Retailers are battening down the hatches as 2026 kicks off, following a "lacklustre" and discount-driven festive season.

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UK fashion retailers reported a mixed Christmas trading period, as performance hinged on brand strength, promotional strategy and, in some cases, the weather.

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Drapers takes a look at Marks & Spencer's fashion bestsellers over the peak Christmas trading period and its plans for the year ahead.

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Total like-for-like high street sales fell 1.4% in December, down from a 7.7% increase in December 2024, the BDO High Street Sales tracker shows.

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Primark owner Associated British Foods plc (ABF) has reported sales for the 16 weeks to 3 January 2026 were below its expectations and has lowered its outlook for the year.

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Tesco has reported a rise in sales for its clothing brand F&F during the six weeks to 3 January 2026.

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Marks & Spencer’s clothing, home and beauty sales fell 2.5% year on year to £1.3bn in the 13 weeks to 27 December 2025, as the retailer worked through “the tail end of recovery” from last year’s cyber-attack.

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The run-up to Christmas 2025 delivered a varied trading performance across UK independent fashion retailers, underlining widening disparities in local markets and conflicting consumer confidence.

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Next has upped its full-year profit guidance once again following "over-achievement" across the peak Christmas trading period, as full price sales surged 10.6% year on year for the nine weeks to 27 December.

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Footfall on Black Friday (28 November) slipped 3% year on year, but UK high streets and fashion retailers reported stronger trading over the weekend as gifting-driven customers flocked to shop and tighter discounting strategies helped lift sales.

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