The Retail Week Awards, which have been celebrating excellence in the UK’s retail industry for 30 years, have today revealed the 2025 shortlist.
Sponsored by Salesforce, the awards recognise and reward the extraordinary efforts of retail colleagues – shopworkers, delivery drivers and headquarters staff – and the retailers themselves.
The winners will be announced at a glittering ceremony on March 20, 2025, as it returns to the prestigious Grosvenor House in London.
A new category, the EV Cargo Digital Excellence Award, has been introduced this year to reflect the evolving digital landscape and celebrate the cutting-edge technology initiatives being piloted by the UK’s best retailers. And this year, new shops will be in the spotlight more than ever before thanks to a record number of entries. Gongs for the Best New Store Award will be up for grabs across two categories: small and medium/large stores.
Retail Week editor-in-chief Charlotte Hardie said: “As we reach the 30th year of The Retail Week Awards, the last 12 months have been marked by persistent inflation, supply chain pressures, and shifting consumer spending patterns, but British retailers have shown remarkable adaptability and continued to push boundaries. The overwhelming response to this year’s entries tells a powerful story – not just of resilience, but of people coming together to create excellence, even when times are tough.
“The calibre of submissions has been exceptional, highlighting true retail champions at every level – from the frontline workers who maintain their dedication despite increased workplace pressures and customer tensions, to the leadership teams successfully navigating their organisations through economic turmoil. In every submission, we see the beating heart of British retail, proving that even in challenging times, it’s the people who make this industry truly extraordinary.”
Headline sponsor Salesforce said: “We’re proud to be sponsoring the Retail Week Awards for the ninth consecutive year.”
“Over nearly a decade, this prestigious spot has given us a front-row seat to the remarkable highs and lows that have shaped the retail industry. From the rise of ecommerce giants to the challenges faced by brick-and-mortar stores, the retail sector has undergone profound change in this time. Economic fluctuations, changing consumer preferences, and the impact of global events (including a lockdown or two) have all played pivotal roles – and the growth of generative AI and the rapidly changing technology landscape is sure to keep us all on our toes for the next decade too.”
Retailers can book tables now to join the celebration. Not a retailer and want to join the party? Enquire here
The 2025 shortlist
The Responsible Retailer Award
Boots
Co-op
Currys
eBay
John Lewis Partnership
Ocado Retail
Reskinned
Scamp & Dude
Seasalt
Wolf & Badger
The Salesforce Customer Experience Gamechanger Award
Bensons for Beds
Cloud Nine
Co-op
Holland & Barrett
John Lewis Partnership
New Look
Radley
Sweaty Betty
Vision Express
The Best New Store Award – Small/Medium
American Golf, Norwich
Astrid & Miyu, Carnaby Street, London
Boots Opticians, York
B&Q Local, Brighton
Central Co-op, Bury St Edmonds
Hammonds Fitted Furniture, York
PureSeoul, Westfield White City, London
Søstrene Grene, Oxford Street, London
The Fragrance Shop, Oxford Street, London
Vision Express, Oxford Street, London
WHSmith, Birmingham Airport
The Best New Store Award – Large
Frasers Group, Norwich
Go Outdoors, York
Hugo Boss, Regent Street, London
Lush, Glasgow
NBA Store, Oxford Street, London
Pets at Home, Brentford, London
Sports Direct, Cardiff
The Green Initiative of the Year Award
Abel & Cole
Aldi
Amazon
AO
Asda
Co-op
Decathlon
Dr Martens
Lush
Nobody’s Child
THG
Waitrose
The Specialty Retailer of the Year Award
American Golf
Boots Opticians
Harding+
Jollyes
Majestic Wine
Radley
Sephora
Superdrug
The Entertainer
The Perfume Shop
Toolstation
The Fashion Retailer of the Year Award
AllSaints
Club L London
Nobody’s Child
Primark
Rixo
Seasalt
The Grocer of the Year Award
Aldi
Lidl
Ocado Retail
Sainsbury’s
Tesco
Waitrose
The Happiest Place to Work Award in association with the Retail Trust
Aldi
AllSaints
BP
Fat Face
Jollyes
Lakeland
Majestic Wine
Tesco
The Perfume Shop
Thomas Sabo
The Zebra Store Heroes Award
Shane Mojoo, store manager, BP, Mill End
David Brook, store manager, Co-op, Leeds
Elizabeth Goddard, store manager, Co-op, Preesall
Craig Smith, store manager, Cotton Traders
Doncaster Store team, Currys, Warrington
Jane Gower, store manager, Jollyes, Dartford
Trafford Centre store team, New Look, Manchester
Store team, Seasalt, Edinburgh
Sarlim Mohamed, general manager, and Camden store team, TK Maxx, London
The Distribution/Delivery Heroes Award
Ryan McBride, gas installation engineer, AO, Exeter
Michaela Knott, distribution centre team manager, Co-op, Newhouse
Trevor McKenna, service centre manager, and depot team, Dreams, Gartcosh
Warehouse and dispatch teams, Furniturebox, Chippenham and Warminster
Lee Kaufman, head of supply chain, Jollyes, Middlewich
Leslie Mitchell, customer delivery driver, Waitrose, Coulsdon
The Head Office Heroes Award
Jo Salisbury, head of contact centre transformation, and the contact centre transformation team, AO
Operational excellence team, Currys
International development team, Holland & Barrett
Retail tech projects/operational change team, Holland & Barrett
Frozen food HQ team, Jollyes
Simon Kehoe, product training manager, Majestic Wine
UK travel merchandising team, WHSmith
The Community Heroes Award
Joshua Griffiths, general manager’s assistant, Amazon, Liverpool
Alan Wrigley, customer adviser, B&Q, Oldham
Ian Cairns, store manager, Co-op, Mauchline
Nat Wilding, store manager, Co-op, Portland
Adele Jackson, store manager, and store team, Currys, Blackpool
Ghassan Hashim, managing director, Ecklee Supermarket, Motspur Park
Karen Cunningham, community champion, and Chris Lawlor, store manager, Henderson Retail, Lisburn
Your Co-op Food Walsall Town Centre team, Midcounties Co-operative, Walsall
The EV Cargo Digital Excellence Award
Ann Summers
Deliveroo
Harding+
Hobbycraft
Holland & Barrett
Morrisons
N Brown
Sainsbury’s
Screwfix
SportsShoes.com
Tesco
Wickes
The Best Retailer Under £250m Award
Cotton Traders
F. Hinds
Fortnum & Mason
Liberty
Nobody’s Child
Seasalt
Søstrene Grene
The Cotswold Company
The AlixPartners Best Retailer Over £250m Award
Aldi
AO
B&Q
EE
Lookfantastic
Ocado Retail
Primark
Screwfix
Superdrug
Tesco