Up-to-date coverage of the latest events in UK retail.

M&S faces backlash over photoshoot near axed store

The department store retailer has been criticized for staging a promotional photoshoot for its ‘Insider’ series, which uses photos of employees to promote the brand across social media, just 350 yards away from the former Northampton branch which was closed in 2018.

Former customers criticised the retailer, with one shopper Hilary Sharpe commenting on Facebook: “Lovely picture in a town you don’t think deserves a store.”

A spokeswoman for the BBC said the woman photographed in the image is an employee who lives locally.

“Reshaping in towns such as Northampton isn’t easy, and we recognise the impact it has on the community, but reshaping is vital for M&S and the 80,000 colleagues it employs,” she told the BBC.

Chinese etailer JD.com returns to profit as sales climb

Chinese ecommerce titan JD.com beat analyst expectations with its second quarter results bolstered by sales from its annual 6.18 shopping festival.

The online retailer recorded operating income of $330.2m (£273.8m) in the three months to June 30, compared to a loss of $147.1m (£122m) during the same period the previous year.

The Chinese retailer’s net revenue rose 22.9% year on year to $21.9bn (£18.1bn).