Matalan kicks off turnaround under new boss as retailer slashes jobs June 17, 2026 Matalan’s new boss has kicked off the fast fashion retailer’s wide-range turnaround which has revamped dozens of stores but caused the loss of more than 600 jobs. Henrik Nordvall, who took the reins as chief executive in November, said he is “encouraged by the progress already underway” as the clothes seller pushes to renew its [...]
‘Fantasy land’: AO World boss blasts Labour over employment costs June 17, 2026 The boss of AO World has hit out at the government after it shifted hundreds of jobs to South Africa in a bid to dodge soaring employment costs. John Roberts, chief executive of the electrical retailer, claimed the UK’s political class lives “in an economic fantasy land” and blasted Labour for forcing his company to [...]
Debenhams owner hails ‘successful transformation’ as loss narrows June 16, 2026 Debenhams’ owner has hailed a “successful transformation” following its drastic turnaround, though the fast-fashion group still posted a £100m loss. The AIM-listed group, which owns brands including Debenhams, Pretty Little Thing and Karen Millen, saw its pre-tax loss narrow by 69 per cent to £108m in the year to February. The fashion firm, which is [...]
Boots moves closer to London float but billionaire Westons circle June 16, 2026 With one potential suitor out of the running, high street titan Boots is moving closer to a London float, a move that would mark a return to the FTSE 100 for one of the UK’s biggest retailers and deliver a major boost to UK capital markets. The 177-year-old British pharmacy saw the withdrawal of Sigma [...]
Australian pharma giant Sigma quits Boots takeover talks June 15, 2026 Australian pharmacy giant Sigma has walked away from talks over a £7.5bn private takeover of Boots, renewing hopes that the high street pharmacy could float in London. The Australian firm said on Monday that a deal with Boots would not meet its investment objectives, leaving just the billionaire Weston family in sales talks with the [...]
Mike Ashley’s Frasers makes £166m play for shoe firm Accent June 15, 2026 Frasers Group has launched a £166m takeover bid of Australian shoe company Accent while calling for the removal of its chairman over “poor performance”. The fashion conglomerate has offered to buy all of the shares in Accent it does not already own for 65 Australian cents per share, valuing the offer at A$136m (£166m). This [...]
More than 80 retail bosses urge Starmer to tackle youth unemployment crisis June 10, 2026 More than 80 retail bosses have called on the Prime Minister to set out urgent measures to tackle youth unemployment, warning that the “ladder of opportunity for young people is wobbling”. The chiefs of leading retailers including Tesco, Sainsbury’s and John Lewis have called on Sir Keir Starmer to safeguard the position of retail as [...]
Heatwave boost for retailers as Brits snapped up BBQs and fans June 9, 2026 The late-May heatwave offered a much-needed boost for retailers as the hot weather prompted red-hot spending on barbecues, fans and sandals. Retail sales in the UK jumped by 3.7 per cent year on year in May, soaring above the full-year average of two per cent, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC). Many Brits opted [...]
TG Jones owner Modella puts jobs at risk in shoe retailer overhaul June 2, 2026 Modella Capital is set to put hundreds of jobs on the line as it pursues its latest drastic restructuring, this time of northern shoe seller Wynsors World of Shoes. The private equity firm which owns hundreds of former WH Smith stores has briefed staff on its plans for an overhaul at the shoe retailer it [...]
Not just for lockdown: Pets at Home adapts to life after pet-buying boom May 27, 2026 Are pets for life, or just for lockdown? James Bailey, the new boss of Pets and Home, will be hoping it’s the former but the company faces a challenge in finding sustained growth without the influx of demand that came during the pandemic. Embarking on its turnaround – led by Bailey, a former Waitrose boss [...]