Tesco booked 1.6% sales growth at constant currency rates to £33.8m ($44.59m) for the 26 weeks to 29 August, with the retailer crediting its upgraded F&F Clothing website and app for stronger full-price and planned-event sales in its interim results.

Group adjusted operating profit rose 6.3% to £1.8m, while profit before tax climbed 11.5% to £1.5m. The UK supermarket chain attributed part of the clothing performance to a coordinated push around the F&F brand and new digital discovery tools.

What changed on the F&F website?

The retailer rolled out what it called a "major website and app upgrade" for F&F, adding features aimed at helping customers browse the full range online. New additions include:

• "Shop the Look" discovery tool
• Product videos
• A unified Clothing and Home offer under the F&F brand

Tesco said the upgrade lets customers "discover and shop our full range of clothing" through digital channels that have become a growing sales lever.

What is driving the apparel mix?

Tesco said it has taken steps to "further elevate F&F Clothing's quality and style credentials" through ranges such as "The Edit: On Duty," a workwear-inspired womenswear collection. The line contributed to growth in full-price and planned-event sales, a signal that the discounter is pushing higher average selling prices rather than relying on promotional depth.

CEO Ken Murphy said: "Our digital channels are important growth drivers for Tesco, with online sales growing 8% in the half. We are complementing our leading position in grocery home shopping with strong growth in Whoosh, up 37% in the half and on track to deliver sales of over £500m this year."

He added that Tesco launched more than 800 new and improved products during the period.

Where does F&F sit in the wider Tesco strategy?

The clothing push sits inside a broader digital acceleration. Murphy noted that rapid-delivery service Whoosh grew 37% in the half and is on track for over £500m in annual sales. New partnerships with Uber Eats and Deliveroo extend the group's quick-commerce reach. Tesco is also extending AI-enabled personalisation via Your Clubcard Prices and a meal planning assistant.

What does the in-store test signal?

Tesco recently began trialling virtual try-on technology for F&F at its Sandhurst Extra store, letting shoppers preview selected garments on a digital image before purchase. The pilot points to a potential omnichannel concession for a category where fit and returns pressure margins.

What should suppliers watch?

The F&F repositioning carries sourcing implications. Tesco is bringing Clothing and Home under one brand, introducing elevated womenswear lines and investing in discovery content such as product video. For vendors, the priorities are:

• Higher quality and style benchmarks for womenswear ranges
• Content-ready product imagery and data for the digital relaunch
• Capacity to support seasonal drops tied to planned-event calendars
• Compatibility with the group's Clubcard personalisation engine

Murphy said the group will "keep investing in the customer offer and the capabilities that will drive future growth." The next commercial checkpoint for F&F Clothing will be the Christmas ranges, which the retailer expects to roll out in the coming weeks.