprint with 25 openings in new locations between June and December of this year, according to The Telegraph. It is understood that the supermarket chain’s strategy is to grow its smaller store formats in a bid to reach more local…
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9 April
Today’s news in brief-9/4/25
Boots UK reported a 1.6% sales increase in Q2, with comparable retail sales up 5.1% year-on-year across all categories. Pharmacy sales rose 5%, while online sales surged 19.5%, now accounting for over 20% of total retail sales. Parent company Walgreens Boots Alliance saw global Q2 sales grow 4.1% to $38.6bn…
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9 AprilHealth & Beauty
Boots UK sales see 1.6% uptick in Q2
Boots UK sales have risen by 1.6% in the second quarter of trading, as owner Walgreens Boots Alliance saw Q2 sales rise 4.1% year-on-year to $38.6bn (£30bn).Boots UK comparable retail sales rose by 5.1% against the prior year, with growth reported across all categories. Elsewhere, comparable pharmacy sales increased 5%…
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