Morrisons and Tesco flag concerns over Sainsbury’s-Asda merger December 4, 2018 Morrisons and Tesco have added their voice to the growing chorus of retailers which have spoken out against the proposed £12bn merger between Asda and Sainsbury’s. Both grocers have this week brought into question Sainsbury’s planned takeover of rival Asda, which would see Britain’s second and third largest supermarkets overtake Tesco to the top spot. [...]
Voting with your wallet is the ultimate consumer power December 4, 2018 The Labour party leadership believes that income inequality is far too high. As socialists, they think of income as centrally distributed, like slices of cake at a birthday party. Top company executives have seen sharp increases in pay in recent decades, so in Labour’s view, that means less sponge and icing for workers. The cutter [...]
Tesco and Volkswagen team up to install electric car charging points at 600 supermarkets November 30, 2018 Tesco and Volkswagen are planning to install free electric car charging ports at 600 stores, the companies announced today. Over the next three years Britain’s largest supermarket will roll out more than 2,400 electric vehicle charging points at Tesco Extra and Superstore car parks, representing a 14 per cent increase in public charge bays across the [...]
A change is as good as a repeat in the supermarket Christmas ad run November 28, 2018 Retailers are continuing to battle for ad supremacy as we approach Christmas, but which brands in the supermarket sector have been most successful in grabbing viewers’ attention? YouGov brand tracking data indicates that Aldi currently has the highest level of Ad Awareness (whether someone has seen or hear an advert for a brand in the [...]
Tech outages at financial firms double as watchdog warns of data breach risk November 27, 2018 IT failures at financial institutions have more than doubled in the last year, the Financial Conduct Authority has revealed, as firms fight to update their legacy technology to keep apace with fintech startups. In the 12 months to October, the UK's financial firms reported a 138 per cent increase in technology outages to the FCA, as [...]
Shareholders yearn for retail chiefs like Swann November 22, 2018 It has been an annus horribilis for the high street. Closures, job cuts and profit warnings in the last 12 months have all thrown scrutiny on the industry – and its bosses – like never before. Which is why yesterday’s announced departure of SSP chief executive Kate Swann is all the more significant. Swann is [...]
CYBG operations chief Debbie Crosbie becomes the new CEO of TSB after the bank’s IT meltdown November 19, 2018 TSB has hired a banking veteran as its new chief executive, bringing its months-long search for the role to a close. Debbie Crosbie will join the challenger bank from Clydesdale Yorkshire Banking Group (CYBG), ending her tenure of 20 years at the financial services firm where she currently resides as chief operating officer. Rumoured candidates for the [...]
Cash machine ruling hits London councils with £60m rebate November 19, 2018 London councils are to cough up a hefty rebate to retailers following a recent court ruling that decided firms should not be liable for business rates on cash machines outside their stores. Nearly 2,400 supermarkets, small shops and petrol stations are set for a £60m windfall from London’s councils following a five-year legal dispute which [...]
Barber boom bucks high street struggles as demand for male hair grooming jumps November 18, 2018 A boom in barber shops is helping to revive the stricken high street, fuelled by the growing demand for hipster beards. Male hair grooming is now one of the fastest-growing retail sectors, as young men – especially workers in the City – care more than ever about the state of their face fuzz. The rise in [...]
Chewing the cud: Vegan startup Beyond Meat introduces plant-based burger to UK November 13, 2018 US plant-based food company Beyond Meat yesterday moved into the UK, bringing its vegan burgers to British supermarkets and restaurants. The Los Angeles-based business produces the plant-based Beyond Burger, which it says replicates the texture of meat while providing added nutritional benefits. The Beyond Burger went on sale yesterday at 350 Tesco branches across the country. [...]