A deflating day for Halfords shares as margins are squeezed November 10, 2016 Shares in Halfords flopped five per cent today after revealing half-year profits had fallen by 12 per cent. While the car parts and bikes retailer announced that revenues had increased by six per cent, gross margins – the amount of profit it makes from every item sold – at its retail outlets fell sharply. Read [...]
Rubik’s Cube legal puzzle leaves toy maker frustrated November 10, 2016 The makers of the world-famous Rubik's Cube have been frustrated by the top European court. Seven Towers, which manages Rubik's Cube intellectual property rights, have been told the cube's distinctive shape is not sufficient to grant it protection against copycats. German toy maker Simba Toys brought a challenge against a 1999 European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) trademark [...]
Waitrose is changing the rules on free coffee at more stores November 10, 2016 Waitrose fans, brace yourselves. Especially if you're a commuter. A rule change to the supermarket's incredibly popular free coffee offer caused outrage among middle England in October, and now it will apply to even more stores. Read more: Most people are enjoying the John Lewis Christmas advert. A few aren't Kale-lovers in more locations will soon have [...]
Most people are enjoying this year’s John Lewis Christmas advert. A few aren’t November 10, 2016 The John Lewis Christmas advert has landed. And, predictably, the majority of Twitter luvvies are loving it – despite serious plot holes exposed by City A.M. Launching a day after Donald Trump won the race to the White House, the retailer’s customer director Craig Inglis said: “2016 has certainly been quite a year, so we [...]
Watch this year’s full John Lewis Christmas advert, featuring Vaults and Buster the Boxer November 10, 2016 Advent calendars may have been out since Easter and shops may have been putting baubles on display since September – but you know it's really Christmas when the John Lewis Christmas advert arrives. This year's offering takes a funny, rather than schmaltzy, approach (cf. last year's sugary sweet Man on the Moon ad) – featuring a [...]
Heartwarming and full of plot holes: Our review of John Lewis’ 2016 Christmas advert, Buster the Boxer November 10, 2016 This year’s John Lewis Christmas advert, Buster the Boxer, has everything we have come to expect of the now hotly-anticipated generator of the festive feeling. It’s heartwarming, it’s full of plot holes and it makes you want to visit to retailer’s flagship store on Oxford Street. On the heartwarming front, it begins with a little girl, Bridget, who [...]
Savile Row, Harley Street, Mayfair, St James’ and Portland Place safeguarded by new Westminster council policy November 10, 2016 Five renowned areas of the capital have been safeguarded by a new policy introduced by Westminster council. The policy will allow it to reject planning proposals that threaten the character of the city's well-known areas. The Special Policy Areas come into force today to protect Savile Row, Mayfair, Harley Street, St James's and Portland Place. The policy regulations won't dictate [...]
Sandwichgate: The chair of the Business Select Committee has written to Mike Ashley and he’s not happy November 9, 2016 The chair of the Business Select Committee that paid Sports Direct a memorable visit earlier in the week, has written to Mike Ashley. And boy, he's not happy. "For an organisation in the process of reviewing its corporate governance and working practices, it is difficult to understand how a representative of the company thought that [...]
Sainsbury’s like-for-like sales fell for its first half, but statutory profit is up November 9, 2016 Sainsbury's like-for-like sales excluding fuel fell by one per cent in the its first half as the supermarket faces an uphill struggle to entice customers through its doors. The company eked out more profit however. Sainsbury's share fell at the open, ditching almost five per cent after it warned second half underlying profit is expected [...]
Burberry profits fall 24 per cent despite Brexit boost November 9, 2016 Burberry reported plummeting profits in the first half of the year – but added that the fall in sterling had pushed up comparable sales by 30 per cent in the UK. Silver linings? The figures Underlying pre-tax profits fell 24 per cent to £146m in the six months to the end of September, as revenues fell to [...]