Breaking news, industry updates, and the latest developments shaping global retail, e-commerce, and commerce technology.
Domino’s second-quarter 2026 revenue beat estimates but adjusted profit missed as US same-store sales rose just 0.1 percent, a one-year low. Supply-chain strength and steady order counts cushioned softer per-order spending ahead of a CEO handover.
From July 19, 2026, large EU companies can no longer destroy unsold clothes, accessories and footwear and must resell, donate or recycle them instead. Medium-sized firms follow in 2030, with fines and annual disclosure rules backing the ban.
Reliance Retail’s net profit fell 14.1% to 2,805 crore rupees in the June quarter even as revenue rose 8.2%, exposing a margin squeeze across Indian retail. Digital commerce surged 46% while the group parent posted a record first-quarter profit.
US retail sales rose just 0.2% in June 2026 as falling gas prices masked a 1.9% jump in online spending. The soft print keeps the Federal Reserve cautious on rate cuts.
US subscription-trap enforcement is likely to sharpen through H2 2026, with another major FTC action probable before year-end. Three fresh signals, from a June court order to Virginia’s new click-to-cancel law, point the same way.
Funding Circle reported first-half 2026 revenue up 50% to about £138m and pretax profit of about £23m, nearly quadrupling year on year. FlexiPay transactions jumped 71% as the SME lender reaffirmed full-year guidance.
Three regulators are converging on drip pricing at once, and June 2026’s CMA fines signal the enforcement net widening into mainstream online retail. The pattern points to all-in ‘total price’ checkout becoming the default across major UK and EU platforms before the 2026 holiday peak.
The Financial Conduct Authority began regulating buy now, pay later credit on 15 July 2026, forcing Klarna, Clearpay, PayPal and other lenders to run affordability checks and hand users new complaint rights. Around 11 million UK shoppers now fall under protections that already cover credit cards, but analysts warn stricter checks could shut some borrowers out.
Watches of Switzerland Group posted record annual revenue of £1.83bn for FY26, with the United States overtaking the UK and Europe combined to become its largest market. Statutory pre-tax profit jumped 76 percent even as the group trimmed its store estate to 191 showrooms.
The retail chief AI officer appointment wave likely crests before the 2026 holiday season, backed by three June-July signals. The first quantified payoff should surface on Q3 2026 earnings calls in late October and November.