Who is ‘Drastic Dave’, the man sent to save Diageo? Business Diageo shareholders breathed a sigh of relief this morning after the FTSE 100 drinks giant unveiled the appointment of its new chief executive, Sir Dave Lewis. Shares rose 7.5 per cent in morning trading to 1,856 pence following the selection of the retail and consumer goods veteran, rebounding from their sharp drop last Thursday following [...]
Guinness owner Diageo shares rocket after appointment of ‘Drastic Dave’ Business Shares in FTSE 100 drinks giant Diageo have rocketed after the appointment of a new chief executive with an impressive turnaround record. News of the appointment of retail and consumer goods veteran Sir Dave Lewis saw shares in the struggling giant rise 6.8 per cent in early morning trading to 1,845p, rebounding from their sharp [...]
Investors pile into Sainsbury’s, but will it last? Retail Sainsbury’s has proved a good bet for investors this year as the grocer goes from strength to strength, but will it last into 2026? The UK’s second-largest supermarket has seen a 50 per cent uplift in share price since April, with another five per cent jump following better-than-expected results on Thursday. It’s a marked departure [...]
Supermarkets call on Chancellor to ‘bring inflation to heel’ October 27, 2025 Britain’s largest supermarkets have called on Rachel Reeves to exclude all shops from upcoming changes to to business rates, warning that any hikes to their input costs would further stoke food inflation that is already at over double the Bank of England’s target. In an open letter to the Chancellor, bosses from the UK’s nine [...]
Meat and coffee prices drive grocery price inflation October 14, 2025 Grocery price inflation in the UK passed five per cent in September to its highest level since July after the cost of fresh meat and coffee jumped. Like-for-like grocery price inflation rose to 5.2 per cent over the four weeks to 5 October versus the same period last year, according to the latest figures from Worldpanel [...]
End backward, outdated Sunday trading laws! October 3, 2025 Restrictions on large stores trading hours on Sundays are a relic of a bygone era which strangle high streets and hold back growth, says Mark Allatt In an era where the rhythm of daily life has accelerated beyond recognition, the UK’s archaic Sunday trading laws stand as a stubborn relic, stifling economic vitality and curtailing [...]
Local shops axe jobs and cut investment amid surging costs September 1, 2025 UK convenience stores have cuts 2,000 jobs over an “extremely challenging year” after coming under pressure from soaring labour costs and fierce competition from supermarkets. The Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) warned that pessimistic consumers and increased costs for retailers are therefore putting the UK’s 50,000 local shops under pressure, resulting in weaker investment and [...]
Surging food inflation hits restaurant sales August 19, 2025 Food inflation is accelerating once again, eating into consumers’ pockets and pushing prices higher across the board. Inflation at the grocers hit five per cent in the four weeks ended August 10, down from 5.2 per cent in the previous month but well above the wider UK rate of 3.6 per cent. Real wage growth, [...]
Tesco sorry after Lionesses promotion own goal in Welsh stores June 20, 2025 Tesco has been forced to apologise after shoppers in Wales complained about in-store promotion of the Lionesses, their group rivals at the upcoming Women’s Euros. Customers in Cardiff called the large stand, which showcased Lucozade’s support of the England team and offered a chance to meet the Lionesses, “disgraceful” and “deeply offensive”. Defending champions England [...]
Tesco is tightening its grip on the UK supermarket crown June 12, 2025 Tesco has boosted market share again as it outperforms peers in the ever-more competitive UK grocery space. In its first-quarter results this morning, the supermarket giant reported a 5.9 per cent uplift in food sales and a 6.2 per cent rise in home and clothing sales. Tesco now has 28 per cent of the UK [...]