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What changed in retail regulation and policy this week?
Government decisions, new rules and policy shifts reported this week.
02
Next CEO Lord Simon Wolfson stated on September 18, 2026, that UK High Street revival efforts will fail unless the government reforms planning laws to allow easier property repurposing.
Read at retail-systems.com ↗03
The Russian government has seized control of local operations belonging to Nestlé and Auchan.
Read at ft.com ↗04
Workers at an AutoZone store in White Plains, New York, are preparing for a union election scheduled to begin on 25 September 2026.
Read at theguardian.com ↗05
The Australian Retail Council has urged the state governments of New South Wales and Western Australia to expedite legislation to combat rising retail crime.
Read at insideretail.com.au ↗06
Nestlé is evaluating options to protect its rights after the Kremlin issued a presidential decree on Thursday, September 17, 2026, to place the Swiss company's Russian business under temporary administration.
Read at esmmagazine.com ↗07
The South Korean Personal Information Protection Commission has revised the Personal Information Protection Act to increase data breach fines to up to 10 percent of a company's annual revenue.
Read at koreajoongangdaily.com ↗08
Canadian consumers are increasingly boycotting U.S. products due to a trade war, forcing retailers like Vince's Market, Loblaw Cos, and Metro to prioritize Canadian-sourced goods.
Read at esmmagazine.com ↗8 of 14 regulation and policy events are listed; the rest were ranked lower by importance and multi-source corroboration and are not shown.
What funding rounds and acquisitions happened in retail this week?
The week’s notable investments, financing rounds, acquisitions and strategic deals.
09
Starbucks is considering selling a majority stake in its Japan business, a move that could value the unit at approximately $3 billion.
Read at qsrmagazine.com ↗10
Northern Pasta Co founders Imogen Royall and Matt Kenyon secured a £50,000 investment for a 10% equity stake from Peter Jones and Deborah Meaden on the September 17, 2026, episode of Dragons' Den.
Read at thegrocer.co.uk ↗11
Nex, the maker of the Nex Playground gaming console, has secured over $150 million in Series E funding led by Baillie Gifford and BAI Capital.
Read at variety.com ↗12
WSG Brands, the owner of Allbirds' intellectual property, has acquired the fashion retailer Nasty Gal for $16 million.
Read at retaildive.com ↗13
Michaels has expanded its Knit & Sew Shop by adding over 1,600 new products across more than 1,200 stores in the United States and Canada.
Read at thestreet.com ↗14
UK homeware retailer Dusk has cancelled its plans for a £300 million initial public offering on the London Stock Exchange.
Read at retail-systems.com ↗15
The Neshaminy Mall in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, is scheduled to close by the end of October 2026.
Read at bisnow.com ↗16
India's Essar Group has acquired the UK petrol station operator SGN Retail, adding 118 sites to its network.
Read at esmmagazine.com ↗8 of 10 funding and m&a events are listed; the rest were ranked lower by importance and multi-source corroboration and are not shown.
What products launched in retail this week?
Notable product launches, releases and platform updates from the week.
17
Tesco has expanded its F&F online fashion range by adding 400 new clothing styles and enhancing its digital shopping experience on its website and app.
Read at retail-systems.com ↗18
Walmart announced upcoming upgrades to its Scintilla data platform, scheduled for release in 2027.
Read at digiday.com ↗19
Lidl GB is launching a new hybrid meat range containing pea protein across its UK stores on September 18, 2026.
Read at thegrocer.co.uk ↗20
Tapestry has integrated its Coach and Kate Spade brands into Google's AI shopping ecosystem, allowing US customers to purchase products directly via Google Search and the Gemini app.
Read at retail-systems.com ↗21
Walmart is launching a six-month pilot program in the United States, introducing a 'Health Ambassador' role for pharmacists at five rural store locations.
Read at fiercehealthcare.com ↗22
Fashion brand Guess has deployed an Exotec Skypod automated storage and retrieval system at its warehouse in Venlo, Netherlands.
Read at retail-systems.com ↗23
Sainsbury’s has launched a new health strategy focusing on fibre, including the introduction of 'Full on Fibre' labelling across hundreds of products and the 'Healthy Choice' label on over 1,250 items.
Read at thegrocer.co.uk ↗24
Shipt, a delivery service owned by Target, launched an AI assistant called 'Ask Shipt' on September 10, 2026, to help customers build shopping lists and identify products via photos.
Read at modernretail.co ↗8 of 37 product launches events are listed; the rest were ranked lower by importance and multi-source corroboration and are not shown.
What financial results were reported in retail this week?
Earnings, guidance and other financial results reported this week.
25
The Cato Corporation announced plans to close 120 retail stores, adding 70 new locations to its previous closure list, with all shutdowns expected by the end of the fourth quarter of 2026.
Read at thestreet.com ↗26
Ewan Venters, executive chairman of Paul Smith, publicly criticized Frasers Group's recent acquisition of Harvey Nichols as 'ethically dubious' due to the impact on creditors.
Read at retail-systems.com ↗27
Bank of America analyst Christopher Nardone lowered the price target for Costco Wholesale from $1,200 to $1,095 while maintaining a Buy rating.
Read at thestreet.com ↗28
The Croatian grocery retail market reached total revenues of €8.9 billion in 2025, representing a 6.2% nominal growth compared to 2024.
Read at esmmagazine.com ↗29
British retail sales rose by 0.5% in August 2026, defying economist forecasts of a 0.2% decline.
Read at esmmagazine.com ↗30
Nike Inc. is set to be removed from the S&P 100 index on September 21, 2026, ending an 18-year tenure.
Read at thestreet.com ↗31
Australian retailer Cue Clothing has entered receivership and voluntary administration as of September 15, 2026, following a failed sales process by owner Hilco Capital.
Read at insideretail.com.au ↗32
Australian fashion retailer Cue Clothing Co has entered voluntary administration and receivership as of September 14, 2026.
Read at insideretail.com.au ↗8 of 34 financial results events are listed; the rest were ranked lower by importance and multi-source corroboration and are not shown.
What court rulings and legal actions hit retail this week?
Court rulings, filings and legal actions reported this week.
33
Warwick Levy, owner of the Sydney-based label Lonely Kids Club, discovered thousands of his T-shirt designs being sold on the Chinese e-commerce platform Temu between 2025 and 2026.
Read at theguardian.com ↗34
On September 18, 2026, the Russian government seized the local assets of Swiss company Nestle and French firms Auchan, Lemana Pro, and FM Logistics, transferring them to a new entity called LEV Management.
Read at aljazeera.com ↗35
New Balance has filed a lawsuit against Decathlon in a Massachusetts federal court on September 17, 2026, alleging trademark infringement.
Read at retail-systems.com ↗36
The Federal Trade Commission announced an expansion of the 2025 Amazon Prime settlement, increasing the potential individual payout to $200.
Read at fastcompany.com ↗37
Nearly 1,000 US merchants have petitioned a federal judge to reject a proposed settlement regarding Visa and Mastercard credit card swipe fees.
Read at finextra.com ↗38
Gordon Companies, a supplier of holiday decorations for retailers including Target and Walmart, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on September 14, 2026.
Read at thestreet.com ↗39
The Polish Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK) has fined the supermarket chain Biedronka (Jerónimo Martins Polska), 29 transport firms, and eight individuals over PLN 570 million (€131.3 million).
Read at esmmagazine.com ↗40
On September 10, 2026, a group of 978 merchants filed formal objections in a 21-year-old federal court case, urging the court to deny final approval of a proposed interchange fee settlement.
Read at digitaltransactions.net ↗8 of 11 courts and legal events are listed; the rest were ranked lower by importance and multi-source corroboration and are not shown.
What research was published in retail this week?
New research findings and studies published this week.
41
A study by Acosta Group released in September 2026 indicates that 34% of shoppers use generative AI tools for shopping, with 45% of Gen Z shoppers influenced by AI in recent purchases.
Read at supermarketnews.com ↗42
A report by Loop, published on September 16, 2026, reveals that 55 percent of Australian online fashion shoppers have altered their purchasing behavior due to retailer returns policies.
Read at insideretail.com.au ↗43
Researchers from Tilburg University and Maastricht University found that price differences for identical products across four European countries average 18%.
Read at esmmagazine.com ↗44
A survey conducted by FinanceBuzz and Bank of America in 2026 reveals that 97% of Americans used a convenience service in the past month.
Read at esmmagazine.com ↗45
The 'Future of RGM Report 2027' by Buynomics, based on a survey of 107 commercial leaders conducted between July 8 and August 27, 2026, identifies cross-functional misalignment as the primary barrier to scaling Revenue Growth Management (RGM) for 56% of respondents.
Read at consumergoods.com ↗5 of 6 research events are listed; the rest were ranked lower by importance and multi-source corroboration and are not shown.