Champagnes bubble up in price amid trickling supply and upbeat demand December 24, 2021 Champagnes have bubbled up in price amid a trickling supply and higher demand over the course of the year. The cost of vintage champagnes such as Dom Pérignon 2008 and Krug 2000 have ballooned in price this year, outperforming global stocks, the Financial Times reported, as investors spy returns in previously overlooked assets. In general, [...]
As fat from Christmas turkeys could fill 3,000 bathtubs, Brits urged not to pour it down the sink December 24, 2021 South West Water is urging customers this morning to avoid a foul festive season by not pouring oils and grease down the sink. The fat from Christmas turkeys could fill nearly 3,000 bathtubs, according to the water company. A medium-sized turkey produces up to three-quarters of a pint of fat which, if put down pipes, [...]
Reckitt Benckiser rakes in £200m for skincare brand E45 as it shifts from ‘a brand-led to a category-led growth strategy’ December 24, 2021 Skincare brand E45 is sold for £200m, its owner, consumer giant Reckitt Benckiser, said this morning. The Slough-based company, which also owns brand including Dettol and Durex, told investors on Friday morning that it is set to sell the business to Swedish group Karo Pharma. In the financial year to December 2020, the E45 brand [...]
Charlotte Tilbury returns £3.2m furlough cash after pandemic boost to makeup sales December 24, 2021 Cosmetics company Charlotte Tilbury has returned furlough payments it took during the pandemic, to the government after its makeup sales withstood the pandemic and lockdown restrictions, according to reports. Founded by celebrity makeup artist of the same name in 2013, last year sales at Charlotte Tilbury Beauty grew 11.3 per cent to £258.8m and the [...]
Thousands of Brits receive mysterious scam delivery text messages December 23, 2021 With many people ordering online this Christmas, huge numbers of parcels are being expected by households in the coming days. Last-minute Christmas shoppers are therefore being warned that scam delivery text messages are on the increase, as thousands of Brits received mysterious messages on the phones. UK Finance, a trade association representing banks and other [...]
Major infrastructure changes needed to prevent future supply chain crises, says ex Tesco boss December 23, 2021 Major infrastructure changes are needed to relieve the UK’s supply chain struggles and prevent similar crises in the future, the government’s logistics tsar has reportedly cautioned. Former Tesco boss Sir Dave Lewis said that the “seismic move in consumer shopping habits… Together with a global shipping challenge, has shown the pressure on our existing supply [...]
Tencent dishes out over $16bn to shareholders in JD.com windfall December 23, 2021 Chinese tech giant Tencent is set to dish out $16.4bn to its shareholders in the form of the majority of its stake in JD.com. The move will see the gaming and social media group cut its holding from 17 per cent to just 2.3 per cent. It means Tencent will step down from the helm [...]
Pret A Manger sees dwindling City sales amid latest Covid-19 wave December 23, 2021 Pret A Manger has seen dwindling transactions amid the latest Covid-19 wave, which has hit its City stores hardest. Sales in the café chain’s store in the City have dropped by nearly a third, according to the Office for National Statistics, the lowest level Pret has experienced since late August. Pret, which operates around 400 [...]
More competitive travel prices on the horizon? Wizz Air poaches Gatwick take-off slots December 23, 2021 Budget carrier Wizz Air is set to be taking off from Gatwick next spring, after winning the rights at Britain’s second largest airport. It puts Wizz in a strong position going into the new year, after several years of battling rivals Ryanair and easyJet in the affordable European short-haul market. As travel prices rise alongside [...]
Paddy Power and Betfair owner Flutter snaps up Italian gaming giant Sisal for cool £1.62bn December 23, 2021 Paddy Power and Betfair owner Flutter Entertainment has agreed a £1.62bn deal to buy Italian online gaming group Sisal. Flutter’s acquisition of Milan-based Sisal from buyout firm CVC Capital Partners will add to its existing presence in Italy through PokerStars and Betfair, giving it a combined online market share of 20 per cent. Sisal employs [...]