Shoppers spend less at Ocado after offices reopen and Covid measures ease March 17, 2022 Ocado customers are spending less through the online grocery delivery service as pandemic habits return to normal. In an eight week trading update, Ocado said its average basket size came in at £124, 15 per cent lower than last year. This was reflective of changing shopper behaviours as customers return to physical supermarkets and offices. [...]
Hong Kong developer swoops in with £96m steal for Vauxhall Square site March 16, 2022 Vauxhall Square in London has been sold by a Chinese developer for £96m, which is a reported discounted price of 42 per cent. A subsidiary of Hong Kong-based company the Far East Consortium International (FEC) swooped in for the 14m square-foot site, buying it off rival firm, Guangzhou-based R&F Properties, on the cheap. It was [...]
Zara owner Inditex warns of challenges ahead after shutting Russian shops March 16, 2022 Zara owner Inditex has reported sales surpassing pre-Covid levels but warned of looming challenges after severing ties with Russia. The world’s largest fashion retailer said Russia was a major market, after it shut its 503 shops and suspended online sales in the country amid its war in Ukraine. Russia and Ukraine accounted for five per [...]
Soft drink giant Fever Tree highlights short term cost ‘uncertainty’ amid war in Ukraine March 16, 2022 Beverage maker Fever Tree has said Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has caused “significant uncertainty” for short term costs. Tim Warrillow, co-founder and CEO of Fever-Tree, said the war in Ukraine had “resulted in significant uncertainty in relation to our input costs in the short term.” UK revenue leaped 15 per cent in full year results [...]
UK recorded music hits a high note thanks to vinyl and CD revivals March 16, 2022 UK recorded music continues to hit a high note, with revenue up 12.8 per cent to £1.26bn following 2020’s pandemic slump.
Return of lockdowns send Chinese shares tumbling March 15, 2022 The re-imposition of draconian lockdown measures in one of China’s main technology and manufacturing hubs to tame an outbreak in Covid-19 cases sent shares in Beijing and Hong Kong tumbling yesterday. China’s top index, the CSI 300, tumbled 4.57 per cent yesterday, taking total losses for the year to date close to 20 per cent. [...]
UK bans export of luxury goods to Russia and introduces hiked import tariffs March 15, 2022 The UK has banned the export of luxury goods to Russia, including designer handbags and works of art. The Chancellor also outlined new import tariffs that will represent a 35 percentage point increase on current rates. The fresh tariffs will hit products like Russian vodka, fertiliser and steel. Products no longer allowed to be exported [...]
Virgin Wines battles shifting consumer habits as share earnings slip March 15, 2022 Virgin Wines earnings per share and pre-tax profit have stunted in the past six months, as the online wine retailer battles shifting consumer habits. With spiralling inflation and soaring energy prices, UK consumers are increasingly holding back splurging on non-necessities such as wine. The company, a subsidiary of the Virgin Group, earned an average of [...]
Office for National Statistics throws men’s suits out of inflation calculation basket and adds meat-free sausages March 14, 2022 The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has added meat-free sausages, sports bras and anti-bac wipes to the basket of goods its statisticians use to calculate price hikes. In its annual shake up of the basket, the ONS added 19 items to its Consumer Prices Index and threw out 15 items. Products to be added include [...]
Rishi Sunak urged to ‘turn wise words into action’ by FSB chair after small retailers feel ‘abandoned’ March 11, 2022 The chair of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has urged chancellor Rishi Sunak to “turn wise words into action”, after the vast majority of micro firms said they felt “abandoned” by his policies. As the cost of living crisis continues to bite for retailers and consumers alike, 2,000 independent retailers were surveyed through Not [...]