“Drastic Dave” Lewis is delivering at Tesco with £4.2bn sale of South Korean arm Homeplus to MBK September 7, 2015 Ever since Dave Lewis was appointed chief executive of Tesco last year, he has made strengthening the balance sheet a priority for the troubled retailer. Although Homeplus in South Korea was a profitable business, the focus has been on protecting Tesco’s UK market share in light of increasing competition from lower priced discounters, such as [...]
Co-operative Group says investments in its turnaround will hit full-year profits September 3, 2015 The Co-operative Group has warned full-year profits are likely to be lower than 2014 is ramps up investment as part of a radical overhaul of the business following one of the most turbulent periods in its history. The company, which operates everything from supermarkets to funerals, has been fighting to restore its fortunes following the [...]
Supermarket wars: Big Four in big trouble as Tesco, Asda and Morrisons register more declines August 25, 2015 Tesco is still struggling to shrug off competition from the discount supermarkets, as data released this morning reveals yet more declines. While consumer spend within the grocery sector rose 0.9 per cent for the 12 weeks to 16 August, at Tesco it dropped by the same proportion. The price of a comparable basket of [...]
Don’t fear low inflation: It’s great news for consumers while it lasts August 18, 2015 The latest retail figures in the UK showed good growth. Things are also looking up in the US and in much of the euro area. The world economy has settled into a period of steady growth with very little inflation in the major economies. Indeed, just yesterday, official figures revealed that consumer price index inflation [...]
How businesses are using crowdfunding in their CSR strategy: The evolving relationship between platforms and corporates August 13, 2015 Crowdfunding has democratised investing and made it more efficient. But the landscape has evolved significantly. Once dominated by platforms simply enabling people to make donations to causes, debt-based crowdfunding is now by far the largest subsector, and fashionable equity gets a lot of airtime. But despite less exposure these days, the original donation-based crowdfunding is [...]
Oxford so passe August 13, 2015 STUDENT satisfaction remains undented by higher fees, according to yesterday’s national survey, but more surprising are the unis making students happiest. Concerned your offspring didn’t get the right A-levels for international relations at Durham today? Don’t worry, topping the survey were lesser-known schools from Keele to Surrey. Oxbridge certainly seems to dominate the business landscape, [...]
Campari puts the Spritz into first-half profits August 5, 2015 The Italian group’s bright orange aperitif has become hugely popular in the UK in the past five years TAKE three parts Prosecco, a dash of soda and two parts Aperol. Pour that into a wine glass with a few chunks of ice and a slice of orange and there you have it: one of Italy’s [...]
Supermarket wars: Growth at Co-op Food for first time in a year, as Tesco and Asda decline yet again July 28, 2015 The Co-Operative supermarket is back in growth for the first time in a year, as Sainsbury's reclaims its second place position in the sector. The sector experienced slight growth for the 12 weeks to 19 July, with sales up 0.8 per cent year on year – though this was generally experienced by the smaller [...]
Moscow Mule trend lifts profits at UK drinks maker Fever-Tree July 27, 2015 Upmarket carbonated drinks producer Fever-Tree is toasting a fizzing set of financial results that have seen revenues climb 62 per cent since the firm floated in November. The firm, which produces soda mixers for alcoholic drinks, said yesterday that its revenue in the first six months of the year climbed to £24.1m, up 62 per [...]
There could be a pill that stops gluten intolerance in just three years July 23, 2015 For years, gluten intolerance has stopped millions of people enjoying some of the most delicious foods around, but scientists at the University of Alberta in Canada think they've found a way to treat the disorder. Read more: Sainsbury's, Waitrose and Asda recall “gluten free” products over fears they contain gluten They have created a [...]