John Lewis considers slashing staff bonus as it warns on full-year profits January 10, 2019 John Lewis today said it may axe its staff bonus this year as it warned of falling profits, despite a rise in sales over the Christmas period. The department store saw sales increase 1.4 per cent to £2.2bn in the seven weeks to 5 January compared to the same period last year. Like-for-like sales at [...]
John Lewis enjoys sales boost after strong Christmas performance January 8, 2019 John Lewis has doubled down on a positive festive period after reporting double-figure sales growth over the last week. The department store chain said total sales for the week to 5 January were up 11.2 per cent on the same period last year, thanks to its post-Christmas clearance. The figures were driven by soaring menswear [...]
Telegraph hires Waitrose Food editor William Sitwell who resigned after vegan row January 3, 2019 The Telegraph has hired the former Waitrose Food magazine editor who stepped down after suggesting vegans should be force-fed meat, the company said today. William Sitwell, who resigned from the supermarket magazine after making comments about “killing vegans” in an email to a journalist, will join the Telegraph as a restaurant critic, writer and commentator. [...]
The fine line between banter and bullying December 20, 2018 Philip Green found himself under fire when he dismissed allegations of bullying and harassment as just “banter”. And while many of us might have considered former Waitrose magazine editor William Sitwell’s comments on vegans to a freelance writer as a quip, it eventually cost him his job. There is no doubt that a friendly working [...]
If you’re not into wine and beer, here are the Christmas spirits we think you should stock up on over the festive period December 19, 2018 Whether you’re looking for a gift, throwing a party, or fortifying yourself to spend time with your family, the festive period is a peak time for boozing. Here are some suggestions to get you in the Christmas spirits: Appleton Estate Rare Blend 12 Year Old Jamaica Rum Christmas and rum go together like pirates and rum. [...]
What goes with Christmas? Your festive dinner wine woes solved December 19, 2018 To paraphrase the famous French proverb, a Christmas dinner without wine is like a day without sunshine. A recent survey showed our average spend on a bottle for Christmas dinner increases by 45 per cent, and you can double that if it’s a gift. So it’s clear that we like to put a bit of [...]
Stop making millennials the butt of the joke if you want to market to them December 11, 2018 Millennials are one of the most maligned of any of the generational cohorts. When not branded as “snowflakes” or accused of indulging in too much self-care, they are routinely blamed for all manner of problems such as the death of the high street or falling interest in the package holiday. Of course brands – many [...]
Mixed bag for Britain’s grocers as market cools despite record Christmas spending forecasts December 11, 2018 Shoppers have been taking fewer trips to the supermarket in recent weeks after a bumper summer of demand, according to new data that suggests Britain's grocery sector has slowed to its lowest rate of growth in more than a year. Despite projections that spending this Christmas will break UK records, the supermarket sector grew at two [...]
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. [...]
Weekly sales slump at John Lewis ahead of crucial Christmas period November 20, 2018 John Lewis Partnership has suffered its second consecutive week of tumbling sales, in a downturn that the retailer will be hoping to reverse as it enters Black Friday and the Christmas shopping season. Britain’s largest department store chain said today that total sales in the week to 17 November had plunged 6.8 per cent year-on-year, [...]