Argos, a 50-year British High Street fixture, faces challenges from online giants like Amazon. Despite stagnating sales, new owners Swift Partners see growth opportunities, including new standalone shops, leveraging its same-day collection advantage.
Google has been fined a total of €890m by the EU for breaching online competition laws under the Digital Markets Act. The European Commission cited Google's prioritization of its own services in search results and restrictions on app developers from steering consumers to cheaper offers.
German pharmacies are struggling with political "arbitrariness," bureaucracy, and online competition, leading to closures. While urban access is high, rural areas are also affected. Reforms aim to expand services, but pharmacists feel underfunded and face price-binding challenges.
Claire's has closed all 154 stores in the UK and Ireland, resulting in 1,300 job losses, after failing to adapt to changing consumer habits. The iconic accessories brand, which first launched on British high streets in the late 1990s, struggled with competition from online retailers like Shein and Temu, as well as a failure to keep up with fashion trends. The chain had been through multiple bankruptcy proceedings, with its UK arm entering administration for the second time in January 2026.
