From Budget Day and Black Friday landing just two days a part, to shoppers switching up buying behaviours to stretch budgets, registrations for RTS 2026 opening, and Debenhams extending its RMN capabilities ahead of Peak, what’s been making waves in retail this week?

Black Friday begins in earnest as shoppers seek discounts

Black Friday gets underway, our rolling coverage reports on the thrills and spills of BFCM 2025, with data, performance tracking and industry reaction, updated live during the Peak Trading event.

Already this morning we’ve seen:

💻 Black Friday is tipped to trigger £1.5bn in online sales today, says data from TopCashback, with the site traffic predicted to peak at 8pm tonight

💳 Worldpay predicts fashion spend will outstrip purchasing on big ticket items, such as consumer electronics, over Black Friday this year

🧐 1 in 5 shoppers will choose in-store over online during BFCM due to rising concerns about online fakes – Sensormatic

🤖 In the first ‘fully AI’ BFCM, Criteo’s data shows shoppers will use AI for product comparisons (44%) and finding the best deals (39%)

Keep up to date with all the latest Black Friday updates and breaking news throughout the day with RRW’s live coverage of the event 👉 Black Friday Cyber Monday 2025 – LIVE.

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HubBox secures funding to consolidate OOH delivery growth

HubBox has secured £6million in a funding round led by Puma Growth Partners to bolster its global expansion as Out Of Home (OHH) fulfilment continues to flourish.

Seamlessly integrating with over 1,000 retail systems, HubBox now works with retailers across the UK, Europe and the U.S. including GAP, Selfridges, Gymshark, Birkenstock and Macy’s. The software is also compatible with all major couriers’ OOH networks, with HubBox partnering closely with major carriers such as UPS, DPD, Royal Mail, PostNord and DHL.

“Offering pick-up at checkout is key to accelerating the shift to OOH delivery and HubBox has been leading the charge for nearly a decade,” Sam Jarvis, CEO of HubBox, commented. “Now, as demand continues to surge, we’re expanding our investment in people and software to meet it.”

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Registrations open for Retail Technology Show 2026

Visitor registration is now open for the Retail Technology Show (RTS), taking place on 22 & 23 April 2026 at London’s ExCeL.

New for 2026 is a dedicated Cyber & Loss Prevention Zone including cutting-edge innovation to help retailers navigate rising cyber risk, prevent loss, reduce crime and keep colleagues and customers safe.

“RTS gets bigger, bolder and better every year – and in 2026 we’re bringing more innovation, fresh features and new ways to connect, all underpinned by the incredible energy that unites the sector. We can’t wait to unveil more as the countdown to next year’s show begins,” said Matt Bradley, Founder & Event Director at the Retail Technology Show.

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The Budget lands – but receives lukewarm reception from the retail industry

Wednesday brought about the end of weeks of speculation about the contents of the Chancellor’s Autumn Budget – although an OBR leak meant much of the detail went live before her speech in parliment.

Headline announcements impacting the industry included increases in the National Living and Minimum Wages wages, business rates reform and a commitment to close the controversial low-value “de minimis” import tax loophole.

However, industry leaders were largely underwhelmed and concerned the measures didn’t go far enough to support a sector under strain.

“It remains to be seen whether today’s Budget will do enough to reassure the UK retail industry days ahead of the busiest shopping period of the year and amidst the ongoing uncertainty currently facing the sector,” commented Chris Brook-Carter, Chief Executive of the Retail Trust.

For a full round up and reaction from business leaders from across the retail and technology space 👉 2025 Autumn Budget – LIVE – Retail Rewired.

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 Lincolnshire Co-op invests £4m in SOLUM’s ESLs

Lincolnshire Co-op will go live with SOLUM’s electronic shelf labels (ESLs) across 100 stores by the end of this year, aiming to enhance operational efficiency, sustainability and customer experience.

The £4million investment aims to help store colleagues react faster to pricing changes, removing the need for paper labels, saving colleagues’ time and allowing them “to work smarter.”

“Embracing digital solutions, such as ESLs, enables us to operate more efficiently and sustainably, while allowing our colleagues to spend more time helping customers,” Andy Warman, CTO at Lincolnshire Co-op.

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Debenhams extends Mirakl tie up for new RMN opportunities

Debenhams Group is expanding partnership with Mirakl, launching a new retail media platform to boost visibility for its 15,000-plus marketplace brands.

“We’re enabling third-party sellers to connect customers with even more of the brands they love, [to] unlock new retail media opportunities for our partners as well as a new high-margin revenue stream for the Group,” said Dan Finley, CEO of Debenhams Group.

This launch comes as Peak Trading begins, helping Debenhams’ brand partners extend their reach and boost performance during the year’s highest-traffic period. 

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87% of shoppers switch up buying habits to stretch budgets – ShipStation

Pre-Budget uncertainty has been blamed for recent subdued consumer spend, however new data highlights concerns about the economy are more entrenched, creating an environment where affordability and convenience are key.

87% of UK consumers have changed their shopping habits in the past year as a result of the current economic climate, according to data from ShipStation, with shoppers increasingly searching for discounts, shopping second-hand, and turning to online channels to find better value.

“Consumers are making deliberate choices to stretch their budgets and find value in pre-owned products,” said Kelly Vincent, Chief Product Officer at Auctane, ShipStation’s parent company. “Retailers that embrace recommerce and dependable fulfilment will resonate with shoppers while standing out this peak season.”   

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