Retail sales up with gadgets boost October 20, 2011 Retail sales grew more than expected in September after a surprise increase in sales of laptops and video games, the Office for National Statistics said. The ONS said sales volumes including automotive fuel rose by 0.6 per cent on the month after a fall of 0.4 per cent in August, giving an annual rise of [...]
Aldi market share lifts in tough climate October 11, 2011 BUDGET supermarket groups are growing sales faster than rivals in Britain’s grocery sector as cash-strapped shoppers battle to preserve their income by trading down, market research showed yesterday. Kantar Worldpanel said grocery sales rose 5.1 per cent year-on-year in the 12 weeks to 3 October, up from 4.5 per cent in the previous 12 week [...]
Sainsbury’s to join price match battle October 9, 2011 SAINSBURY’S will turn up the heat this week in the price war between the UK’s leading supermarkets with a pledge to match thousands of prices at rivals Tesco and Asda. The supermarket announced yesterday that it will start its “brand match” campaign this Wednesday, just two weeks after Tesco launched a £500m “Big Price Drop” [...]
… as Asda loses market share to budget chains August 16, 2011 ASDA, which is owned by Walmart, yesterday reported a narrow 0.5 per cent like for like sales rise between 1 April and 30 June. The company said it was pinning its hopes for growth on its acquisition of 147 Netto stores. Asda said sales growth accelerated in the second quarter as its online price guarantee, [...]
Millions in Britain don’t have a pension August 10, 2011 RESEARCH undertaken by Baring Asset Management (Barings) released exclusively to City A.M. estimates that 13.6m, or 38 per cent of British adults, don’t have a pension. This is worrying, as pensions remain the best option for those looking to hang up their working boots before popping their clogs – and the sooner you start the [...]
Cranswick in profit alert after pork price increase July 26, 2011 CRANSWICK, the sliced meat and sausage maker, has been forced to warn it will miss profit forecasts this year after a rise in pork prices. During the first half of the year pig prices have increased from £1.33 per kg to £1.53 per kg, an increase of 15 per cent. Analysts have knocked between £6m [...]
Shop prices driven up by food inflation July 5, 2011 WORLD ECONOMY FOOD inflation in British shops rocketed to 5.7 per cent in June from 4.9 per cent in May, a survey by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) unveiled today. Food costs pushed overall shop price inflation to a 32-month high of 2.9 per cent in June – a dangerous signal ahead of the official [...]
Premier Foods sales slide as ingredient prices rise April 27, 2011 BRITAIN’S biggest food manufacturer Premier Foods reported a 3.1 per cent decline in first-quarter sales yesterday and said the consumer environment had become more difficult. The maker of Branston pickle, Bisto gravy and Hovis bread said its performance reflected the impact of a weak January and February following strong consumer purchases in December. Premier Foods, [...]
Inflation across OECD member states hits new 27-month high of 2.4 per cent March 29, 2011 CONSUMER prices across member states of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) rose by 2.4 per cent in February compared with 2.2 per cent in January — the highest rate since October 2008. This increase was driven by food and energy inflation which reached three per cent and 10.1 per cent respectively. Excluding [...]
Sainsbury’s misses quarter four target as times get tough March 23, 2011 J Sainsbury, the third-biggest supermarket group, missed fourth-quarter sales forecasts and said trading was likely to remain tough as shoppers face rising fuel prices and government spending cuts. The group, which trails Wal-Mart’s Asda and industry leader Tesco by annual sales, said on sales at stores open over a year rose one per cent, excluding [...]