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Good morning — this is The Checkout by Kuro House, your daily dose of the moves, mergers, tech and tensions shaping retail and AI. I’m here to take you through five stories from the last 24 hours that matter: a supermarket trial that raises privacy questions, a luxury retailer navigating tariff headwinds, a nostalgic fashion comeback with scale, a shop shutdown turned political protest, and a leadership hire that signals where a major grocery brand wants to go. I’ll give you the detail so you can judge the significance for yourself.
First up: Sainsbury’s will start an eight-week facial recognition trial in two UK stores, according to a Retail Sector report that cites The Standard. The tech, supplied by Facewatch, is being rolled into the Sydenham superstore in London and the Bath Oldfield Sainsbury’s Local, and the supermarket says the system’s sole purpose is to identify people previously reported for theft, violence or aggressive behaviour. Sainsbury’s insists that any faces not matched to reported offenders will be deleted immediately, and CEO Simon Roberts framed the move as putting safety first amid what he described as rising abuse, anti-social behaviour and violence toward colleagues. The supermarket stressed the trial “is not about monitoring colleagues or customers” but about preventing further harm from repeat offenders, while unions such as Usdaw have welcomed the initiative to protect staff. Privacy campaigners struck a very different tone: Big Brother Watch called the step “Orwellian,” with Madeleine Stone urging urgent government intervention to prevent unchecked spread of the technology. Other retailers — Home Bargains, Flannels and Sports Direct — are reported to have used similar systems, so Sainsbury’s trial could be a bellwether for wider rollout if results and legal scrutiny allow it.
Next: Watches of Switzerland says it’s on track to meet guidance for H1 FY26 despite tariff pressure arising from new US duties on Swiss imports, according to Retail Sector. The group reported consistently strong trading through the period, particularly in the US where the tariff news landed, and said the stability seen in the UK luxury watch and jewellery markets during the prior half has continued. Certified pre-owned business grew well in both markets, and the company explicitly flagged pre-owned as a significant growth opportunity — a smart diversification given shifting consumer demand and margins in luxury. Their flagship Rolex boutique on Old Bond Street is exceeding expectations with strong footfall and conversion, and e-commerce has shown notable growth, especially in the US after a site upgrade. Operational progress includes showroom refurbishments like Northern Goldsmiths in Newcastle and the launch of an Audemars Piguet AP House in Manchester as a joint venture; Mappin & Webb has exclusivity deals, including a De Beers mono-brand boutique; and Roberto Coin — acquired in May 2024 — is reported to be performing strongly, now backed by an ad campaign starring Dakota Johnson. The company is also signing leases and building mono-brand boutiques in Miami, New York and Las Vegas due to open in Q3 FY26, signaling a confident, geographically targeted expansion despite macro headwinds.
Third story: Topshop and Topman are returning to a much wider UK audience through a new partnership with John Lewis, reported by Retail Gazette. From February 2026, Topshop will appear in 32 John Lewis stores, Topman in six, and both brands will also be available online at johnlewis.com — a substantial distribution play that follows Topshop’s re-entry to the high street via Liberty last month. John Lewis managing director Peter Ruis called the move “a landmark moment,” tapping into the brands’ high-street heritage and their “iconic British” appeal, while Topshop managing director Michelle Wilson framed the collaboration as a way of bringing accessible fashion back into physical, real-life retail experiences. Shoppers can expect a curated edit: cult denim, statement jackets and trend-led staples from Topshop, and a focused modern menswear selection from Topman — tailored outerwear and everyday basics intended to elevate looks. The deal ties into John Lewis’s wider £800m investment program — store revitalisations, new beauty halls, expanded dining and curated collections — suggesting this isn’t just a merchandising swap but part of a broader strategy to refresh store floors and drive footfall. The partnership will place Topshop and Topman in high-profile John Lewis locations including Oxford Street, Bluewater, Glasgow and Manchester Trafford, extending accessibility after the Liberty debut and signaling a renewed bet on physical discovery alongside ecommerce.
Fourth: Lush has taken a conspicuous political stance, closing all UK shops, factories and its website for the day in protest over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, covered by Retail Gazette. Store windows nationwide displayed the message “Stop Starving Gaza — We Are Closed in Solidarity,” and Lush said the closure is intended to highlight civilian suffering amid severe shortages of food and medical supplies reported by aid agencies. The decision to pause trading was described as difficult — Lush acknowledges the importance of service to customers — but the company said the move aligns with customers who share anxiety about the situation and is aimed at sending a clear message to ministers. Lush also relaunched its Watermelon Slice soap, its most successful single-issue fundraising product, and pledged proceeds to medical services including charities preparing prosthetic limb support for adults and children injured in Gaza. The company pointed out that both the business and the UK government would lose takings and tax contributions for the day; that loss is deliberate, designed to pressure the government to end arms sales and take stronger action to stop the conflict. Lush has a long history of activism — from climate campaigns to refugee rights — so this action is consistent with its brand DNA, but it also raises questions about the intersection of retail, protest and customer expectations.
Finally: The John Lewis Partnership has appointed Tom Denyard as managing director of Waitrose, reporting in The Retail Bulletin. Denyard will take over in January, succeeding James Bailey who is stepping down later this year; in the interim Tina Mitchell, currently retail director, will act as interim managing director. Denyard brings a varied background: ten years at Tesco with his most recent role as managing director of Tesco Online, prior experience as chief executive of Tesco Mobile, and a stint as chief operating officer for Tesco stores in Malaysia. He began his career at Unilever and also served as head of brand for food at Marks & Spencer — a CV that mixes brand, digital, commercial and operational experience. John Lewis Partnership chair Jason Tarry praised Denyard’s blend of skills, saying he’s the right person to “take the business forward,” and Denyard himself said he’s excited to build on the progress made under James Bailey to ensure Waitrose remains a destination for quality food and outstanding service. This hire signals the Partnership’s continued focus on combining strong brand positioning with ecommerce competence and operational know-how as it navigates a competitive grocery market.
That’s the rundown for today. These stories — tech that tests privacy boundaries, luxury retail navigating tariffs while expanding, heritage fashion finding new routes to customers, a retailer turning its doors into a platform for protest, and a leadership hire that blends brand and digital experience — all point to how retail is increasingly a mix of politics, policy, technology and brand strategy. Thanks for listening to The Checkout; I’ll be back tomorrow with the next set of headlines and what they mean for the people shaping retail and AI.
