Harding walks to TalkTalk December 15, 2009 DIDO Harding, the former Tesco executive who heads Sainsbury’s convenience stores, is to join TalkTalk as its chief executive when it demerges from Carphone Warehouse. TalkTalk will be Britain’s biggest residential broadband provider when it splits from the retail arm of Carphone Warehouse next year. Harding, who previously held management positions at Thomas Cook and [...]
Supermarkets score for both value and reputation December 15, 2009 In the highly-competitive world of supermarkets, there are two basic types of brand: those which are “cheap and cheerful”, which focus on low cost while maintaining reasonable quality; and those which cost more but make a feature of the higher quality products. These show up very clearly in the respective average BrandIndex scores from the [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING December 6, 2009 THE SUNDAYSThe Sunday TelegraphBRITISH GAS AIMS TO BECOME TOP INSURANCE PROVIDERBritish Gas is gearing up to become one of the UK’s top 10 insurance companies and the provider of choice to its 4.5m customers. The Centrica-owned utility has been granted approval by the FSA to underwrite its own household and warranty products and is in [...]
Tesco takes the gloves off as Christmas price war hots up December 6, 2009 Britain’s biggest retailer Tesco has launched its most aggressive Christmas discount drive, designed to blow its upmarket rivals out of the water. The supermarket giant is slashing the prices of more than 200 products in its Finest range in a bid to stop shoppers defecting to Waitrose and Marks & Spencer for luxury food treats. [...]
THE TIPSTER TESCO COMES UNDER SELLING PRESSURE December 6, 2009 THERE’S no doubting supermarket Tesco’s market dominance nor its ability to make billions of pounds worth of profit. But its share prices has come in for a little profit taking ahead of its third quarter sales, which are due tomorrow. From a technical point of a view, the chart suggests that a head and shoulders [...]
What to drink this Christmas December 6, 2009 Champagne As chosen by Esme Johnston, director of www.fromvineyardsdirect.comPerrier JouetBelle EpoqueCream and honey, brioche and lingering nutmeg notes make this special edition bubbly a delightful classic that’s wonderful with food or on its own. £86.95 at www.thedrinkshop.com Serge Mathieu Superb grower’s champagne, it’s nutty and golden with creamy richness and a light, punchy mousse. Great [...]
IT’LL BE ALRIGHT ON THE NIGHT: THE PITFALLS OF LIVE BUSINESS TELLY December 2, 2009 So the countdown is firmly underway; but unfortunately this one doesn’t include an advent calendar or any nice surprises at the end. Or even a man with a beard. I’m talking of course about the Pre Budget Report. The midnight oil may be burning at HM Treasury as they try to work out how to [...]
Top businesses urge Gordon Brown to fight for emissions cut in Copenhagen December 2, 2009 SOME of Britain’s biggest businesses are today urging the Prime Minister to fight for a global cut in carbon emissions at next week’s climate change negotiations in Copenhagen. The Prince of Wales’s Corporate Leaders Group on Climate Change – which includes firms such as Shell, Tesco and Unilever – will tonight present a communiqué endorsed [...]
Hung parliament would fuel UKcrisis November 30, 2009 IT was certainly impeccable timing. A note yesterday from Morgan Stanley predicting fiscal carnage in Britain in the event of a hung parliament was released just hours before a ComRes opinion poll revealed a slump in the Tory vote. The chances of no party gaining overall control of the House of Commons had suddenly increased; [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING November 30, 2009 FINANCIAL TIMES CARLYLE SUED OVER COLLAPSED FUNDA prominent Kuwaiti conglomerate is suing the Carlyle Group in a local court, alleging that the US private equity firm misrepresented the safety of its affiliate, Carlyle Capital Corp (CCC), a public debt fund that collapsed in 2008. The firm, National?Industries Group, invested $50m in CCC, which was marketed [...]