Power steering March 9, 2014 What happens when Bernie Ecclestone leaves Formula One? HE IS one of Britain’s best-known chief executives, and over 40 years has transformed Formula One from an amateur pastime into a billion-pound business and the world’s most-watched annual sports series. Bernie Ecclestone has become a household name through his appearances on F1’s glitzy grid, and his [...]
Why Stagecoach is so successful in the US December 11, 2013 US MARKETS are often seen as the place British businesses go to die, which makes Stagecoach’s transatlantic success something of a surprise. The firm operates around 2,600 buses and coaches in the US and Canada, as well as offering commuter and school bus services. And while Stagecoach is already a key player in the UK, [...]
Britain’s four leading supermarkets lose share to discounters November 19, 2013 BRITAIN’S big four supermarkets have all lost market share for the first time on record while discount retailer Aldi claimed another record share, new data shows. Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda and Morrisons saw their sales growth dip below the market average of 3.2 per cent in the 12 weeks to 10 November, Kantar Worldpanel said yesterday. [...]
Maidstone Mums: The new Holy Grail December 1, 2013 RONNY Gottschlich, managing director of Lidl UK, described the discount retailer’s growing number of core shoppers as Maidstone Mums. “The Maidstone Mum is someone who probably previously would have thought, I can’t be seen in a Lidl store. Those Maidstone Mums are no longer afraid of being seen in a Lidl store,” he said. But [...]
Ashley scores in the weird world of business tiffs December 15, 2013 MIKE Ashley is not happy with Adidas, after the German sports company refused from next season to let Ashley’s retail giant Sports Direct sell its replica Chelsea kits – incidentally one of Sports Direct’s bestsellers. Ashley is understandably miffed, and it has even been suggested the billionaire plans to build a hostile stake in Adidas [...]
Tesco hit by broker claims that prices rising faster than rivals December 10, 2013 TESCO’S share price faltered yesterday after the group suffered another downgrade from a major broker amid concerns that it has lost its differentiation with its rivals. In a damning note published yesterday, Bernstein analysts said that Tesco has raised prices faster than any of its supermarket competitors since 2010, losing its value credentials along the [...]
Cranswick’s pork and bacon in demand as half-year profits rise November 25, 2013 PORK processor Cranswick posted a 16 per cent rise in pre-tax profits yesterday thanks to strong demand for its bacon and fresh pork. The FTSE 250 firm, which makes upmarket sausages, bacon, and cooked meats for supermarkets including Sainsbury’s and Tesco, reported pre-tax profits of £26.1m in the six months to 30 September, up from [...]
Burden on high streets is eased as rates capped December 5, 2013 BRITAIN’S struggling high streets were handed some relief yesterday after the government gave in to calls from industry leaders to cap the rise in business rates next year. George Osborne has cut the rise in rates, due to come into force next April, to two per cent instead of the planned 3.2 per cent rise [...]
Tower furnished with high hopes January 16, 2014 West London has a new sky-scraper. Designer Paul Dawson discusses his inspirations LAST month, interior designer Paul Dawson looked out over south west London from a building he had been building in his mind’s eye for nine years. Dawson and his 12-strong team at Honky Interiors, which caters for private clients as well as major [...]
Discounters grab market share from UK’s leading supermarkets October 22, 2013 SAINSBURY’S was the only one of the big four supermarkets to gain market share in the 12 weeks to 13 October as discounters continued to put pressure on Britain’s grocers, Data from Kantar Worldpanel out yesterday showed Aldi’s sales leapt by 31.7 per cent year-on-year, gaining record market share of 3.8 per cent against three [...]