The Barclay family has ran the group for over 20 years.

Online retailer The Very Group has been snapped up by a US private equity giant, ending an over 20 year tenure of ownership under the Barclay family.

The group will now be controlled by Washington-based Carlyle alongside Abu Dhabi-based investment fund International Media Investments (IMI).

It marks the latest offshoring of businesses for the Barclay family, after they gave up control of the Ritz Hotel in London, delivery firm Yodel and the Telegraph newspaper.

The Very Group was created through a merger of Littlewoods catalogue business and Shop Direct in 2004 by identical twins Sir Frederick Barclay and Sir David Barclay.

Sir David died in January 2021 aged 86.

News Updates

Stay ahead with our three daily briefings deliv

See Full Page