Shortages saga: A third of UK mid-size firms forced to slim down offerings October 4, 2021 With the UK’s supply chains riddled with labour shortages and continued Covid-19-related hang-ups, a third of mid-size firms have been forced to reduce their offering. More than 34 per cent of businesses already trimmed their product lines and services by mid-September – before the fuel crisis had gripped the nation, according to accountancy firm BDO. [...]
Supermarkets bleed sales thanks to food shortages October 3, 2021 The country’s largest supermarkets have lost out on more than £2bn sales this year so far thanks to food shortages. Leading retailers – Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda and Morrisons – lost out on sales during the first nine months of the year, according to data shared with trade magazine The Grocer. The sector has been hit [...]
Analysis: What the fuel crisis is all about and what may happen next September 30, 2021 Despite the government urging people to stop “panic-buying” petrol and return to their normal pattern of purchasing, pumps have run dry in some forecourts. Here City A.M. helps you to understand what is happening and who is involved. So who are the biggest players? The UK’s biggest operator is the Motor Fuel Group. Other companies [...]
Judge rules in favour of Morrisons workers in £100m fight for equal pay September 28, 2021 Thousands of Morrisons retail staff are making progress with their £100m fight for equal pay following a new ruling at an employment tribunal. The ruling, by judge Davies at Leeds Employment Tribunal, confirmed that Morrisons’ shop floor workers can compare their pay with the supermarket giant’s distribution centre workers. The mostly female staff, both current [...]
EG Group’s billionaire Issa brothers snap up 52 KFC sites September 27, 2021 Petrol stations giant EG Group has snapped up over 50 KFC sites across the south of the UK for a not-yet-disclosed sum. It follows the Issa brother’s acquisition of Asda for £6.8bn last year with private equity group TDR Capital. The 52-KFC-site deal, with former owner of the sites Amsric Group, involves around 1,600 employees, [...]
MPs speak out as Morrisons bidder plans to run grocer from Cayman Islands September 26, 2021 The private equity eyeing supermarket Morrisons has lined up an entity in the tax haven Grand Cayman to run the supermarket giant, bid documents have revealed. Cross-party MPs have urged Clayton, Dubilier & Rice (CD&R) to assure it will pay UK corporate tax rates on Morrisons’ turnover, the Sunday Times reported. CD&R revealed full details [...]
Stop blaming private equity, without it small businesses would be strapped for cash September 15, 2021 Private equity has been branded the bad guy for snapping up pandemic-hit business. After household names such as Asda were bought up, there was an immediate flood of warnings about price hikes. But private equity’s role as a pantomime villain is worn out. Big leveraged buyouts are attention grabbing, but private equity plays a vital, [...]
CEOs plot acquisition spree as UK recaptures global attention September 14, 2021 With AA motoring group, Asda, Morrisons and Stock Spirits taken over by private equity firms such as CVC, the UK market has recaptured the globe’s attention, having seen an unprecedented wave of deals. Stemming from initial undervaluations due to Covid-19 and Brexit, on average, UK companies were being undervalued by around 30 per cent, according to recent data from Schroders. [...]
Take the sting out of Christmas spending September 13, 2021 Spread the financial pressures of Christmas with the Asda Christmas Savings Card. Set up automatic top-ups online to put away money each month or top up anytime in-store or online and receive free a bonus on your card when you save £30 or more. The choice is yours — you can choose to spend your [...]
Petrol station firm EG Group mulls ‘potential $15bn sale’ September 9, 2021 Petrol station forecourt giant EG Group is reportedly mulling options for its future, including a potential sale. Bloomberg reported that a deal to sell the company, which is backed by the billionaire Issa brothers and private equity firm TDR Capital, could fetch as much as $15bn. The firm could also go for an initial public [...]