Mothercare sales decline amid Middle East challenges, ends Boots distribution deal
Mothercare plc has issued a pre-close trading update for the 52-week period ending March 29, 2025 reporting unaudited retail sales of 231 million pound, an 18 percent decline from the previous year, primarily due to ongoing challenges in Middle Eastern markets.
Adjusted EBITDA is expected to be approximately 3.5 million pounds, aligning with market expectations, but down from 6.9 million pounds in the prior year.
Chairman Clive Whiley emphasized the company's resilience and ongoing discussions with potential strategic partners to restore growth and achieve core objectives. 'Our results for last year reflect the impact of the continuing uncertainty on our franchise partners' operations in the Middle East,' Whiley said.
'However, the de-leveraged business resulting from the recent India joint venture and refinancing, together with the ongoing support of our lender and pension trustees, is enabling us to continue to explore the full bandwidth of growth opportunities through connections with other businesses, the development of our branded product ranges and licensing within and beyond our existing perimeters,' he added.
The reduction in sales is largely attributed to the persistent uncertainty affecting franchise partners in the Middle East, leading to a decrease in store numbers from 124 to 77 over the year.
Additionally, the company is ending its exclusive distribution relationship with Boots in the UK by the end of 2025, aiming to explore new partnerships that better align with its brand strategy.
Despite these challenges, Mothercare has managed to reduce its net borrowings to 3.7 million pounds, down from 14.7 million pounds the previous year, aided by a recent joint venture in India and refinancing efforts.
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Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Scottish Sun
Best day to shop at retailers including Aldi, Lidl and B&M – including when Poundland cuts prices to 25p
BARGAIN HUNT Best day to shop at retailers including Aldi, Lidl and B&M – including when Poundland cuts prices to 25p Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) WE all love a bargain and shopping at the right time might just bag you one. Many stores have one-off specials or heavily reduce items on certain days or at the same time each week. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Shopping at the right time could bag you a bargain Credit: Alamy If you know when, you can be front of the queue to get them. As the cost of living crisis continues, it's more important than ever to make sure you bag items at the lowest price possible. From B&M and Poundland, Primark, Boots and Aldi - here's our cut out and keep guide to help you plan your shopping trips and save pounds. B&M Wednesday morning is the best day to shop at B&M for the most significant savings. 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That's when the chain runs its 24-hour £10 Tuesday flash sale. What's on offer varies every week but tooth whitening kits have been spotted for as much as 80% off. All deals are available online too. Home Bargains New stock is usually delivered around 7.30am so head to your local branch as soon as it opens for the best chance of snapping up good deals. Blogger Tom Church says this is when you have the biggest selection of items to choose from. Yankee candles worth £10 have been picked up for as little as £2.99 if you go early doors. TK Maxx Shoppers will get more money off if they head to stores on Tuesdays and Thursdays. On a Tuesday, they do something called "subs". This is further reductions on stuff that's already on clearance. On a Wednesday, the next round of clearance items are marked down so first thing on a Thursday is a great time to snap up whatever is left. Tesco Head to Tesco in the evening to get food for half price. Staff slap yellow stickers on around 8pm so go late to nab bargains. SkintDad blogger Naomi Willis said she found items reduced by as much as 50% by shopping after 8pm. Aldi Aldi launches new Specialbuys every Thursday and Sunday - and that's the best time to nab them. Items can include anything from pizza ovens to air fans and power tools. For an even better chance of bagging the best times, head there at opening time. Once they're gone, they're gone. Lidl Lidl discount items that haven't sold on a Sunday, ready to make way for new lines. Sundays and Thursdays are also the days it refreshes the Middle of Lidl items, which can include all sorts from gardening essentials to outdoor furniture. Unlike other supermarkets, food items that are near the use-by date will often be reduced at the start of the day so it's better to go early if you can as you can expect as much as 30% off the original price. Sainsbury's Sainsbury's often slaps yellow stickers on around 5pm, so the best time to visit is between 5pm and 7pm - ideal if you are popping in after work. This does vary from branch to branch. On a Sunday, items are heavily reduced around 2.30pm before early closing. Morrisons Morrisons will reduce food by up to 90% at around 5pm. The best bargains are usually amongst ready meals, dairy, pies, fresh meat, bread and fruit and vegetables. Sunday lunchtime is a hot tip too - as they want to clear out stock near its due date by the end of the week. Ask staff about reduction times. They are often more than happy to help as reducing waste is part of their store policy. Asda Asda applies yellow stickers to food items twice a day - once in the morning and once in the evening. Fresh produce like fruit and veg can be reduced to as little as 10p, especially in the morning reductions. Stores that open early at 6am or 7am are great for nabbing bargains early doors. Primark New stock is delivered on Thursday nights so Friday mornings between 9am and 12pm is prime time to grab a bargain. If you find an item with minor imperfections it's also worth asking for a discount - you can expect around 10%. H&M Most branches do their biggest restock on a Monday. This means clothing that hasn't shifted may be reduced late first thing on a Monday morning. Be wary of buying clothes in a flash sale. The sale will continue until everything is sold so prices could be discounted further. M&S At M&S, staff put yellow stickers on food near its sell-by date through the night. So if you want a bargain, go when it opens. A second round of reductions takes place between 2pm and 4pm but most employees say the best stuff is often gone by then. Vegetables will be reduced in price again at 4pm. Next Next is famous for its seasonal sales giving customers the chance to save big on clothing and homeware. The biggest one is the Boxing Day sale where you can expect up to 70% off. But the summer sale - usually in July - can see prices slashed by up to 50%. Eager shoppers often head to their nearest store in the early hours before the earlier opening time at 6am. While this may seem excessive, getting down early does help you bag the best deals.
The Sun
2 days ago
- The Sun
Best day to shop at retailers including Aldi, Lidl and B&M – including when Poundland cuts prices to 25p
WE all love a bargain and shopping at the right time might just bag you one. Many stores have one-off specials or heavily reduce items on certain days or at the same time each week. 1 If you know when, you can be front of the queue to get them. As the cost of living crisis continues, it's more important than ever to make sure you bag items at the lowest price possible. From B&M and Poundland, Primark, Boots and Aldi - here's our cut out and keep guide to help you plan your shopping trips and save pounds. B&M Wednesday morning is the best day to shop at B&M for the most significant savings. A store manager revealed that staff are given a list of items to reduce on a Tuesday night, with new prices ready to go by around 10am on Wednesday. You might also see reductions on Thursdays and Saturdays though, as these are the days stores try to flog old stock and seasonal items at lower prices. It's best to head in on these days in the morning, as staff begin reducing products around 7.30am. Poundland Poundland reduces the price of perishable items to 50p if the best-before date expires that day before shops open. But a little-known tip, which the retailer has previously confirmed, is that any food item unsold by 4pm will be reduced again to just 25p. So it could be worth popping in when your local branch opens OR mid-afternoon. Boots Head to Boots on a Tuesday to get amazing deals on everything from electrical goods to beauty and health products. That's when the chain runs its 24-hour £10 Tuesday flash sale. What's on offer varies every week but tooth whitening kits have been spotted for as much as 80% off. All deals are available online too. Home Bargains New stock is usually delivered around 7.30am so head to your local branch as soon as it opens for the best chance of snapping up good deals. Blogger Tom Church says this is when you have the biggest selection of items to choose from. Yankee candles worth £10 have been picked up for as little as £2.99 if you go early doors. TK Maxx Shoppers will get more money off if they head to stores on Tuesdays and Thursdays. On a Tuesday, they do something called "subs". This is further reductions on stuff that's already on clearance. On a Wednesday, the next round of clearance items are marked down so first thing on a Thursday is a great time to snap up whatever is left. Tesco Head to Tesco in the evening to get food for half price. Staff slap yellow stickers on around 8pm so go late to nab bargains. SkintDad blogger Naomi Willis said she found items reduced by as much as 50% by shopping after 8pm. Aldi Aldi launches new Specialbuys every Thursday and Sunday - and that's the best time to nab them. Items can include anything from pizza ovens to air fans and power tools. For an even better chance of bagging the best times, head there at opening time. Once they're gone, they're gone. Lidl Lidl discount items that haven't sold on a Sunday, ready to make way for new lines. Sundays and Thursdays are also the days it refreshes the Middle of Lidl items, which can include all sorts from gardening essentials to outdoor furniture. Unlike other supermarkets, food items that are near the use-by date will often be reduced at the start of the day so it's better to go early if you can as you can expect as much as 30% off the original price. Sainsbury's Sainsbury's often slaps yellow stickers on around 5pm, so the best time to visit is between 5pm and 7pm - ideal if you are popping in after work. This does vary from branch to branch. On a Sunday, items are heavily reduced around 2.30pm before early closing. Morrisons Morrisons will reduce food by up to 90% at around 5pm. The best bargains are usually amongst ready meals, dairy, pies, fresh meat, bread and fruit and vegetables. Sunday lunchtime is a hot tip too - as they want to clear out stock near its due date by the end of the week. Ask staff about reduction times. They are often more than happy to help as reducing waste is part of their store policy. Asda Asda applies yellow stickers to food items twice a day - once in the morning and once in the evening. Fresh produce like fruit and veg can be reduced to as little as 10p, especially in the morning reductions. Stores that open early at 6am or 7am are great for nabbing bargains early doors. Primark New stock is delivered on Thursday nights so Friday mornings between 9am and 12pm is prime time to grab a bargain. If you find an item with minor imperfections it's also worth asking for a discount - you can expect around 10%. H&M Most branches do their biggest restock on a Monday. This means clothing that hasn't shifted may be reduced late first thing on a Monday morning. Be wary of buying clothes in a flash sale. The sale will continue until everything is sold so prices could be discounted further. M&S At M&S, staff put yellow stickers on food near its sell-by date through the night. So if you want a bargain, go when it opens. A second round of reductions takes place between 2pm and 4pm but most employees say the best stuff is often gone by then. Vegetables will be reduced in price again at 4pm. Next Next is famous for its seasonal sales giving customers the chance to save big on clothing and homeware. The biggest one is the Boxing Day sale where you can expect up to 70% off. But the summer sale - usually in July - can see prices slashed by up to 50%. Eager shoppers often head to their nearest store in the early hours before the earlier opening time at 6am. While this may seem excessive, getting down early does help you bag the best deals. 'We've saved serious cash by changing our shopping days' SAVVY saver Julia Maggiorana, 28, is an account manager who lives in West London, with her husband and three-month-old daughter Matilde. She says: "Since going on maternity leave, we are down to one salary at home so it is important to me to save money where I can and get good deals. "My friends call me the Queen of the bargains but my biggest win was finding out you can get stuff with big discounts if you go to Lidl either on a Sunday evening or first thing Monday morning. "I found out when I went in last year looking to buy some baking trays. When I saw the price, I realised they were more expensive than they had been the previous week. "I asked the man behind the till why they were now double the price and he said 'It's a bit of secret but if you come on a Sunday evening or early on a Monday morning, you might find items have a bigger discount'. "That is when they stock up with new products and have to try and shift some of the old lines. "This baking tray was from a new stock. I went back on the Sunday evening and he was right. I paid £4 instead of £10, so a saving of £6. I was really proud of this discovery. "Ever since then I've carried on shopping either late or Sunday or first thing on Monday and I've picked up some real bargains, especially kitchen items from the Ernesto range. "I've found that if items don't sell, they will often drop the price by 50% on a Sunday evening. The best ones were a casserole dish which was around £30 discounted to £14.99 and it's great quality and a Silvercrest air fryer that was reduced to £29.99 instead of £49.99. I've saved at least £300 this year." Esther Portlock, 52, is a nurse who lives in Bristol with her husband Greg, also 52. She says: "All my friends call me the coupon queen. I absolutely love getting a discount. I use lots of vouchers and I also have a blue light card which gets me lots of deals. "But one of my best tips is to go to Morrisons at lunchtime on a Sunday. It's amazing what you can get - the bargains are ridiculous. I'm coeliac so have to buy a lot of gluten free food, which can be expensive. "This week I went into Morrisons on Sunday lunch time and I got my preferred gluten free tiger loaf for 35p instead of £3.50. It's great value and has lasted me all week. "I've got into a routine now. I go to Pilates with my friend. We have a coffee and then get to Morrisons for around 1pm. "We don't fight for it but there is sometimes a bit of a squabble between us over what is left as there are so many amazing prices. "I got a cottage pie for my husband for 50p, reduced from £5.50. I fill the freezer with whatever is on offer - meat joints, gluten free food, ready meals, whatever I can find. "There might be ready-made sandwiches for 35p and last week I got some cookies as a treat. They were 50p reduced from £2. Getting these savings helps me end my week on a high!"
Scottish Sun
3 days ago
- Scottish Sun
Tesco glitch sees shoppers strip shelves bare of luxury chocolate bars reduced to clear in ‘system error'
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) TESCO has accidentally slashed the price of a viral luxury chocolate bar. Shoppers are racing to the retailer to snap up the popular treat that was reduced to clear. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Godiva's take on the viral Dubai chocolate hit Tesco shelves earlier this month Tesco has recently launched Godiva's Pistachio & Kadayif chocolate bars, inspired by the viral sensation that took social media by storm. The sweet treat contains creamy milk chocolate, rich pistachio paste and crispy shredded filo dough used in Middle Eastern pastries. Godiva's take on Dubai chocolate weighs 122 grams and scans at the till for £10 a bar. Tesco Clubcard members can get a deal and pay only £7.95 instead. However, some shoppers have spotted the luxury chocolate selling for half the price. One user posted on Linkedin an image of Godiva's bars on the shelves with a "reduced to clear" sign. The post read: "Yet another fad is reduced to clear. "Instead build the brand by focusing on the core customer propositon for long term commercial success." The chocolate bar hit the Tesco shelves for a limited time which led to speculations as to why it was discounted. One person wrote: "Or maybe people who walk into a store aren't the audience on the dubai-chocolate train, it's those who shop online." Another person said: "Dubai Chocolate flooded the market, it's everywhere local corner shop, home bargains, b&m, garage forecourts, it lost its exclusive appeal." Dubai Chocolate Bar: The Irish Artisan Sensation A spokesperson for Godiva told the Grocer that they saw a "strong" demand for the product and it has been "selling well". They added that the reduced price was "due to a supply chain system error". Tesco has now fixed the glitch and the Godiva's bars are selling at their regular prices in all stores. Tesco spokesperson told the Sun: "An error on our system caused Godiva Pistachio & Kadayif Milk Chocolate bars to be incorrectly marked down in price in some stores on Tuesday (June 24). "The error has now been corrected, and the product is at normal price in all our stores." Shoppers might be disappointed to learn that retailers don't have to honour the low price of a product if it's a glitch. Shops might choose to honour the price on the label, and it's worth asking them to just in case. But the shop can just withdraw the item for sale and say it's not available if the price is a mistake. If the glitch goes through at the checkout and you buy the item at the lower price, you won't have to pay the money back. Citizen's Advice says they're only legally entitled to ask you for more money if you'd talked about the price (eg £100) and they ended up charging you much less instead (eg £10). If you're looking for Godiva's bar alternatives, this isn't the first time retailers have tried to cash in on the Dubai chocolate craze. Aldi has recently unveiled their version of a "Dubai-style" chocolate which is easy on the pocket at just £3.99. Lidl's JD Gross version flew off the shelves, and Waitrose offers a similar pistachio white chocolate bar for £2.75. Morrisons stocks its own version—Bolci Dubai Chocolate—for £5. To get the best deal, savvy shoppers are encouraged to compare prices using online tools like PriceSpy, Google Shopping, or Idealo. These platforms let you check price histories and spot deals across retailers.
