It’s been another week with far more retail news than there is time in the day. Below, we break down some things you may have missed during the week, and what we’re still thinking about.
From Rothy’s recent leadership appointments to Lego’s revenue growth, here’s our closeout for the week.
What you may have missed
Reebok is kicking it in soccer once more
Reebok is setting up for its next goal with a reentry into the global soccer market. The retailer signed two professional soccer players in the last week, Duśan Vlahović and Trevoh Chalobah, ahead of an effort to reclaim its place in the sport.
“Football is deeply rooted in Reebok’s heritage, and it is central to our future,” Reebok CEO Todd Krinsky said in a statement on the signing of Vlahović. “As we continue to rebuild our presence in team sports, partnering with an elite talent like Dušan signals our commitment to competing at the highest level.”
This summer, Reebok is planning a return to the performance soccer space, led by a new soccer cleat dubbed the “Sidewinder.” Vlahović will be the face of Reebok’s apparel and footwear offerings in the sport, but the brand is continuing to sign a roster of athletes to support its launch. Reebok will release more details on the performance soccer collection later this year.
“From the outset, our strategy has focused on reigniting Reebok’s authority in sport through deliberate investments in product, athletes, and global partnerships,” Steve Robaire, executive vice president of Reebok at owner Authentic Brands Group, said in a statement. “This move reinforces our commitment to elevating Reebok back to the forefront of performance and culture.”
Rothy’s hires footwear veterans at ‘pivotal moment for the brand’
Footwear brand Rothy’s has tapped two industry veterans to join its leadership team.
Rothy's hired Phil Russo, who comes with leadership experience from Converse and Vans, to serve as senior vice president of design and innovation, according to details shared with Retail Dive. Salym North will take on the role of vice president of product development and production after stints at Adidas and On.
Rothy’s CEO Dayna Quanbeck said these appointments come “at a pivotal moment for the brand.”
“We’ve always believed great product starts with strong leadership across design, innovation, and production,” Quanbeck said in a statement. “Their experience across global footwear organizations will help us continue evolving our product, expanding into new opportunities, and building with greater precision and scale.”
Retail therapy
Krispy Kreme tempts fate ahead of St. Patrick’s Day
This one’s gas, as they say in the land of saints and scholars. As lucky days go, St. Patrick’s has been embraced by brands for donkey’s years, but Krispy Kreme is – we’re not codding ya – sprinkling in a superstitious deal for Friday the 13th. At participating stores on Friday, customers can get a dozen of the brand’s original glazed donuts for 13 cents when they buy any dozen at the regular price.
This is less risky than it sounds, as the confectionery chain has already enlisted the luck o’ the Irish. Krispy Kreme started using green icing and sprinkles on various donuts on Tuesday, and special offers are on tap for St. Patrick’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day eve, March 16 through 17. They include a free Green O’riginal Glazed donut for any yoke wearing green in the store or drive-thru – no purchase necessary.
What we’re still thinking about
12%
That’s how much Lego’s revenue increased in 2025, to 83.5 billion Danish kroner, or around $12.8 billion. Operating profit was up 18% year over year, while net profit increased 21%.
The results “significantly outperformed the toy market,” Lego Group wrote in its annual report.
“2025 was an outstanding year for the Lego Group,” CEO Niels Christiansen said in a statement. “We achieved double-digit top- and bottom-line growth while maintaining strong momentum across all market groups and audiences.”
What we’re watching
Amazon gets preliminary relief against Perplexity in lawsuit
A court granted Amazon’s motion for preliminary injunctive relief in its lawsuit against AI-powered search engine Perplexity. Amazon filed a lawsuit against Perplexity in November to stop its Comet AI agents from accessing Amazon’s e-commerce website in what it alleged to be a covert manner.
The Monday order in part calls for Perplexity to “destroy or cause to be destroyed all copies of Amazon’s data, including customer data, obtained by Perplexity by accessing Amazon’s protected computer systems using AI agents, whether in the custody or control of Perplexity or its employees, agents, assigns, or the third-party service providers,” per a court filing in the U.S. Northern District of California.
Amazon provided strong evidence in some of its claims against Perplexity, the court found. Perplexity appealed the decision in a filing on Tuesday.
The court case could have broader implications for how AI platforms operate and is highlighting the evolving nature of e-commerce as third-party agentic AI assistants rise in usage.
