Hundreds of Jobs At Risk At B&Q

B&Q has placed more than 670 roles across its business into consultation as part of streamlining efforts.
According to trade publication Retail Week, the business is seeking to reduce the number of deputy manager, trading manager, and team leader positions across its 318 stores and head office.

If the DIY retailer’s plans are approved, 672 roles will be cut, mainly across its stores, while a further 65 will be from its head office.

The report noted that B&Q is consulting with workers impacted by the cuts and is set to offer alternative roles or support packages to staff who cannot be provided with a new position.

B&Q CEO Graham Bell is quoted as saying: “Over the last few years, we’ve evolved at pace to ensure that we can give our customers the very best retail experience. We’ve physically changed our operations so that our stores, apps and online are fully integrated, helping home improvers by giving them more choice, speed and convenience. And we need to keep changing.

“In this dynamic world of retail, we are very much in control of shaping our future. Today’s news would ensure that we continue to evolve and grow market share, by prioritising our resources where we can help our customers most.”

He continued: “The proposals shared with colleagues today – to simplify our retail leadership structure and reallocate time to customer service roles on the shop floor, and to change some head office teams – have meant some difficult choices.

“They impact our dedicated colleagues in retail leadership across all of our stores and in head office functions, and we’ll be doing everything we can to support them.

“Ultimately, it is about setting our business up in the right way so that our colleagues are equipped to give our customers consistently exceptional customer service now and in the future, so that we give home improvers the choice and convenience they deserve.”

B&Q saw its sales increase by 0.4% on a like-for-like basis during its second quarter, which ended on 30 April, supported by a strong performance in e-commerce and the trade segment.

The business experienced improved volume trends in its core categories, particularly tools & hardware, as well as building & joinery. However, this was partially offset by weak sales performance in ‘big-ticket’ categories as consumers remained reluctant to fork out on expensive products amid cost-of-living pressures.

NamNews Implications:

• When demand falls, retailers have to cut to fit profitable opportunity.
• Meaning reduction in staff numbers or sale of outlets.
• Each of which reduces the investment appeal of the retailer to branded suppliers.
• Lower staff numbers can mean lower service level.
• Whilst fewer outlets can mean less access to markets.
• What really matters is perceived impact on shopper loyalty.
• Ask again in six months…

WH Smith Media Fees Of Up To £125k Branded ‘Astronomical’ By Retail Experts

WH Smith is charging brands “astronomical” amounts of money to advertise in its travel stores that they will never see a return on, according to retail experts.

After challenger brands spoke out about the high cost of ‘media packages’ pitched to them by WH Smith last week, a sales deck for 2025 shared with

The Grocer shows the retailer is demanding as much as £125k for two weeks of advertising in a single store location.
 
NamNews Implications:

• Retail is regarded as a ‘try it and see’ environment.
• But this is meant to refer to selling to consumers.
• Successful suppliers are long accustomed to fact-based selling…
• (and subjecting any investment to strict ROI criteria)
• Only natural for them to use the same criteria in moving from a selling…
• …to a buying role in the case of purchasing Retail Media.
• So, back to the price drawing board for WH Smith…
• …or suffer the inevitable consequences.

M&S Food Appoints Blakemore As New Wholesale Partner To Help Improve Availability

M&S Food has appointed A.F. Blakemore & Son as its new primary wholesale partner for third-party branded products.

The move brings to an end M&S’s 15-year+ branded supply deal with Tesco-owned Booker.

M&S stated that the partnership with the SPAR wholesaler will help deliver a “more consistent and reliable shopping experience for customers as M&S continues its journey to become a shopping list retailer”.

Blakemore will deliver directly to M&S’ regional distribution network with a new seven-day-a-week service “ensuring freshness and exceptional quality”.

Under the multi-year agreement, the West Midlands-based family-owned business will supply a selection of branded goods to complement M&S’s own label offer. The retailer noted that the new daily delivery service, with consolidated chilled and ambient supply, will improve product availability and increase operational efficiency.

M&S highlighted that the move underlined its food division’s long-standing commitment to family-owned businesses. Around 20% of its suppliers are family-owned and operated.

Alex Freudmann, Managing Director at M&S Food, commented: “We are thrilled to be backing another British family business, working with A.F Blakemore & Son as our new, trusted wholesale partner.

“Blakemore will be providing an improved wholesale solution with a full seven-day-a-week service that will increase availability for our stores and customers. As we reshape our business for growth and focus on improving availability and efficiency, choosing the right, trusted partners who can deliver on that is key.”

Carol Welch, the wholesaler’s CEO, added: “At A.F. Blakemore & Son we are committed to delivering consistent quality, agility, and service, and it’s a privilege to partner with M&S to help accelerate growth of their Food business.

“This partnership reflects the advances made in our wholesale and food service capabilities and the significant investment in our infrastructure and product ranging.”

NamNews Implications:

• In unprecedented times, ‘outsource to experts, who can perform at less cost’.
• Allowing the business to focus on strengths…
• Meanwhile, the Blakemore service will focus on improving product availability and increasing operational efficiency…
• …by way of justifying the move from Booker.

Aldi Takes Back ‘Cheapest Supermarket’ Crown From Lidl

The latest price comparison by consumer watchdog Which? shows Aldi was the cheapest supermarket in the UK in August, regaining the top spot from its key rival.

Last month, Lidl claimed the coveted ‘cheapest supermarket’ crown after narrowly beating Aldi for the first time since October 2023.

The new data for August shows that the total price of a basket of 75 everyday grocery items came to £127.92 at Aldi, which is 38p cheaper than fellow discounter Lidl, even when deals on its loyalty scheme are included.

Julie Ashfield, Chief Commercial Officer at Aldi UK, commented: “We’re delighted to once again be recognised by Which? as the UK’s cheapest supermarket.

We are committed to providing shoppers with the best possible value, but not only that, we’ve gained this title while always ensuring our product quality remains consistently high.”

Asda was the cheapest of the traditional supermarkets, with the same list of groceries costing £139.42, even though it doesn’t offer loyalty discounts in the same way as its rivals.

NamNews Implications:

• What is really at issue here is that discounters continue to be significantly cheaper than the mults….
• …and are growing share…
• …despite loyalty cards.
• Raising the question re how long shoppers will be willing to pay 35% more for Waitrose quality?

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Former Tesco Exec Appointed New Head Of Waitrose

Less than two weeks after it was announced that James Bailey was stepping down from the role of Managing Director of Waitrose, the supermarket chain has unveiled his replacement.

Tom Denyard, who is currently Managing Director of Tesco’s online business, will become MD of Waitrose in January. He has worked for the supermarket giant since 2015, holding various roles, including CEO of Tesco Mobile, COO of Tesco stores in Malaysia, and multiple food buying positions.

Denyard began his career at Unilever, where he held a variety of roles across sales, marketing, category, strategy and general management. He was also Head of Brand for Food at Marks & Spencer.

“Tom’s blend of brand, customer, commercial and operational experience makes him the ideal person to take the business forward,” said Jason Tarry, the former UK boss of Tesco, who is now Chairman of the John Lewis Partnership.

“I’m confident that under his guidance, Waitrose will continue to thrive and innovate, delivering exceptional quality and service to our customers, building on the impressive progress made by James Bailey and the Waitrose team.”

Denyard added: “Waitrose is a brilliant brand with wonderful values and fantastic Partners, which bring them to life day in and day out for our customers.

“I can’t wait to start the work of building on the terrific progress James and the whole team have made in enhancing the customer offer in recent years, and ensuring Waitrose is the destination for quality food and outstanding service.”

Bailey, who joined the upmarket supermarket in 2020, guided it through a challenging period during the pandemic and cost-of-living crisis. An overhaul of its product offering and store services has helped restore sales growth.

And last year, Waitrose announced plans to inject £1bn in opening new stores and improving existing sites.

Bailey will leave Waitrose at the end of this month, with Tina Mitchell, currently Retail Director, stepping up as Interim Managing Director until Denyard arrives.

NamNews Implications:

• 10 eventful years at Tesco should count for a lot at Waitrose.
• And should dovetail nicely with former Tesco colleagues in the new role.
• Anticipate a quickening of pace at Waitrose…

Better Month For Brands; Lidl Close To Overtaking Morrisons And Tesco Makes Gains

Worldpanel by Numerator data shows take-home sales at leading UK grocers up 4.0% over four weeks to 10th August, with price inflation down from 5.2% to 5.0%.

Fraser McKevitt, head of retail and consumer insight at Worldpanel: “What people pay for their supermarket shopping often impacts their spending across other parts of the high street too, including their eating and drinking habits out of the home. Casual and fast service restaurants especially have seen a decline in visitors over the summer, with trips falling by 6% during the three months to mid-July 2025 vs last year. The outliers in this are coffee shops, which have bucked the trend.”

Sales of branded grocery items grew by 6.1% this month, putting them ahead of own-label alternatives, which were up by 4.1% – the largest gap in favour of brands since March 2024. Branded sales now makes up 46.4% of all grocery spending but are particularly dominant in personal care, confectionery, hot drinks and soft drinks, where they account for more than 75% of money through the tills.

While a far smaller part of the market, premium own-label is also continuing to perform well, with sales rising by 11.5% during this period.

Looking at the performance of the leading grocers, Lidl and Ocado were tied for top spot as the fastest-growing grocers over the 12 weeks to 10th August, with sales at both retailers up by 10.7% compared to the same period last year.

Lidl’s share of the market increased by 0.5 percentage points to 8.3%, keeping it just behind Morrisons, which now controls 8.4% of the market after seeing sales growth of only 0.9%. Earlier this month, it was reported that Lidl is now the UK’s fifth-biggest supermarket in terms of food and drink sales, having overtaken Morrisons in July.

Tesco achieved its largest monthly share gain since December 2024, with its hold of the market increasing by 0.8 percentage points to 28.4% after delivering sales growth of 7.4%.

Spending through the tills at Sainsbury’s was up 5.2% on last year, taking its portion of the market to 15.0%. Sales at Aldi were 4.8% higher, giving it a 10.8% share.

Asda’s sales slipped 2.6%, but this was a slight improvement on the 3.0% fall last month, suggesting its turnaround strategy could be yielding results.

It was also another disappointing month for convenience specialist Co-op, with its share falling to 5.4% after a 3.2% decline in sales.

NamNews Implications:

• Patently, there is money for premium, brand or own label, rain or shine…
• But the standout has to be dependence on inflation to maintain the ‘appearance’ of growth.
• (with obvious exceptions…)
• Meanwhile, the combined market shares of Aldi & Lidl at 19.1% has to be of concern to rivals and suppliers alike.
• And Tesco and Sainsbury’s continue to grow their share at the expense of Morrisons…
• …and an Asda racing against the clock.

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Crisis Deepens For Independent Retailers With Nearly Half Seeing Sales Fall

New data highlights that the high street crisis has deepened significantly, with nearly half of independent retailers reporting that their sales have fallen compared to last year.

The figures, released by the British Independent Retailers Association (Bira), show that 46% of businesses suffered worse second-quarter trading in 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, as consumers reined in their spending due to stretched household budgets.

The Heartbeat survey, conducted over two weeks from July to August, gathered responses from Bira Group members and the Association of Cycle Traders (ACT). While 45% of respondents said Q2 was much or somewhat better than Q1, this improvement came against the backdrop of Q1 traditionally including the January sales period, with Q2 typically representing quieter trading months.

More concerning, only 13.8% reported Q2 was better than Q2 last year, highlighting year-on-year challenges.

Retailers cited squeezed household finances as a primary concern, with one respondent noting: “Money appears to be tight for households; everyday costs leave households with very little to play with for extra luxuries.”

Another observed that “good weather was keeping people out of the high street.”

When asked about government priorities for the autumn statement, 47% of respondents identified business rates reform as the most critical issue requiring attention. Other priorities included minimising national minimum wage increases, addressing cybercrime, and increasing government spending on policing.

One retailer warned: “The threat of additional tax rises and the outcome of the budget in the autumn may cause further anxiety among consumers and put pressure on sales in the crucial Christmas period.”

Andrew Goodacre, CEO of Bira, commented: “These findings paint a concerning picture of the challenges facing Britain’s independent retailers. With household budgets under pressure and business confidence fragile, our members are facing a perfect storm of rising costs and uncertain consumer demand.

“The government must recognise that independent retailers are the backbone of our high streets and take decisive action to reduce the amount retailers actually pay for business rates, especially as next year many thousands will pay more. Without this support, we risk losing the diverse, vibrant retail landscape that makes our communities special.”

NamNews Implications:

• Given the government’s focus on filling ‘black holes’…
• …breath-holding re a fundamental reform of business rates in the Autumn Budget might not be advisable.
• In fact, pragmatists can benefit more from constant monitoring of their exposure to key retailers...
• i.e. Divide the average amount of credit outstanding by your net margin on that retailer and multiply by 100...
• ...to calculate the incremental sales required should the retailer go bust.

Iceland Foods To Reward Customers Who Report Shoplifters

Amid the significant rise in shoplifting across the UK, Iceland Foods has announced that customers who spot thieves in its stores will be eligible for a reward via its Bonus Card loyalty scheme.

The frozen food chain is encouraging shoppers to alert staff if they see anyone shoplifting in the aisles. In doing so, they will be eligible for a £1 reward, which will be credited to their Bonus Card and available to spend immediately.

“The scourge of shoplifting on our high streets continues to plague the UK, and the problem is only worsening, with criminal activity spreading across, not just big cities, but our market towns and villages too,” said Richard Walker, executive chairman of Iceland Foods.

“In order to combat any activity in Iceland stores, we’re encouraging our loyal customers to help sound the alarm, and if they do help to catch a shoplifter, we’ll top up their Bonus Card to spend in store.”

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed last month that the number of shoplifting incidents rose 20% to 530,643 during the year to the end of March, marking the highest number since records began in 2003.

NamNews Implications:

• No one doubts the havoc caused by shoplifting.
• But this initiative takes Iceland into dangerously sensitive legal territory
• i.e. suppose a loyal shopper overreacts and actually challenges a thief?
• i.e. what if a thief notices the shopper telling staff, and retaliates outside the store?
• For those in any doubt, shoplifters are currently threatening to attack store staff with alcohol bottles!
• Hence why some mults are warning staff to ignore shoplifters…