BRC chief: Red tape ‘weighs heavily’ on retailers April 23, 2026 Helen Dickinson, the boss of leading trade body the British Retail Consortium, believes red tape “weighs heavily” on retailers. She speaks to Felix Armstrong about food inflation, workers’ rights and her meeting with the Chancellor. Helen Dickinson was six weeks into her job as chief executive of the BRC when the horsemeat scandal landed on [...]
Sainsbury’s to deliver food inflation update as Argos future could be settled April 21, 2026 After Tesco hit back against fears of double-digit food inflation last week, supermarket rival Sainsbury’s is set to update the market this week. From the Iran war to the future of Argos, Felix Armstrong looks ahead to a landmark set of results due on Thursday. Sainsbury’s spooked shoppers last week when it threatened people caught swapping [...]
M&S Sparks rewards overhauled as retailer offers cash perks April 16, 2026 Marks & Spencer has overhauled its Sparks card reward scheme using AI after shoppers demanded cash perks instead of the existing points-based system. The upmarket food and clothing giant said it is responding to consumer criticism of its loyalty scheme by offering “personalisation and pounds, not points and tricksy pricing”. The Sparks Card had faced [...]
Tesco boss downplays double-digit food inflation warning over Iran war April 16, 2026 The boss of Tesco said he doesn’t “recognise” warnings that food inflation could soar to double digits this year due to supply chain chaos caused by the Iran war. Ken Murphy, chief executive of the supermarket giant, said he currently has no concerns over significant price inflation and “doesn’t know” whether this is coming down [...]
Supermarkets ‘taking mickey’ on pricing, says olive oil boss April 15, 2026 A leading retail trade body has taken on big olive oil over claims supermarkets are “taking the mickey” over their pricing of the product. The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has hit back at the boss of olive oil maker Filippo Berio after he accused grocers of failing to pass falling prices onto consumers. The price [...]
‘Unprecedented’ – Food inflation to soar to 9 per cent by end of year April 1, 2026 Food inflation will soar from three to nine per cent by the end of this year due to the “unprecedented” energy and supply chain shocks caused by the Iran war, a leading association has warned. The rate of food price growth is currently at 3.3 per cent but will climb to nine per cent by [...]
Iran war: From fuel to food, what could get more expensive? March 6, 2026 Amid fears the war in Iran could “bring down” the world’s economies, experts have warned the conflict could have wide-ranging impacts which reach into the households of everyday consumers. The Middle East plays a central role in global energy supplies and shipping routes, and consumer industries have warned the knock-on effects of the conflict could [...]
Inflation eases to three per cent boosting interest rate cut hopes February 18, 2026 Inflation fell to its lowest level in nearly a year last month, new figures show, giving a further boost to hopes that the Bank of England will cut interest rates in March. The headline rate dipped to 3.0 per cent in January, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), down from 3.4 per cent [...]
Soaring food costs send shop price inflation higher January 6, 2026 Soaring food costs pushed shop price inflation higher in December, fresh data has revealed, as Brits faced the crunch during the Christmas season. Food inflation reached 3.3 per cent in the final month of 2025, up from three per cent in November, with fresh produce rising to 3.8 per cent from 3.6 per cent previously. [...]
Retail body warns against tax hikes amid ‘nightmare’ inflation September 30, 2025 Britain’s largest retail business group has warned the Treasury that further tax hikes on businesses will keep shop prices “higher for longer”, after data showed food inflation in September remained at its highest levels since the height of the cost-of-living crisis. British Retail Consortium (BRC) chief executive Helen Dickinson said even if the Chancellor chooses [...]