John Lewis Partnership bonus scheme 2015: Three charts showing just how generous it is historically despite it being cut this year December 22, 2015 The bonus pot for staff working at Waitrose and middle England's favourite department store John Lewis has shrunk by 22 per cent compared to 2013, its largest cut in at least five years. Some 93,800 partners will share a total payout of £156.2m, the equivalent of 11 per cent of each person’s annual salary, or an additional [...]
How much tax do you have to pay on a partridge in a pear tree this Christmas? December 22, 2015 It's the question you all wanted to know the answer to. If you were going to give your true love a partridge in a pear tree, and the rest, what are the tax liabilities? How much would the taxman make, and are the gold rings deductible? Well, with the help of the Institute of Chartered [...]
The Mog effect? Sainsbury’s share price climbs as grocer outperforms Tesco, Asda and Morrisons as Kantar supermarket figures December 15, 2015 Could it be the Mog effect? Sainsbury's has beaten Tesco, Asda and Morrisons to become the best performing supermarket among the Big Four. In fact, Kantar Worldpanel figures show that Sainsbury's was the only grocer among the top spots to post a growth in sales for the 12 weeks to 6 December, up 1.2 per cent. Tesco and Asda had [...]
Waitrose targets 1,500 new jobs as part of store expansion plans December 13, 2015 Waitrose is ramping up its expansion with plans to launch 14 stores from the spring of next year, creating 1,500 jobs. The upmarket grocer said the new openings will include five supermarkets in towns such as Truro in Cornwall and Worcester in the Midlands. They also comprise of nine new little Waitrose convenience shops, one of [...]
What are the best companies to work for in the UK? Expedia, Hays and AKQA triumph ahead of Google and Goldman Sachs December 9, 2015 Move over Google. Its treats such as slides, sleep pods and snacks have failed to win over staff, and the mighty tech company has been toppled from its perch as the best company to work for in the UK while home grown firms climbed ahead. Flying to the top spot from number 25 last year was online travel [...]
How business can play its part in defeating poverty – and rebuild the public’s trust too December 8, 2015 A huge amount of study has been undertaken into the causes of poverty, and the routes out of it. Time and again, education comes out as the number one factor that can make the most difference to people’s futures over the longer term. It’s no secret that more children from poorer backgrounds struggle in school, [...]
Stocking up on Christmas booze? Marks & Spencer is the best supermarket for wine – while Morrisons comes second December 1, 2015 Marks & Spencer has retained its crown as the best supermarket wine retailer for the second year running – but if you're stocking up on Christmas booze, you could do a lot worse than head to Morrisons, which came second in the medal table at this year's International Wine Challenge (IWC). M&S came first in [...]
Where can I use Apple Pay in the UK? The A-Z of shops, restaurants and apps which will accept mobile payment with iPhone 6 and 6 Plus November 17, 2015 Apple launched its mobile payment service, Apple Pay, in the UK in its first mobile payment move beyond the US, capitalising on the boom in mobile and contactless payments among consumers. iPhone 6 and 6 Plus users can now pay with just the tap of a smartphone, or Apple Watch, across the high street and [...]
Out-going Waitrose boss to join Cabinet Office board as non-exec director November 9, 2015 Mark Price, the out-going managing director of up-market grocer Waitrose, is set to join the Cabinet Office board as a non-executive director. Price shocked the industry when he announced he would be stepping down from his role at Waitrose and deputy chairman of the John Lewis Partnership after 33 years with the company just last [...]
Christmas adverts 2015: John Lewis, Burberry, Duracell, Sky Movies and Asda are the most popular festive ads so far this year November 9, 2015 It's been just four days since John Lewis unveiled its festive advert for Christmas 2015 – but the department store chain is already head and shoulders in front of the competition when it comes to online impact. Tear-jerker quite possibly, but John Lewis' Man on the Moon advert has already been shared nearly 478,000 times [...]