UK online SMEs confident despite economic headwinds August 21, 2025 A wave of online small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) entrepreneurs are showing confidence in their future, despite wider economic pressures, a new report from eBay UK suggests. The study found that nearly four in five, or 78 per cent, of online small businesses expect to see growth over the next 12 months, with a third [...]
WH Smith shares tumble after retailer admits accounting blunder August 21, 2025 Shares in WH Smith tumbled on Thursday after the newsagent and travel retailer admitted to an accounting blunder that has wiped tens of millions of pounds from its profits. The FTSE 250 firm said a “financial review” identified an overstatement of around £30m of expected headline trading profit in its North America division that was [...]
Retail giants warn Reeves her tax plans risk UK living standards August 21, 2025 Tesco, Sainsbury’s and John Lewis, along with other UK retail heavyweights, have issued a direct warning to chancellor Rachel Reeves, arguing that her government’s tax policies could undermine its key promise to raise living standards. The retailers claim they are being forced to raise prices in the face of mounting costs, and that additional taxes [...]
Surging food inflation hits restaurant sales August 19, 2025 Food inflation is accelerating once again, eating into consumers’ pockets and pushing prices higher across the board. Inflation at the grocers hit five per cent in the four weeks ended August 10, down from 5.2 per cent in the previous month but well above the wider UK rate of 3.6 per cent. Real wage growth, [...]
Applied Nutrition beats expectations with double-digit growth August 19, 2025 Protein shake maker Applied Nutrition has exceeded the guidance it gave at its IPO, with revenue up a quarter in the last year. The health and wellness brand, which listed on the London Stock Exchange last October, gave a provisional estimate of its full-year earnings on Tuesday morning. Group revenue for the year ended July [...]
Profit at Lucozade maker soars despite cost pressures August 19, 2025 Profit at Suntory Beverage & Food, which owns both Lucozade and Ribena, has been boosted by higher demand for sports refreshments and ready-to-drink alcohol. Turnover at the company, which has over 40,000 employees across its various subsidiaries, rose two per cent to £552m in the year ended 2024, according to its latest reports filed with Companies House. [...]
Dr Martens firmly in recovery mode, says City broker August 18, 2025 Dr Martens is ‘making headway’ on its ambitious turnaround plan, with an ever-more positive outlook for the boot company, according to a City broker. “The debate is not whether [Dr Martens] can recover, but rather how long it will take… the process has already started,” Peel Hunt analysts said. The company, which was founded in [...]
The luxury market’s betrayal of Gen Z August 16, 2025 In 2022, Gen Z and Millennials accounted for the entirety of the luxury market’s growth. The latest data, however, shows something of an exodus of younger buyers: Around 50m customers – about an eighth of the base – left the market last year, “in particular” the younger ones, according to Bain’s latest luxury report. A [...]
Seraphine: Princess of Wales’ favourite owed a king’s ransom August 15, 2025 Seraphine, the maternity fashion retailer whose clothes were worn by the Princess of Wales, owed over £33m as it collapsed into administration before being rescued. The business ceased trading and entered administration in July with consultancy firm Interpath appointed to oversee the process. The move led to the majority of its 95-strong staff being made [...]
Breadmakers Hovis and Kingsmill merger agreed August 15, 2025 A deal to merge two of Britain’s biggest bread producers – Hovis and Kingsmill – has been agreed after months of talks. Associated British Foods (ABF), the owner of Kingsmill’s parent company Allied Bakeries, has agreed a deal with investment firm Endless, which owns Hovis to acquire the brand. The financial terms of the deal have not yet [...]