Supermarket sales rise over Easter – but prove egg-sasperating for Tesco, Morrisons and Asda April 5, 2016 It could have been so easy for supermarkets. Not only are prices at an all-time low, but an early Easter pushed sales up compared with last year, new figures have shown. But while the Easter bunny hopped along to most of the nation's retailers, the big four continued to struggle. The figures, by Kantar Worldpanel, showed sales [...]
Forget World Cup in 2022, England can win the European Championships in four years, insists Trevor Brooking March 22, 2016 Scepticism abounded when Greg Dyke began his chairmanship of the Football Association by claiming England could win the 2022 World Cup, but Sir Trevor Brooking insists the Three Lions are on course to lift silverware two years earlier. England have only fleetingly threatened to end a seemingly interminable wait for success, last tasted at the 1966 World [...]
Supermarkets reap over £1bn of property investment in 2015 as new buyers pile in March 22, 2016 Britain's supermarket sector attracted over £1bn of property investment last year as investors shrugged off the price wars and and went in search of stable returns. Research released today by Colliers International and data analytics provider MSCI revealed that deal volumes reached £1.4bn in 2015, up slightly on the previous year but down on the record [...]
Sainsbury’s boss Mike Coupe celebrates a Sport Relief windfall with David Walliams and Eastenders star Maddy Hill as the grocery giant raises more than £7m for charity this year March 20, 2016 Sainsbury's boss Mike Coupe must be feeling pretty confident about his store's competitive streak. A week after revealing strong results, the superstore boss got together with soap opera stars to celebrate the success of Sainsbury's Sport Relief Games. This year, the grocery giant has raised over £7m in aid of Sport Relief, culminating in a series fitness [...]
From the Budget 2016 and Brexit to Cheltenham and the world’s first pizza robot: Here’s what got us talking this week March 18, 2016 Humanities students were given a fright in this week's Budget. Getting pizza suddenly got a lot easier. And we learned that when it comes to houses, Britons don't dream big. Bookies have had to pay out £50m already at Cheltenham according to William Hill (Source: Getty) 1) Budget blues Whether you were a sugar lover or a second [...]
Sainsbury’s Mike Coupe: Aldi and Lidl are starting to look like “conventional” supermarkets March 16, 2016 Mike Coupe must be feeling confident about Sainsbury's progress in the grocery price wars. The supermarket boss, who yesterday revealed strong results, appears to be trolling Aldi and Lidl, telling Mumsnetters yesterday that the German discounters were "increasingly looking like conventional supermarkets". Speaking at Mumstock, a conference about marketing to mums, he told the audience [...]
More needs to be done for mums to go to Iceland March 16, 2016 As the challenger discount supermarkets continue to expand their market share, more established rivals are reacting in differing ways in their attempts to recoup lost ground. Iceland, known for its inexpensive frozen produce, has been trying to reposition itself. By improving the quality of its offering, it is aiming to broaden its appeal in the [...]
Sainsbury’s share price falls despite posting a sales rise in the fourth quarter as deadline looms for Argos bid March 15, 2016 Sainsbury's is continuing to prove itself the strongest of the big four supermarkets, with total and like-for-like sales up in the fourth quarter as it moves to phase out multi-buy offers entirely. But the business has warned of ongoing challenges in the market as the price wars continue. The figures Total retail sales excluding fuel [...]
Waitrose is “well set up” to face arrival of Amazon, says outgoing boss Mark Price March 10, 2016 Waitrose's outgoing boss Lord Price played down the threat of Amazon's entry in the UK, insisting it was strong enough to fend off competition and would continue to be “one of the few” retailers to increase profitability this year. Price, who was made a peer last week ahead of his new role as trade minister [...]
Morrisons’ share price falls 2.5 per cent as dividend is cut on sales and profits decline March 10, 2016 Sales and profits at Morrisons have fallen again – but the supermarket management is talking confidently about progress made so far, and guided on future dividends in an effort to woo shareholders. Morrisons' share price was down 2.5 per cent in mid-morning trading, however, as investors digested the news that this year's dividend was being slashed [...]