Morrisons taps Google’s Gemini AI to solve the supermarket scavenger hunt Retail Morrisons has rolled out a generative AI-powered tool, backed by Google Cloud and Gemini, that helps customers find products in store, part of its ongoing digital revamp and data infrastructure overhaul, City AM can reveal. The feature allows users to type in queries for items, ranging from ‘tahini’ to ‘that tomato puree in a tube’, [...]
Sunny spring boosts sales at Sainbury’s Retail Sainsbury’s has reported a boost in fresh food sales this spring despite growing competition in the UK’s supermarket sector. The FTSE 100 company said that overall sales grew 4.9 per cent in the 16 weeks to June 21, ahead of the market. Grocery sales grew 4.9 per cent, while non-food sales grew 4.2 per cent. [...]
Streeting’s junk food crackdown labelled ‘nanny state mission’ Retail Retail bosses have hit out at a government plan to stop supermarkets from selling junk food in favour of fruit and vegetables as a “nanny state” policy that would add to red tape faced by high street shops. Under new plans to tackle the NHS’s £11.4bn obesity bill, the government will set supermarkets a “healthy [...]
A tin of baked beans could decide the fate of the LSE June 26, 2025 A lot was riding on Shein’s plans to float in London. Too much, probably. The Asian e-commerce giant’s IPO was set to be the UK’s biggest in years, and was seen as our best bet to revive the market. But plans changed, and Hong Kong now looks the likely home. Is that such a loss [...]
Motor finance woes could make Close Brothers the next takeover target June 19, 2025 Close Brothers has fought tooth and nail in the motor finance battle but analysts have warned regulatory pressures may make the lender vulnerable to a takeover as banking juggernauts look to snap up the competition. The bank has had a bruising 12 months with its stock sinking to lows of 185p in November. Shares have [...]
Deal fever: Banking giants plot takeovers to ramp up market share June 18, 2025 British banking is poised for a major shake-up as top names go on the hunt for fresh acquisitions. Lenders have been scouting new deals that would send shockwaves across the industry. Much of the prospective dealmaking involves London lender Shawbrook, whose private equity owners have been circling high street bank Metro. Ahead of this, Shawbrook [...]
Natwest top pick to acquire TSB June 17, 2025 British banking juggernaut Natwest Group has been pegged as the “most likely acquirer” of TSB Bank. Natwest returned to private ownership last month, ending a nearly two-decade-long banking saga and setting the lender up for a deals spree. The bank has purchased over £5bn worth of shares from the Treasury as part of its directed buyback [...]
Why rebuilding Britain starts on the Bakerloo Line June 13, 2025 By cleaning up graffiti on the Tube, a few friends are proving that by taking action, however small, Londoners can reverse the cycle of degradation and rebuild our great city – together, says Joe Reeve Sunday morning, 9 AM. A handful of friends and I step onto the Bakerloo Line platform wearing bright yellow hi-vis [...]
Tesco shareholders eye returns as ‘awful April’ bill hikes set to hit profit June 8, 2025 Tesco shareholders will be watching closely for signs that it is managing to fend off competition as the supermarket price war heats up and “awful April” bill hikes eat into household income. The UK’s biggest supermarket chain will unveil its financial results for the first three months of its financial year on Thursday. Tesco recently [...]
Is Natwest set for a deal spree after privatisation? May 27, 2025 As Natwest finally breaks from the shackles of government ownership, the banking juggernaut may be gearing up for an acquisition spree. The FTSE 100 giant is speculated to return to privatisation in a matter of days after the government accelerated its sell off over the last year. Shares in the firm rose one per cent [...]