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Topshop returning to UK high streets in John Lewis stores

John Lewis is to bring the Topshop brand back to high streets across the UK as it partners with the fashion brand in a bid to attract more young people to its stores.

Business • 03 Sep

GRAYS, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 5: A general view of a Poundland discount store at Lakeside Retail Park on February 5, 2024 in Grays, United Kingdom. (Photo by John Keeble/Getty Images)

Poundland rolls out pricing overhaul

Poundland has confirmed it will return to simple £1, £2 and £3 grocery pricing across all its UK stores as the chain looks to turn around its fortunes after avoiding administration.

Business • 28 Aug

Rachel Reeves, UK chancellor of the exchequer, smiling at the camera

UK retailers warn Reeves tax rises could push up prices

Major British retailers including Tesco, Sainsbury's and Boots have issued a warning to finance minister Rachel Reeves that raising taxes in the autumn Budget could contradict her plans to improve UK living standards.

Business • 21 Aug

The Co-op said the attack had forced it to shut down some of its back office and call centre operations

Co-op latest British retailer to be hit by cyber attack

Britain's Co-op Group said that hackers had attempted to break into its systems, the second high-profile cyber attack on a major UK retailer in as many weeks, following an ongoing incident at Marks & Spencer.

Business • 01 May

M&, stopped taking clothing and home orders through its website and app last Friday after problems with contactless pay and click and collect services over the Easter holiday weekend

UK police probes Marks & Spencer cyber attack

The UK's Metropolitan Police is investigating a cyber attack on Marks & Spencer which has seen the retailer face major disruption.

Business • 01 May

Currys said today that trading since early January had been robust

Currys raises profit outlook after robust trading

Electricals retailer Currys has today raised its full-year profit forecast, saying trading since early January had been robust.

Business • 03 Apr

Sainsbury's said the rise in UK employer National Insurance contributions alone would cost it an additional £140m a year

Sainsbury's to cut over 3,000 jobs due to cost challenges

British supermarket group Sainsbury's said today it was proposing to reduce its headcount by over 3,000 roles it seeks savings to counter a "particularly challenging cost environment".

Business • 23 Jan

Halfords has reported nearly flat like-for-like sales and underlying pre-tax profit for the six-months to September 27

Halfords faces £23m increase in costs from UK budget

British bicycle and car products retailer Halfords Group forecast its future costs to increase by around £23m due to higher employer social security contributions following the UK budget in October.

Business • 26 Nov 24

UK retailers warn of inflation and job losses from budget

Britain's biggest retailers have written to finance minister Rachel Reeves to warn her that last month's budget will make both higher prices and job losses a certainty and dent investment.

Business • 19 Nov 24

DFS said its pre-tax profit from continuing operations slumped to £10.5m for the year ended June 30, compared with £30.6m a year ago

DFS falls to loss due to Red Sea delays and high rates

British retailer DFS Furniture has tumbled to a loss for the past year after it was hit by Red Sea shipping delays and higher interest rates.

Business • 25 Sep 24

Next said full price sales in its second quarter to July 27 rose 3.2% - ahead of guidance of a fall of 0.3%

Next raises profit outlook after Q2 sales beat forecasts

Clothing retailer Next has raised its full year profit outlook after strong online trading overseas drove a better than expected second quarter sales performance.

Business • 01 Aug 24

John Lewis stores were already facing competition from online rivals before Covid and the cost of living crisis heaped pressure on the retailer

John Lewis Partnership names ex-Tesco exec Tarry as chair

Britain's John Lewis Partnership has appointed former Tesco executive Jason Tarry as its next chairman following Sharon White's decision to step down from the retailer.

Business • 08 Apr 24

The Body Shop fell into administration earlier this month in the UK

The Body Shop to close 75 more UK stores

The Body Shop is to shut another 75 UK stores within the next six weeks, with the loss of 489 jobs.

Business • 29 Feb 24

Halfords warned that it had seen a further weakening in demand for bicycles in January as unseasonal weather hit sales of winter products for cars and tyres

Halfords shares hammered after profit warning

Britain's Halfords Group cut its annual profit forecast and warned there could be no profit growth next year as a result of weakening demand for bicycles, car products and tyres, sending its shares plunging.

Business • 29 Feb 24

Superdry founder and CEO Julian Dunkerton and Brooklyn Beckham

Superdry CEO Dunkerton explores options for retailer

Superdry's top shareholder and CEO Julian Dunkerton is looking at a cash offer for the shares not already owned by him, among other options, for the embattled British fashion retailer.

Business • 02 Feb 24

JD Sports Fashion is being hurt by a slowdown in consumer spending and tepid demand for apparel amid mild weather conditions

JD Sports lowers annual profit outlook on weak demand

Sportswear retailer JD Sports Fashion has today lowered its full-year profit forecast, citing higher costs and subdued consumer spending that hurt peak season demand.

Business • 04 Jan 24

Next has raised its profit forecast for the year to the end of January 2024 for the fifth time in eight months

Next upgrades its full year profit outlook again

Clothing retailer Next has today raised its profit forecast for the year to the end of January 2024 for the fifth time in eight months as it reported a better-than-expected rise in Christmas sales.

Business • 04 Jan 24

Frasers has bought MATCHES for about £52m from Apax Partners

Frasers strengthens luxury offer with MATCHES buy

Frasers, the British sportswear and apparel retailer controlled by Mike Ashley, has bolstered its presence in the luxury space by buying loss-making online player MATCHES from Apax Partners, paying about £52m.

Business • 20 Dec 23

Marks & Spencer has posted a much better than expected 75% rise in first-half profit

M&S beats expectations for first-half profit

Marks & Spencer said it expects full-year profit to leap more than 30% after an overhaul of its food, fashion and supply chain helped the retailer smash first-half forecasts, sending its shares soaring today.

Business • 08 Nov 23

M&S said its food revenues increased by 1.3% over the past year, but its clothing and home business saw a 31.5% slump despite rapid online growth

M&S expects profit recovery after 88% slump in 2020-21

British retailer Marks & Spencer has today reported an 88% slump in full-year profit, reflecting a collapse in clothing sales due to the Covid-19 pandemic and said it was unlikely to pay a dividend for the current year.

Business • 26 May 21

Well-known British retailers Debenhams, Marks & Spencer and WH Smith have announced job losses recently

UK retailers see biggest job cuts since 2009 - CBI

British retailers have cut the most jobs since the depths of the financial crisis and expect the pace of losses to accelerate, the Confederation of British Industry said.

Business • 25 Aug 20

Two fifths of UK retailers have shut up shop completely for now

UK retailers suffer worst month since 2008 on virus hit

UK retailers suffered their biggest fall in sales since the 2008 financial crisis in the first half of April as the coronavirus kept shoppers at home and forced store closures, the Confederation of British Industry said today.

Business • 28 Apr 20

Ted Baker has warned of a slow start to the second-half of the year, hurt by unseasonably warm weather, heavy discounting by competitors and weak consumer demand

Ted Baker shares fall as CEO flags dire retail climate

Ted Baker today warned yet again that its full-year profit would be hurt, as warmer weather in September, sharp discounting across the industry and tepid consumer demand takes its toll on UK retailers.

Business • 03 Oct 19

Carpetright shareholders in April backed a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) restructuring to close stores and cut jobs.

Carpetright sees sales improvement despite retail gloom

Shares in UK flooring retailer Carpetright surged today after it said UK sales had improved in the fourth quarter.

Business • 25 Apr 19

The UK's headline gauge of consumer confidence, compiled by market research firm GfK, slipped to -9 from -7 in August

UK consumers worry about onset of Brexit - survey

UK consumers lost some of their confidence in early September - before Prime Minister Theresa May's latest setback on Brexit - but companies were more upbeat, two surveys showed today.

Business • 28 Sep 18