Business
Full list of Quiz stores to close in UK as fashion retailer falls into administration
Fashion retailer Quiz is set to close its remaining 37 stores by the end of June, administrators have confirmed.
The high street chain appointed Interpath in February after a “tough start” to 2026.
Insolvency specialists announced on Thursday that a closure plan for its final outlets will be implemented over the coming weeks.
Three other stores, in Castlecourt, Belfast, Leeds, and Romford, recently shut permanently.
The precise timing for these remaining closures, and the number of staff affected, is yet to be confirmed.
Over 100 head office and warehouse jobs were put at risk when Quiz first entered administration.
It is the second time Quiz had fallen into administration in just over a year, having collapsed in February 2025 before immediately being bought in a so-called pre-pack deal by a subsidiary of the founding Ramzan family.
Quiz concessions in New Look and Matalan stores in the UK are not included in the administration and remain unaffected.
Remaining stock is being delivered to its stores, with heavy discounts of at least 60% as administrators seek to sell off as much as possible to help pay the collapsed firm’s outstanding debts.
Alistair McAlinden, head of Interpath in Scotland and joint administrator, said: “As we head into the May bank holiday weekend, we would encourage shoppers to visit their local store as we commence our final closing down sale.”
Geoff Jacobs, managing director at Interpath and fellow joint administrator, said: “We’d once again like to say a huge thank you to Quiz staff who have shown such dedication and professionalism under difficult circumstances.”
Here are the locations of the stores facing closure:
-Aberdeen, Scotland
-Basingstoke, Hampshire
-Bracknell, Berkshire
-Cardiff, Wales
-Carlisle, Cumbria
-Castleford, West Yorkshire
-Clydebank, Scotland
-Craigavon, Northern Ireland
-Derby, Derbyshire
-Dunfermline, Scotland
-Eastbourne, East Sussex
-Gateshead Metro, Tyne and Wear
-Glasgow Braehead, Scotland
-Glasgow Buchanan Galleries, Scotland
-Glasgow Fort, Scotland
-Glasgow St Enoch, Scotland
-Hanley, Staffordshire
-Hull, East Yorkshire
-Inverness, Scotland
-Irvine, Scotland
-Leicester, Leicestershire
-Livingston, Scotland
-Manchester Arndale, Greater Manchester
-Manchester Trafford Centre, Greater Manchester
-Mansfield, Nottinghamshire
-Merryhill, West Midlands
-Newry, Northern Ireland
-Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland
-Northampton, Northamptonshire
-Norwich, Norfolk
-Portsmouth, Hampshire
-Sheffield Meadowhall, South Yorkshire
-Stirling, Scotland
-Telford, Shropshire
-Thurrock Lakeside, Essex
-Warrington, Cheshire
-Watford, Hertfordshire
Business
Trump administration says new EPA rules will save you money at the supermarket. It’s not clear they will
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during an announcement with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin (not pictured) in the Oval Office at the White House, in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 21, 2026.
Kevin Lamarque | Reuters
President Donald Trump announced on Thursday a delay to two Biden-era EPA refrigerant rules, arguing the move will cut costs for companies and save consumers money at the grocery store.
The administration estimated that American families and businesses will save more than $2.4 billion under the new rules.
“Our actions allow businesses to choose the refrigeration systems that work best for them, saving them billions of dollars,” said EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin in a statement.
He added, “This will be felt directly by American families in lower grocery prices.”
But it was unclear Thursday whether or how companies like grocers would use those savings to make it more affordable for shoppers to fill their carts. The changes would not require grocers to take any steps to cut prices at a time when many households see their budgets stretched by soaring gas prices and years of elevated inflation.
The rules target hydrofluorocarbons, or HFCs, potent greenhouse gases commonly used in refrigeration and air conditioning systems that are widely accepted as contributors to global warming. Under the Biden administration, the EPA in 2023 finalized regulations aimed at cutting leaks and emissions from those systems, affecting industries ranging from grocery stores and food distribution to semiconductor manufacturing.
Now, the EPA is delaying compliance by revising the 2023 rule and another regulation from 2024.
The administration’s messaging appears aimed squarely at inflation-weary consumers, especially as food prices remain politically sensitive ahead of the midterm elections this fall. Grocery retailers rely heavily on refrigeration infrastructure, and compliance with the EPA rules would have required upgrades, leak detection systems and new refrigerants in some cases.
At the time the rules were put in place, the EPA argued they would ultimately save businesses and consumers $4.5 billion over time through energy efficiency and lower-cost refrigerants. Grocery and food industry groups warned the transition could cost the industry billions in upfront equipment and compliance expenses.
Large chains such as Walmart, Kroger, and Costco have already been investing in “natural refrigerant” systems for years, so the biggest operators were generally better positioned to absorb the transition. Smaller regional grocers and independent stores may feel the cost burden more acutely.
“An orderly transition of equipment reduces both capital costs and operating costs, and at the end of the day that’s good for consumers because we’re able to take that and put that into lowering prices,” said Kroger CEO Greg Foran at an event at the White House.
Still, it remains unclear how grocers would pass on cost savings to consumers. When asked at the signing, Foran said the company is “right in the middle” of passing savings on to the consumer and making sure they’re “paying the right price.”
Earlier Thursday before Trump’s policy announcement, Bloomberg News reported that Foran planned price cuts at Kroger to allow the grocer to better compete with Walmart and Costco.
Food inflation is driven by a wide range of factors, including labor, transportation, feed costs and commodity prices, and some of those expenses have risen in recent months due to the war in Iran. Refrigeration compliance costs represent a small slice of overall grocery operating expenses.
Business
Stellantis unveils $70 billion turnaround plan, targets positive cash flow by 2028
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Stellantis said Thursday it plans to invest 60 billion euros ($69.7 billion) under a new five-year strategic plan by CEO Antonio Filosa that also targets annual cost savings of 6 billion euros by 2028.
The plan includes putting 36 billion euros toward the company’s massive portfolio of automotive brands, with 60% of the investment expected for North America. The company expects to introduce more than 60 new vehicles and conduct major refreshes of 50 models, including all-electric vehicles, hybrids and traditional internal combustion engines.
The other 24 billion euros will be put toward global vehicle platforms and new technologies for the automaker and its products, according to the company.
Stellantis also said it plans to achieve positive free cash flow by 2028 after losing 22.3 billion euros last year with a 22 billion euro restructuring pulling back from all-electric vehicles.
The company is targeting revenue growth across its major global operations through 2030. Most notably, it’s aiming for North American revenue growth of 25%, with adjusted operating income, or AOI, of between 8% and 10% in that period. It’s also targeting 15% revenue growth and AOI of between 3% and 5% for enlarged Europe. It expects double-digit revenue increases in South America, the Middle East and Africa, with an AOI of between 4% and 6% in Asia-Pacific.
Under the plan, Stellantis will not eliminate any of its 14 automotive brands, but it will fold operations of its DS and Lancia European units into Citroen and Fiat, respectively, according to the company.
Fiat is one of four designated “global brands” alongside Jeep, Ram Trucks and Peugot. That division also includes the Pro One commercial operations. Its regional brands will include Chrysler, Dodge, Citroen, Opel and Alfa Romeo. It also owns luxury brand Maserati.
Shares of Stellantis listed in the U.S., Italy and France.
To assist in reducing costs, Stellantis plans to launch a new “STLA One” vehicle platform in 2027. The new platform is designed to bring together five different platforms into “one scalable architecture, reducing complexity and expanding coverage.” It targets achieving 20% cost efficiency, the company said.
By 2030, Stellantis targets 50% of its volume will be produced on three global platforms, with up to 70% component reuse.
Filosa — who began leading the automaker less than a year ago — and other executives are set to lay out details of the “FaSTLAne 2030” plan throughout the day Thursday during his first investor day as CEO at the company’s North American headquarters near Detroit.
Stellantis Chairman John Elkann, a scion of Fiat’s Agnelli family and CEO of Europe’s prominent holding company Exor, on Thursday called the plan “ambitious, but realistic” while outlining industry challenges as well as opportunities for the company under Filosa and his new plan.
The plan’s core pillars are “sharper management” of the brand portfolio, new investments, enhanced partnerships, an optimized manufacturing footprint, “excellence in execution” and empowerment of the company’s regions and local teams.
“What we want you to take away from today is that Stellantis, with all its assets, its capabilities, and its new strategic plan, is well positioned to succeed,” Filosa said to open the event. “You will hear from us today how we leverage our regional roots, our global scale, our partnerships and the new technologies in our journey going forward.”
Antonio Filosa, CEO of Stellantis, speaking with CNBC on May 21st, 2026.
CNBC
The company this week announced several new or expanded tie-ups that included Jaguar Land Rover for the U.S. as well as with Chinese automakers Leapmotor and Dongfeng Group, primarily for Europe and China.
As Stellantis partners with Chinese automakers, it’s also competing against them as many of the companies increase sales in Europe.
Amid such competition, Stellantis said it expects to cut European capacity by more than 800,000 units, while repurposing plants and leveraging partnerships. Filosa said the company plans to reduce production without any plant closures.
In both Europe and the U.S., Stellantis said it targets 80% plant utilization in 2030.
Filling those plants will be a variety, or a “freedom of choice,” of products, according to Stellantis. The company’s new or refreshened products are expected to include 29 battery-electric vehicles, 15 plug-in hybrid or extended-range electric vehicles, 24 hybrids and 39 mild hybrids or traditional vehicles with internal combustion engines.
“The interest of consumers around hybrids is growing, also pushed by the oil prices, and range-extended [vehicles] actually is a more customer-centric idea,” Filosa told CNBC’s Phil LeBeau.
Business
VAT slashed to 5% on summer attractions in Chancellor’s cost-of-living plan
Rachel Reeves has announced a cut in the rate of VAT on tickets for theme parks, zoos and museums from 20% to 5% over the summer holidays.
The Chancellor set out the measure as part of a package aimed at easing the impact on the cost of living from the Iran war.
Sir Keir Starmer said the support would give families concerned about the months ahead “a bit of breathing room” to “enjoy moments that matter without the same level of financial strain”.
Ms Reeves told the Commons in a statement on Thursday: “This will apply to ticket prices for both adults and children, covering attractions such as fairs, theme parks, zoos and museums.
“It will include children’s tickets for cinemas, concerts, soft play, and the theatre, and it will cut the cost of children’s meals in restaurants and cafes from 20% VAT to 5% as well.”
She said the changes will apply across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland from June 25 until September 1.
The Government expects businesses to pass on VAT savings to customers.
Her “Great British Summer Savings” scheme, which the Treasury estimated would cost around £300 million, also includes free bus travel for children aged between five and 15 in England during the school holidays in August.
Other measures announced by Ms Reeves include a 10p per mile increase in tax-free mileage rates backdated to April, a £350 million critical chemicals resilience fund and a £120 million fund to help the ceramics sector, and the cutting of import tariffs on more than 100 types of food products.
As expected, Ms Reeves did not announce immediate help with energy bills driven up by Donald Trump’s war in the Middle East.
The household energy price cap is predicted to rise by £209 a year from July after the closure of the Strait of Hormuz pushed up global oil and gas prices.
Ms Reeves told MPs: “Because of the decision that I made at the budget last year to cut £150 from energy bills, we have lessened the impact of rising prices and current external forecasts suggest that the cap from July will be at a similar level to the cap in April last year.
“We stand ready to act if market conditions worsen significantly later this year and I have been leading cross-Government contingency work on design of potential future targeted and temporary support for businesses.”
The Chancellor said she would pay for cost-of-living support by changing how oil and gas companies with overseas operations are taxed.
This would put an end to the practice of some oil and gas groups structuring their tax affairs “in a way which ensures they pay little or no corporation tax on their UK energy trading profits” and “raise hundreds of millions of pounds a year”, Ms Reeves said.
Final costings for all the measures will be detailed at the next budget following scoring from the Office for Budget Responsibility, according to the Treasury.
Sir Keir, who was seeking to regain control of the political agenda with the announcements after his premiership came under pressure, said it was “not right” that “for too many families those things – a trip to the seaside, a visit to the zoo, a bus ride into town for a day out, even a simple treat at the end of the week – are starting to feel out of reach”.
The Government was providing “a serious response” to the “concerns people have about the months ahead” due to global instability, the Prime Minister wrote on Substack.
“This summer, we are making it easier and more affordable for families to get out, spend time together, and make memories they will cherish for life.”
Theme parks and cinemas welcomed the the slashing of VAT, with British Association of Leisure Parks, Piers and Attractions chief executive Paul Kelly saying it was “a very welcome and timely boost for the UK’s visitor attraction sector”.
“Our members stand ready to pass on this benefit and deliver brilliant, memorable experiences for visitors of all ages.”
UK Hospitality chairwoman Kate Nicholls said a lower rate of VAT for hospitality was “the quickest and simplest way to lower prices and boost consumer confidence”.
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