Profit upgrade at Next raises hopes UK shoppers still keen to spend

<p>Sales benefited from warm summer, M&amp;S online shutdown after cyber-attack and supply improvements</p><p>Next has raised hopes that UK consumers are still willing to spend despite pressures on household budgets, as it revealed sales and profit growth “materially above” expectations.</p><p>The clothing and homeware retailer said it benefited from sunny weather over the summer, the online shutdown of the rival Marks &amp; Spencer for several weeks after an Easter cyber-attack and an improvement in clothing supplies from countries such as Bangladesh compared with last year.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/oct/29/profit-upgrade-at-next-raises-hopes-uk-shoppers-still-keen-to-spend">Continue reading...</a>