Pressure mounts on big four supermarkets as Lidl enjoys record Christmas sales January 13, 2021 Lidl has strengthened the pressure on its competitors by remaining the fastest growing retailer against the UK’s big four supermarkets of Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda and Morrisons. The German chain achieved a record Christmas in 2020 with overall sales increasing 17.9 per cent in the same four-week December period versus the previous year. With Christmas favourites [...]
UK supermarkets bring in security to enforce mask wearing as Covid cases rise January 12, 2021 Supermarkets are ramping up Covid safety measures, with many of the major UK grocers planning to make masks mandatory and to only allow one person per household in store. Tesco, Waitrose and Asda have joined Sainsbury’s and Morrisons in announcing that customers without masks will be turned away, unless they are exempt for medical reasons. [...]
UK supermarket sales soar to record-breaking £11.7bn in December January 5, 2021 UK supermarkets recorded their busiest ever month in December as grocery sales soared to £11.7bn amid bar and restaurant closures during the festive period. Morrisons was the strongest performer of the Big Four UK supermarkets, with sales jumping 13.1 per cent, followed by Tesco, which toasted a 11.1 per cent rise in sales. Sainsbury’s recorded [...]
Naughty or nice: Which businesses pleased or peeved Santa in 2020? December 21, 2020 Which businesses stood out this year for going above and beyond for customers and staff, and which will be remembered less favourably for their pandemic policies? The last year has certainly been one that will not be forgotten. The last 12 months have been widely been touted “the worst ever” by people around the world, [...]
High street burns, but Issa brothers mull a fiddle with Nero December 20, 2020 Asda owners EG Group are offering to fund a legal challenge against Caffe Nero over its controversial rescue deal, it was reported today. The Group, owned by the petrol station tycoons the Issa Brothers, has hired lawyers as well as property agents Christie’s and CWM as part of an effort to overturn the coffee chain’s [...]
Asda ramps up partnerships strategy with Accessorize and Decathlon trials December 17, 2020 High street chains Accessorize and Decathlon have launched trials with Asda to sell products in supermarket stores, as retailers seek to adapt to new consumer shopping trends that have formed during the pandemic. Fashion and jewellery brand Accessorize will sell its products in an Asda West Midlands store as part of a “test and learn” [...]
Supermarkets supplying N. Ireland to get three month grace period after transition period December 9, 2020 Supermarkets selling into Northern Ireland will have a grace period to adapt their supply systems to the post-Brexit trading reality, Michael Gove said today. When the Brexit transition period ends at the end of the year, Northern Ireland will remain aligned to the EU’s single market and goods arriving in Northern Ireland will be subject [...]
Asda to close stores on Boxing Day so staff can see family December 9, 2020 Asda will not open its stores on Boxing Day, instead choosing to give thousands of employees the chance to stay home with loved ones. The supermarket said the decision was made in recognition of employees’ efforts as key workers during the Covid-19 pandemic. All 631 of Asda’s stores will close for two days over the [...]
CMA launches probe into billionaire brothers’ takeover of Asda December 8, 2020 The UK’s competition regulator has launched its stage one probe into the billionaire Issa brothers’ takeover of supermarket Asda. Back in October the brothers, along with private equity group TDR Capital, agreed to buy the grocer from US giant Walmart for £6.8bn. At the time, Walmart said that it expected the deal to be subject [...]
Kingfisher joins supermarkets in returning business rates relief December 7, 2020 DIY retailer Kingfisher has joined a list of retailers announcing plans to repay millions in business rates relief it received at the start of the pandemic. The FTSE 100 firm has announced it will pay back £130m in tax relief, pointing to strong sales since it reopened its UK stores in April amid high demand [...]