British Heart Foundation to close 150 shops amid rising costs

The charity, which operates 640 shops across Britain, will shut 90 stores by next March and a further 60 by March 2028. It did not confirm how many jobs would be affected, but said it would “support colleagues affected by proposed closures with care and respect throughout the process”.

Rising minimum wage costs have been a key factor, with a 9.8% increase in 2024 significantly pushing up costs, followed by further rises of 6.7% in April 2025 and 4.1% this year. Shop profits fell by more than 80% to £3.3m in 2025, despite revenues of £233m.

BHF chief executive Dr Charmaine Griffiths said: “Like most retailers, we are facing an exceptionally challenging trading environment. We must take the difficult step to close some of our shops to sustain retail’s important contribution to funding BHF’s groundbreaking research.”

Chief commercial officer Allison Swaine-Hughes said: “We must act now to ensure a sustainable future for BHF retail. Change is essential so we can continue to serve communities across the UK and raise the funds that power our lifesaving research.”

The news follows Cancer Research’s closure of 90 high-street shops last year, which it blamed on “rising costs, inflationary pressures and changing consumer habits – including reduced footfall, higher National Insurance contributions and growing competition from online resale platforms”.