Australian sleepwear brand Peter Alexander is to close all three of its UK stores as owner Premier Investments retreats from bricks-and-mortar retail in the market amid “difficult” trading conditions.
The brand will shutter its branches at Bluewater, Westfield Stratford and Westfield London in White City, although it will continue selling to UK shoppers online.
Premier Investments said the decision followed challenging trading conditions and a negative economic outlook in the UK, with the group instead planning to direct investment towards markets where Peter Alexander is performing more strongly.
Premier chairman Solomon Lew said Peter Alexander’s move into the UK had been designed as a way to “test market response”.
He added that the business had “strict store profitability and return hurdles”, and would instead focus its growth capital on Australia and New Zealand, ecommerce and potential international wholesale partnerships.
The UK exit comes as Premier Investments warned of a slowdown across its wider retail business.
Premier Retail, which includes Peter Alexander and stationery brand Smiggle, reported sales down two per cent against the previous year.
Premier said discretionary retail conditions had become particularly challenging during the latter months of its second half.
Despite abandoning Peter Alexander’s physical UK presence, the group is pushing ahead with expansion for the sleepwear brand in its home markets.
At least five new Peter Alexander stores are expected to open across Australia and New Zealand during the first half of its 2027 financial year, including a new Sydney CBD flagship due to launch in October.
The retailer is also set to make a return to Australian department store Myer after signing an agreement to open concessions across 24 Myer stores from August 2027.
Meanwhile, Premier stressed that sister brand Smiggle will retain its UK presence, with the group pointing to its more established position in the market as it works through a wider strategic reset of the business.
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