Ocado and Marks & Spencer see shares rise on reports of food delivery partnership January 28, 2019 Shares in Marks & Spencer and Ocado were up this morning following reports the firms are in talks over a possible food delivery partnership. Ocado and Marks & Spencer saw their shares rise five per cent and one per cent respectively in early trading after it emerged the retailer could sign a deal to use [...]
Every Lidl helps: German discount chain boosts sales in bumper Christmas trading January 11, 2019 German discount supermarket Lidl boosted sales eight per cent over the Christmas period, it revealed today. In the six weeks to 30 December sales were up eight per cent on the same period last year with Saturday 22 December the busiest day. Lidl’s results were aided by a 33 per cent jump in sales for [...]
John Lewis considers slashing staff bonus as it warns on full-year profits January 10, 2019 John Lewis today said it may axe its staff bonus this year as it warned of falling profits, despite a rise in sales over the Christmas period. The department store saw sales increase 1.4 per cent to £2.2bn in the seven weeks to 5 January compared to the same period last year. Like-for-like sales at [...]
John Lewis enjoys sales boost after strong Christmas performance January 8, 2019 John Lewis has doubled down on a positive festive period after reporting double-figure sales growth over the last week. The department store chain said total sales for the week to 5 January were up 11.2 per cent on the same period last year, thanks to its post-Christmas clearance. The figures were driven by soaring menswear [...]
Telegraph hires Waitrose Food editor William Sitwell who resigned after vegan row January 3, 2019 The Telegraph has hired the former Waitrose Food magazine editor who stepped down after suggesting vegans should be force-fed meat, the company said today. William Sitwell, who resigned from the supermarket magazine after making comments about “killing vegans” in an email to a journalist, will join the Telegraph as a restaurant critic, writer and commentator. [...]
The fine line between banter and bullying December 20, 2018 Philip Green found himself under fire when he dismissed allegations of bullying and harassment as just “banter”. And while many of us might have considered former Waitrose magazine editor William Sitwell’s comments on vegans to a freelance writer as a quip, it eventually cost him his job. There is no doubt that a friendly working [...]
Stop making millennials the butt of the joke if you want to market to them December 11, 2018 Millennials are one of the most maligned of any of the generational cohorts. When not branded as “snowflakes” or accused of indulging in too much self-care, they are routinely blamed for all manner of problems such as the death of the high street or falling interest in the package holiday. Of course brands – many [...]
Mixed bag for Britain’s grocers as market cools despite record Christmas spending forecasts December 11, 2018 Shoppers have been taking fewer trips to the supermarket in recent weeks after a bumper summer of demand, according to new data that suggests Britain's grocery sector has slowed to its lowest rate of growth in more than a year. Despite projections that spending this Christmas will break UK records, the supermarket sector grew at two [...]
Morrisons and Tesco flag concerns over Sainsbury’s-Asda merger December 4, 2018 Morrisons and Tesco have added their voice to the growing chorus of retailers which have spoken out against the proposed £12bn merger between Asda and Sainsbury’s. Both grocers have this week brought into question Sainsbury’s planned takeover of rival Asda, which would see Britain’s second and third largest supermarkets overtake Tesco to the top spot. [...]
Weekly sales slump at John Lewis ahead of crucial Christmas period November 20, 2018 John Lewis Partnership has suffered its second consecutive week of tumbling sales, in a downturn that the retailer will be hoping to reverse as it enters Black Friday and the Christmas shopping season. Britain’s largest department store chain said today that total sales in the week to 17 November had plunged 6.8 per cent year-on-year, [...]