Barclays’ Canary Wharf offices rocked by morning bomb scare May 1, 2014 STAFF at banks including Barclays and HSBC were briefly shut in their offices yesterday morning as a suspicious package was investigated in Canary Wharf. An area including the Waitrose supermarket was closed off by police at around 9am when police were called to Barclays’ headquarters, near Churchill Place. Officers sent in a robot to study [...]
Analysts predict price cuts at Sainsbury’s April 29, 2014 Analysts at Deutsche Bank issued a positive note on Sainbury’s today ahead of its full-year results next week, arguing that the supermarket group could be a relative winner in the sector compared to its rivals but warning that it will have to join them in slashing prices to stay ahead of the game. The [...]
City & Gild: How Tesco can make us fall back in love with its brand April 17, 2014 Tesco’s current strategy worries me enormously, especially off the back of a six per cent fall in profits. Chief executive Philip Clarke has confidently explained, “Tesco will be firmly established as a middle-market retailer, which offers low prices and good quality – all under one roof”. My translation of this is essentially, “we’re going to [...]
Let’s get cracking | Six of the best Easter eggs April 15, 2014 Fortnum & Mason’s hand decorated milk chocolate egg Billed as a “work of art in chocolate”, this oval marvel was hand-crafted in England. Available with a pink or blue ribbon, the egg is filled with chocolate treats. £39.95 fortnumandmason.com Harrod’s milk chocolate easter egg with dolly mix The deep groove detailing that runs down the [...]
Gimme 5 April 14, 2014 …STARTUPS CROWDFUNDING THIS MONTH Humble Grape Target: £250,000 for 15 per cent An existing and profitable wine merchant and events company raising funds to take the brand to the high street. Raised £308,000 via Seedrs Expires before 10 June Bikini Fling Target: £120,000 for 16 per cent Swimwear brand that enables customers to mix and [...]
The week in brief April 14, 2014 OMD awarded £21m UK Disney media account OMD has won Disney’s £21m UK media planning and buying account (part of a wider review into Disney’s business in Europe, the Middle East and Africa). Havas Media will be responsible for local markets in Benelux, France, Italy, Spain and Portugal. Disney’s EMEA incumbent agency Carat is contracted [...]
Big four grocers all lose ground to discounters April 9, 2014 BRITAIN’S four biggest supermarket groups all lost market share over the last three months to German discounters Aldi and Lidl, with Sainsbury’s suffering the biggest drop in market share in ten years. Sainsbury’s has until this month been the only one of the big four to resist the pressure of the discounters and hold onto [...]
Brand Index: Cheaper supermarket brands are outflanking Morrisons April 8, 2014 GERMAN discounters Aldi and Lidl continue to expand their reach in the UK at the expense of the so-called “big four” chains, with Aldi increasing its market share by more than a third. Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons have all experienced a decline in sales, though Asda has proved the most resilient and Morrisons has [...]
Big four grocers all lose ground to discounters April 8, 2014 BRITAIN’S four biggest supermarket groups all lost market share over the last three months to German discounters Aldi and Lidl, with Sainsbury’s suffering the biggest drop in market share in ten years. Sainsbury’s has until this month been the only one of the big four to resist the pressure of the discounters and hold onto [...]
How to be the envy of the golf club April 7, 2014 The new Mercedes C-Class has finally emerged from the shadow of its big brother, the S-Class THE battle for golf club car park supremacy remains alive and well. And this year, to trump your fellow members, you’re going to have to get one of these: the new Mercedes-Benz C-Class. It’s that simple. Emerging from the [...]