Hunt unveils measures to ensure customers get fair pricing June 28, 2023 Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has drafted an action plan with authorities to ensure customers are being facing fair prices during the cost of living crisis. Hunt sat down with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), and the regulators for the energy, water and communications sectors, early on Wednesday 28 June at 11 Downing Street. He was [...]
Pressure on supermarkets to lower prices sends food inflation to new low June 27, 2023 Supermarkets slashing the prices of kitchen staples such as bread, milk and cheese has helped ease food inflation in a welcome boost for shoppers. Food inflation fell to 14.6 per cent in June, down from 15.4 per cent in May, according to figures from the British Retail Consortium (BRC). The decline marks the second consecutive monthly [...]
Whole Foods: Inflation takes bite out of Amazon owned grocery store June 25, 2023 The Amazon-owned UK division of Whole Foods has seen a rapid decline in earnings for the year as soaring inflation makes Brits hesitant to fork out on its pricey goods. Whole Foods UK reported operating losses of £26.9m up from £17.2m the prior year and its sales also fell to £91.6m down from £94.3m. Amazon [...]
Claim of supermarkets profiteering doesn’t pass ‘basic smell test,’ says former Sainsbury’s boss June 21, 2023 The former boss of Sainsbury’s has roundly rejected claims that British supermarkets are profiteering during the cost of living crisis, arguing that the government and regulators should focus on helping those in need instead of considering “interfering in markets”. “This idea that [supermarkets] are somehow profiteering in these circumstances… it doesn’t even pass a basic [...]
Peloton: Wheels come off for bike maker as UK losses widen to £210m June 20, 2023 Peloton’s UK arm has struggled to keep up the momentum of its pandemic success, with the group posting widening losses as sales of the luxury exercise bike fall significantly from their lockdown peak. In its most recent financial results in the year to June 2022, the American brand’s British division said sales contracted 13 per [...]
Grocery inflation falls to lowest monthly rate this year June 20, 2023 Grocery price inflation has fallen to its lowest monthly rate this year – but remains at its sixth highest level since 2008, figures show. Grocery inflation dropped to 16.5 per cent for the four weeks to June 11, down from last month’s 17.2 per cent and March’s record 17.5 per cent according to analysts Kantar. [...]
Sadiq Khan to address ‘cost of doing business’ crisis at summit with Uber and Natwest June 20, 2023 Sadiq Khan is set to address the “cost of doing business crisis” at a crunch summit with firms including Uber, Natwest and KPMG. The mayor of London will welcome more than 200 CEOs to his annual City Hall business reception at the Crystal in east London today. He is expected to tell firms the “cost-of-doing-business [...]
Online retail firms in trouble as punters turn back to the high street June 19, 2023 E-commerce retailers which were bolstered by Brits stuck at home during the pandemic are now going bust, a new report shows, as the cost of living crisis continues to eat away at businesses. The number of insolvencies of UK e-commerce businesses rose 71 per cent to 529 in the past year, up from 309 in [...]
Cost of pasta bake, fish finger supper and spag bol up 27 per cent, Which finds June 16, 2023 The cost of popular family meals such as pasta bake, fish fingers, chips and beans, plus home-made spaghetti bolognese has increased by up to 27 per cent over the last year, figures show. Which found the prices of pasta sauce, penne pasta and cheddar cheese to make a quick pasta bake for four people have [...]
‘London buzzing’: City pub favourite Fuller’s boosted by summer drinking as workers return to office June 15, 2023 The chief executive of Fuller’s has said London is “buzzing” with activity as sunny spells and a return to office working has helped boost business trade. Simon Emeny, Fuller’s’ chief reported an increase in corporate booking across its almost 400 strong pub estate as employees returned to the office post-pandemic. The pub chain also reported [...]