CMA warns firms against coronavirus rip-offs as face mask and hand sanitiser prices soar March 5, 2020 The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) today warned companies not to gouge customers during the coronavirus scare as prices for hand sanitiser and face masks rocket. The watchdog said it would look at evidence that companies may have broken competition or consumer protection law by charging excessive prices or making misleading claims about their products. [...]
Tesco ramps up fight back against German discounters March 5, 2020 Tesco has ramped up the competition with the German discount supermarkets as it pledged to price match hundreds of products. The UK’s Big Four supermarkets – which also includes Asda, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons – have been shedding market share to budget rivals Aldi and Lidl. Tesco, which is the UK’s largest supermarket, suffered a 0.8 [...]
Covid-19: Northern Ireland records two new cases as UK total hits 87 March 4, 2020 Two more cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Northern Ireland, which brings the total number of UK cases to 87. The Public Health Agency said that one test result is confirmed positive and two further results are “presumptive positive” It said it is “continuing to work with partners across the UK including Public Health [...]
Covid-19: Govt to pay sick leave from first day of illness March 4, 2020 Boris Johnson has announced that statutory sick pay will be paid from the first day workers take off in an attempt to encourage people to stay away from work if they are unwell. The decision, which was revealed at Prime Minister’s Questions today, means that workers will no longer have to wait four days before [...]
UK coronavirus: Brits don face masks (and Tesco bags) on public transport March 4, 2020 British commuters are taking the UK coronavirus threat seriously, it appears, donning heavy duty face masks – and Tesco bags – on Tube trains and buses. A man on a London Underground train appeared to decide to keep himself safe on his commute to work by donning a serious-looking gas mask, along with thick rubber [...]
Lidl crowned UK’s fastest growing supermarket March 3, 2020 Lidl was the fastest growing supermarket in the UK over the last 12 weeks, taking the crown from online grocer Ocado. The German discounter increased sales by 11.4 per cent in the 12 weeks to 24 February, becoming Britain’s fastest growing grocer for the first time since November 2017, as it opened its 800th store [...]
Hungary for UK growth March 2, 2020 Last Friday, after four years, I stepped down as the ambassador of Hungary to the Court of St. James’s. I arrived just days before the Brexit referendum — a referendum that, of course, shaped almost everything I did in the role here. It became apparent that the two priorities for me would be the representation [...]
From Russia with kefir: How Biotiful Dairy sold a new drink to the British public March 2, 2020 How do you convince the British public to try a whole new food category, especially when it doesn’t sound very appealing at first glance? That was the challenge facing the Russian-born entrepreneur Natasha Bowes when she decided to try to start selling kefir in the UK. Kefir is a type of fermented milk drink made [...]
More than 1,800 jobs at risk as Tesco restructures in-store bakeries February 25, 2020 More than 1,800 jobs are at risk after Tesco announced it will restructure its in-store bakery operations. The supermarket giant this afternoon said it will reduce the amount of baking “from scratch” across its stores, meaning some employees will be made redundant. From May, 58 branches will stop baking products on-site and will instead sell [...]
Financial Conduct Authority admits major data breach February 25, 2020 The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has admitted that it revealed confidential consumer information on its website in a data breach last year. The City watchdog published details of roughly 1,600 people who filed complaints about it between January 2018 and July 2019. In some instances the information included names, addresses and telephone numbers. The FCA [...]