By: Felix Armstrong

Retail Reporter Felix Armstrong is City AM's retail reporter, covering retail, hospitality and property news. He has previously written for The Times, The Guardian, The Telegraph and The i Paper. Email Felix at Felix.Armstrong@cityam.com

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Lidl and Iceland censored under junk food ad rules

April 15, 2026

Lidl and Iceland have become the first supermarkets to have adverts blocked by regulators under the government’s crackdown on junk food. The rules cover some sugary and fatty foods, including sweets, pizza and chocolate. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has been policing the new ban since January, but today’s warnings are the first it has [...]
‘Entirely avoidable’: Build-to-rent housebuilding slows as London planning wait doubles

April 15, 2026

The construction of build-to-rent homes in Britain is in danger of grinding to a halt as the planning wait for London homes has almost doubled in this decade. The number of build-to-rent homes under construction has fallen for the ninth consecutive quarter, according to data shared exclusively with City AM. The government has pledged to [...]
Tesco nears crucial update as Iran war threatens food inflation

April 15, 2026

As the bosses of the country’s biggest supermarkets crowded into the chancellor’s office earlier this month, no voice will have been as loud as that of Ken Murphy, chief executive of Tesco. Rachel Reeves summoned grocery executives to discuss how the Iran war will impact Brits’ weekly shops, and Tesco’s results tomorrow will pull back [...]
Help to buy scheme had ‘limited impact on social mobility’

April 15, 2026

Previous help-to-buy schemes did little to improve social mobility and mainly benefited high earners, the government has been warned, as it mulls reviving the programme. Help-to-buy, which offered equity loans to first-time buyers, had a “limited impact on social mobility,” the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has said. The government is reportedly considering revising help-to-buy, [...]
OK computer: will AI be telling you how to shop?

April 14, 2026

Hyped as a “seamless” user experience and an opportunity for retailers to access “hundreds of millions” of consumers via ChatGPT, OpenAI walked back from its Instant Checkout shopping function at the end of March, just months before unveiling it. The tool would have allowed users to complete purchases entirely within ChatGPT, but the Silicon Valley [...]
Middle East expats rush back to London, luxury property rents spike

April 10, 2026

An influx of people who have recently moved to the Middle East are now seeking short-term refuge in London, pushing up rents in the capital’s luxury property market – according to a leading estate agency. British, European and North American nationals have rushed to snap up short-term rentals in high-value London properties since the Iran [...]
Dolce & Gabbana co-founder quits and mulls selling stake

April 10, 2026

The founder of the leading Italian fashion house, Dolce & Gabbana, has quit the label and is considering flogging his stake altogether. Stefano Gabbana resigned as chairman in December, according to Italian corporate filings. The fashion mogul founded Dolce & Gabbana in 1985 with his then-partner Domenico Dolce, and the pair had remained in charge of its [...]
Easter boosts high street footfall but retailers hold their breath

April 10, 2026

Retail footfall jumped in March as Easter boosted shopping activity, but business leaders fear tax and employment costs could yet cause havoc. Total footfall in the UK increased by 2.4 per cent last month, according to trade body the British Retail Consortium (BRC), offering a welcome boost for retailers after wet weather drove shoppers away [...]
Demand soars for central London offices while outskirts snubbed

April 9, 2026

The demand for central London office space is soaring while vacant buildings are piling up on the fringes of the capital. The vacancy rate – which is a key indicator of demand – of central London offices has fallen to its lowest level in this decade as occupiers target prime locations like the City and [...]
Non-dom reforms blamed for collapse of Harrods luxury property arm

April 9, 2026

The collapse of department store Harrods’ luxury property arm was due in large part to the government’s abolition of the non-dom tax regime, estate agents have said. Harrods Estates, which opened on the shop floor in 1897, has announced the closure of its only remaining office in Knightsbridge. London estate agents said the collapse of [...]

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By: Felix Armstrong

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