Shares down as Tesco hits 10-year UK market share high amid festive boom Retail After a “strong Christmas” period, Tesco now anticipates its full-year adjusted operating profit will reach the upper end of its £2.9bn to £3.1bn forecast range. In its Q3 update, the FTSE 100 giant revealed its total group sales reached £24.9bn for the 19-week period. It was the Republic of Ireland that had a strong food [...]
Christmas grocery shopping hits fresh high while Brits make budget trimmings Retail Brits splashed out on groceries in the run-up to Christmas but watched their budgets more than ever, as own-brand products and cut-price veg caught the eyes of shoppers. Festive grocery sales increased by 3.8 per cent on the previous year, as Brits spent a record £13.8bn on Christmas supermarket shops amid moderately easing retail inflation [...]
Keir Starmer urges public to ‘reach out’ as he acknowledges cost-of-living struggle Politics Prime Minister Keir Starmer has acknowledged that many are “still struggling with the cost of living” in a Christmas message posted on Wednesday morning. He said “we should each do our bit” as he urged people to “call around to a neighbour, check in on a friend or a relative who you haven’t heard from [...]
Is Britain still a Christian country? December 24, 2025 Britain’s Christian-inspired identity – its heritage and traditions – should be promoted and celebrated, not cast aside by those who preach inclusivity but fail to practice it. Indeed, it could be the key to fostering a more stable, cohesive, and prosperous society, says Rakib Ehsan With a teacher being banned from working with children after telling [...]
Jump in winter sun breaks as wealthy Brits prioritise wellness December 23, 2025 Wealthy Brits are flocking to sunny hotspots abroad over the Christmas season with wellness among the top priorities for holidaymakers, fresh data has found. More than one in three (34 per cent) Britons say they plan to travel abroad this winter for a warmer escape, according to survey data compiled by Four Seasons, with almost [...]
Decluttering after Christmas? Tax expert clarifies rules for selling unwanted gifts on eBay and Vinted December 23, 2025 Not everyone is thrilled with their Christmas haul, after all, there are only so many novelty socks, scented candles, and mystery kitchen gadgets one household can handle before space starts to run out. Usually, as a result, apps like Vinted see a surge in activity around Christmas, with sellers hoping to offload unwanted gifts. [...]
Judge Dredd and the peculiarly British tradition of the Christmas special December 22, 2025 The sci-fi Christmas special is a unique window into British culture – where the joy of the season always meet despair and decline, says Will Cooling In his unofficial role as Donald Trump’s lead cheerleader-cum-adviser, Elon Musk welcomed the now withdrawn nomination of Matt Gaetz to be America’s next Attorney General by calling him the [...]
The history of Christmas dinner, from steamed sheep’s head to traditional turkey December 22, 2025 For me, Christmas is always about indulging, with a slap-up dinner at the heart of things. When most people think Christmas dinner, they think turkey, roast potatoes, Brussel sprouts, parsnips, pigs in blankets, stuffing, gravy, and cranberry sauce. For many, turkey is the centrepiece. December’s favourite dish has come a long way from humble origins [...]
What I have learned from eight years of sober Christmas December 22, 2025 The last time I had alcohol on Christmas Day was 2017, at the age of 40. This year will mark—excuse me while I count on my fingers—my eighth sober Christmas, enough to make a statistically valid sample. So I thought I would distill any wisdom I’ve gathered from the two slopes of the mountain into [...]
Smithfield Christmas Meat Auction: London’s oldest festive tradition returns December 19, 2025 One of London’s oldest festive trading traditions returns this Christmas Eve, as the gates at Smithfield Market’s Grade II listed Grand Avenue are set to open at 09:30, for the iconic Smithfield Christmas Meat Auction. The Auction began around a century ago, as traders prepared for their well-earned festive break and sold off excess supplies [...]