How McDonald’s have wangled super-sized first quarter results April 25, 2023 McDonald’s is hoping improvements to its menu will continue to drive restaurant traffic this year. The company announced this month that US eateries will switch to softer buns and meltier cheese and change their grill settings to make their burgers juicier. The changes have already been rolled out in 15 other markets, including Australia and [...]
Planet Organic rescued by founders but three London stores will close April 25, 2023 The founders of Planet Organic have bought the business back from administrators in a bid to keep the health-focused grocery store alive, but four stores will be forced to close as part of the process. Advisors Interpath sold the struggling chain to Bioren Limited, a business that was set up last month by the founders [...]
Are jobs on the line at Joules after Next takeover? April 25, 2023 Joules has launched consultations over potential job losses after the firm said its new owner Next said it is accelerating transition plans. Next snapped up the troubled fashion brand late last year after Joules fell into administration. The deal saw Next secure the future of 1,450 workers at Joules and 100 stores, although 19 stores [...]
Why is John Lewis overhauling its loyalty card scheme? April 25, 2023 John Lewis and Waitrose are both preparing to launch new loyalty card schemes as the partnership looks to turn around the business. The John Lewis Partnership, which owns the department store and upmarket grocery store, has drafted in Dunnhumby, the company which helped establish Tesco’s clubcard scheme in the 1990s and, also, promotions business Eagle [...]
Nestlé: Nespresso and Kit-Kat maker hikes prices and sweetens sales growth April 25, 2023 Share price in Kit-Kat maker Nestlé were up as the food giant beat profit expectations while hiking the price of its goods. The Swedish packager, which owns brands such as Nespresso, Smarties Nesquik and Maggi stock cubes, reported a sales growth of 5.6 per cent to CHF23.5bn (£21.2bn) in the first leg of the year [...]
Ocado closure of Hatfield fulfilment centre puts 2,300 jobs on the line April 25, 2023 Ocado, the upmarket digital grocery store, will close its oldest fulfilment centre in Hatfield placing 2,300 jobs at risk. The supermarket, which operates as a joint venture with M&S, said that the centre was currently responsible for 20 per cent of Ocado’s 400k order per week, however it is ceasing operations at the site due [...]
Whitbread pockets £2.6bn revenue: Premier Inn owner’s shares soar five per cent despite ‘most challenging’ period April 25, 2023 Whitbread said its earnings returned to pre-pandemic levels with the Premier Inn owner’s bottom line boosted by Brits embracing more leisure and travel. Whitbread, which also owns restaurants Beefeater and Bar+Block, reported revenues of £2.6bn for the year to March 2023, up 54 per cent from £1.7bn the previous year. Whitbread (WTB) shares soared nearly [...]
Grocery inflation dips by just 0.2 per cent as Aldi now has a tenth of the market April 25, 2023 Grocery price inflation dipped slightly in April – but consumers are still paying 17.3 per cent more than this time last year, figures show. Kantar warned that the fall from last month’s 17.5 per cent only meant that prices were not increasing as quickly after 10 months of double-digit growth. As consumers continued to find [...]
Primark owner claims fast fashion still a draw as cost of living crisis boosts sales April 25, 2023 Primark owner Associated British Foods (ABF) has reported a slight dip in its adjusted operating profit as the retail and grocery giant felt the pain of soaring inflation and a tough economic climate. For the 24 weeks to 4 March, the group’s adjusted operating profit came in three per cent lower at £684m, compared to [...]
LVMH becomes first European company to reach $500bn in market value April 24, 2023 LVMH became the first European company to reach $500bn (£401bn) in market capitalisation on Monday morning as the luxury retailer was strengthened by a renewed demand from Chinese consumers. According to reports published in The Financial Times, shares in the Paris-listed company rose 0.3 per cent against last week’s close to €903.7 (£799) shortly after [...]