From Tesco relaunching F&F as a standalone digital destination, to Karen Millen’s return to the High Street and Currys improving customer service with omnichannel insights, what’s been making waves in retail this week?

Tesco relaunches F&F as standalone digital destination

Tesco has unveiled plans to relaunch a standalone website for its F&F clothing range from next month, creating a digital destination for affordable fashion.

This follows Tesco bringing back F&F to its own site, Tesco.com, last year, ranging over 2,000 products online for the first time since 2018 in response to growing customer demand for own-brand apparel.

Vypr’s research showed that supermarket fashion labels are gaining popularity among shoppers, with 38% now buying more supermarket clothing than they did two years ago. 

“F&F has become a go-to destination for stylish, affordable fashion that keeps pace with customers’ ever-changing needs,” said a Tesco spokesperson. “As our range continues to grow and inspire customers, we want the online experience to reflect that excitement.”

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2 in 3 Google sessions now ‘click-less’ as AI evolves search

AI summaries and citations are creating more ‘click-less’ Google searches, the latest report by Akeneo reveals, as shoppers increasingly consume search engine and AI content in the flow of product discovery.

Its report suggests that more than two thirds of Google searches now end without a click to an external website, rising to around 80% when AI-generated summaries are shown.

“The next battle for visibility won’t be fought on search engine results pages,” said Justin Thomas, VP Sales EMEA North at Akeneo. “Increasingly, products will be recommended directly by AI systems.”

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Karen Millen returns to the High Street after 7-years

Karen Millen is set to make a return to physical retail after seven years, with a rollout of concession stores across the UK.

Its High Street comeback will see the fashion brand’s collections stocked in stores within The Foschini Group (TFG), which includes Hobbs, Phase Eight and Whistles.

“Karen Millen is a brand with real heritage, recognition and a loyal customer base, so bringing it back to the High Street is a significant moment,” said Dan Finley, CEO, Debenhams Group.

Starting with three concessions, each store will be stocked with curated collection, focusing on Karen Millen’s occasion wear and bestselling pieces.

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Retail sales see modest growth, edging up +1.3% in July

Total retail revenues put on modest positive growth in July as hot weather continued to supress sales, according to the latest BRC-KPMG Retail Sales Monitor.

Data spanning the four weeks between 05 Jul – 01 Aug 2026 showed that total retail sales grew +1.3% year-on-year, however this remained below the 12-month average of 1.8%.

Food sales increased by +3.8% compared to 2025, bolstered by the FIFA World Cup. Non-food sales struggled, dipping -0.7% year-on-year, up against the 12-month average of 0.4%.

“Consumer demand has struggled in the heat, leaving retailers facing a challenging start to the second half of the year,” said Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium. “Household budgets remain stretched, consumer confidence is fragile and retailers continue to grapple with rising operating costs.”

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Beauty on-demand: LOOKFANTASTIC goes live on Deliveroo

Deliveroo has added a new exclusive partnership with beauty retailer, LOOKFANTASTIC, to its q-commerce platform.

The move means beauty shoppers across the UK can now access over 300 LOOKFANTASTIC’s skincare, haircare, makeup and wellness products on-demand and delivered in as little as 20 minutes.

“We’re delighted to partner with Deliveroo to make shopping for beauty even more convenient for our customers,” Keely Gough, MD at LOOKFANTASTIC, commented. “As lifestyles continue to evolve, we know our customers value speed, flexibility and seamless access to the products they love.”

The partnership builds on growing customer appetite for personal care and wellness products on the Deliveroo platform, with beauty demand growing +60% year-on-year.

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Currys boost customer services with omnichannel insights

Currys has improved customer service delivery across its sales channels with a solution from NiCE.

Leveraging its customer engagement platform, NiCE CXone, Currys can now connect customer interactions across each stage of shoppers buying journeys, from purchase to after-sales support.

Enabling more personalised and efficient customer services experiences, Currys has seen a double-digit improvement in customer satisfaction scores.

“We now have a unified view of customer interactions across channels, allowing us to resolve issues faster, personalise services and continuously improve the experience we deliver,” said Chris Stroud, Director of Customer Management Centre at Currys.

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86% of shoppers swayed by returns policies

Retail returns policies are increasingly influencing conversions, retention and loyalty among digital shoppers, a new report from IMRG and nShift reveals.

As returns increasingly impact buying decisions further downstream than the checkout, original research of 1,000 consumers reveals that 86% regard returns as a key factor when deciding whether to buy online.

Choice of speed, channel preferences and costs proved key considerations that shoppers now look for in returns policies, according to the report.

“A return begins before the parcel comes back,” Jurgen Leijdekker, CEO at nShift, commented. “Shoppers look at the policy before they buy, and the experience they receive afterward shapes whether they order again.” 

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