Tesco, M&S and Sainsbury’s shares drop amid wider FTSE 100 rally April 10, 2025 The UK’s major listed supermarkets missed out on a post-crisis FTSE 100 bump this morning after Tesco’s full-year results stoked fears of ‘trolley wars’ in the sector. The FTSE 100 index rose by more than six per cent as investors breathed a sigh of relief after Trump’s ‘reciprocal’ tariffs were paused last night. However, Tesco, [...]
Tesco to reveal stronger sales amid price war fears April 6, 2025 Tesco shareholders will be hoping for reassurance over continued sales growth and robust profits next week amid the prospect of an intensifying grocery price war. Earlier this year, shares in the UK’s largest supermarket group struck their highest level for over a decade as it continued to strengthen its position in the grocery sector. In [...]
Greencore: M&S sandwich supplier roars ahead amid takeover battle April 1, 2025 Convenience food manufacturer Greencore told markets this morning that it expects profit to come in ahead of expectations for the second quarter, underpinned by “on-going operational and commercial excellence initiatives and a continued focus on cost control”, it said. Convenience food company Greencore supplies all major supermarkets in the UK, including M&S, with chilled prepared [...]
Businesses face billions of extra costs as wages and tax to rise March 30, 2025 UK businesses are set to face a multibillion-pound wave of higher costs this week as higher wages and tax increases come into force. Retail and hospitality bosses have warned that higher labour costs and taxes are set to push up prices for customers across the UK. A raft of measures linked to the Labour government’s [...]
Co-op invests further in lower prices as ‘trolley wars’ beckon March 25, 2025 Co-op Group has invested millions in lower prices as all the grocers gear up to battle for value-seeking customers. The business, which is owned by its 5.5 million members, will invest more than £70m into matching prices with Aldi on 100 everyday essentials for its members. The move will take the co-operative’s investment into lowering [...]
Morrisons to cut hundreds of jobs and close cafes in huge shake-up March 24, 2025 Supermarket giant Morrisons has put 365 jobs at risk after it revealed plans to close more than 50 of its cafes. The Yorkshire-headquartered chain said 52 of its cafes, 17 convenience stores and dozens of meat and fish counters at its shops are slated for closure. Morrisons said the closures are part of a “wide-ranging” [...]
Asda’s confident new boss is a boon for shoppers, and a threat to rivals March 19, 2025 Asda's bold new boss may have spooked rivals, but shoppers will come out on top, writes Susannah Streeter in today's Notebook.
Labour MPs warned ‘perfect storm’ of retail costs could benefit Reform UK March 19, 2025 Labour MPs are being warned a “perfect storm” of costs facing the retail sector could see seats lost to Reform UK. New analysis from the Retail Jobs Alliance (RJA) has revealed Labour holds 24 of the UK’s 30 constituencies with the highest numbers of voters working in retail, according to an Electoral Calculus survey in [...]
Boots to be taken over by US private equity firm in $10bn deal March 7, 2025 Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA), the owner of Boots, has agreed to a $10bn (£7.8bn) takeover by a US private equity firm. Sycamore Partners is expected to complete the takeover by the end of the year. The US-listed WBA said of the deal: “[Sycamore’s] experience in retail and consumer services would ensure WBA was better positioned [...]
Public service reform is pro-business, pensions minister argues February 20, 2025 Reforming Britain’s public services is a pro-growth and pro-business policy, the pensions minister has argued. Torsten Bell, who was appointed in the mini-reshuffle following City minister Tulip Siddiq’s departure from government, has said it’s not possible to have a “failing state and a growing economy”, in an interview with the Guardian. The former Resolution Foundation [...]