Zara owner Inditex announces profit rise amid ongoing global expansion December 14, 2016 Inditex, the owner of various fashion brands including Zara and Bershka, has announced a nine per cent rise in its nine-month profit. Net profit reached €2.2bn (£1.85bn), and gross margin was 57.9 per cent. The Spanish retailer's earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda) increased 8.4 per cent, hitting €3.6bn. Read more: Zara owner [...]
Watch: UK claims Amazon’s first ever drone delivery December 14, 2016 Amazon’s dream of drone deliveries just became a reality – and it happened first in the UK. A fully automated drone with no human input delivered a package to a customer in Cambridgeshire, taking just 13 minutes to get it from depot to door. The first flight of its kind is a major step forward [...]
Deliveroo and Diageo team up to put the spirit in your holiday with new alcohol home delivery service December 14, 2016 Let's set the scene: You've just come home from work, set a cosy fire and put on your most ridiculous Christmas jumper. All you need to complete the evening is a festive drink, but to your shock and horror you find your drinks cupboard is seriously lacking. Now you'll have to put the fire out, [...]
Meantime Bespoke will create your perfect pint based on your DNA December 14, 2016 A London brewer has made a personalised beer based on his own DNA, and now the brewery is opening the bespoke service to the public. Eager brewers-to-be will now have the option of blending a custom-made brew designed to appeal to their taste buds for a mere £25,000 at Meantime Bespoke, a new venture by Meantime Brewing Company, one of [...]
Boohoo’s share price surges as it picks up a two-thirds stake in PrettyLittleThing for £3.3m December 14, 2016 No tears over here: Boohoo's just acquired a majority stake in fellow online retailer PrettyLittleThing for £3.3m. Boohoo's chairman Peter Williams said PrettyLittleThing was a "natural fit" and would complement Boohoo's "inclusive and innovative" brand. We are delighted to add this fast growing, international business to the group. We believe this is an excellent opportunity to [...]
There may be trouble ahead: Dixons Carphone shares fall as it prepares for “uncertain times” December 14, 2016 Shares in Dixons Carphone fell 4.6 per cent in early trading after it said it was steeling itself for "uncertain times" in the months ahead. The figures Revenues in the six months to the end of October increased four per cent on a like-for-like basis to £4.9bn, it said in a statement today. Profit before tax [...]
Greggs is now making the food on-the-go sector appetising – here’s how December 14, 2016 The food on-the-go market is set to grow over the next year; a new YouGov report on the industry indicates how brands can capitalise on this potential. One brand – Greggs – is showing the way. The food on-the-go industry is worth billions, and is set to grow further in the coming years. Our new [...]
UK Christmas travellers will fork out £1bn this year, and the cost of holidays is on the rise for 2017 December 14, 2016 More than a million Brits are set to jet off over the Christmas period this year, spending £1.03bn altogether despite holiday prices being on the rise. The average Christmas traveller will spend £757.43, but a quarter will spend between £1,001 and £2,000, research from Direct Line Travel Insurance suggests. The top destinations among travellers this year were Spain (19 per cent), [...]
Prosecco uncorks faster sales growth across Europe than champagne December 13, 2016 Prosecco sales have bubbled up 25 per cent in the UK this year despite champagne's best efforts to keep up. Champagne prices have fallen seven per cent since the European Union referendum in June, but its market value in the UK of €333m (£278m) is dwarfed by prosecco's value of €600m (£502m). Across Europe, champagne still has a [...]
Hollywood Bowl reports striking sales but profit is in the gutter after IPO and Bowlplex acquisition December 13, 2016 Hollywood Bowl announced striking growth breaking through the £100m sales mark in its earnings for the year ended 30 September. The figures The UK's largest 10-pin bowling operator reported revenue increased 23.9 per cent to £106.6m this year from £86m last year. Pre-tax profit was down in the gutter by £2.4m this year to £1.2m due to one-off exceptional costs [...]