John Lewis, Sainsbury’s, or M&S? Whose Christmas ad was best this year November 20, 2018 So this is Christmas. And what have you done? Another year over, and the festive ads just begun. Yes, ’tis the season for brands to splash the cash on fancy holiday-themed adverts in hope of attracting that sweet Christmas shopping revenue. Retailer John Lewis has been the reigning champion of the season for the past [...]
Iceland’s banned palm oil advert could win over middle class shoppers as supermarkets prepare for Christmas November 13, 2018 Iceland could get a shot in the arm from its banned Christmas advert by appealing to middle class shoppers, according to consumer research firm Kantar Worldpanel. The supermarket's advert, which caused a storm on social media when it was deemed “too political” to be aired by Clearcast, could be exactly what the store needs to reach out to [...]
Bacon producer Finnebrogue urges Liam Fox to fry export regulations on ‘bonfire of red tape’ November 9, 2018 The head of one of Britain’s main sausage and bacon makers has called on the government to boost exports by cutting back cumbersome regulations. Denis Lynn said he is still waiting for approval to export Finnebrogue’s new nitrate-free bacon, six months after applying to the Food Standards Agency. He said a “bonfire of red tape” would [...]
Sainsbury’s and Asda merger could cut hole in shoppers’ pockets, Waitrose warns November 8, 2018 The proposed merger of Asda and Sainsbury’s will cause substantial harm to customers, rival chain Waitrose warned today. It said the merger could force independent retailers to close in the face of competition from the new giant, leaving shoppers with fewer alternatives, while prices could rise. In comments to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which [...]
John Lewis chairman announces departure after 99 per cent profit drop November 7, 2018 The chairman of John Lewis will step down in 2020 after the store has found his replacement. Sir Charlie Mayfield decided to leave just two months after blaming Brexit for a 99 per cent drop in half-year profits. The company said it has modernised its selection process, and the new chairman will be announced in the second half [...]
Waitrose’s vegan row shows that we’ve all forgotten how to laugh November 2, 2018 I’ve heard it said – often by advocates of social justice campaigns like the #MeToo movement – that we should have little sympathy for people who don’t know what behaviour is on the right or wrong side of the line. Men, for example, have no need to be fearful in a #MeToo world as long [...]
Waitrose magazine vegan row editor resigns October 31, 2018 The editor of the Waitrose Food magazine has resigned with immediate effect after an email he sent suggesting a series on killing vegans was leaked. William Sitwell is standing down with immediate effect after his response to a pitch from freelance journalist Selene Nelson generated a storm of controversy after it was published online. Sitwell [...]
Ranked: Sports Direct tops poll of UK’s most loathed brands October 23, 2018 House of Fraser owner Sports Direct is the UK’s most loathed brand, according to consumer finance website Money Saving Expert. However, billionaire Mike Ashley's bottom-placed retail giant may have been hurt by a social media campaign against the company, admitted the website, which asked 7,600 readers to rank 52 household name brands. Read more: Mike [...]
‘Waitrose of the north’ posts £2.2m sales loss amid trading pressures October 15, 2018 Booths, the Lancashire-based supermarket chain dubbed “the Waitrose of the north” for its focus on high-quality food, posted a £2.2m loss on sales but cut its overall losses in half, its latest results revealed. The family-owned-and-operated supermarket, which has 28 stores across Lancashire, Yorkshire, Cumbria, Cheshire and Greater Manchester, saw its losses before taxation fall [...]
Waitrose trials ‘in-home’ delivery service while you’re at work October 5, 2018 Waitrose is testing out a new service where it will put away your food shopping for you while you're out, enabling more customers to receive home deliveries during the work week. Using smart lock technology, customers will be able to grant access to Waitorise drivers by setting a temporary passcode which is then deleted once the [...]