Advertisers have a new audience to sell to: AI models August 12, 2025 For generations, advertisers have obsessed over how best to win the hearts and minds of consumers. But with people increasingly turning to their large language model of choice for product recommendations, the industry has a new audience to get its head around: artificial intelligence, writes Ali Lyon. David Ogilvy had four golden rules to help [...]
Elon Musk’s Tesla makes bid to power UK homes August 11, 2025 Elon Musk’s Tesla has applied for a licence to supply electricity to UK homes and businesses, in a move that could see the world’s most famous electric car brand take on Britain’s energy giants as soon as next year. The application was filed late last month by Tesla Energy Ventures, the Manchester-based energy subsidiary of [...]
John Lewis: Losses triple at retail giant’s property start-up August 11, 2025 Losses tripled at the property start-up owned by retail giant John Lewis during its latest financial year despite its income shooting up, it has been revealed. BTR (Operating) Limited has posted a pre-tax loss of £406,000 for the 12 months to 25 January, 2025, new accounts filed with Companies House show. The latest figure comes [...]
Iceland in the red as Rachel Reeves’ tax raid forces prices higher August 8, 2025 Iceland has warned it is being forced to increases prices because of Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ tax raids as the supermarket chain fell into the red. The Flintshire-headquartered said that while it is “doing our utmost” to offset increasing costs arising from last year’s Autumn Budget, it will “inevitably have to pass some of these on [...]
‘My boss knew I’d leave Freshfields from my first week in’: Nnamdi Emelifeonwu on setting up legal tech firm Definely August 7, 2025 Freshfields lawyer Nnamdi Emelifeonwu left law to set up legal tech firm Definely. He takes us through his career in Square Mile and Me.
Hawes & Curtis: Profit continues to fall at Dragons’ Den star’s brand August 4, 2025 Profit at Hawes & Curtis, the retailer owned by Dragons’ Den star Touker Suleyman, has shrunk for a second consecutive year despite rising sales. The London-headquartered fashion brand has posted a pre-tax profit of £3.7m for 2024, new accounts filed with Companies House show. That figure compares to the £4.7m it reported for 2023 and [...]
M&S cyberattack helps Next to beat expectations again July 31, 2025 High Street darling Next has said that good weather and the disruption to Marks & Spencer caused by its recent cyberattack has helped it to beat expectations yet again. The Lord Wolfson-run fashion group said full price sales were up over 10 per cent in the first half of this year, nearly £50m ahead of [...]
Rare Lionesses ‘Champions’ shirt almost gone as sales rocket 250 per cent July 29, 2025 Special Lionesses replica shirts commemorating their Women’s Euro 2025 victory have almost sold out as fans revel in Sunday’s historic win. The Nike kit, which costs £125 and is emblazoned with “Champions” and the number 25 on the back, only launched after England’s triumph over Spain. It is part of a range of new merchandise [...]
WH Smith sells Funky Pigeon brand for £24m in travel pivot July 29, 2025 WH Smith has sold its Funky Pigeon brand to Card Factory, as the retailer sheds legacy assets ahead of a pivot towards becoming a pared down travel retailer. The Bristol and Guernsey-based novelty greeting cards line was sold for £24m, with Card Factory looking to integrate its technology into its consumer business. Funky Pigeon’s sale [...]
Price of fresh food pushes up Brits’ supermarket bills July 29, 2025 Higher wholesale prices for meat and tea have pushed up grocery prices at UK supermarkets, with warnings of more inflation ahead. Food inflation increased to four per cent year-on-year in July, against growth of 3.7 per cent in June and above the three-month average of 3.5 per cent. Fresh food rose in price by 3.2 [...]