Nicola Collister

What’s been happening in retail this week? · John Lewis & Partners has partnered with TOPSHOP TOPMAN to launch Topshop in 32 stores and online from Feb 2026, with Topman in six locations. Great collab! · Aldi UK rolled out InPost UK parcel lockers across 536 UK stores, enabling customers to collect and return parcels, with plans to cover 600 locations by the end of the year. · Amazon has launched its first UK sale focused on returned and refurbished items, with discounts of up to 70% across tech, gaming, home, beauty, fitness and more. · eBay has expanded its authenticity guarantee to apparel, shoes and accessories in the UK, offering a “head-to-toe” service for pre-loved fashion. · Poundland is simplifying grocery pricing nationwide, returning to three clear price points – £1, £2, £3 – as part of efforts to streamline ranges and refocus the brand. · SHEIN will host a 2nd London pop-up on Oxford Street from 26 to 28 Sep, showcasing its autumn-winter collection. · Primark opened its first standalone homeware store in GB, spanning a 12,000 sq ft in Manchester. · Holland & Barrett trialled a revamped beauty category in six stores between June and August, reporting a 7% sales uplift versus control sites. The format mixes topical products, ingestible supplements and expert advice, with rollout to larger city stores planned for 2026. · FatFace launched in Germany using Zalando’s platform. Early trading in Germany is said to have been “positive”, as the retailer eyes further European expansion. · John Lewis Partnership appointed former Tesco executive Tom Denyard as managing director of Waitrose & Partners, replacing James Bailey. Tina Mitchell will act as interim MD from late September until Denyard takes over in January. · Currys plc announced a £50m share buyback after posting a 3% rise in like-for-like sales in UK & Ireland during the 17 weeks to 30 August. Growth was driven by B2B, gaming, AI computing and services. · Sweaty Betty returned to profit with a £1.5m pre-tax profit in 2024 versus a £13.4m loss the year before. Sales slipped from £144.2m to £140.4m, with UK and US under pressure, but rest-of-world sales grew. · H&M has named Karen O’Rourke as UK & Ireland MD. With 25+ years at the retailer, she steps up to lead over 200 stores. · Mulberry England has appointed Tom Burrow (ex-End Clothing) as chief customer & digital officer to drive digital and omnichannel growth. 💥 💥 💥 We're delighted to launch our latest thought leadership research in partnership with beBettor, exploring how retailers can fix customer segmentation. We reveal that whilst retailers see customer segmentation as their most valuable dataset, they rate their level of sophistication at only 60% exposing a critical "segmentation gap". The report reveals that most segmentation frameworks still rely solely on internal datasets, leaving information such as customer spending power invisible to most retailers. Download now ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/eC7Ucrwy

243

5 Comments

Asda Rolling Out ESLs Across Express Stores Asda has announced that it is rolling out electronic shelf labels (ESLs) across its largest and busiest Express convenience stores as part of its efforts to simplify operations. Working with VusionGroup and its partners, Renovotec and HL Display, the rollout to 250 sites follows a three-month trial at Asda’s Oxford Road Store in Manchester. The trial found that the technology freed up staff time, allowing them to focus on customer service, managing deliveries, and replenishing shelves. Approximately 2,800 separate electronic shelf labels (over 700,000 across the entire rollout) will be added to each store, meaning Asda’s staff will no longer need to manually update pricing in-store. The technology can also display allergen information at shelf edge through QR codes, in addition to displaying the cost, weight and unit price of products. Asda recently announced that it was resuming its Express store opening programme after a pause to focus on converting the 469 sites it acquired from the Co-op and EG Group. Up to 20 of the convenience stores are due to open before the end of the year, starting with Castleford on Wednesday of next week. Each new Express site will feature the ESLs from day one. “We’re continuing to invest in enhancing our stores, and the launch of cutting-edge technology across our Express estate is proof of this,” said Joseph Sutton, VP Asda Express, foodservice and fuel. “By streamlining our in-store operations, we can free up our colleagues to focus on what they do best – serving our customers. With the first of 20 new Express sites set to open next, we’re excited to build on this momentum and to bring Asda’s trusted value to even more communities across the UK.” Roy Horgan, CEO UK & Ireland – VusionGroup, added: “We are proud to be extending our partnership with Asda as they accelerate their digital transformation. This next phase is a testament to both Asda’s digital ambition and the strength of VusionGroup’s market-leading technologies. By combining ESLs with IoT innovation and data-rich insight, we are helping to transform the in-store experience for Asda customers and colleagues.” NamNews Implications: * Key benefits in practice: - Free up existing staff to improve in-store service level (rather than cut staff numbers per store) - Add unit pricing (hopefully enabling true like-with-like price comparison) - Error reduction in on-shelf pricing (either via delays in adding updates or genuine errors) * Given those conditions, the ESL rollout should make a difference… #AsdaElectronicShelfLabels #ESLs

96

1 Comment

Big news for UK retail tech - Logicbroker has acquired Virtualstock, the platform powering dropship and curated marketplaces for major brands including Aldi UK, Argos, Screwfix, Currys plc, and John Lewis & Partners. Together, they now form a global leader in multi-party commerce orchestration, connecting 15,000+ retail and brand partners and handling a GMV of $13 billion. This merger isn’t just about scale, it’s about next-generation agentic commerce technology (look it up - it's fascinating), enabling retailers to simplify supplier connections, expand online ranges, and deliver faster, smarter eCommerce. With the global dropshipping market projected to hit $1.2 trillion by 2030, this combination positions UK retail tech at the forefront of a rapidly evolving online commerce landscape. Exciting times ahead for retailers, suppliers, and customers alike. More here on Insight DIY - https://lnkd.in/eXyxMdZw #retail #ecommerce #marketplace #dropshipping

72

4 Comments

We’re excited to share the news of another brilliant acquisition within our thriving Retail & Hospitality vertical: Davidson Richards.    Davidson Richards provides an EPOS and retail management solution to garden centres and other retailers under the OpSuite Retail Operations Software.    Based in Derby, OpSuite from Davidson Richards helps its customers manage their omni-channel operations from one central location. The software is perfect for single stores, multiple sites, destination centres or franchises and is packed with features built to help drive efficiency and create frictionless consumer experiences.   We’re very pleased to be working closely with the Davidson Richards team in this next phase of their business expansion and look forward to seeing this business go from strength to strength as part of our group.    Find out more here: https://lnkd.in/e83fRHXE

95

4 Comments

Marks and Spencer announces major food DC investment - Marks & Spencer has announced a landmark £340 million investment in its food supply chain – the largest in its history – with the multi-year investment funding the development of an automated NDC in Northamptonshire. https://lnkd.in/eXKCQhM6 #automation #logistics #warehouse #DC #investment

466

1 Comment

Sainsbury's CMO, Mark Given, is taking on an expanded remit as chief technology, marketing and data officer. According to the retailer, the move reflects the strategic role of AI, loyalty and personalisation in enhancing the customer experience. The sustainability part of Given's existing remit - only added in February - will move to chief commercial officer Rhian Bartlett. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eT5kkUEK

134

19 Comments

A thoughtful piece in The Grocer this week explores what Marks and Spencer Food’s new distribution centre at DIRFT says about the direction of travel for UK warehouse logistics. Automation, scale, and visibility are all front and centre – both in terms of operations and public perception. As the logistics sector continues to modernise, it’s encouraging to see national media shining a light on the role these facilities play in keeping shelves stocked and supply chains resilient. Featuring Paul Weston and Simon Cox Article here: https://prolo.gs/4pGmOoB

41

1 Comment