Forget stiff tuxedos, hushed applause and rubber-chicken banquets…
On October 15th, the best and boldest in UK retail will descend on Bounce, Old Street for an awards night unlike any other; The Retail Gazette Awards 2025.
This is retail’s night to let loose, celebrate the brands redefining the industry, and toast the people and teams who refuse to play it safe. Expect music, comedy, games, great food and drink, and maybe a few questionable karaoke performances (back by popular demand in 2025).
And while the party maybe be big, the message behind the awards is bigger. Retail is changing at lightning speed. Some players get left behind, while others step up, take risks, and rewrite the rules.
The awards exist to celebrate the latter. The innovators, the creators, and the disruptors setting the pace for everyone else.
The shortlist is here
This year’s finalists read like a who’s who of UK retail. Household names including Asda, B&Q, Lush, Primark, Superdrug and WHSmith are in the running, alongside challenger brands and rising stars like Nobody’s Child, Seasalt Cornwall, Represent and The Cotswold Company.
Categories range from Best Retailer Over £500m to Game Changing Team, covering everything from sustainability and supply chains to fashion and ecommerce innovation. Whether it’s reimagining the in-store experience, creating own-brand brilliance, or setting new standards in marketing, every finalist has one thing in common: they’re pushing boundaries.
Judged by retail royalty
Winners will be decided by an esteemed panel of retail leaders from the likes of Ann Summers, Boots, The Entertainer and Sainsbury’s. These are experts who know what it means to lead with creativity and grit, and they’re not here to hand out easy wins.
To take home a trophy is to prove your brand is genuinely at the top of its game.
A night that’s anything but ordinary
Of course, when the retail community celebrate, it’s a night to remember. Add in a well-stocked bar, a ping-pong floor buzzing with energy, and the return of our mega karaoke competition, and you’ve got the recipe for a night that will be talked about long after the final track has played.
A toast to our partners
A huge thank you goes to our sponsors: Cardlytics, Columbus, Hitachi Solutions, LoweConex, Stratacache, Toshiba, Zebra and 4C. Without whom, this celebration of retail’s brightest minds wouldn’t be possible.
So, get ready. On October 15th, we’re raising a glass (and a microphone) to the people and brands rewriting the future of retail.
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