In ‘a very difficult business,’ retail store closings typically signal more about an individual company than the industry overall, one analyst says.

Macy’s is closing 65 stores in fiscal year 2024 alone, according to the company’s latest quarterly earnings report. The closures are part of the department store chain’s plan to shutter 150 stores by 2026, which the company announced during second-quarter earnings call on Aug. 21.

Store closures in 2025 will involve high street favourites including WHSmith and The Entertainer. It's all down to a decrease in consumer spending as well as increased rents and operational costs

High street favourites including WHSmith and The Entertainer are set to close more stores next year. More than 8,500 retail outlets across the UK shut their doors in 2024, as reported by the Centre for Retail Research.