Economic Audit: New Look

Supply Chain & Sourcing Relationships

New Look states that it sources through 108 suppliers, working with 1,124 factories in total across Tiers 1–3 in 19 countries, per its own ESG/sustainability factory-list disclosure; that page does not name Israel among its sourcing countries and discloses no Israel-linked factories ¹. No public evidence identified of direct commercial relationships between New Look and Israeli agricultural aggregators or exporters such as Mehadrin, Hadiklaim, Galilee Export, or Agrexco successors, consistent with New Look’s status as an apparel rather than food retailer. No public evidence identified of a dedicated Israel-linked import entity, joint venture, or subsidiary functioning as an importer of record for New Look. No public evidence identified of third-party or indirect sourcing arrangements bringing Israeli-origin goods into New Look’s supply chain. Seasonal sourcing-pattern exposure tied to Israeli produce cycles is not applicable, as New Look does not sell fresh produce categories.

Product Origin, Labeling & Regulatory Compliance

No public evidence identified of settlement-origin products or “Produce of Israel” mislabeling issues connected to New Look, and no NGO investigation (Who Profits, Corporate Occupation, DEFRA/customs enforcement) surfaced in available records naming New Look in this context, consistent with the company not selling agricultural produce. No public evidence identified of labeling compliance or non-compliance findings regarding settlement-produced goods attributable to New Look. New Look’s public Modern Slavery Statement addresses forced-labour risk in its supply chain generally, but no Israel- or Occupied Palestinian Territory-specific sourcing or labeling policy appears in the available statement content ²³. No public evidence identified of a corporate policy specifically addressing goods originating from occupied or contested territories.

Investment, Capital & Financial Exposure

New Look Retail Group has been co-owned since a 2020 debt restructuring by Brait SE, a South African investment holding company, and Alcentra, a credit/lending entity ⁴⁵. Brait’s largest shareholder is South African billionaire Christo Wiese ⁴⁶⁷. Alcentra was acquired by Franklin Templeton from BNY Mellon in a deal announced in May 2022 and completed on 1 November 2022, and has since been folded into Franklin Templeton’s Benefit Street Partners (BSP) alternative-credit brand as of 2026 ⁸⁹¹⁰. In August 2025, Brait and Alcentra/Franklin Templeton appointed Rothschild to run a strategic sale review of New Look, with Modella Capital reported as a potential bidder, following sale talks first reported in June 2025 ^11121314. New Look was originally acquired by Brait in a £1.9 billion deal announced in 2015, in which Brait described itself as a long-term owner and Apax Partners publicised its role in the transaction ¹⁵¹⁶¹⁷.

No public evidence identified quantifying Franklin Templeton’s or Brait’s own direct investments, subsidiaries, or holdings in Israel-domiciled companies or Israeli sovereign debt. No public evidence identified of Christo Wiese’s personal or family-office investments in Israeli companies. No public evidence identified of any portfolio or fund exposure disclosed by New Look or its parent entities specific to Israeli-domiciled companies, sovereign bonds, or Israel-focused funds. No public evidence identified of New Look, Brait, Alcentra/Franklin Templeton (Benefit Street Partners), or Christo Wiese in the OHCHR Database of Business Enterprises concerning Israeli settlements, updated September 2025 ¹⁸¹⁹.

Operational Presence & Market Activity

No public evidence identified of New Look offices, stores, warehouses, support centres, franchisees, or licensees in Israel or the occupied territories. New Look’s international footprint has been contracting: the company exited the Republic of Ireland via liquidation of its Irish branch in February 2025, affecting 26 stores and 347 workers, and it has closed its international e-commerce websites ²⁰²¹²². New Look has also been reported as pursuing store closures across its UK estate and facing shrinking sales amid ongoing restructuring, with the business subsequently put up for sale following a year of losses ²³²⁴²⁰. No public evidence identified of any annual report, investor presentation, or press release characterising Israel as a market for New Look. No public evidence identified of employment or tax registration by New Look in Israel.

Corporate Structure & Foundational Ties

New Look was founded in 1969 in Taunton, Somerset, UK, by Tom Singh, funded by a £5,000 loan from his parents, and was not founded or incorporated in Israel ²⁵²⁶. Tom Singh retired from New Look in 2019 and continues as a philanthropist and investor, including advisory involvement with the British Asian Trust; no Israel-linked philanthropic or investment activity was identified for him ²⁵²⁶. New Look Group’s current headquarters is in Weymouth, Dorset, UK, with no dual or legacy Israel headquarters identified ¹. New Look’s board includes Chairman Mike Coupe (former CEO of J Sainsbury plc, 2014–2020), CEO Helen Connolly, CFO Richard Collyer, and Non-Executive Directors Laurence Raven (who joined Alcentra in 2008), Stuart MacKenzie, Richard Cotter, Colin Henry, Robin Terrell, and Angela Luger ²⁷²⁸. No defense-industry, Unit 8200, IDF, or Israeli-settlement-organization affiliations were identified for any listed board or executive-team member. No public evidence identified of state or institutional linkages between New Look and the Israeli government, and No public evidence identified of governance features such as golden shares, founder shares, or charter restrictions tying the company to the Israeli state.

Sanctions, Watchlist & Advocacy-Database Screening

No public evidence identified of New Look, New Look Retailers Ltd, New Look Retail Group, Brait, Alcentra/Franklin Templeton (Benefit Street Partners), or Christo Wiese in the OHCHR Database of Business Enterprises maintained under Human Rights Council resolutions 31/36 and 53/25, as updated in September 2025 ¹⁸¹⁹. No public evidence identified of a Who Profits (whoprofits.org) entry for New Look. No public evidence identified of an AFSC Investigate company profile for New Look in the organisation’s all-companies index ²⁹. No public evidence identified of New Look appearing in the “Don’t Buy Into Occupation” coalition’s 2024 or 2025 company lists based on the available report materials ³⁰³¹³².

Profit Repatriation & Economic Contribution

New Look’s disclosed revenue is overwhelmingly UK-based, with the company’s international online operations having been wound down and its Irish store estate liquidated in February 2025 ²⁰²¹²². No public evidence identified of any revenue attribution to Israel. No public evidence identified of profit flows to or from Israel, consistent with the absence of identified Israeli operations, ownership, or revenue streams. No public evidence identified of any government designation, sector report, or industry assessment characterising New Look’s role in the Israeli economy.