Cork blimey! Christmas champagne outsells semi-skimmed milk at Lidl January 4, 2015 Shoppers at budget supermarket chain Lidl bought more champagne than semi-skimmed milk this Christmas, the retailer has revealed. Figures show that savvy customers snapped up so many bottles of Lidl’s £11.99 Comte De Senneval champagne that it knocked the store’s usual bestseller, semi-skimmed milk, off the top spot for the festive season. The champagne has [...]
Black Friday hits John Lewis’ Christmas sales January 2, 2015 He may have been a runaway hit, but not even Monty the Penguin could help John Lewis emulate the success of its Black Friday deals during the Christmas period. Sales at the retailer fell 1.4 per cent during the week of Christmas, with sales of electrical goods falling 14.7 per cent compared with the same [...]
EU VAT rule change could hike the cost of ebooks January 1, 2015 After weeks of deep discounts and mega-sales courtesy of Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Boxing Day, shoppers may be a bit miffed to find out that at the start of the new year they may have to pay more for their ebooks. As a result of a change in EU tax rules, digital products will be [...]
The year at City A.M.: Our most popular stories of 2014 December 31, 2014 With everything that has gone on in the last 12 months you might be forgiven the odd memory lapse. Here's our round-up of the stories that got you clicking in 2014. January It's hard to believe it was less than a year ago that French President Hollande was caught having a moped-based affair with actress [...]
Christmas shopping will help high street spending hit record highs December 24, 2014 Spending on the UK's high streets is expected to smash records this year as shoppers splurged over the Christmas period setting tills ringing. Retail sales are expected to reach an all-time high of £342bn this year, a rise of £48bn compared to 2010, government figures suggest. Spending is also expected to break records tomorrow as [...]
Retailers miss out on festive shopping boom December 22, 2014 MANY British retailers have failed to cash in on the Christmas shopping boom, according to research released today, causing the number of struggling businesses in the sector to increase considerably. According to research by specialist professional services group Begbies Traynor – covering 1 October to 17 December – UK retailers are considerably worse off this Christmas [...]
Eight charts that sum up 2014 December 22, 2014 This year will be remembered for the fragmentation of mainstream politics, Scotland's near exit from the 307-year old union and an economy which the Bank's chief economist Andy Haldane described as "writhing in both agony and ecstasy." What does all that look like? Here are eight charts that sum up the year. (Source: Getty) 1. [...]
Panic Saturday: Consumers to splash out £1.2bn in run up to Christmas December 20, 2014 In the last Saturday before Christmas 13m shoppers are set to shell out £1.2bn, according to the Centre for Retail Research. The research claims this year's shopping bonanza will see a seven per cent rise in spending compared to last year. Consumers will be spending £2.1m every minute the equivalent of £92.31 per person. Sales [...]
Black Friday 2014 lifts UK retail growth to 10-year high December 18, 2014 UK retail sales growth surged to a 10-year high in November thanks to roaring trade on Black Friday weekend, when retailers offered discounts on thousands of products. Falling commodity prices and the ongoing supermarket price wars have left households better off and helped boost consumer spending. Retail sales volumes rose 1.6 per cent on the [...]
Santa rally in sight as FTSE jumps again – London Report December 18, 2014 THE FTSE 100 enjoyed one of its best days of 2014 yesterday, as the US Federal Reserve’s pledge for a “patient approach” to any interest rate increase lifted stock markets around the world. Financial services company Old Mutual and British Airways owner International Consolidated Airlines Group (IAG) were among the best performers on the blue-chip [...]