From Topshop’s nationwide return to the High Street with its John Lewis tie-up to M&S going shoppable in a new YouTube series to the pre-loved and second-hand shopping trend making it into the mainstream, what’s been making waves in retail this week?
Topshop returns to High Streets nationwide with John Lewis partnership
Topshop will continue its comeback journey to physical retail, returning to High Streets nationwide at John Lewis.
Through a national partnership from February 2026, Topshop will be available in 32 John Lewis stores, while Topman will be on offer in six John Lewis locations. Topshop and Topman will also be available to shop at johnlewis.com.
“Bringing Topshop and Topman back to High Streets across the UK is a landmark moment and we are thrilled to be their only nationwide store partner,” said Peter Ruis, MD of John Lewis.
Michelle Wilson, MD at Topshop, added that the “partnership is a key step in our mission to bring the best of fashion to everyone” and “engaging with shoppers in real life.”
M&S launches shoppable YouTube series to broaden fashion appeal
Marks & Spencer has aired its first episode of Love That, a weekly series on YouTube that showcases M&S products available for purchase online and in-store, alongside styling advice and tips.
The series is presented by stylist Melissa Holdbrook-Akposoe, alongside Capital Breakfast hosts Jordan North, Siân Welby and Chris Stark. The new channel is part of M&S’ push to ‘double-down’ on broadening its customer appeal, further establishing itself as a High Street fashion destination.
“It’s another example of how we’re bringing fresh energy to fashion marketing and experimenting with different channels and formats to connect with new and existing customers,” said M&S’ Sharry Cramond.
Word of mouth beats paid influence for UK shoppers
Independent customer reviews and user-generated content (UGC) carry more weight in British shoppers’ purchasing decisions than celebrity or influencer marketing, according to new research from Akeneo.
Nearly two-thirds (65%) of UK consumers say they have made a purchase based on online reviews or comments from fellow shoppers, compared with 58% who have been swayed by social media endorsements.
The most popular product categories where UK consumers actively sought out peer-to-peer information included sports and leisure equipment (63%), decorative homewares (58%), luxury goods (56%), and cultural events (55%).
Americold, Visibly Rocks & Legion on navigating retail workforce shifts
With shifts in the retail workforce and employee expectations evolving at pace, we joined Legion Technologies’ Frontline Forward webinar to find out what’s top of mind for the sector’s frontline workers.
Legion’s Director of Customer Success, Sara Schrage, was joined by former GVP at Americold Logistics, Narinder Dhaliwal, and Natalie Fresen, CMO at Visibly Rocks, to discuss key findings from its latest State of the Hourly Workforce report. They explored:
⛓️💥 Key employee demands for greater flexibility
🧑💻 Freeing managers to foster team performance
👯♀️ People becoming retailers’ greatest competitive advantage
⚡ The tech, including AI, powering employee experience
Read the full article 👉 Americold, Visibly Rocks & Legion Technologies on navigating retail workforce shifts.
ASOS taps TrusTrace to streamline supply chain risk
ASOS will partner with traceability and compliance solution, TrusTrace, to enhance its supply chain transparency and resilience.
The move will also strengthen ASOS’ risk management and compliance across its global value chain, while supporting its Fashion with Integrity strategy.
“Our partnership with TrusTrace is a key milestone in our updated Fashion with Integrity programme,” said Elena Martínez Ortiz, EVP of Product at ASOS.
The ASOS partnership follows New Look also announcing it would work with TrusTrace earlier in May. New Look will leverage TrusTrace’s solution to create greater visibility across its supply chain and support more responsible sourcing as part of its ESG strategy.
Dryrobe links with Reskinned to launches take-back scheme
Specialist clothing company, Dryrobe®, has announced the launch of a new take-back scheme, in partnership with Reskinned.
Customers can now return worn Dryrobe Advance outdoor change robes to either be cleaned and resold or recycled responsibly if they can’t be repaired. Customers using the take-back scheme will receive credit to spend on their next Dryrobe purchase.
To use the scheme, customers need only add the item they wish to return to an online take-back basket, pack and ship the product, and following verification will receive a discount code worth up to £20 to use on their next full-price item.
Pre-loved goes mainstream driven by affordability & eco demands
Pre-loved enters the mainstream with nearly half of Brits having purchased (49%) or sold (42%) second-hand goods on online marketplaces, according to new research from DHL eComemrce UK, rising to 63% and 52% amongst 25-34 year olds.
Affordability (52%), sustainability (38%) and ethical purchasing (28%) were the key demand drivers among the 2,000 UK shoppers it polled.
“The growing trend of buying and selling pre-loved items online reflects a broader shift in consumer values,” said Gemma Marshall, OOH Product Manager at DHL eCommerce UK. “Sustainability is a key driver for those embracing pre-loved shopping.”
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