Could a ‘land blocking’ rule change spell danger for Aldi and Lidl? Retail German discounters Aldi and Lidl have rapidly taken control of the UK’s budget grocery market in recent years. But could new curbs on ‘land blocking’ slow their insurgency? Only a few decades ago, Lidl and Aldi were oddities. By 2008, the German discount supermarkets had been in the UK for more than 10 years but [...]
Brits think supermarkets are profiteering – despite slowing food inflation Retail The majority of Brits think that supermarkets are profiteering from rising food prices caused by the Iran war despite the Chancellor John Healey recently admitting there was little evidence of the practice, new polling has revealed. Some 70 per cent of UK voters believe that supermarkets are making “excessive” profits from food inflation, according to [...]
Back to basics: Sainsbury’s gradual retreat from the British high street Retail Sainsbury’s deal to sell its catalogue retailer Argos marks the latest step in the grocer’s years-long retreat from a high street conglomerate back to its core food business. The FTSE 100 supermarket giant holds a 15 per cent market share of grocery stores, second only to Tesco. But the firm once had a sprawling business [...]
Retailers hit back at Healey’s ‘profiteering’ threat August 3, 2026 Retailers have hit back at the Chancellor’s warning against profiteering, saying they will prove they have fought hard to keep food prices down during the Iran war. Chancellor John Healey said at the weekend that the Treasury is prepared to crack down on any retailers which are taking Brits “for a ride” by using the [...]
Can a team of retail veterans solve Argos’ catalogue of woes? July 31, 2026 The death of the Argos catalogue in 2021 after nearly half a century prompted a period of mourning for many in Britain – including the retailer’s new owner. “I used to sit around the kitchen table putting green shield stamps into books,” Richard Pennycook said on Friday, referring to the original iteration of the catalogue. [...]
Sainsbury’s to sell Argos in £120m cut-price deal July 31, 2026 Sainsbury’s has said it will sell long-struggling catalogue retailer Argos for £120m, a fraction of the £1.4bn it bought it for a decade ago. The supermarket giant has struck a deal with Swift Partners – a new company led by On the Beach chairman Richard Pennycook and former Morrisons boss Trevor Strain. Their takeover will [...]
Tesco ‘in talks’ to exit eastern Europe July 8, 2026 Tesco is reportedly considering cutting loose its business in central and eastern Europe in a move to end its expansion outside of the UK and Ireland. The supermarket giant has hired bankers to explore the possibility of a sale of its operations in Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, according to the Financial Times. A [...]
The former African gold miner taking on the billionaire Issa brothers July 8, 2026 Roadside Real Estate has been along a weird and wonderful journey since it was first floated on the stock market. The company began life as Sovereign Mines of Africa, hunting gold deposits in the farthest corners of the African continent. But in 2016 the firm had a change of heart and decided to sell its [...]
World Cup gives London restaurants and retailers Deliveroo boost July 5, 2026 England’s World Cup campaign has delivered a boost for restaurants and retailers across London, with new Deliveroo data showing a sharp increase in orders during the Three Lions’ group-stage matches. Exclusive figures shared with City AM show BBQ orders more than doubled across the capital during England’s matches against Croatia, Ghana and Panama, while picnic-related [...]
Sainsbury’s boss urges Burnham to cut energy costs and ‘focus on growth’ June 30, 2026 The boss of Sainsbury’s has urged the next prime minister to address rising energy costs as food inflation continues to concern shoppers. The boss of the UK’s second-largest grocer repeated his earlier calls for the Treasury to engage with the food industry to assist with rising costs following the war in the Middle East. His [...]