From Amazon piloting its new ultra fast 30-minute delivery service in London, and ZigZag reporting that nearly half of Peak returns were paid for as customer acceptance of returns fees widens, to John Lewis, Holland & Barrett and M&S among the top 10 brands in the latest UK Customer Satisfaction Index, what’s been making waves in retail this week?
ZigZag: Nearly half of Peak returns were paid for as shoppers’ increasingly accept returns fees
Nearly half (45%) of retail returns made between Black Friday and 06 Jan 2026 were paid for, according to new data from returns and post-purchase network ZigZag, as shoppers become more accepting of returns charges.
Insights from ZigZag’s platform suggest that post-Peak returns spiked on 29 Dec 2025, when returns rose +16%, the biggest uplift of any day, followed by a “back to the office” surge, with the first Monday after New Year seeing a +3% increase. Sizing issues remained the most commonly cited reason for consumers making a return.
“Paid returns have become the norm as shoppers and retailers realise there’s a cost to every return,” said ZigZag’s CEO Al Gerrie.
Priory Direct’s Josh Pitman on how sustainability will move beyond brand perception in 2026
In the final guest post of our 2026 Trends Series, Josh Pitman, MD at Priory Direct, outlined how retailers sustainability efforts will shift to focus on compliance, cost exposure and supply chain viability including:
♻️ Getting reporting-ready: UK Sustainability Reporting Standards are in development, pushing businesses towards more strategic, framework-aligned disclosure, including deeper visibility across Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions
📦 Packaging cost changes: EPR fees are already landing for larger retailers, with modulated fees coming in 2026 based on recyclability, making packaging design and data more critical than ever
⚠️ The rising greenwashing risk: Regulators are tightening scrutiny, meaning sustainability claims need to be accurate, evidenced and consistent across channels
Read the full article here: Retail 2026 | Priory Direct’s Josh Pitman on how sustainability legislation will impact retailers.
NRF 2026 | How Alo Yoga is blending the art of retail & the power of science with invent.ai
Onstage at NRF 2026, luxury activewear brand Alo Yoga outlined how it has embedded AI into its fast-moving product and merchandising model to overhaul inventory planning, allocation and replenishment, delivering a +6.8% improvement in revenue weighted availability.
Alo Yoga’s VP Casey Hahn and Gurhan Kok, Founder & CEO of invent.ai, explained how their partnership is applying scientific rigour to what Hahn described as “the art” of Alo’s brand and retail execution.
After an initial POC in selected Alo’s stores delivered a +10% sales uplift, driven by improved availability, it delivered a “moment of truth” for the retailer, establishing trust in AI-decisioning.
The partnership has since expanded to include assortment planning, SKU-level demand forecasts by store and trend, and buying optimisation, contributing to a +2.9% year-on-year improvement in availability, alongside a three-week reduction in weeks’ cover. From 2024 to 2025, the business recorded -8.2% fewer abandoned sales, while revenue-weighted availability improved by +6.8%.
John Lewis, Holland & Barrett and M&S among top rated retailers for customer service
Customer service levels have seen a third consecutive year-on-year rise, up +2.1% in 2026, according to the latest UK Customer Satisfaction Index (UKCSI), as a combination of quality, price and service wins favour with shoppers.
The latest index, compiled by The Institute of Customer Service, showed that, while the top 10 brands were dominated by banking and travel businesses, retailers including John Lewis, Holland & Barrett and M&S were also recognised for their commitment to customer care.
“Service is the differentiator – and what sets the brands at the top of the UKCSI apart is that they consistently deliver on their service promise,” said Jo Causon, CEO of The Institute of Customer Service.
Amazon pilots new 30-min deliveries as it doubles down on fast fulfilment
Amazon is piloting its new Amazon Now service, which offers ultra-fast delivery across thousands of grocery and household goods in under 30-minutes, across selected London postcodes.
The move, which is being tested in Southwark with plans to rollout to additional locations in the coming months, aims to bring new levels of speed and convenience to Amazon customers.
“Amazon Now brings a new level of speed and convenience,” said John Boumphrey, UK Country Manager of Amazon. “It’s the latest example of our commitment to faster delivery, building on the millions of items we already deliver same or next day across the UK.”
NRF 2026 | American Eagle, H&M & Walmart on the new rules of influencer marketing
The right content on the right platform, guided by clear but flexible brand parameters, will be the golden rule of engagement for creating relevant, timely campaigns this year, according to influencer and marketing leaders at H&M, Walmart and American Eagle onstage at NRF 2026.
“Creator content outperforms branded assets every single time, and not by a little, by a lot,” said Noah Gonzalez, Head of Brand PR and Talent Relations at H&M Americas. “There’s always going to be a place for branded assets, but people innately want to see the people they have followed and championed work with big brands. That makes them very excited, and that spill-over helps us.”
Increasingly, affiliate partners are also playing a growing role in influencer marketing, as brands look to drive measurable outcomes, such as traffic and conversions with Walmart managing tens of thousands of affiliate relationships through its Walmart Creator platform, as well as third-party networks.
Read the full NRF 2026 session write up: NRF 2026 | American Eagle, H&M & Walmart on the new rules of influencer marketing.
Iceland and The Food Warehouse select STRATACACHE to power RMN effectiveness
Iceland Retail Media, which operates the retail media networks (RMNs) for Iceland and The Food Warehouse, will partner with STRATACACHE to enhance analytics and drive RMN performance across 766 European locations.
Becoming one of the first European retailers to deploy STRATACACHE’s Walkbase solution, Iceland and The Food Warehouse will unlock precise audience attribution thanks to the camera-free, sensor solution – enabling the retailer to accurately assess impressions across in-store ads while remaining compliant with consumer privacy practices.
“With STRATACACHE, we will be able to serve our customers better [and] work collaboratively and openly with brands to make sure their marketing spend delivers results,” said Adam Smith, Head of Retail Media, Iceland Foods.
The Retail Recap is brought to you in partnership with Flagship PR, a specialist comms agency that delivers pioneering PR for retail tech.
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