WH Smith high street sales lower than pre-Covid levels after Funky Pigeon hack September 7, 2022 WH Smith has said its high street arm has been impacted by a cyber security issue with its greetings cards business, denting sales. The stationery seller said its high street business was performing in line with expectations. Sales stood at 80 per cent of 2019 revenue for the 26 weeks to 27 August 2022, following [...]
Tears for beers: Brits face staggering pub bill of £20 for a single pint September 6, 2022 Pubs and bars across the UK could be forced to close because it is not “viable” for landlords to raise the price of a pint to £15 or £20 to cover their soaring energy bills. Tom Stainer, the chief executive of the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) group, told the Daily Star the cost of [...]
Halfords fined for sending 500,000 unwanted marketing emails September 6, 2022 Halfords has been fined £30,000 after an investigation found it had sent nearly 500,000 unwanted marketing emails. The bike retailer had received complaints over emails about a government voucher scheme that gave people £50 off the cost of repairing a bike at any participating store or mechanic in England. Halfords jumped on the scheme to [...]
Supermarket shelves could be bare of certain food and drink items during ‘really difficult winter’ September 6, 2022 Supermarket shelves could be left lacking certain food and drink items this winter if smaller companies go bust amid high energy bills, a food industry leader has warned MPs. It will be a “really difficult winter,” Karen Betts, chief executive, Food and Drink Federation (FDF) told MPs at the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee [...]
Gaucho restaurant boss claims steaks would have to cost £100+ to cover rising energy bills September 6, 2022 The hospitality chief behind the Gaucho steak restaurants has said his venues would have had to charge beyond £100 for steaks in order to cover energy costs if they were not fixed. Restaurant bosses have urged the new Prime Minister Liz Truss to issue emergency support for the sector as some venues grapple with bill [...]
Deliveroo gears up for Supreme Court challenge over workers’ rights September 5, 2022 A gig economy union is readying to take Deliveroo to the Supreme Court, following its partnership deal with another union. The Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB) said it is set to challenge Deliveroo in the Supreme Court, alleging a denial of collective bargaining rights. In May, the union received criticism from workers after announcing [...]
Asos shares slip after fashion marketplace reminded analysts of lower profit guidance September 5, 2022 Asos saw its share price tumble on Monday, alongside several retailers including Joules and THG. The share slide followed reports that the online fashion marketplace had privately reminded City analysts on subdued guidance for the year ahead, as is a standard pre-close practice. Asos shares were subdued by almost six per cent on Monday afternoon, [...]
Bed Bath and Beyond CFO falls to his death in New York after mass closures and layoffs September 5, 2022 The chief financial officer of American retailer Bed Bath & Beyond Inc fell to his death from a New York skyscraper. Gustavo Arnal, 52, who previously worked as CFO for London-based cosmetics brand Avon, died on Friday in wake of the company closing stores and laying off workers. New York police responded to reports he [...]
Brewdog boss calls for emergency tax relief as pubs stare down ‘existential threat’ of high bills September 5, 2022 Brewdog CEO James Watt has called for emergency tax relief for the hospitality industry as pubs battle the “genuinely existential threat” of rising energy bills. Last week, the Scottish brewer and bar group announced it would be closing six outlets across the UK, including three in London, due to elevated headwinds. The situation facing pubs [...]
Brits ditch the loungewear and head back to the office: John Lewis September 5, 2022 Non-wired bras, velour tracksuits, jigsaws and wall-mounted desks have fallen out of favour with British shoppers as they put the lockdown lifestyle behind them, annual John Lewis sales figures suggest. The retailer’s annual How We Shop, Live And Look report suggests customers are “casting off the trappings of a life in lockdown” with sales of [...]