Sweaty Betty cuts jobs as brand returns to profit September 1, 2025 Fashion brand Sweaty Betty cut almost 100 jobs as it returned to profit for the first time since 2021. The London-headquartered business cut its workforce from 990 to 903 employees as it recovered from a pre-tax loss of £13.4m to a profit of £1.5m in 2024. New accounts filed with Companies House have also revealed [...]
Steven Bartlett-backed matcha drink Perfect Ted rockets in value September 1, 2025 PerfectTed, the matcha energy drink brand backed by Dragons’ Den star Steven Bartlett, has rocketed in value, it has been revealed. The company, which was founded in 2021 by Marisa Poster and brothers Teddie and Levi Levenfiche, appeared on BBC One show Dragons’ Den in 2023 and won the backing of Steven Bartlett as well as [...]
Levi Strauss bets on Beyonce as over 200 UK jobs lost September 1, 2025 The UK arm of Levi Strauss cut more than 200 jobs as its turnover jumped to almost £100m during its latest financial year. The Northampton-headquartered division reduced its headcount from 1,857 to 1,630 in the 12 months to 30 November, 2024, new accounts filed with Companies House show. Over the same 12 months, Levi Strauss’ [...]
Arne: Brothers enjoy huge pay day as profit surges September 1, 2025 The brothers behind clothing brand Arne have raked in the cash after sales and profit at their company surged in 2024 ahead of the brand opening its first store. The Warrington-headquartered business has posted a turnover of £84.1m and pre-tax profit of £11.9m for 2024 The figures compare to the turnover of £37.4m and pre-tax [...]
Local shops axe jobs and cut investment amid surging costs September 1, 2025 UK convenience stores have cuts 2,000 jobs over an “extremely challenging year” after coming under pressure from soaring labour costs and fierce competition from supermarkets. The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) warned that pessimistic consumers and increased costs for retailers are therefore putting the UK’s 50,000 local shops under pressure, resulting in weaker investment and [...]
Asda boss slams tax hikes: ‘Businesses have to be allowed to invest’ August 28, 2025 Asda chair Allan Leighton has warned that the Government must change the way it thinks about growth or risk a stagnating economy. Ahead of Asda’s quarterly results – where the grocer reported its fourth consecutive quarter of improving like-for-like sales – Leighton said that the company has a “simple philosophy… if you want growth, you [...]
Man United shareholder, Ratcliffe’s Ineos, buys into Castore with Belstaff deal August 28, 2025 Manchester United minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos has announced a “significant strategic investment” into premium sports apparel brand Castore. The petrochemicals company will invest in the British clothing brand as part of a deal which will see Castore acquire 100 per cent of Ineos-owned Belstaff on a “debt-free, cash-free” basis. Castore enjoys sporting sponsorship [...]
British Retail Consortium appoints its first female chair August 28, 2025 The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has appointed Jo Whitfield as its new chair, the first woman in its history to hold the role. Whitfield will replace outgoing chair Andy Higginson, who has been in the position since September 2023. “I’m honoured to be joining the BRC as its first female Chair, and to be supporting [chief executive] [...]
Retailers’ woes stretch into second day after bearish Deutsche note August 27, 2025 A sell-off affecting some of the UK’s largest retailers has extended into a second day, after an analyst warned the spectre of higher taxes in the Autumn Budget, a softening labour market and sticky inflation will dent consumers’ spending habits. Shares in AB Foods, Wickes and B&Q-owner Kingfisher all shed between one and 1.5 per [...]
Retail sales fall for eleventh consecutive month August 27, 2025 UK retail sales have continued their steady decline as price pressures weigh on already-stretched consumers, according to new data. The CBI’s monitor for annual retail sales was little changed at -32 in August, from -34 in July. “Weak demand and higher labour costs continue to put pressure on margins, dampening sentiment across the retail and [...]