More and more UK digital consumers are shopping with a conscience, with 57% now worrying the rise of online shopping is a threat for the environment, according to shipping platform Sendcloud.

​Good but not spectacular. UK online retail sales across the Black Friday weekend were “very strong” this year, although they failed to match forecasts in spite of England being confined to lockdown shopping, IMRG said.

Zara has radically upsized its presence at Landsec’s giant Bluewater mall in Kent with the 37,000 sq ft space also representing the UK debut for its global flagship concept.

​The British government is under increasing pressure to come up with extra support for retail jobs with recent company failures leading to tens of thousands of current and potential job losses.

​Next is continuing the expansion of its still-new Next Beauty & Home chain with an opening on Thursday at Hammerson’s Reading mall, The Oracle.

​Stores in England were ultra-busy on Wednesday as non-essential shops were allowed to reopen, retailers went the extra mile to make their locations appealing and consumers rushed to buy bargains or to do Xmas shopping.

It’s being dubbed ‘Welcome-Back Wednesday’ but the anticipated shopping frenzy on England’s high streets is likely to be short-lived, forecasts ParcelHero.

​Supermarkets giant Tesco said it’s repaying the £585m worth of business rates relief it received as part of the retailer support offered during lockdowns this year. Rivals Sainsbury's and Morrisons then did the same.

​As non-essential shops in England open on Wednesday after the latest lockdown, Cath Kidston is making it an even more momentous occasion as the company is returning to London with the reopening of its global flagship.

High-end retailers along London’s Regent Street have been given a trading boost with news the prime West End shopping destination is to be closed to traffic for the three Saturdays ahead of Christmas.

​The end of tax-free shopping for tourists in its current form is a step closer. The High Court has dismissed a claim that the government didn't consider the “devastating impact” of the rule change on retail and travel.

​As shops in England prepare to reopen on December 2, the big names are going the extra mile to encourage consumers into physical spaces after a year in which enforced closures have devastated visitor traffic and sales.

It looks to be all over for Debenhams as it was confirmed on Tuesday that the UK's oldest and largest department store business is to be liquidated following the end of last-ditch rescue talks.

In a timely boost for brick & mortar retailers, stores will be able to greatly extend trading hours, not only in the three-week run-up to Christmas, but for the post-festive period into January.

The end of England’s second lockdown can’t come quick enough for store retailers. As they brace themselves for a three-week pre-Christmas shopping frenzy, they’re already having to play serious catch-up.

Black Friday sales dipped overall, but online orders rose as English shops stayed closed. Meanwhile, it seem that charity was also on people's minds as they shopped.