Alcohol-free beer and hummus: Trendy food transforms inflation basket Economics Healthy food and personal security products have dominated the list of additions to the Office for National Statistics’ basket of goods, which is used to calculate CPI inflation each month. Alcohol-free beer, hummus and baby food are among the new entries in the inflation basket of goods, it has been revealed. The revisions to the [...]
I’m a teetotaller – banning alcohol-free beer shows Labour’s contempt for young people like me Opinion The government’s proposed ban on sales of 0 per cent drinks for under-18s is deeply patronising. Young people like me are capable of making healthy choices without the government holding their hand, says Samiksha Bhattacharjee The government may be about to ban zero-alcohol drinks for under-18s. Increasingly, there is a strange paradox at the heart [...]
Spencer Matthews: My biggest challenge this Dry January, and why I hate mocktails Life&Style Former Made in Chelsea star Spencer Matthews founded the Clean Co alcohol-free drinks company in 2019. He talks to City AM about his Dry January challenges, both personal and professional. What does Dry January mean to you personally? I see January as a chance for people and for society to reflect on their relationship with [...]
AB InBev: Corona brewer’s losses near £200m despite major improvement September 1, 2025 The UK arm of AB InBev, the brewing giant behind the likes of Budweiser, Stella Artois and Corona, has now lost almost £200m since it last made a pre-tax profit after continuing in the red in 2024, it has been revealed. The London-headquartered division has reported a pre-tax loss of £20.9m for its latest financial [...]
Wetherspoon, Marston’s and Young’s manage to fend off UK pubs crisis – for now May 13, 2025 Some of the UK’s biggest pub chains – JD Wetherspoon, Marston’s and Young’s – have all proved surprisingly resilient in avoiding the hospitality crisis predicted last Autumn. The London-listed companies have all reported better-than-expected trading over the last year, despite very low business and consumer confidence. In an update to markets this morning, Marston’s reported [...]
Sport sponsorship: Best deals, who’s investing and 2025 growth January 5, 2025 As 2025 kicks off, the sports sponsorship landscape is brimming with opportunity. New trends are emerging and the environment is ripe for seasoned sponsors to make bold investments promoting new brand offerings. With Premier League clubs preparing for life after gambling sponsors and athlete-driven media platforms gaining traction, the industry is undergoing a transformation that [...]
Employer National Insurance hike a ‘significant burden’ and will impact working people, warns Thwaites November 12, 2024 The hike in employer National Insurance contribution (NICs), which was revealed by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in her Budget, will place a “significant burden” on historic brewer, pub and hotel owner, Daniel Thwaites, the company has said. The Lancashire-headquartered group added that the increase, together with the rise in the National Living Wage, “make it less [...]
Brewdog: James Watt ‘frustrated’ as brewer loses almost £60m October 16, 2024 Brewdog remains in the red despite a sharp uplift in its sales during its latest financial year, founder James Watt has revealed. In a post on social media, the former CEO said the Aberdeenshire-based business increased its revenue by 14 per cent to £366m in 2023. He added that it cut its operating loss to [...]
Asahi: Peroni and London Pride brewer slips further into the red October 7, 2024 Japanese beer maker Asahi, whose brands also include Peroni, saw its UK division slip further into the red during its latest financial year. The London-headquartered arm posted a pre-tax loss of £14m for 2023, having also lost £6.3m in the prior 12 months. Asahi UK last reported a pre-tax profit when it achieved a total [...]
Heineken’s biggest-ever price rises fail to stop slash in UK profit August 27, 2024 Heineken’s biggest-ever price rises in the UK failed to stop its profit being slashed during its latest financial year as it battled “economic volatility”. The Edinburgh-based division raised its prices in 2023 as it faced “significant inflationary pressure on input costs”, reducing consumer spending, higher labour costs and rising energy bills. According to newly-filed results, [...]