The financial A to Z of Scottish independence – CNBC Comment September 15, 2014 A new, independent Scotland might flummox a foreign visitor. So it’s lucky this financial A to Z has turned up – even if some say it’s a parody of the Better Together campaign. A: Alex – Scotland’s official unit of currency, though largely superseded by an informal bartering system, where one barrel of oil [...]
Danish discount retailer Netto teams up with Sainsbury’s in UK return June 20, 2014 Danish international discount grocery retailer Netto is returning to the UK, teaming up with Sainsbury's as the supermarket chain attempts to take on rivals Aldi and Lidl. This is an attempt by Sainsbury's to reposition itself, via Netto, to tackle the burgeoning discount store market that has grown rapidly in recent years and started [...]
Asda apologises for offensive mental patient Halloween costume September 26, 2013 Supermarket giant Asda has been forced to apologise after selling a "mental patient fancy dress" Halloween costume online. The costume, which included clothing, mock blood, a mask and imitation meat cleaver, has been withdrawn, following horrified reactions on Twitter. We removed the product from our website this afternoon but unfortunately the page may remain visible [...]
As Ocado posts a half-year profit, will the business now go from strength to strength? July 1, 2014 Jonathan Jackson, a partner and head of equities at Killik & Co, says Yes. Ocado offers a unique way to play the expected strong growth in the UK online grocery market. The group offers investors the potential to benefit from its industry-leading intellectual property, built up over 13 years of investment in technology, to more [...]
Why Richard Branson isn’t afraid to fail: Four Virgin businesses that didn’t work out September 9, 2014 It was only a year ago that Richard Branson was prancing around in a red kilt at the launch of Little Red, his domestic airline for the UK, which was designed to provide competition after British Airways owner International Airline Group acquired BMI. Since its launch, though, Little Red has been dogged by rumours [...]
Virgin on ridiculous: Four businesses showing how Richard Branson likes to “fail fast” September 8, 2014 It was only a year ago that Richard Branson was prancing around in a red kilt during the opening of Little Red, his domestic airline for the UK, which was designed to provide competition after British Airways owner International Airline Group acquired BMI. Since its launch, though, Little Red has been dogged by rumours [...]
Morrisons warns of discounters’ growing threat June 26, 2014 MORRISONS boss Dalton Philips warned yesterday that discounters could grow to as much as 25 per cent of the grocery market if supermarkets fail to “face the brutal reality” of the changes taking place and fight back. Speaking at the British Retail Consortium’s annual symposium, Philips said the threat posed to the UK’s big four [...]
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 [...]
London spending growing slowly April 23, 2014 Household spending is rising in every part of the country, but the high cost of living is holding down growth in spending power for London, according to research by Asda. The supermarket’s income tracker shows discretionary incomes are rising fastest in the north east of England, up by 5.5 per cent during the 12 months [...]
Morrisons and Tesco lose grip on market share and sales July 1, 2014 Morrisons and Tesco have both suffered another heavy fall in sales and market share in the last 12 weeks despite efforts to slash prices and win customers back into their stores. Data released yesterday from Kantar Worldpanel showed that overall grocery market grew by 2.8 per cent year-on-year in the 12 weeks to 22 June, [...]