RETAIL major EG Group reported an impressive revenue growth of 57.7 per cent in the April-June quarter, as Covid restrictions eased.
The group, which runs petrol stations, supermarkets and fast food outlets, clocked a revenue of $6.511 billion (£4.74 bn) in the three-month period compared to $4.13 bn (£3 bn) posted during the corresponding period last year.
Its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) stood at $380 million (£277m), recording a 23.7 per cent jump year-on-year.
The quarter saw the foodservice arm of the group, run by Blackburn-based billionaire brothers Mohsin and Zuber Issa, more than double its gross profit to $153m (£111.5m). The growth was driven by takeaways and delivery services.
EG Group and TDR Capital bought the Leeds-headquartered supermarket chain Asda Stores from Walmart this year in a £6.8 bn deal. The brothers also took over the Leon Restaurant chain for an estimated £100m.
“We continued to make good progress in the second quarter, with a particularly strong performance from our foodservice business, driven by growth in customer demand for takeaway and delivery services and the easing of Covid restrictions across many of our countries,” EG Group co-chief executives Zuber and Mohsin Issa said, according to Retail Gazette.
“The group’s latest performance is further validation of our successful global strategy… We are also pleased to have completed the acquisition of Leon Restaurants.”
They said they are looking forward to opening restaurants at 10 new locations during the current year.
“The resilience of our business model has been demonstrated during the pandemic, and we have emerged as an even stronger business as we enter the second half of the year with confidence,” they said.
Shein’s UK sales hit £2.05bn in 2024, up 32.3 per cent year-on-year, driven by younger shoppers.
The retailer benefits from import tax loopholes unavailable to high street rivals.
Faces mounting criticism over labour practices and sustainability as it eyes a London listing.
Tax edge drives growth
Chinese fashion giant Shein is transforming Britain’s online clothing market, capturing a third of women aged 16 to 24 while benefiting from tax breaks unavailable to high street rivals.
The fast-fashion retailer’s UK sales surged 32.3 per cent to £2.05bn in 2024, according to company filings, with pre-tax profits rising to £38.3m from £24.4m the previous year. The growth comes as established players like Asos struggle in an increasingly competitive landscape where young consumers prioritise value above all else.
Shein has partly benefited from a tax break on import duty for goods worth less than £135 sent directly to consumers, The rule lets overseas sellers send low-value goods to the UK tax-free, disadvantaging local businesses.
“The growth of Shein and Temu is a huge factor,” said Tamara Sender Ceron, associate director of fashion retail research at Mintel told The Guardian. “It is particularly successful among younger shoppers. It is also a threat to other fashion retailers such as Primark and H&M because of its ultra-low price model that nobody can compete with. It’s changed the market.
"The market dynamics reflect broader shifts in consumer behaviour. Online fashion sales reached £34bn last year, up 3 per cent, according to Mintel, but shoppers have become more cautious as disposable incomes shrink, and fashion competes with holidays, festivals, and streaming services for wallet share.
Scrutiny builds
Despite its commercial success, Shein faces mounting scrutiny. The company filed initial paperwork last June for a potential London Stock Exchange listing, but critics question its labour practices and environmental impact.
"Regardless of whether Shein gets listed on the London Stock Exchange, no company doing business in the UK should be allowed to play fast and loose with human rights anywhere in their global supply chains,” said Peter Frankental, economic affairs programme director at Amnesty International UK to BBC.
The “de minimis” rule has drawn renewed attention after US President Donald Trump scrapped a similar measure during his trade war with China.
Shein’s UK operation now employs 91 people across offices in Kings Cross and Manchester, focusing primarily on local market expertise.
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