Be honest, now: Getting your employees to speak their minds February 17, 2016 "Within organisations, people often have to make decisions about whether to speak up or remain silent – whether to share or withhold their ideas, opinions, and concerns,” say Frances Milliken and Elizabeth Wolfe Morrison in Shades of Silence. “In many cases, they choose the safe response of silence, withholding input that could be valuable to [...]
As consumer price index inflation reaches a 12-month high, should we expect price rises to accelerate? February 17, 2016 Ben Brettell, senior economist at Hargreaves Lansdown, says Yes. Yes – but not by much, and not because of any inflationary pressures in the underlying economy. The headline rate of inflation continues to be largely driven by volatile fuel prices. Throughout 2015, fuel prices were registering double-digit falls compared with a year earlier. But given how [...]
ONS consumer price index: Motor fuel helps send UK inflation up by 0.3 per cent in January February 16, 2016 Petrol prices helped Britain's annual inflation rate inch up to a 12-month high in January, figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) today showed. The consumer price index (CPI) rose 0.3 per cent in the year to January, up from 0.2 per cent in December, and in line with economists' expectations. This means prices rose 7.9 per cent [...]
Here’s why mums go to Iceland: Supermarket beats Tesco, Asda and Morrisons to be named the best online retailer in consumer survey, and boss Malcolm Walker is clearly pleased February 15, 2016 Iceland, favourite of mothers across the nation and anybody else looking for decently priced party snacks they can stock in their freezer, has been voted the UK's best online supermarket. The league table released today by Which? gives Iceland an impressive overall customer satisfaction score of 77 per cent, ranking it above Waitrose, Ocado and [...]
Greene King’s share prices bubbles up on sales rise after it shots a Spirit February 10, 2016 Greene King, the FTSE 250 listed pub operator and brewer, has served up a rise in sales for the nine months to 7 February as pub goers continue to dine out while having a pint. The brewer, having gobbled up rival operator Spirit last year for £774m, said that Christmas sales had been particularly strong, [...]
The Co-operative steals supermarket crown as strongest non-discounter, according to Kantar figures – as grocery sector boosted by New Year healthkicks February 9, 2016 The UK's struggling grocery sector has been given a shot in the arm from shoppers on a health kick, with sales up 0.2 per cent as consumers seek out fresh foods. The Co-operative was the fastest growing supermarket, outside of the discounters, in the 12 weeks to 31 January – the first time it can claim [...]
Valentine’s Day 2016: Morrisons is selling oysters for 25p each ahead of Valentine’s Day – the same price as a Cadbury Freddo February 8, 2016 Lidl may be famous for its champagne, but one of the big four supermarkets appears to be fighting the competition by slashing the price of oysters ahead of Valentine's Day this year. Morrisons is to sell fresh British oysters for just 25p each – the price of an average Cadbury Freddo in a move to try to outshine its [...]
Prudential share price plummets on reports Chinese regulators are tightening insurance restrictions February 2, 2016 A temporary suspension of shares in Prudential was triggered this afternoon, after its share price fell more than eight per cent. The fall came after Bloomberg reported China's currency regulator was tightening restrictions on its citizens buying insurance products from overseas. Purchases of insurance products using UnionPay credit and debit cards will be capped at $5,000 [...]
Tesco announces pay rise for staff, taking salaries (slightly) above National Living Wage February 2, 2016 Tesco is raising its hourly pay above the Living Wage threshold to £7.62, the supermarket announced this afternoon. The supermarket, which has just dropped its Bogof policy and is winding down the number of stores that operate for 24-hours, said the 3.1 per cent pay rise would come into effect across the UK "for all established colleagues". [...]
UK farmers plan London march after world commodity crisis slashes incomes February 2, 2016 British farmers are reacting to the world commodity crisis in an unusual way – by planning a march on London. Lobby group Farmers For Action has received thousands of pledges of support for a demonstration on Wednesday 23 March. Coachloads of countryfolk will descend on London to highlight the sharp drop in food producers’ incomes over [...]