Burnham accused of ‘piecemeal’ business rates reform August 24, 2026 Andy Burnham has been accused of taking a “piecemeal” approach to business rates instead of committing to Labour’s manifesto pledge to replace the tax system. The government has launched a review into how business rates bills are calculated for pubs and hotels, but industry bodies have urged the Prime Minister to commit to wholesale reform [...]
Morrisons pledges to slash prices as price war intensifies August 24, 2026 Morrisons has pledged to match prices with its rivals on hundreds of products, as the debt-ridden grocer ramps up an emerging price war between UK supermarkets. The private-equity-owned supermarket has vowed that 500 of its “everyday essentials” will not be found cheaper at any of Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Aldi or Lidl. Britain’s supermarkets are fighting [...]
Poundland loss doubles as discount retailer nears sale August 24, 2026 Poundland nearly doubled its loss amid a drastic downturn which pushed the discount retailer to post a “challenging set of numbers” last year. The retailer slumped to an £85.2m pre-tax loss in the year to September, nearly doubling the previous year’s £45.4m, its latest filings have revealed. This loss came in the run-up to Poundland’s [...]
As it happened: FTSE 100 climbs as markets digest Bessent buyback August 21, 2026 Welcome back to the City AM liveblog. The FTSE 100 has closed 0.6 per cent higher after fresh research showed consumer confidence has risen to its highest level in nearly two years. The GfK consumer confidence index – which polls households on the way they view their finances and economic outlook – jumped three points [...]
The decline of Harvey Nichols is a tale of London’s decline too August 21, 2026 The decline and fall of Harvey Nichols is not just another business story. It is a warning about the crisis engulfing London’s high streets.
Mike Ashley’s Frasers offers to pay personal shoppers in Harvey Nichols takeover August 20, 2026 Frasers Group has offered to secure the pay of personal shoppers and stylists at Harvey Nichols after Mike Ashley’s retail empire bought the luxury department store. The Sports Direct and Flannels owner will make “goodwill payments” to a number of personal shoppers and stylists who were left owing money when Harvey Nichols collapsed. Frasers snapped [...]
Budget supermarket Iceland’s sneaky jab at Big Four management consultants August 20, 2026 Supermarket chain Iceland has shared a subtle dig at management consultants on its website. There is a tongue and cheek reference to a £16m spend on external consultancy firms which include Big Four giant PwC, during a turbulent era for the business in the early 2000s. The retailer, known for selling frozen food, published a [...]
JD Sports shares crater after ‘King of Trainers’ warns on profit August 20, 2026 JD Sports has slashed its profit target as the growth plan led by chief executive Régis Schultz loses steam, sending its share price into a tailspin. The sports and fashion retailer saw sales performance improve in the UK, but a slowdown in the US and intense discounting by rivals is dragging on the firm’s profit, [...]
Supermarkets ‘actively shielding’ shoppers as food inflation falls again August 19, 2026 Food inflation fell again in July to its lowest level in nearly five years, as retailers claim they are “actively shielding” consumers from worse price rises. The rate of food price inflation slipped to 1.3 per cent last month, down from 1.7 per cent in June, to reach the lowest point since September 2021. Industry [...]
Fishing retailer catches sales boost to defy summer drought August 19, 2026 The UK’s largest fishing shop has posted a surge in sales to defy fears that the record drought is impacting the country’s rivers and fisheries. Angling Direct, the UK’s leading seller of fishing equipment, said it has grown its market share and is on track to meet its profit targets despite the drought, which has [...]