Ellis Hawthorne
Ellis is features editor at Retail Week, responsible for the features desk that produces our long reads, rankings and profile interviews with some of retail’s most influential leaders. Ellis also handles our annual flagship editorial content, including Retail Leader's 100 favourite stores, the retail staff pay index and the UK's fastest-growing retailers.
Ellis began her journalism career as a reporter in her hometown of Glasgow, working on a variety of titles including The Clydebank Post and The Journal.
More recently, Ellis was digital and social editor at Retail Week’s sister title The Grocer, where she led the magazine's online editorial content.
Contact info
- Tel:
- +44 (0)20 3960 9255
- Email:
- ellis.hawthorne@retail-week.com
GalleryInside rising beauty brand Vieve’s biggest ever pop-up
Beauty retailer Vieve has opened the doors to a four-month-long pop-up shop in Glasgow.
NewsChatGPT shopping agent falters on half of UK’s big four grocers
Shoppers using ChatGPT’s new agent to complete their online shopping may run into technical difficulties on half of the UK’s ‘big four’ supermarkets, Retail Week has found.
AnalysisChatGPT agent mode on trial: how Sainsbury’s, Wickes and more handle AI as a customer
Most retailers aren’t yet ready to be shopped by customers using an AI agent. At least, that’s what our test of ChatGPT’s Agent mode showed when Retail Week put it through its paces on some typical shopping missions.
NewsOxford Street to be traffic-free for a day ahead of pedestrianisation plans
Buses and taxis are to be banned from Oxford Street for a traffic-free day ahead of the London Mayor’s plans to introduce permanent pedestrianisation.
NewsPrimark opens new standalone homeware store in Manchester
Primark has opened the first standalone home store in Great Britain following a successful launch of the concept in Belfast earlier this year.
NewsPoundland returns to round pounds for ‘simplicity’ in turnaround plan
As reported by Retail Week earlier this month, Poundland is to return to round pounds in its pricing after a successful five month trial in selected stores.
NewsLego posts record top line and double digit bottom line growth
Lego has posted record sales growth and double digit bottom line growth, according to its latest half-year results.
InterviewQ&A: Specsavers MD Carina Hummel on disruptive brands and future of the high street
Specsavers’ new managing director of UK/ROI optics speaks to Retail Week about the brand’s most important strategic priorities, how she plans to win new customers and what she thinks is in store for the future of the UK’s high streets
NewsMamas and Papas CEO to step down as new growth plan launches
The recruitment of a new chief executive will be “announced shortly”
FeatureFrom browsing bliss to tedious clicks: Has online shopping lost its spark?
According to research by Criteo, 76% of people think that ecommerce is functional, but not fun, almost 80% find shopping online lonely, compared to an experiential in-store experience, and nearly a third even view it as a chore.
NewsJohn Lewis adds 100 new brands to improve fashion offer
John Lewis is making a big push to improve its fashion offerings by bringing in 100 new clothing brands to compete better with Next and Marks & Spencer.
NewsRetailers should employ ‘meet and greet’ tactics to stop shoplifters
Retailers have been told by police to ‘meet and greet’ customers in a bid to curb shoplifting.
Chart of the WeekChart of the Week: Gen X to overtake baby boomers as the dominant global spending power
The Gen X population is about to overtake baby boomers as the leading global spending power, but despite their burgeoning consumer influence, the generation born between 1965 and 1980 are frequently overlooked as a segment
NewsThe Entertainer moves to employee ownership trust
The Entertainer founders, the Grant family, are handing over control of the company to its 1,900 workers.
NewsAsda £1bn IT transition to complete within weeks
Asda has almost completed a £1bn IT upgrade, six months later than planned, which management believes will support the supermarket’s revival strategy.
NewsM&S resumes click and collect following cyberattack
Marks & Spencer has brought back its click-and-collect service after it was paused following the cyberattack that struck the company in April.
NewsRiver Island secures lifeline after High Court approves restructuring plan
River Island has successfully secured High Court approval for its restructuring plan, providing a crucial lifeline for the embattled chain as it works to transform its business model.
NewsCo-op boss Matt Hood: I’d like to open 300-400 ‘On The Go’ format counters
Co-op Food chief executive Matt Hood has ambitions to open up to 400 hot food counters from its ‘On The Go’ micro store concept, and convert a number of existing Co-op stores to the new ‘next gen’ format.
InterviewQ&A: Matt Hood tells us about Co-op’s latest micro store format
The Co-op has unveiled ‘On the Go’, a new format with a new product offer in stores less than a quarter of the size of its typical locations. Following the opening of its first micro store in Solihull, Co-op Food chief executive Matt Hood speaks to Retail Week about the international inspiration behind the concept, why now is the right time to launch, and how these stores could reshape Co-op’s approach to convenience retail
NewsToolstation appoints new managing director as Angela Rushforth retires
Toolstation has appointed a new managing director following the retirement of Angela Rushforth after 10 years with the group.