Ukrainian shoppers face limited options: River Island closes dozens of stores.

According to The Sun: The RIVER Island brand has started a sale due to the closure of one of its stores in a popular shopping center in London.

The store that is closing is located in the Southside shopping center in Wandsworth, London. As part of the sale promotion, discounts of up to 30% are being offered to clear out stock before the final closure.

AlamyRiver Island intends to close another store

This will be a disappointment for locals who have described the store as 'great' and always offering 'current collections and styles.' One customer noted, 'Every time I visit this store, I always have positive experiences.'

“The staff are very friendly and helpful. It really makes a difference.”

This store is one of about a dozen that River Island owns in the capital. Two of them are already marked for closure. The company previously announced plans to close 33 stores in January as part of a major reorganization plan to sustain the business.

Network executives emphasized that the growing popularity of online shopping is putting additional pressure on traditional retail. Last year, the network reported losses of £32.3 million before tax, and their turnover fell by 15% to £578.1 million.

River Island has also approached the owners of 71 stores to request a rent reduction, which is a common practice in times of financial difficulty.

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The store in Wandsworth is one of 71 scheduled for closure. The closures are planned for January, along with another 33 stores. Additionally, the store in Edinburgh will close on Friday, September 5th.

List of stores that will close

Here is the complete list of 33 stores that will close:

• Beckton
• Bangor Bloomfield
• Wrexham
• Edinburgh Princes Street
• Hereford
• Surrey Quays
• Didcot
• Sutton Coldfield
• Aylesbury
• Burton-Upon-Trent
• Northwich
• Taunton
• Workington
• Falkirk
• Cumbernauld
• Kirkcaldy
• Gloucester
• Hartlepool
• Brighton
• Lisburn
• Norwich
• Oxford
• Poole
• Kilmarnock
• Hanley
• Barnstaple
• Grimsby
• Leeds Birstall Park
• Rochdale
• Great Yarmouth
• St Helens
• Stockton-on-Tees
• Perth
• Wandsworth

Retail issues

These closures occur against the backdrop of a challenging retail environment where many chains are facing reduced consumer demand due to rising costs. For example, New Look's owners are consulting specialists about a strategic review of their chain, which may lead to a sale. This year, they have already closed about a dozen stores, including in Scotland and Wales.

Moreover, in February, New Look left the Republic of Ireland, closing 26 stores. Last month, Claire’s also faced bankruptcy and ceased online ordering for their customers.

POVERTY IN RETAIL IN 2025

The British Retail Consortium forecasts that increased employer contributions will cost the retail sector £2.3 billion.

Research by the British Chamber of Commerce shows that more than half of companies plan to raise prices before the beginning of April. A survey conducted among over 4,800 companies revealed that 55% expect price increases in the next three months, up from 39% in the previous survey.

Three-quarters of companies cited labor costs as the main financial burden. The Centre for Retail Research (CRR) also warns that around 17,350 retail outlets are expected to close this year, highlighting a tough year for the sector.

Professor Joshua Bamfield from CRR noted that although the results of store closures in 2024 were not catastrophic, there are still concerns about the future development of the situation. He predicts potential job losses of up to 202,000 in the sector, especially in light of rising costs for retailers.