Co-op to open or refurbish dozens of stores amid cyber attack recovery November 10, 2025 The Co-op has said it is pushing forward with a number of new stores and major refurbishments as it bounces back from a damaging cyber attack. The retailer said 50 stores will be opened or re-opened by Christmas as it urged the Government to reform business rates ahead of the autumn Budget. It said reforms [...]
Retail footfall sinks for sixth straight month as Brits fear Budget taxes November 7, 2025 Footfall at the UK’s shops has declined for the sixth consecutive month, marking another worrying sign for the retail sector. Total activity fell by 0.7 per cent in October, led by drops in shopping centre and retail park footfall, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC). BRC chief Helen Dickinson said that nervousness around the [...]
Investors pile into Sainsbury’s, but will it last? November 6, 2025 Sainsbury’s has proved a good bet for investors this year as the grocer goes from strength to strength, but will it last into 2026? The UK’s second-largest supermarket has seen a 50 per cent uplift in share price since April, with another five per cent jump following better-than-expected results on Thursday. It’s a marked departure [...]
Uber Eats new tech aims to beat Deliveroo in Christmas delivery war November 6, 2025 The annual Christmas rush, characterised by frantic supermarket dashes and sold-out delivery slots, is undergoing a fundamental change, with on-demand delivery cementing its role as the crucial last-minute lifeline. Uber Eats has laid out its strategy to dominate this market, deploying a heavy suite of new tech aimed at maximising order efficiency and expanding into [...]
AI-assisted shopping starts to go mainstream November 5, 2025 The promised AI revolution in shopping is starting to materialise, with shoppers increasingly trusting agents for personal recommendations ahead of the festive season. Traffic to retail sites from AI tools is expected to surge fivefold year-over-year, with particular boosts on Cyber Monday and Black Friday, according to Adobe. “Traditional models of how consumers react with [...]
High street jewellery giants struggle to sparkle November 5, 2025 Growth seems to be hard to come by in almost any industry at the moment, especially as UK business leaders brace for Chancellor Rachel Reeves to deliver her expected tax hikes later this month. But the latest set of financial results for two of the country’s largest jewellery chains has shone a spotlight on the [...]
M&S reveals full cost of cyber attack November 5, 2025 The hit from Marks and Spencer’s cyber attack earlier this year is set to total £136m by 2026, the company said this morning. This is in addition to insurance income of £100m related to the attack, which hit the FTSE 100 firm in April. The fashion and food company was forced to suspend online orders [...]
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 [...]