One in four retail workers physically assaulted on the job November 4, 2025 A quarter of retail workers have been physically assaulted on the job as retail crime continues to worsen in the UK. Close to half of retail staff (44 per cent) said they’re being abused or attacked every week, up 10 per cent year on year, according to a new report from the Retail Trust. A [...]
ABF considers spinning off Primark November 4, 2025 Consumer goods giant ABF is considering selling off fashion brand Primark as it undertakes a ‘comprehensive review’ of the business. ABF, which founded Primark – then known as Pennies – in Dublin in 1969, said that “no decision” has been taken yet. The strategic review will be carried out with the help of the advisory [...]
The Entertainer makes huge loss as Reeves’ Budget forces job cuts November 3, 2025 The Entertainer made a raft of redundancies as a result of Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ first Autumn Budget as it fell into the red during its latest financial year, it has been revealed. Teal Group Holdings, which also includes Early Learning Centre and Addo Play, cut 41 jobs and withdraw 15 other roles which were being [...]
Harpreet Kaur: Firm founded by winner of The Apprentice collapses November 3, 2025 A company founded by Harpreet Kaur, who won The Apprentice in 2022, has been shut down owing to a six-figure sum. Oh So Yum was placed into voluntary liquidation at the end of October, according to filings with Companies House and The Gazette, with Paul Palmer of Marshall Peters appointed to oversee the process. Harpreet [...]
Will the Autumn Budget push up inflation? October 30, 2025 For a few weeks, there was one thing Rachel Reeves appeared to speak about more than anything else: inflation. Earlier this month, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) confirmed inflation hit 3.8 per cent in the year to September, nearly double the Bank of England’s target rate. The IMF and the OECD said the UK [...]
Is Next still a bellwether for the UK high street? October 30, 2025 Next sailed past its projected sales figures this Autumn, the high street stalwart told markets on Wednesday, despite wider issues in the UK high street. Overall sales rose 10.5 per cent in the 13 weeks to October 25, far above guidance of 4.5 per cent, with international sales growth at 38.8 per cent quarter on [...]
WH Smith delays results by more than a month as accounting struggles persist October 29, 2025 WH Smith has delayed the publication of its results by more than a month as it wrestles to get to the bottom of accounting issues that caused profit expectations to be overstated by tens of millions of pounds. The global travel retailer was due to publish its preliminary results on 12 November, but has now [...]
Autumn Budget: Reeves must avoid tax encore for retail, HMV boss warns October 29, 2025 Ahead of the Autumn Budget, City Reporter Samuel Norman sits down with top industry names for a Budget Briefing. This week, chief executive of HMV joins a chorus of warnings to give the retail sector some reprieve. As high street music retailer HMV breezes into the all-important golden quarter, boss Phillip Halliday is eyeing a chart-topper [...]
Street food vendors face confidence crisis ahead of Budget October 28, 2025 Grassroots vendors are rapidly losing confidence in their future ahead of the Autumn Budget, according to new data. Just one per cent of respondents in a new hospitality survey described the UK street food sector as having a strong, viable future, according to independent hospitality group Kerb. “There’s a clear message here for the government,” [...]
Fresh food inflation continues despite fall in overall shop prices October 28, 2025 The price of fresh food has continued to climb despite a broader softening in inflation at UK shops, according to new data. Fresh food inflation increased to 4.3 per cent year on year in October, against growth of 4.1 per cent in September and above the three-month average of 4.2 per cent, according to the [...]