The Retail Recap – 17 October 2025 – what’s been making waves in retail this week?

From John Lewis activating its new supplier platform with Mirakl to Morrisons launching its on-demand delivery service and M&S calling for more government support to kickstart young people’s careers in retail, what’s been making waves in retail this week?

Russell & Bromley goes live on JLP’s new supplier platform

John Lewis (JLP) has launched its third-party brand platform in partnership with Mirakl, with Russell & Bromley now live as one of the first partners on the new system.

“Our ambition is to be the definitive home for premium brands in the UK. This platform is a huge step on that journey, giving us the agility to bring newness to our customers at speed,” Rachel Morgans, Director of Fashion at John Lewis said.

JLP said this latest launch will further strengthen its omnichannel capability with the rollout of ‘deliver from store’, which enables customers’ online orders to be fulfilled from store stock, in addition to its rapid-delivery pilot with Uber Eats.

TGJones & Hobbycraft extend toy offer with The Entertainer

The Entertainer will partner with Modella Capital to pilot its B2B2C ‘Toy Box Retail Solution’ across selected UK TGJones and Hobbycraft stores.

The pilot will see The Entertainer executing ranging and merchandising of the toy offering in six Hobbycraft locations, including Glasgow and Woking, and six TGJones stores, including Bluewater and Epsom.

“This is part of our strategy to broaden the ranges and categories that are on offer to customers who visit TGJones and Hobbycraft,” Joe Price, MD of Modella Capital, said.

“Supporting Modella to execute its toy offer is further evidence of the versatility of the ‘Toy Box’ services,” Andrew Murphy OBE, CEO at The Entertainer, added.

Social hype trumps brand history in new customer loyalty

The age of lifelong brand loyalty is fading, replaced by ‘trend loyalty’ driven by viral moments rather than lasting trust and relationships, says data from SAP Emarsys.

Its research of 10,000+ consumers revealed that ‘true loyalty’ has stalled in the UK with nearly half (45%) of consumers saying they are more likely to trust a product if it goes viral.

“Trend loyalty is both a risk and an opportunity for brands,” said Sara Richter, CMO at SAP Emarsys. “It’s driven by hype, not history.”

A third (33%) of respondents trust TikTok and social media trends more than ads or brand websites, with 64% saying they are loyal to products, not brands. Meanwhile, 43% of Gen Z shoppers admit to buying a product purely because it was trending on social media.

Appriss Retail’s Shaun Callow on staying ahead of retail crime

Retail crime, whether it’s online fraud, shoplifting from stores or employee schemes, is increasing at a troubling pace. With profit margins already under pressure retailers can’t afford to lose wasted revenue and sales on theft, says Shaun Callow from Appriss Retail.

In our latest guest article, he explores:
🔎Emerging crime tactics, including gift card abuse and returns fraud
🔬 How AI can help retailers detect patterns of crime
🚨 Using Gen AI to work with police to fight organised retail crime (ORC)
📊 Leveraging returns and transaction data to uncover ‘unnoticed’ loss

Read the full article 👉 Guest Post | Appriss Retail’s Shaun Callow on how retailers can keep pace with modern retail crime.

Morrisons launches Morrisons Now for on-demand deliveries

Morrisons has announced the launch of ‘Morrisons Now’, its new fast-delivery service that allows shoppers to get up to 30 items delivered in as little as 60 minutes as it dials up customer convenience.

“We know that life is busy and Morrisons Now is here to make those everyday moments easier,” said Charlotte Exell, Group Online Director for Morrisons.

The service is initially available in 158 stores, with a full rollout to 420 locations expected by the end of this month. Customers can track their order in real time, from store to door, with deliveries fulfilled by one of Morrisons’ delivery partners using a courier bike or car.

Morrisons says the new on-demand service forms part of its wider commitment to convenience and customer experience.

More government support needed to help 1 in 4 young people who kickstart their careers in retail – M&S

More young people start their careers in retail than in any other sector in the UK, with nearly one in four beginning their careers in the industry, according to new research from Marks & Spencer (M&S) and the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR).

This entry-level job creation for young people contributes £7.4billion in Gross Value Added (GVA) – equivalent to 7% of the retail sector’s total economic impact in 2024.

“Retail is a powerful engine of social mobility,” said Stuart Machin, CEO of Marks & Spencer. “When so many young people are struggling to get on the career ladder, this industry can give them that first crucial opportunity.”

M&S is calling for more government support to unlock new employment opportunities for younger people, urging it to consider NICs relief for businesses offering careers for job starters, as well as delivering on its promise of Apprenticeship Levy reform.

Internal drag just as ‘dangerous’ as external shocks in 2026

2025 has forced the commerce industry to face a heady mix of challenges, from economic fluctuations and the rapid advancement of AI to rising costs and unpredictable customers. Yet, despite these external factors, retailers are grappling with quieter – but equally as dangerous – internal challenges, according to Rithum’s latest research.

Insight from Rithum’s 2026 Commerce Readiness Index report, which polled 200 UK and U.S. retail and brand executives, highlighted some of the key challenges commerce leaders. These included over-reliance on manual processes, lack on confidence in data for decision-making, ‘shaky’ AI adoption and leaky revenue in customer journeys.

“The enemy within is the most underestimated threat. Internal drag, including clunky processes, messy data and slow decision-making is what’s bleeding growth out of companies,” said Suzin Wold, Rithum’s CMO.

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