Retail Conference ’25: Navigating a new retail reality

Addressing challenges, uncovering opportunities

In 2025, it feels like the UK retail sector is at a pivotal moment, and good news is in short supply.

Rising inflation and input costs, falling consumer confidence, higher employer and packaging taxes, supply chain disruption, new cyber risk and a fractious political environment are all combining to make a difficult operating landscape – to say the least.

But it’s wrong to characterise the sector solely in terms of doom and gloom.

Although the number of profit warnings issued by UK retailers in Q2 were double the amount seen in the first half of the year, the last few weeks alone have seen strong trading results from brands such as Next and a rise in retail sale volumes, albeit still below levels from earlier this year.

Similarly, while latest Insolvency Service figures show retail had the second-highest level of insolvencies in the twelve months to August, the number of collapses were lower than the same period the year before. And new investments continue to be made – Topshop has returned to the high street through a partnership with Liberty, and Laura Ashley has imminent plans to open its first standalone physical shop in five years.

What this, more nuanced, picture captures is the new retail reality – an environment of acute pressure, but one where there’s also opportunity in the disruption.

And it’s this opportunity that we’ll be exploring our FRP Retail Conference in Central London on the 1^st of October, which I’ll be chairing.

The day won’t be a simple point-by-point recap of the topline pressures that retailers and the advisory community live and breathe every day. This is about sharing actionable intelligence and practical insight on the complex considerations that create successful strategies, and that converge, and frequently conflict, on boardroom tables.

Reflecting, that no issue ever stands in silo, we’ve brought together a team of retail experts from across the industry and across FRP’s service lines – from corporate finance to debt advisory, restructuring and forensics – to deliver an all-around view, on a busy agenda. Join us as we discuss investment and lending, including practical steps for preparing for a capital event in an environment of heightened lender scrutiny; explore how to build more agile business models; outline how to move from reactive to proactive crisis management and review talent acquisition and retention strategies.

While the retail outlook is uncertain – particularly with an Autumn Budget looming on the horizon – this forum is focused on a delivering a practical toolkit, and making useful connections, that help brands navigate a shifting landscape with confidence.

I look forward to seeing you there.