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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News
Airport retailers could see a boost in sales if global IT outage continues
Retailers operating in airports could end up receiving a boost in sales and footfall if the IT outage causing havoc around the world continues.
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Analysis
Retail cabinet: What would government look like if retailers ran the country?
As the country casts its votes in the general election, Retail Week imagines what a cabinet made up of bold and capable retail leaders might look like
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Analysis
How Ikea, WHSmith and Decathlon are going green to win shopper spend
Sustainability has rocketed up the consumer agenda in recent years. Exclusive research from Retail Week explores the sustainability strategies that really matter to shoppers, and the retailers getting it right.
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Analysis
Ideal world: What retail would look like in the world’s greatest airport departure lounge
2024 is a record year for travel, with more people than ever before heading to the airport and arriving there earlier too.
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News
WHSmith ‘well positioned’ for summer as travel business booms
WHSmith has maintained its guidance and said it is “well positioned” ahead of the peak summer trading period as it continues to take steps towards being a “one-stop shop” for travel essentials.
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News
WHSmith launches first own-brand food range in UK travel stores
WHSmith has launched its first ever own-brand food-to-go range, available in more than 300 of its UK travel stores.
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News
Revealed: The new Toys R Us locations opening in WHSmith this summer
Retail Week can exclusively unveil the first 17 locations for a new wave of Toys R Us shop-in-shops in WHSmith branches.
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Opinion
WHSmith's Sean Toal: ‘We’re proud to buck trend by investing in high streets with Toys R Us partnership’
WHSmith high street managing director Sean Toal writes exclusively for Retail Week on the expansion of its Toys R Us in-store partnership and how it represents the retailer’s commitment to being the ‘hub of the high street’
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Opinion
‘WHSmith, JD Sports and Primark can successfully target a slice of American retail pie’
Retailers from this side of the pond have frequently come a cropper when attempting to expand in the US, but the signs look good for JD Sports, Primark and WHSmith judging by the retailers’ updates this week, believes George MacDonald
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News
WHSmith rolls out store-in-store tie-up with Toys R Us
WHSmith is to extend its partnership with Toys R Us to more branches following the success of the first wave of store-in-stores.
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News
WHSmith sales rise driven by growth in travel division
WHSmith has reported a growth in sales driven by strong performance by its travel division in the half-year ending February 29, 2024.
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Analysis
Supply 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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News
WHSmith 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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News
WHSmith 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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News
WHSmith 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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Gallery
First 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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News
Exclusive: 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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Gallery
WHSmith 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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News
WHSmith 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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News
WHSmith sales and profits soar
WHSmith has reported soaring sales and profits off the back of strengthening footfall in its travel division.