All WHSmith articles
WHSmith is the UK’s leading specialist multiple newsagent, a category covering books, greeting cards, stationery, newspapers, magazines, confectionary and more. Founded in 1792 by Henry Walton Smith and his wife Anna as a news vendor in London, the company was the first retail chain in the world. The business now trades through over 1,600 outlets, including nearly 450 overseas stores. Operations are divided into two divisions by location type: high street and travel.
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AnalysisSupply chain strategy: How WHSmith, Co-op and Inditex found their missing links
Third-party tie-ups are a central part of the modern retail supply chain and are only becoming more strategic. In this exclusive excerpt from Retail Week’s Supply Chain 2025 report, discover how some of the country’s biggest retailers are collaborating to improve operations
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NewsWHSmith appoints new chief financial officer
WHSmith has appointed Max Izzard as its new chief financial officer, who will take over from Robert Moorhead.
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NewsWHSmith and Holland & Barrett urge Body Shop employees to apply for jobs
Retailers including WHSmith and Holland & Barrett are offering roles to employees affected by store closures and redundancies announced by The Body Shop.
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NewsWHSmith sales soar driven by ‘strongest ever’ travel division
WHSmith posted growth in sales in the 20 weeks to January 26, 2024, as it achieved its “strongest ever position as a global travel retailer”.
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GalleryFirst look: WHSmith launches new coffee store format for UK hospitals
WHSmith has launched its brand-new hospital coffee shop format in Sheffield. It is set to be rolled out across the UK.
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NewsExclusive: WHSmith appoints GXO as UK logistics partner
WHSmith has appointed GXO as its new outsourced logistics partner in the UK, Retail Week can reveal.
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GalleryWHSmith unveils its biggest UK store yet at Birmingham airport
WHSmith has opened its flagship store in Birmingham airport, the largest UK store in the company’s portfolio.
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NewsWHSmith boss optimistic for festive season as ‘Christmas always comes’
WHSmith chief executive Carl Cowling has said its high street stores are “set up” for an increase in footfall over Christmas.
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NewsWHSmith sales and profits soar
WHSmith has reported soaring sales and profits off the back of strengthening footfall in its travel division.
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Innovation of the WeekInnovation of the Week: WHSmith introduces BookCycle buy-back scheme
Innovation of the Week is a subscriber-only series highlighting retail initiatives that have caught the eye of our analysts.
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NewsWHSmith launches book buy-back service
WHSmith has launched a new book buy-back service where customers can swap their used books for WHSmith e-gift cards.
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AnalysisStrategy spotlight: How travel versus high street is playing out at WHSmith
WHSmith has been dependent on its growing travel division to offset a long-term sales decline across the high street, where annual revenues are now little over half 2010 levels. As its latest results show, the travel division is growing rapidly, but after years of cost-cutting its high street estate is now in dire need of investment. Our Retail Week analysts examine WHSmith’s performance and priorities for both divisions as the retailer continues to invest in one and cut costs in the other
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NewsWHSmith revenue jumps as travel booms
WHSmith has posted a 28% jump in its full-year revenue thanks to a boom in its travel division.
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NewsVirgin Wines announces partnership with WHSmith
Virgin Wines has announced a new partnership with WHSmith as part of the retailer’s “strategic focus on commercial partnerships”.
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NewsWHSmith will not open any more high street stores
WHSmith will not open any more high street stores as it focuses instead on its growing travel arm.
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NewsWHSmith, M&S and Argos failed to pay minimum wage
WHSmith, Marks & Spencer, and Argos are among companies that have been named for failing to pay the minimum wage, according to the Department for Business and Trade.
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AnalysisWhy WHSmith feels the time is right to bring Toys R Us back to the UK high street
Toys R Us was once a staple of the British high street as the go-to shop for all things games, clothes and of course, toys.
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NewsToys R Us returns to UK high streets with WHSmith tie-up
WHSmith is set to bring Toys R Us back to the UK in bricks and mortar this summer, opening nine shop-in-shops across the country.
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NewsWHSmith improves profit expectations as momentum continues across travel
WHSmith has further improved its expectations for the full financial year as travel continues to perform well ahead of peak trading season.
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NewsCarl Cowling banks on bumper summer to keep WHSmith travelling in right direction
WHSmith chief executive Carl Cowling has said the retailer is positioning its travel brand as a “one-stop shop for travel essentials” after reporting a surge in profit and revenue.