Amazon rolls out fresh food service for paying, east London members June 9, 2016 US online retailer Amazon has today launched its fresh food delivery service in central and east London. The service is further restricted to Amazon’s Prime members, who pay a £79 per year fee for various TV and music streaming services and free delivery on certain items. Amazon, after taking significant market share from many of [...]
Following the BHS collapse and Austin Reed’s closure, it’s clear retailers’ online offerings are not ready to save the British high street June 3, 2016 Another day and yet another high street retailer announcing its financial struggles – this week it is Austin Reed and BHS. The menswear retailer is closing 120 stores, after the announcement it was entering into administration in April. BHS has also announced that thousands of jobs are going to be lost as a result of closing 163 stores. [...]
Pinkster gin the tipple of choice for crowdfunders at Growthdeck May 20, 2016 Premium gin brand Pinkster has ridden high on the "gin-aissance" sweeping the UK and smashed through an equity fundraising target of £600,000 in six weeks. Pinkster, a fast-growing, Cambridge-based gin produced with fresh raspberries, raised £758,000 in 47 days since it placed its listing on the relatively new crowdfundraising platform Growthdeck on 31 March. Unlike most crowdfunding platforms, Growthdeck does [...]
Incredible shrinking toilet paper: The six products you’re getting less of, but are not getting cheaper April 20, 2016 When you're spending a penny, you're being short changed, it turns out. One brands' toilet rolls have been quietly shortened, but you're still paying the same price, and it's just one of several products where you're now getting less bang for your buck – and may even pay more for less – according to research from consumer [...]
Tesco drags Sainsbury’s and Morrisons share price down too April 13, 2016 Tesco might have hoped for a better reaction to its news that it has returned to profit this morning than for investors to send its share price tumbling. Perhaps it was the relatively cautious statement given by chief executive Dave Lewis, or the fact that while profits were above consensus expectations, sales missed by a touch. Or [...]
Ocado’s share price climbs as sales rise – but order sizes slip March 15, 2016 Ocado may have lost out on a lucrative tie-up with Amazon, but sales are still surging ahead, its latest update shows. The figures Gross group sales at the delivery business – which includes its Morrisons agreement – rose 15.3 per cent to £312.4m in the 12 weeks to 21 February, while retail sales – which includes Fetch and Sizzle [...]
Aldi, Ocado, Morrisons, Tesco and Sainsbury’s are all making moves to win market share, but Asda’s next step is unclear March 9, 2016 The latest supermarket sales data has painted a slightly less gloomy picture than has become customary for Britain's big four grocers, hinting that the billions poured into lowering prices and luring back customers might finally be paying off. Despite a brutal price war that has savaged Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons, data from Kantar has shown [...]
Morrisons may not be the most obvious partner for Amazon, but there is method behind the marriage – and it could mean trouble for Asda, Tesco and Ocado March 1, 2016 Only one pound out of every £10 that Britons spend on groceries drops into Morrisons’ tills. Not a bad ratio, you might think, but like its bigger rivals (over £6 in every £10 is spent in Tesco, Sainsbury’s or Asda), Morrisons has been struggling with a declining market share. The Bradford-headquartered supermarket is not the [...]
Amazon delivers blow to Ocado with announcement of Morrisons deal February 29, 2016 Ocado shareholders fled to the checkout yesterday after its partner Morrisons revealed it had inked a major deal with Amazon, signing a ground-breaking agreement that will pave the way for the US giant to ramp up its presence in the UK grocery market. The tie-up, which is set to go live in the coming months, will see [...]
FTSE 100 index closes flat on last day of the month as supermarkets come into focus February 29, 2016 The FTSE 100 index closed slightly higher on the quiet last day of the month after the G20 disappointed over the weekend. The UK's blue-chip index closed 0.02 per cent higher at 6,097 points. "It was almost as if investors forgot about the leap day and no investments were planned on a quiet last day of the month," said [...]