The cost of groceries fell once again in September as the supermarket price war waged on October 4, 2016 The cost of a basket of shopping fell again in September as the supermarket price war continued to take its toll on retailers' margins. According to research by comparison website mySupermarket, a basket of popular grocery items came to £83.19 in September, an annual drop of £2.74 and a month-on-month drop of 16p. Read more: Sainsbury's share [...]
Sports Direct was selling Louboutin heels online this weekend – but they’ve been taken off the website October 4, 2016 Budget sports retailer Sports Direct moved into uncharted territory this weekend as it started selling Christian Louboutin heels. Sports Direct is known for its discount tracksuits and, most recently, for not paying its workers the minimum wage. Read more: Sports Direct shares jump as Mike Ashley takes control But now it appears the company wants to [...]
Crispin Blunt says new cannabis and wider drugs legislation could be a task for a Royal Commission October 4, 2016 Former prisons minister and Tory MP Crispin Blunt has said the best way to move ahead with more progressive drugs legislation would be to initiate a Royal Commission on the matter. Blunt told a fringe event about cannabis legalisation at the Conservative party conference last night that doing so would take the debate about changing drugs policy, [...]
The new Boaty McBoatface? Sainsbury’s has renamed its vegan cheese following a customer rant on Facebook October 4, 2016 It's Sainsburys' own Boaty McBoatface moment: the supermarket has given its vegan cheese a rather less descriptive name, after a customer suggested on Facebook it should "call it Gary or something". The anonymous cheese lover posted an exclamation mark-laden rant after she objected to Sainsbury's referring to its coconut-based cheese alternative as "cheese". "CHEESE IS NOT MADE WITH COCONUTS," [...]
Skinny Prosecco could be coming to a supermarket near you in 2017 October 4, 2016 Those who love both prosecco and their waistlines will have something to raise a glass to today as a diet version of the UK's favourite bubbly could be about to go mainstream. British luxury drinks group Thomson & Scott launched its low-calorie, low-sugar Skinny Prosecco in April in a number of high-end stores including Selfridges (where it [...]
Greggs issues healthy trading update as customers opt for salads over sausage rolls October 4, 2016 Greggs said today that its healthier options had helped boost sales over the summer, as customers shunned sandwiches and pastries in favour of salads. Sales were up 2.8 per cent like-for-like in the 13 weeks to 1 October, in line with the group's expectations. The rate of growth has dipped from the 4.9 per cent [...]
It’s all coming up roses as Baring Asia buys Cath Kidston October 3, 2016 Cath Kidston, the brand which put such English country staples as cabbage roses and polka dots in kitchens across the UK, is about to take on a decidedly Asian flavour, after Baring Asia took a controlling stake. Reports suggested Baring has bought a stake owned by US private equity firm TA Associates, giving it a majority shareholding. [...]
Tesco faces legal action from shareholders over accounting scandal October 3, 2016 Tesco faces fresh legal action over its accounting scandal in 2014. A group of investors are bringing a £150m lawsuit against the retailer, saying they have suffered financially due to the £328m black hole that was discovered in Tesco's accounts two years ago. After it emerged that Tesco had overstated its profits, its share price plunged [...]
Liberty owner teams up with Jack Wills founder to buyout fashion chain October 2, 2016 The owner of the Liberty department store in London has joined forces with the founder of Jack Wills as part of a multi-million pound buyout of the clothing empire. The fashion chain's joint shareholders are now the private equity firm which owns Liberty, BlueGem Capital Partners, alongside Jack Wills' founder and chief executive, Peter Williams. Read more: Liberty [...]
Sainsbury’s hires former Boots boss as retail and operations director September 30, 2016 Supermarket Sainsbury's has hired a veteran of the UK retail sector as its new retail and operations director. The company has appointed former Boots managing director Simon Roberts to the role. Roberts was most recently executive vice president of pharmaceutical retailer Walgreens Boots Alliance and president of Boots in the UK & Ireland. Prior to that, [...]