BHF to close about 150 shops as costs bite

What's happened

The British Heart Foundation has announced a plan to close around 150 high-street shops and cut jobs as rising costs and a shift to online shopping weigh on profitability. The charity says around 90 stores will close by next March, with the rest by March 2028, while central roles are also being cut.

What's behind the headline?

Analysis

The move signals a structural shift in charity retail as online shopping and higher operating costs compress margins.
The company asserts its overall position remains healthy, but the shop network’s sustainability requires consolidation to protect long-term funding for lifesaving research.
Expect continued focus on core fundraising channels and potential reallocation of resources to central functions that support retail and fundraising.
The timing mirrors broader high-street contractions, with close monitoring of how closures affect community access and volunteer engagement.

How we got here

The British Heart Foundation has carried out a retail review after net profit across its 640 UK stores dropped sharply from 18.8m in 2024 to 3.6m in the year to 31 March 2025. The charity reports income of 181m for 2025, with charitable spend affected by this fall in net income.

Our analysis

The Guardian (Mark Sweney) and The Independent (Henry Saker-Clark) report on the BHF's planned closures and financials; both highlight that 90 stores will close by next year, with the remainder by 2028, alongside central job cuts. The Independent also notes sector-wide retail contraction and a tentative stabilisation in store numbers.

Go deeper

What stores are affected and how will the closures unfold by location?
How will the reduced store footprint affect fundraising for BHF's research?
What alternatives is BHF exploring to replace revenue from closed shops?