Sainsbury’s: ‘Food inflation starting to fall’ as supermarket giant reports grocery sales surge by 11 per cent July 4, 2023 Sainsbury’s has claimed “food inflation is starting to fall” as it recorded an 11 per cent hike in grocery sales in the first leg of the year. The ‘Big Four’ grocer, recorded an inflation-led 9.8 per cent like-for like-increase in total retail sales excluding fuel in the first quarter of the year up from 4 [...]
Le Pain Quotidien operator crashes into administration with only one London store to survive July 3, 2023 A City hotspot for morning coffee, Le Pain Quotidien, has closed all but one of its sites across London, in another fatal blow for the city’s hospitality sector. The Belgian coffee chain, which operates from eight sites across the capital, including a cafe on Fish Street Hill in Monument, has closed all of its sites [...]
Co-Op to offer water burials in bid to make funerals more sustainable July 3, 2023 Co-op Funeralcare has announced plans to offer a new form of burial as a sustainable alternative to traditional burials or cremation. The UK’s largest funeral provider announced on Sunday that it will introduce the practice, called resomation – also known as water cremation or alkaline hydrolysis – later this year. The practice consists of the [...]
‘Paper’ bottle maker backed by Diageo secures £20m in fresh funding round July 3, 2023 A sustainable packaging business backed by Diageo, is gearing up for a new funding round in efforts to deliver a commercial product line. Pulpex said it has secured financing from CMPC, a Chilean pulp and paper company, to enable the production and supply of over 2bn paper bottles to consumer brands worldwide by 2028. Sources [...]
Sainsbury’s results: Will efforts to keep prices low pay off? July 3, 2023 Investors will turn their focus to Sainsbury’s first quarter trading update on Tuesday to see how shoppers are reacting to the impact of food inflation amid the cost of living crisis. The supermarket is expected to post a jump in revenues driven by higher grocery sales over the quarter to June. Analysts at Shore and [...]
Retailer insolvencies jump to higher level than pandemic as brands buckle under economic pressure July 3, 2023 A squeeze on shoppers’ finances has increased the number of retailers being plunged into hot water, new research shows, as the cost of living crisis continues to decimate businesses. As inflation sits at a sticky 8.7 per cent, the number of retailers entering insolvency jumped 56 per cent in the past year, according to figures [...]
No teas or coffees for shareholders at M&S AGM as chairman tells them to go digital July 2, 2023 Attendees of the Marks & Spencer AGM on Tuesday will not be served any refreshments or get a chance to speak to bosses face to face, as it looks to take the event totally digital. The Percy Pig maker had advised shareholders not to travel to the company’s AGM on Tuesday, with shareholders who do [...]
Heartwood Collection secures £100m cash injection as it steams ahead with ‘pubs with room’ expansion July 2, 2023 Hospitality chain Heartwood Collection, formally known as Brasserie Bar Co, has secured £100m of additional funding as it steams ahead with its growth plans. In June, the pub and restaurant chain revealed a major revamp which saw the hospitality group expand into the pubs with rooms market. Last year, Brasserie Bar Co was snapped up [...]
Gerry Murphy: Who is Tesco’s new chair? July 2, 2023 Two months after Tesco’s former chair John Allan stepped down following allegations of sexual misconduct the ‘Big Four’ grocer has appointed boardroom heavyweight Gerry Murphy to fill the role. Dr. Murphy, an Irish businessman, is already the chairman of luxury fashion brand Burberry and sugar manufacturing business Tate & Lyle, however will step down from [...]
Gerry Murphy to take chairman role at Tesco after John Allan resignation July 2, 2023 The UK’s biggest supermarket chain Tesco has appointed a new chairman after his predecessor stepped down amid allegations of inappropriate behaviour. Dr Gerry Murphy, current chairman of luxury fashion brand Burberry and Tate & Lyle, the ingredients maker, is to replace John Allan in the top job, Tesco said. He will take up the role [...]