Fix lorry driver shortage by hiring furloughed workers, Kwarteng says August 28, 2021 The business secretary has written to firms telling them to hire UK-based workers facing an “uncertain future” to solve the current lorry driver shortage. In a letter to business leaders, Kwasi Kwarteng rejected calls to loosen immigration rules to fix the problem, which is causing shortages of certain food products. Instead of turning to overseas [...]
Higher food prices loom due to gigantic pay rises for drivers as shortfall swells to 100,000 August 27, 2021 Shoppers could face long-term higher prices for food as result of systemic changes to the supply chain, supermarkets chiefs and hauliers warned today. Bosses at the Road Haulage Association said the “substantial” pay rises offered by firms in need of new drivers could force supermarket bosses to pass the costs on to customers. Hauliers have [...]
Brexit disruption: Tesco chairman warns supermarket shelves could be empty at Christmas August 27, 2021 Supermarket shelves could be empty at Christmas due to food retailers grappling with severe Brexit-related supply chain issues, the chief of one of the UK’s largest supermarkets warned yesterday. John Allen, chairman of Tesco, told the BBC’s World at One programme that supermarkets are struggling to source stock ahead of the busy festive period as [...]
Seven million unemployed Brits not looking for work because they do not want a job August 27, 2021 Around seven million people in the UK who are unemployed are not looking for work because they do not want a job, according to official figures. Data from the Office for National Statistics shows of the 13m Brits who are not looking for work, over half said they were doing so because they did not [...]
Fulham man suspected of contaminating food at three supermarkets in West London August 27, 2021 A 37-year-old man has been charged with contaminating or interfering with goods with intent at three supermarkets in west London. Leoaai Elghareeb, of Crabtree Lane, Fulham, is due before Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday. Officers in forensic suits were seen in Fulham Palace Road yesterday at three stores – a Tesco Express, Little Waitrose and [...]
UK hiring woes: Amazon lures new recruits with £1,000 joining bonus August 25, 2021 E-commerce giant Amazon is offering new warehouse recruits a £1,000 joining bonus as it looks to attracts staff amid a mounting hiring crisis. The group is advertising for “urgently needed” warehouse pickers and packers across the UK to help meet booming online shopping demand. Job ads on the Indeed website reveal it is offering to [...]
WPP snaps up delivery tech firm Satalia in AI push August 23, 2021 WPP has snapped up a London-based tech firm specialising in home delivery services in a move that will boost the ad giant’s artificial intelligence offering. The FTSE media group today said it had acquired Satalia, which is one of the UK’s fastest-growing tech companies and serves major clients such as BT, Tesco and Unilever. Following [...]
Morrisons’ messy and dramatic takeover battle: Where are we now? August 20, 2021 Morrisons agreed a £7bn offer late last night in the latest twist in the UK supermarket chain’s dramatic takeover battle. Shares jumped this morning after investors digested the new deal from US private equity firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice (CD&R). It comes weeks after a rival bidder, a consortium led by private equity rival Fortress, [...]
Bidding war for Morrisons heats up as US private equity giant makes £7bn move August 20, 2021 A fresh £7bn bid for supermarket chain Morrisons has been put forward by US private equity firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice (CD&R). The deal has been unanimously accepted by the board of the grocer and directors have said shareholders should vote in favour of the takeover at a meeting due in early October. It means [...]
Extinction Rebellion: City of London to be next climate campaign target August 19, 2021 Environmental activists have said they will begin a fresh campaign next week in the heart of the capital’s financial district. The fortnight-long campaign targets the City of London, which Extinction Rebellion activists blame for stoking climate change with fossil fuel investment chains. Extinction Rebellion (XR) has regularly staged demonstrations across the UK – targeting banks [...]