Warehouse tax ‘dropped over fears of Trump trade war’ Hospitality Andy Burnham’s plans for a so-called ‘warehouse tax’ were dropped over fears a raid on US firms like Amazon could spark a trade war with Donald Trump, a top industry body has claimed. The Prime Minister, during his campaign to become Makerfield MP, pledged to hike business rates on “out of town” warehouses to fund [...]
Retailers back on alert after new wave of cyber attacks Retail When Asos customers were sent a cryptically-worded push notification on Tuesday last week, some shoppers thought they were being hawked the fast fashion retailer’s new Christmas collection. One thought the alert was “some crappy marketing scheme to get me to check the app and to view their snowflake collection,” they wrote on X. The notification [...]
Healey plans £1bn e-commerce crackdown to fund retail tax breaks Retail John Healey is preparing to announce a £1bn tax crackdown on online marketplaces like Amazon and Temu to fund tax cuts for high street shops. At the Budget later this month, the Chancellor is expected to make e-commerce platforms like Amazon, Ebay and Temu responsible for collecting tax owed by the sellers using their site, [...]
Shein UK revenue hits £2.5bn despite IPO woes October 7, 2026 Fast-fashion giant Shein took in more than £2.5bn in UK revenue last year as it tightens its hold on British shoppers despite its IPO woes. The e-commerce firm generated £2.58bn in revenue in 2025, newly published accounts show, as its pre-tax profit widened by 18 per cent to £45m. Proof of Shein’s growing presence in [...]
Debenhams owner facing scrutiny from data protection watchdog September 23, 2026 Few quirks of modern life are so hated as the inability to cancel a subscription. For retail giant Debenhams, that ire could land it in hot water with the UK’s data protection watchdog. The retailer is facing scrutiny from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) after the watchdog received multiple complaints from consumers who could not [...]
Social media ban driving ‘screen-free’ sales, The Works boss says July 23, 2026 The boss of discount retailer The Works has said the government’s crackdown on social media usage has driven customers towards the “screen-free activities” offered in his stores. Gavin Peck, chief executive of the Aim-listed retailer, believes Labour’s incoming social media ban has pushed up demand among parents for analogue activities for their children and was [...]
Warehouse tax could threaten high street businesses, Burnham warned July 20, 2026 Andy Burnham‘s plans to hike taxes on warehouses to pay for business rates cuts for pubs and shops could backfire and raise costs for high street businesses, industry figures have warned. The UK Warehousing Association (UKWA), a trade body representing retailers including Amazon, Co-op and John Lewis, has written to the new Prime Minister urging [...]
Burnham urged to go further to fix ‘broken’ business rates July 14, 2026 Incoming Prime Minister Andy Burnham must broaden his plans to reform the “broken and unsustainable” business rates system, hospitality and retail industry leaders have warned. The former mayor of Greater Manchester has already pledged to slash business rates for high street firms but a coalition of trade bodies has urged him to go further. Ros [...]
Heatwave slows retail sales but World Cup boosts online shopping July 14, 2026 June’s scorching heat slowed retail sales, but Brits opted to shop from home instead, sending online sales soaring. Total retail sales in the UK slowed from 3.7 per cent in May to 1.9 per cent in June year on year, in line with this year’s average growth rate, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC). [...]
Moonpig embraces tech and upselling as revenue jumps June 25, 2026 Moonpig has credited its tech and upselling capabilities with its rise in revenue, with boosted customer retention and a growing order book. The online card maker recorded a 6.5 per cent rise in revenue in the year ended 30 April, jumping to £373m from £350.1m. Profit before tax swung back to £68.9m from last financial [...]