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PRShots Roundup brings you the latest retail news from Debenhams, Frasers, WHSmith, TK Maxx, Claire’s, AllSaints, Seasalt, Furniture Village, Hobbycraft, Guess, Michael Kors, RIXO, Reebok, Fossil and M&S. Plus, the seven phases of Festive Shopping and how to target in each effectively, how to make email automations work as hard as you do and more.
THE LATEST RETAIL INDUSTRY NEWS
Debenhams completes £175m refinancing deal
Debenhams has completed a new 3-year credit facility led by investment firm TPG Angelo Gordon, a subsidiary of TPG which had helped take the Debenhams department store chain private in 2003.
Frasers eyes 50% stake in Manchester Arndale
Frasers Group is considering a move to take a 50% stake in Manchester’s Arndale shopping centre, a move that would further expand the retailer’s presence in city-centre locations.
UK consumer confidence still in the ‘doldrums’, says BRC
BRC-Opinium Consumer Sentiment Monitor figures show consumer confidence in the state of the economy increased to -32 in August, up from -33 in July.
WHSmith cuts US profit forecast after accounting overstatement
WHSmith has slashed full-year forecasts for its US arm and called in an independent auditor after the UK retailer said it had discovered “an overstatement” in the unit’s trading profits.
M&S invests £340m on automation to double food business with new hub
M&S is making a landmark £340m investment in a 1.3m sqft state-of-the-art food distribution centre - the largest supply chain investment in its history - with the facility due to open in 2029.
Court to have final say on Poundland restructuring after creditor pushback
Creditors have failed to fully back value retailer Poundland’s restructuring plan, meaning a final decision will be made at a court hearing next week.
TK Maxx parent tops expectations
TK Maxx parent company revenue for the quarter ending Aug 2 hit $14.4bn - beating analysts’ expectations - and expects store sales growth of 3%, versus its prior forecast of 2% to 3%.
Guess to go private in $1.4bn deal with Authentic Brands
Guess will be taken private by Authentic Brands Group in a deal that values the brand at about $1.4bn, including debt.
Claire's to sell its North American business
Claire's will sell its North American business to private equity firm Ames Watson for $104m in cash, in a deal that will keep at least 795 retail locations in business.
AllSaints restructures head office teams
AllSaints has restructured its head office operations with the loss of some roles in its design and merchandising teams with the aim of helping fuel future growth.
Seasalt sales rise as it hails growth despite ‘economic challenges’
Revenues were up 13% at retailer Seasalt, with EBITDA up 5% year on year to £11m for the FY ending 1 Feb, but operating profit dipped 1.3% year-on-year from £7.6m to £7.5m.
TRENDS, SUSTAINABILITY, STRATEGY AND TECHNOLOGY
The seven phases of Festive Shopping and how to target in each effectively
Mailchimp has released a report, Holiday Shopping Unwrapped which identifies a series of 7 phases that define the modern Christmas shopping experience.
How to make email automations work as hard as you do
Plan, build and maintain effective email journeys that drive revenue, nurture customers and outperform basic automations.
How to succeed on Temu – A UK seller’s perspective
Simon Dickinson, co-founder of Exploded Sweets launched on Temu in February 2025 and has seen fast growth on the platform with over 1,000 orders taken in the first week.
How dozens of deliberately subpar AI-created articles are helping brands with their SEO
At the fringes of advertising abritage and search engine optimisation, some content teams are generating thousands of mediocre articles in quest of rankings.
AI adoption surges as 88% of UK retailers seek to close the gap with global players
Almost all UK retail decision-makers (99%) report some form of AI expertise in their business, while 88% believe AI helps local retailers compete more effectively with global retail powerhouses.
UK retailers face £146m annual losses without net zero upgrades
UK retailers are losing over £146 million every year by failing to upgrade their buildings’ services to meet net zero targets, according to new research from Mitsubishi Electric.
UK shoppers more hesitant about AI in retail than international consumers
A survey of shoppers in five key Western markets has shown that UK consumers are the most likely to express hesitation about the rollout of AI features by retailers.
PEOPLE, MOVERS AND SHAKERS
Justin King quits the board at M&S
Justin King, a non-executive director of M&S since 2019 and a former head of its food business and former boss of Sainsbury’s, is to step down from the board on Sept 10.
Furniture Village names new non-exec
Furniture Village has appointed Ian Oliver to its board as a non-executive director. Oliver was the group chief executive of Sofa Brands International, stepping down in May after 20 years there.
BRAND NEWS
Hobbycraft launches TV shopping channel
Hobbycraft is set to launch its own TV shopping channel as demand for arts and crafts video tutorials rise.
Uniqlo names Cate Blanchett as global brand ambassador
Actress Cate Blanchett is joining tennis star Roger Federer as a global brand ambassador for Japanese apparel retailer Uniqlo, part of the Fast Retailing group.
Guess Jeans to open standalone London store
Guess Jeans, part of US fashion retailer Guess and now owned by Authentic Brands, is gearing up to open a standalone denim-only store in central London.
Michael Kors launches AW2025 campaign with Suki Waterhouse and Logan Lerman
Michael Kors has launched its autumn 2025 campaign with brand ambassadors Suki Waterhouse and Logan Lerman in a campaign photographed by Lachlan Bailey.
Reebok unveils ‘Clueless’ sneaker capsule collection
Reebok has teamed up with Paramount Consumer Products to launch a capsule sneaker collection to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the teen comedy film Clueless.
Fossil collaborates with Nick Jonas on a watch collection
Watch and accessories brand Fossil has unveiled a collaboration with singer, songwriter, and actor Nick Jonas, its global brand ambassador.
RIXO expands in London with two new retail sites
RIXO now has two additional retail locations in London after opening a new flagship store on Westbourne Grove and a dedicated retail space in Liberty.
AND FINALLY x2
What are Labubus and how did they get so popular?
Some people have paid thousands of pounds to get their hands on furry, mischievous-looking dolls that hang off handbags. But how did the ugly-cute monsters become such a hot commodity?
‘Safe’ gambling ads are doing ‘more harm than good’
Gambling ads designed to promote safer gambling are failing to reduce gambling intentions and may be having an opposite effect, according to new research.
PRSHOTS TOP 10 SEARCHES
What were our users searching for on PRShots Week ending Aug 8th 2025?
1/ AW25
2/ Christmas
3/ Bathroom
4/ Halloween
5/ Cushion
6/ Denim
7/ Dress
8/ Bag
9/ Vase
10/ Candle
PRSHOTS DIARY
PRShots Retail Calendar Alerts
Days until School holidays are over (3rd Sept) – 13
Days until Halloween – 71
Days until Black Friday - 99
Days until Christmas Day – 126
How to make your products attractive to the media in August
Our August PR toolkit and content calculator is here to help PRs and marketers forward-plan campaigns and pitches armed with some timely and topical angles, plus it’s a checklist for potential campaign hooks.
Summer is in full swing, and hopefully the weather has improved – i.e. stopped raining in the north and stopped being so damn hot in the south. So, there are just a few weeks left to boost your summer-related images before the AW25 images fully kick in.
There’s still time to tag anything relevant to summer/high summer and push anything related to the outside: garden furniture, anything for a garden party, or picnic or barbecue. Plus, don’t forget to add all of the other spellings, BBQ, Bar-B-Que, etc., and add any other related keywords like picnics, garden parties, etc. If you have them, then firepits and chimineas for the colder UK evenings would be good.
It's also a good time to start uploading your AW25 images. So jumpers, scarves, coats, boots, raincoats, hoodies, and cardigans will all start to be searched for by the media.
It's also not too early to start thinking about back-to-school items - Scottish schools start again in mid-August - and university students will be getting ready to sort out their wardrobes and rooms in September, so add fresher(s) and university as keywords to anything relevant.
There’s also still time to add Halloween ideas and Christmas gifts if you have them.
If you’re a PRShots brand user and you need more ideas, then take a look at the keywords that media are searching for on PRShots and try and add those in.
If you’re looking for more hooks to help promote your brand and products, then see the list of days, weeks and fortnights below.
August Diary - Weeks/Months
Music festivals are still on, so add any festival wear and camping-related things you have and keyword them with festival, particularly in the weeks running up to the August bank holiday weekend with Reading/Leeds festivals 21st-24th August.
The 28th marks 3 months until the Black Friday/Cyber Monday (28th Nov – 1st Dec) weekend so start preparing for those sales now.
Weeks to celebrate this month include;
Edinburgh Festival (1st - 24th)
National Horse Race Week (23rd-31st)
August - Days
21st – World Senior Citizens Day
23rd - International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition
23rd-25th – Notting Hill Carnival
25th – National Secondhand Wardrobe Day
25th – Christmas in August (4 months until Christmas Day)
25th – August Bank Holiday
26th - Women's Equality Day
26th – Ganesh Chaturthi - Hindu holiday
28th – National Burger Day
28th – National Red Wine Day
28th – 3 Months until Black Friday
29th – Blackpool Illuminations start
For more diary dates for this year see the Marketing Retail Diary
NB - All dates have been checked, but some events may change due to unforeseen circumstances or have not been fully confirmed for 2025 by the authorities controlling the event(s).
WANT TO GET YOUR IMAGERY IN FRONT OF OVER 20,000 MEDIA?
If you’re a brand looking to get your imagery on PRShots then get in touch with our sales team at sales@prshots.com We have solutions and pricing for all sizes and types of business from small startups to large multi-nationals.
NEW BRANDS TO PRSHOTS
Gardena has been producing products and solutions for the garden for more than 50 years and operates in more than 100 countries. Products and services include watering, lawn care, tree and shrub care and soil cultivation.
Flymo invented the hover mower more than 50 years ago, and since then Flymo have become the market leaders in the design and innovation of unique gardening products, which makes gardening easier.
Villeroy & Boch manufactures everything from crockery for the table to bathroom fittings including vanity units, bathrooms and taps and they’ve been around since 1748, and are available in 140 countries.
Salts Cashmere is launching 1st September with a unisex range of cashmere jumpers and tops that are made in Yorkshire.
BRANDS WITH NEW IMAGES
Clothing, beauty and accessories
M&S has new accessories and jewellery, ballet shoe ranges, new back-to-school ranges including clothes and shoes, summer menswear and womenswear campaign imagery.
Oliver Bonas has new autumnal womenswear including jumpers, cardigans, trousers, scarves and shoes, plus jewellery and clothing for September, new accessory drops including bags, hats, shoes, sandals, scarves and sunglasses.
River Island has new Summer Darks ranges of clothing, shoes, bags, and accessories, back-to-school ranges, summer denim ranges, Rococo Revival and Perfect Prints range of summer clothing, RI Studio range and Mykonos Night range of womenswear.
Roman Originals has new AW25 Dusk, Curve and Petite ranges, plus outfits with this year’s must-haves, crochet and embroidery/broderie anglaise, big-pattern midi-length dresses and Bardot tops.
New Look has new AW25 clothes, bags, shoes, boots and accessories, back-to-school ranges, new womenswear outfits and cowboy core womenswear drops.
Monsoon has new AW25 clothing and accessories, including bags, sunglasses, shoes, boots, scarves and jewellery, new wedding and bridal ranges, new SS25 ranges for the beach and holidays, plus women’s and kids clothing for the summer.
Accessorize has new AW25 womenswear, new jewellery, charms, socks, hats, scarves and wraps for Christmas, a new Palma range of womenswear shoes and accessories, a new SS25 beachwear, bags, and scarves.
Barbour has new Heritage ranges, September clothing ranges plus new outfits and footwear for the festival season.
Bonmarché has new Dash and Autonomy ranges of AW25 clothing, new Lisa Snowdon and Lorraine Kelly collaborations for AW25, plus new women's wear ranges including coats, blouses, jackets and jumpers.
John Lewis has new AW25 kidswear and womenswear lookbook images, plus bags, shoes, boots and accessories, a John Lewis x Rejina Pyo new collection and a new back-to-school kids range of uniforms.
Inspecs has new sunglasses campaign imagery of sunglasses for men and women from Radley, Superdry and Botaniq.
Matalan has new women’s autumn winter ranges including denim ranges, AW25 menswear including casual and formal evening wear, Disney Villains family outfits including Halloween ranges and back-to-school ranges.
Fable England has a new Agnes jewellery, nightwear, scarf and bag range for the autumn.
F&F has new autumn womenswear ranges, a new Kate Ferdinand active wear collaboration and Abbey Clancy festival imagery, new summer band t-shirts and beachwear, new F&F Active sportswear.
Iolla has new Healy, Aitkin ranges of glasses in all shades and colours.
Very has new V by Very August drops of womenswear for high-summer from suedette dresses, lace, crochet and Bardot tops to midi skirt dresses, jeans and ra-ra skirts.
Peacocks has new AW25 ranges, a new Louise Redknapp Edit of summer womenswear, plus her Linen Edit for summer, a new SS25 Edit range, and a new menswear range.
Scamp & Dude has new leopard print and stripey clothes and accessories, new SS25 athleisure wear, dresses, shorts, jackets, hoodies, coats, bags and scarves.
Tu Clothing has new AW25 clothing ranges.
Primark has new Conscious Clothing ranges, Wednesday Core themed clothing and accessory ranges, new back-to-school ranges of clothes, backpacks and shoes, a new Edit range of womenswear, new denim, youth and newborn – including Bambi - ranges.
TK Maxx has new Christmas outfits, bags and accessories, plus summer clothing, shoes, boots, jewellery and accessories, including bags, hats and sunglasses for both men and women.
National Trust has new AW25 clothing, including beanie hats, scarves and gloves.
George at Asda has a George X Gym Locker collaboration of athleisure wear.
Dune London has new women's accessories, including Deliberate, Define, Dedicated and Dinidearest ranges of handbags, clutches and purses.
See additional new clothing and accessories images from
Busby & Fox Cotton Traders Fatface
Home, garden and food
Ivyline has a selection of Autumn and Halloween decorations, Christmas trees, tree decorations, lights and decorations for the home plus candle holders, pots and vases.
Cambridge Imprint has Christmas and New Year cards, new clipboards, tissue boxes, postcard boxes, pencil pots, letter trays, portfolios and magazine files, plus Christmas paperchains, coronets, banners, and plus mug ranges.
Home Bargains has new autumn and Halloween things for the home as well as Christmas decorations and homeware.
Quorn Stone has new marble and decorative effect tiles, Parisian Manoir, Lullington, Chalfont and Orotelli decorative tiles, plus new natural stone and Canyon Terrazzo effect porcelain tiles and chequered decorative tiles for the bathroom.
Primark has new Halloween decorations and gifts, back-to-college ranges, harvest festival ranges of decorations, an Edit homewares range, new travel gadgets, new summer-themed homeware including kitchenware, candles and soft furnishings.
B&M has home ware for back to college, university Halloween decorations and accessories, Christmas Frosted Night, Nordic Glow, Peaceful Wishes, Snow Much Fun and Festive Folklore decorations, plus AW25 Warm Earth, Natural Calm, Quiet Luxury and Christmas accessories for the home, from bedding to hosting to laundry.
Jellycat has new Halloween themed cuddly toys and amuseables plus new designs and bag charms.
Dunelm has a new homeware for the autumn, plus festive Kitschmas collaboration with designer Sophie Robinson, a new AW25 Modern Nostalgia, Into the Wild, Harvest Hues and Quite Luxury collections of homeware including furniture, bedding, curtains, soft furnishings.
The Orchard has new autumn and Halloween decorations, new furniture ranges for indoors and outdoors from garden tables and chairs to sofas and chairs for the lounge.
Designers Guild has new Trevenna, AW25 ranges of big patterned print material for curtains and soft furnishings.
M&S has new Christmas decorations for the tree and the home.
John Lewis has a new collaboration with John Cooper and AW25 lookbook images from its Heritage, Modern Luxe and Timeless range of homeware collections.
Oliver Bonas has Christmas decorations, gifts and things for the home, plus new August/September/October drops of homeware ranges for the lounge, bedroom, kitchen, dining room and lounge for AW25.
Matalan has Christmas decorations and gifts, AW25 homeware for the autumn including Halloween and Harvest Festival themed soft furnishings.
Arran Sense of Scotland has 2025 Christmas gift packs and an advent calendar, new refill packages, home fragrances, scented candles, After the Rain summer fragrance and a new mum and bride scent range.
Habitat has new AW25 Festive Fairground, Alpine Retreat, Jazz Bar and Moorlands ranges of home furniture, lighting and accessories for the lounge, dining room and bedroom, plus dinner sets and glassware.
Homesense has new home furniture and accessory ranges for the kitchen and living room, including soft furnishings, dishes and glassware. Plus Halloween and Christmas decorations for the home.
Nest has new Knoll Studio dining tables and chairs, new Tradition Icons furniture, new HKLiving furniture and rugs, Audo Copenhagen and Norwegian designer furniture for the home plus Hay Traverse and Pallisade garden furniture.
Sofology has a new Modern Classic Christmas range of sofas and chairs and a new Texturalism and Materiality, Rural Refined and Get Yer Freak On range of chairs and settees.
Dobbies Garden Centres has a new RHS collaboration range of gifts, plus Christmas decorations, gifts and food, Halloween decorations, new summer pots, pet toys and accessories for the garden.
TK Maxx has new Christmas and Halloween decorations and homeware, back-to-school ranges with lunch bags and stationery and pens, homeware ranges for the kitchen, dining room and lounge from cups and vases to cushions and lamps.
National Trust has winter homeware, gifts and books, Christmas decorations, plus a collaboration with Jellycat and a collaboration with Sitting Spiritually on a selection of outdoor swings from two-seater to four-seaters as well as pots for the garden, water bottles and autumn decorations.
See additional new home images from
WANT TO GET YOUR IMAGERY IN FRONT OF OVER 20,000 MEDIA?
If you’re a brand looking to get your imagery on PRShots then get in touch with our sales team at sales@prshots.com We have solutions and pricing for all sizes and types of business from small startups to large multi-nationals.
NEWSLETTER SECTIONS
THE LATEST RETAIL INDUSTRY NEWS
HOW TO GET YOUR BRAND NOTICED BY THE MEDIA IN AUGUST
NEW IMAGERY ON PRSHOTS IN FASHION/BEAUTY/HOME
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