Hovis: Losses widen amid Kingsmill merger talks July 9, 2025 Losses have widened at bread maker Hovis amid ongoing merger talks with the owner or rival Kingsmill, it has been revealed. Hovis, which is backed by private equity firm Endless, saw its pre-tax losses go from £3.6m to £4.7m in the year to 28 September, 2024. New accounts filed with Companies House also show its [...]
£100K isn’t a big salary – and we need to talk about it July 1, 2025 He lives in a grotty flat, shops in Aldi, can barely afford a holiday and earns £100k. Meet Henry: a High Earner Not Rich Yet. He may not attract sympathy, but he’s a symptom a failing economy, says Eliza Filby Nine out of ten Brits earning over £100,000 do not consider themselves wealthy. Maybe you [...]
Sunny spring boosts sales at Sainbury’s July 1, 2025 Sainsbury’s has reported a boost in fresh food sales this spring despite growing competition in the UK’s supermarket sector. The FTSE 100 company said that overall sales grew 4.9 per cent in the 16 weeks to June 21, ahead of the market. Grocery sales grew 4.9 per cent, while non-food sales grew 4.2 per cent. [...]
Industry chiefs sound alarm over ‘horrific’ packaging tax June 30, 2025 A new packaging tax that makes the producers of waste pay for their packaging to be recycled poses a multibillion-pound threat to UK businesses and will encourage firms to relocate their production abroad, senior industry figures have warned. The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) released on Friday the final fees for [...]
Retail is now the most distressed sector in Europe June 26, 2025 Distress in the retail and consumer goods sector has reached its highest level since the financial crisis as geopolitical and economic volatility continue to erode businesses. The downturn has been driven by a combination of high interest rates, cost inflation and low consumer demand, with the latter a particular strain on UK businesses, according to [...]
Bella Italia owner slashes losses after shedding 700 jobs June 25, 2025 Losses at the owner of Café Rouge, Bella Italia and Frankie & Benny’s have been slashed after shedding 700 jobs during its latest financial year, it has been revealed. The Big Table cut its headcount from 4,236 to 3,531 in the 12 months to 27 October, 2024, new accounts filed with Companies House show. Over [...]
Sunny spring boosts grocers as Brits buy 2,400 packs of strawberries every minute June 24, 2025 The UK’s unusual burst of sun boosted purchases of fruit and ice lollies this spring, although food inflation continued to soar at the UK’s grocers. Higher prices for fresh meats, chocolate and butters drove food inflation to 4.7 per cent, its highest level since February 2024, according to data insights group Kantar. But Fraser McKevitt, [...]
House prices slump in April: ‘Supply is beginning to outweigh demand’ June 18, 2025 UK house prices fell in April as affordability issues constrain demand following the end of the stamp duty holiday in March. House prices fell 2.7 per cent month on month in April, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Prices increased by 3.5 per cent to £265,000 in the 12 months to April 2025, [...]
Inflation overshoots expectations ahead of Bank of England meeting June 18, 2025 Inflation hit 3.4 per cent in the year to May, official data has revealed, which is set to be the final set of data Bank of England officials receive before coming to an interest rates decision on Thursday. Data published by the Office for National Statistics showed services price growth, which is closely monitored by [...]
Labour is locking Britain into a high-tax, low-growth doom loop June 18, 2025 Tax, borrowing, the cost of borrowing, unemployment and inflation are all going up, while growth is going down. Yet in the face of this, Labour’s instinct is to tax more, spend more and centralise more, says Simon Clarke When in a big hole, muddle the figures so nobody can understand them. That’s what Paul Johnson [...]