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PRShots Roundup brings you the latest retail news from George at Asda, Lululemon, Topshop, Sephora, Dunelm and M&S. Plus, should you turn your employees into influencers, why digital tools are reshaping the high street, not ending it and more.
THE LATEST RETAIL INDUSTRY NEWS
The systematic criminal targeting of UK shops is costing £400m a year
The British Retail Consortium warns criminal gangs are “systematically” targeting shops, with 5.5m incidents of shoplifting detected last year, costing an estimated £400m.
Complaints from online fashion shoppers surge
Citizens Advice has said it received almost 18,000 complaints about fashion purchases last year, up 21% on 2024. With 82% related to online orders (14,487).
M&S reports record floral sales over Valentine’s
M&S had record-breaking flower sales over the Valentine’s Day period, with over 1m bouquets bought in store and online and an increase in market share from 16.3% to 17.1%.
Number of workers on zero-hours contracts hits record high
The number of workers on zero-hours contracts has hit 1.23m - a record high - ahead of Labour's planned crackdown on the practice from next year.
UK consumers tighten spending into 2026
Data from Cardlytics, which analysed 23m UK bank accounts, shows that festive trading saw smaller luxury baskets, fast fashion declined and shoppers prioritised discounters and resale platforms.
Nearly half of retail staff went to work ill at the end of 2025
Almost half (49%) of retail staff went into work while unwell at the end of 2025, up 40% from the start of the year, according to the latest Retail People Index.
BrewDog founder lines up £10m rescue bid
James Watt, co-founder of BrewDog, is preparing a takeover bid backed by private equity that would inject £10m of his own money and preserve a stake for retail investors.
TRENDS, SUSTAINABILITY, STRATEGY AND TECHNOLOGY
Should you turn your employees into influencers?
Influencers promoting brands is nothing new, but your own staff can be more effective; they can help boost trust, engagement and the bottom line, but be careful it doesn’t backfire.
Why digital tools are reshaping the high street, not ending it
For years, the narrative has been digital retail is growing, high streets are declining and are slowly becoming irrelevant. But that story misses what is actually happening on the ground.
6 best brand safety practices to inform your 2026 marketing plan
Protecting your brand’s online reputation means getting proactive about brand safety, especially when it comes to social media. Hootsuite shows you how.
How to build a strong brand voice on social media
Hootsuite shows you the best brand voices with real, working examples, and includes a step-by-step framework to build a consistent, memorable presence.
How to mitigate the effects of Gmail’s Manage Subscriptions tool
Six months after the launch of Gmail’s Manage Subscriptions, churn remains high. Here’s how to respond with engagement-based automation and more disciplined sending strategies.
What to expect from retail tech in 2026
Retail author, analyst and publisher Miya Knights gives her take on what to expect from retail technology in 2026.
Why everybody is talking about paper hangers
FashionUnited talks to Trimco Group about the latest in paper fibreboard hangers and finding the right solution for sustainability goals.
PEOPLE, MOVERS AND SHAKERS
Former Amazon executive named permanent chair of UK competition watchdog
Doug Gurr, a former Amazon country manager, is to lead the Competition and Markets Authority permanently following a year-long tenure in an interim capacity.
Asda Opticians makes two leadership appointments amid investment programme
Asda Opticians has appointed two new senior leaders and announced its £2.5m investment programme as part of its 2026 strategy.
BRAND NEWS
Dunelm launches app to enhance customer experience
Dunelm has launched a new mobile app, offering a growing range of features for customers “looking to enhance their shopping experience”.
Lululemon announces 100th store opening in EMEA
Lululemon is opening its 100th store in the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) market, in Warsaw, Poland, with five more EMEA stores planned for 2026.
Topshop pairs immersive catwalk show with TikTok live beauty shopping experience
Topshop is adding another interactive layer to its already highly anticipated “Runway to the Future” catwalk, with online audiences invited to participate in a beauty shopping event on TikTok Live.
Sephora to launch new boutique format store
Sephora is to open a new boutique format store in London’s Carnaby Street. Spanning over 4,400 sq ft, including 2,600 sq ft of trading space.
ZigZag Adds Vinted Go lockers for returns
ZigZag’s retail returns clients now have access to over 14,000 lockers and PUDO points in France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, and Portugal through a link-up with VintedGo.
George at Asda launches new Yasmin and Amber Le Bon denim campaign
George at Asda has unveiled a new denim fashion campaign starring celebrity mother/daughter combo Yasmin and Amber Le Bon.
AND FINALLY
Wuthering Heights beauty is set to be the biggest trend of 2026
Cult Beauty’s trend analysis has revealed Wuthering Heights beauty is set to be the biggest trend of 2026.
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, with prices starting at just £50 a month.
PRSHOTS TOP 10 SEARCHES
What were our users searching for on PRShots Week ending Feb 20th 2026?
1/ SS26
2/ Easter
3/ Dress
4/ Denim
5/ Bathroom
6/ Cushion
7/ Skirt
8/ Earrings
9/ Spring
10/ Jeans
PRSHOTS DIARY
PRShots Retail Calendar Alerts
Days until Winter Paralympics Milano Cortina – 10
Days until Mother’s Day – 19
Days until Eid al-Fitr - 23
Days until Easter – 40
March Diary
How to get your brand on the March Editorial Calendars, search engines and social media
Our March 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.
March is mostly about preparing for the big Easter holidays next month, so make sure you are starting to include relevant Easter keywords. It’s also the time people make their first big getaway abroad, so any keywords and clothes for warmer climes, loungewear, going out wear, swimsuits, bikinis, etc, should be added.
In the middle of the month, there’s Mother’s Day, so try to get Mother, gifts, or Mother’s Day into your keywords for anything that seems appropriate. Also, if you have anything green, add the Keyword St Patrick's Day.
Plus, as we’re now definitely in Spring, carry on adding those spring and summer-related images and adding keywords relating to the summer, like swimwear, outdoor living, garden, garden parties and Barbecues (don’t forget to add all of the other spellings BBQ, Bar-B-Que etc) and for home it’s all about Spring cleaning and updating for Spring.
We’re also starting to get ready for the bridal season – the peak is May to October – so If you have bridal wear or anything appropriate to weddings, then start to upload it and label it with the keyword wedding.
The Olympics aren't over yet as this month sees the week-long Paralympic Games, which start on the 6th March and finish on the 15th March. So ski wear and sports wear should be pushed.
Lastly, it’s Oscar month, so why not upload some smart suits and dresses and create an Oscar section for an evening watching the Oscars?
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.
March Diary - Weeks/Months
In the UK, it’s National Bed Month. Introduced by The Sleep Council and The National Bed Federation, it aims to raise awareness of the importance of sleep, so push anything sleep-related. It’s also Dechox month, which encourages people to give up chocolate – cakes and biscuits - for the month! So, any chocolate, biscuit or cake alternatives should be pushed. It’s also Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, Walk All Over Cancer Month, Endometriosis Awareness Month, Brain Tumour Awareness Month, Women’s History Month.
Interesting Stat: National No-Smoking Day was originally on Ash Wednesday when it was started in 1984. It was moved to the second Wednesday in March as, while it’s less easy to remember, the date doesn’t move around the calendar quite so much as Ash Wednesday does.
Other events include;
British Pie Week (2nd-8th)
Paris Fashion Week (2nd – 10th)
British Science Week (6th-15th)
Butchers Week (9th-15th)
English Tourism Week (13th – 22nd)
National Fragrance Week (17th-23rd)
Bridal Fashion Week London (22nd-24th)
The Big Walk and Wheel (26th – 27h)
March - Days
1st – St David’s Day
2nd – Dr Seuss Day (US)
3rd – World Wildlife Day
3rd – World Hearing Day
3rd – Dog product searches peak ahead of Crufts
4th – World Obesity Day
4th – Holi Hindu Festival
5th – Crufts begins
5th – World Book Day
6th - Winter Paralympics Opening Ceremony
8th – International Women’s Day
9th – Made in UK Day
9th – Commonwealth Day
11th – No Smoking Day
13th – World Sleep Day
15th – The Oscars
15th - Mother’s Day UK
15th - Winter Paralympics Closing Ceremony
17th – St Patrick’s Day
18th – Global Recycling Day
19th – Eid al-Fitr / End of Ramadan
20th – First Day of Spring (Spring ends 20th June)
20th - Red Nose Day for Comic Relief
21st – International Day of Forests
21st – World Poetry Day
22nd – Quadragesima
22nd – World Water Day
22nd – Easter egg searches rise
23rd – Gardening searches rise
24th – Possible date for the UK Spring Budget
25th – National Bridesmaids Day
26th – Six years since the first lockdown started in the UK in 2020
27th – Wear a Hat Day (Brain Tumour Research)
29th – British Summertime Begins
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 2026 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 ON PRSHOTS
Industrious Decor is more than furniture. It’s a world of intentional design — where form meets feeling, and materials tell a story. Each collection — ID Country, ID Loft, ID Earth craft, ID Gentleman’s Club, and ID Expression — embodies a distinct aesthetic, yet all share the same foundation: timeless design, refined detailing, and an appreciation for craftsmanship.
BRANDS WITH NEW IMAGES
Clothing, beauty and accessories
Roman Originals has new floral ranges, Petite ranges for SS26, Spring dresses, tops, trousers, skirts, jumpers and cardigans, new Dusk and Curve ranges including coats, jackets, dresses and trousers.
Monsoon has new March accessory ranges including shoes, bags and scarves, plus March drops of womenswear for spring 2026 ranges including clothes, shoes, jewellery, sunglasses and accessories, plus new bridal ranges.
Primark has a new Nightwear Edit, new band t-shirts, a new luggage and travel bags range, Edit range of womenswear, a new Mickey Mouse Mimi range, new European Football outfits, and a new Lounge collection of home wear, new scarves and neckerchiefs.
Cotton Traders has a new summer holiday wear including dresses to tankinis, a new Sea Glass collection, new SS26 women’s and menswear, including a new SS26 menswear collaboration with actor Will Mellor and a womenswear collaboration with Alex Jones.
River Island has new Off to the Races ranges, new collaborations with Year Zero on clothes, accessories and bags, a new Love is in the Air range, a To Have and Hold wedding range of womenswear and accessories, SS26 lookbook images and cut-outs of clothing, bags and accessories.
New Look has new season outfits, jewellery and accessories and drops of SS26 ranges including clothes, bags, shoes, boots and accessories.
Oliver Bonas has new March and February drops of hats, sunglasses, socks, shoes, sandals, clothing, bags, jewellery and accessories.
Matalan has a new floral range of clothes and accessories, new Clubhouse range of womenswear, new kidswear for World Book Day, Souluxe pastel and print activewear and transitional ranges.
Home Bargains has new Hinch Farm ranges of baby clothing.
Busby & Fox has new campaign images for its SS26 womenswear ranges.
Scamp & Dude has a new Davina McCall collaboration and new clothes and accessory ranges.
Peacocks has new SS26 shoes, bags, belts, jewellery, accessories, sleepwear and lingerie, plus leisure wear and ranges for men and women modelled by Louise Redknapp, Dani Dyer and Michael Owen.
Barbour has a new Heritage+ range plus a collaboration with Feng Chen Wang, new jumpers and bags for the New Year and has new collaborations with Ganni, Baracuta, Sorel, Levi’s, Arket, Paul Smith and Farm Rio.
Very has new Wuthering-Heights-inspired womenswear, new Traitors-inspired fashion, a new Transitional Very Collection, Winter footwear and a new Michelle Keegan collaboration.
Bonmarché has new Lisa Snowdon spring 2026 clothing ranges, Dash ranges and Lorraine Kelly Spring 2026 ranges.
F&F has a new Essentials range and spring womenswear ranges of clothes, including jackets, coats, dresses and lingerie.
Curvy Kate has new Scantilly lingerie collections including Swerve, Restraint, Indulgence, Laced Up, Bound Blossom, Embrace, Boost, Flare, Lightstyle, Smoothie, Flora, Limoncello and Suspense and new swimwear for SS26 including Victory, Wild One, Sunset Palm, Siren Seas, Deep Dive, Jet Set, Ibiza, Wild Horizon, Zip Tide, Beach Bliss and Holiday ranges.
See additional new clothing and accessories images from
M&S Inspecs Salts Cashmere Accessorize Fatface Deichmann TK Maxx Threadbare Lola Starr
Home, garden and food
Oliver Bonas has new kitchenware and new March homeware for the dining room, living room and bedroom.
Dobbies Garden Centres have new garden pots and grow your own solutions for spring, plus everything for the garden barbecue and eating outside, from lighting to tabletop firepits. Plus all the tools needed for the Easter and spring planting spree.
B&M has a Great Outdoors range including camping gear and everything for the garden from solar lights to cushions, new limited edition Isle Life range of homeware, Easter-themed homeware and decorations, candles and diffusers, plus coffee and cocktail homeware for the lounge.
National Trust has new garden furniture with new Oxleys and Sitting Spiritually collaborations, new glasshouses, and new kitchen furniture ranges based on their country houses, including walled units, islands and kitchen dressers.
Cambridge Imprint has new exercise and hardback books, notebooks, new Clamshell and Dandelion patterned paper, Charleston themed ranges of patterned paper, new Easter decorations, new notecards, envelopes, albums, notebooks, cards and patterned paper for SS26.
Very has a new Revive outdoor furniture and soft furnishings collection, a new Very collection of furniture, wall art and storage solutions, new beauty and wellness tech, new SS26 homeware including garden furniture, a new Michelle Keegan range of furniture and a Zen Minimalism.
Ruggable has a new Antropologie collaboration of rugs, new ranges of animal-patterned rugs for every room, from kids bedrooms to the lounge, plus all sizes of rugs for inside and out for SS26.
Sofology has new ranges of sofas for SS26 including Fitzrovia, Oscar, Westwood, Adler and Georgio ranges of sofas.
Homesense has new SS26 homeware for the lounge, bathroom, kitchen and dining room and Easter gifts for the home.
The Orchard has new Hezha interior ranges, Lahinch and Kilmore corner sofas and a tabletop range of fire pits in five different colours.
Home Bargains has new Hinch Farm ranges of soft furnishings, storage and accessories.
The Gluttonous Gardener has new Bridgerton-inspired Georgian flower growbars, plus seed kits for Mother’s Day.
Jellycat has a new 2026 Harrods amuseable, plus a new range of Jellycat cuddly vegetables and farmyard animals for 2026.
Nest has new lighting ranges including portable table lights, standard/floor lamps and pendant lamps. As well as sofas, chairs and coffee tables.
Quorn Stone has new natural stone, and marble and stone effect ranges, new terracotta decorative tiles, natural stone range, marble and decorative effect tiles.
Arran Sense of Scotland has new Island Dusk perfumed ranges, Sannox Lifestyle men’s fragrance gift packs ahead of Father’s Day gift sets.
M&S furniture and homeware collections, and new homeware ranges for the spring and summer.
TK Maxx has new Tropicana Jungle, Playful Escapism, Pastel Dining & Gifting, Holistic Horizon and Joyful Minimalism themed homewares for SS26.
See additional new home images from
Habitat Matalan Designers Guild Hobbycraft
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, with prices starting at just £50 a month.
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