Currys shares soar after retailer defies high street gloom Retail Shares in tech retailer Currys soared this morning after the firm released an upbeat Christmas trading update, defying wider gloom on the high street. The London-listed firm recorded a three per cent uptick in UK and Ireland revenue as it clawed a bigger market share from strong sales in mobile, as well as growth in [...]
British shoppers turn to AI as London high street sales falter As our beloved high streets grapple with rising business costs, decaying consumer confidence and yet another bout of tax uncertainty, AI agents are reshaping how consumers shop. A report published by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) warns that that so-called ‘agentic AI’, a quasi-autonomous form of artificial intelligence, could shift from novelty to norm within [...]
UK consumers cut spending amid wider economic nerves Economics UK consumers’ debit and credit card spending slumped in 2025 for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic as wider economic nerves knocked confidence. Card spending fell 0.2 per cent in the last 12 months, according to Barclays, a sharp contrast to the 1.6 per cent growth recorded in 2024. Just a quarter of British [...]
‘Bumper’ Boxing Day provides boost to struggling high streets December 27, 2025 Boxing Day was a “bumper day” for all UK retail destinations as data shows shopper footfall was up 4.4 per cent on last year, making it the strongest increase in more than a decade, industry analysts said. The retail sector may end the year on a “positive note” as December 26 saw shoppers flock to [...]
Footfall drops in sign of pre-Budget nerves October 10, 2025 Footfall at UK retailers dropped in September, in a sign consumers are tightening their belts in the face of sticky shop inflation and a looming Budget where taxes are set to be raised by billions of pounds. Total UK footfall fell by 1.8 per cent year-on-year, according to British Retail Consortium data, extending a run [...]
Pret A Manger: Why prices rises are ‘inevitable’ after surviving ‘near-death crisis’ May 19, 2025 The boss of Pret A Manger in the UK has revealed the tough economic reality the country is currently facing means it is “inevitable” that some prices will have to be increased. Clare Clough admitted recent years have been “challenging” for the high street staple but that the brand’s number one priority is to find [...]
Clintons back in profit after closing stores and cutting over 300 jobs April 7, 2025 Clintons has surged back into the black after closing more stores and cutting over 300 jobs. The gift card giant has posted a pre-tax profit of £8m for the year to 29 June, 2024, according to new accounts filed with Companies House. The total comes after Clintons made a pre-tax loss of £5.3m in the [...]
HMV: Sales on song as billionaire owner helps turn around high street icon March 6, 2025 Sales at HMV have more than doubled in the last three years as its recovery under the ownership of Canadian billionaire Doug Putman continues at pace. The high street staple has reported a turnover of £189.5m for the 12 months to 30 May, 2024, up from the £177.9m it achieved in the prior year. The [...]
Post-Christmas shopping to rise as bargain-hunters ’emerge’ – analyst December 28, 2024 Post-Christmas shopping is expected to pick up on Friday after data showed there were fewer consumers hitting the high streets for Boxing Day bargains. By midday on Friday, footfall at shops across the country was eight per cent higher than the same day last year, according to retail analysts MRI Software. It follows refreshed figures [...]
ABF: Primark owner powers through footfall slump to deliver solid growth September 5, 2024 Primark owner Associated British Foods (ABF) has reported a “significant improvement in profitability” despite a rainy summer threatening to dampen sales. The London-listed firm, which also owns Twinings Tea and a raft of food businesses, said it expected to see increased sales across its retail, grocery and ingredients divisions during its second half ending September [...]