And there are more increases to come with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer saying the impacts of the Iran war will 'go on'. The British Retail Consortium (BRC) says UK shops have faced "£5.6 billion wave of additional costs" in 2025 and 2026.
That includes a reduction in rates relief, higher wages, new packaging levies and the April 2026 increase in property values.
This week, The Ark Pet Centres announced it was closing all branches with immediate effect after 30 years of trading.
The business had multiple branches across southj and east Devon including in Plymouth, Exeter and Torbay. The company started around 1995–1996, with a formal incorporation for The Ark Pet Centre Limited on July 21, 1997.
The group grew into a significant Devon independent retailer, operating around nine outlets at different times.The firm was known for strong animal welfare standards, frequently acting as a "pet expert" retailer and winning the 2022 PetQuip UK Pet Retailer of the Year award.
The company closed all its stores unexpectedly on April 23, 2026, citing intense economic pressure, high operating costs, and impending further increases.
A spokesman said: "It is with huge regret and sadness that we announce that after 30 years of trading, we will be shutting our doors for good as of today - 23rd April. This affects all stores. Whilst we have all worked incredibly hard to weather the economic storm, we can no longer sustain the increasing pressure and huge rising costs, and with more increases on the horizon, we have had to make the heartbreaking decision to cease trading.
"We would like to thank our wonderful team who have worked hard to make The Ark what it was - and we truly wish them all the very best for the future. To our loyal customers - thank you, we appreciate you and we truly will miss serving you and your pets.
"We never set out to be a 'pet shop', we wanted to be a place where local people could get help and advice on pet care from people they trusted, and we’re proud to have done that for the last 30 years.We have loved every minute of this from day one, thank you for being part of our journey."
