Londoners more cautious about digital shopping than rest of world May 16, 2018 Londoners are not getting carried away with the fast-changing nature of retail compared with internet users around the globe, new research has shown. Research from Ericsson found that an increase in people using smartphones to pay for goods and services was leading to a second shift of consumers calling on the help of ‘digital shopping [...]
We meet Annabel Karmel, the celebrity cook who leaves children hungry for more May 14, 2018 Annabel Karmel comes bounding into the room like a bundle of sunshine. With her yellow dress and immaculate makeup, she seems a world apart from the drab Bloomsbury bar where we meet. For millions of parents, Karmel is a household name, with major supermarkets stocking her baby and toddler food. It was her first book, [...]
Sadiq Khan floats ‘junk food’ advertising ban on entire TfL network May 11, 2018 London Mayor Sadiq Khan has today proposed a ban on “junk food” across the entire Transport for London (TfL) network. The move is intended to tackle the “ticking timebomb” of childhood obesity in London. Khan said: “Child obesity in London is a ticking timebomb and I am determined to act. If we don’t take bold [...]
Lloyd’s underwriter Hiscox bounces back from catastrophe-hit 2017 with strong first quarter results May 8, 2018 Insurance firm Hiscox announced a solid set of first quarter results this morning following a tough 2017 which was marked by a series of natural disasters. The Lloyd’s underwriter increased its gross written premiums by 24 per cent on a constant currency basis to $1.155bn (£855m), up from $929m in the same period last year. [...]
London’s iconic Burlington Arcade in Mayfair sold to billionaire brothers Simon and David Reuben for £300m May 7, 2018 Billionaire brothers Simon and David Reuben have bought the iconic Burlington Arcade for £300m from New York property group Thor Equities and European private equity firm Meyer Bergman. The Mayfair arcade was bought by Thor Equities and Meyer Bergman for £104m back in 2010. Read more: Mayfair landlords are no longer mostly aristocrats in rental [...]
UK construction rebounds in April led by strong house building recovery May 2, 2018 The UK construction sector has bounced back to a five-month high, led by a strong performance in house building, according to the latest IHS/Markit purchasing managers’ survey. The seasonally adjusted index came in at 52.5 for April, a sharp upturn from the 20-month low seen in March of 47.0, due largely to the winter storm [...]
Sainsbury’s growth falls behind big rivals in latest Kantar figures as it eyes Asda merger to halt Tesco’s march May 1, 2018 The latest grocery market share figures out today from Kantar Worldpanel report strong showings from Tesco and Morrisons while Sainsbury’s growth lags behind. The much-discussed Sainsbury’s merger with Asda, confirmed in detail yesterday, would nab a potential share of 31.4 per cent. For the 12th consecutive period, Tesco has grown more than two per cent, [...]
Sainsbury’s boss Mike Coupe apologises for singing “we’re in the money” as concerns grow over Asda merger April 30, 2018 Sainsbury’s boss Mike Coupe was left embarrassed this evening as he was caught on camera singing “We’re in the Money”, on the day the supermarket announced details of a merger with Walmart-owned Asda. Coupe’s little ditty came as unions and MPs raised concerns that the deal could result in job losses and a squeeze on [...]
The weather outside is frightful: Insurer launches digital weather insurance policy April 30, 2018 Insurer Beazley has launched a digital-only insurance policy aimed at allowing events organisers to protect against extreme weather conditions. The new product, Weather Guard, is aimed at organisers of outdoor events that may be affected by severe weather or retailers insuring weather-related sales promotions. The digital policy can be accessed via a mobile device and [...]
Toyota launches London startup and starts the hunt for tech talent April 26, 2018 Toyota is launching a new startup in London to develop new transport services it can roll out in Europe, and is on the hunt for a crop of data scientists, engineers and software developers to bring on board. It is aiming to build up expertise in ride-sharing and remote delivery, and start bringing specialised mobility [...]