UK household debt swells past £2 trillion for first time ever March 27, 2023 Family debt has swelled past £2 trillion for the first time ever in a sign Brits are whipping out their credit cards to fund spending amid the cost of living crunch, new research out today reveals. Household debt is now nearly the same size as the entire UK economy (£2.2 trillion) and has been pushed [...]
Poundland to open 25 UK stores this year as low-price giant exploits Brits’ hunger for cheaper products August 3, 2022 Poundland said this morning it plans to open and relocate 25 stores across the country in 2022. Ten new branches will be opened by the end of next month and 15 more before the year ends. The low-price retailer said it will primarily focus on high streets, retail parks, and neighbourhoods, with stores expected to [...]
Zara owner Inditex’s profit up 80 per cent as shoppers stock up June 8, 2022 Zara owner Inditex has posted a bumper quarterly profit, while taking a hit of €216m after the temporary closure of its business in Ukraine and Russia. The Madrid-listed firm, which is the largest fashion company in the world, saw net income profit hit €760m in the first quarter of the year. It marked a decade-high [...]
Are wages or profits to blame for the inflation crisis? July 26, 2023 A lot of energy has been wasted on finding the source of the near two-year long global inflation surge. It has resembled a cathartic process to help families and businesses come to terms with how damaging the cost of living crisis has been. First Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey drew scorn for demanding workers [...]
The American dream: Flutter upgrades US outlook with ‘no sign of slowdown’ November 9, 2022 The American dream continues for Flutter, as the betting giant boosts it revenue guidance for its US business Fanduel. The Paddy Power and Betfair owner told investors its third-quarter revenues rose 22 per cent year-on-year to £1.89bn, bolstered by a recent Italian acquisition and stateside success. US revenue surged 82 per cent to $700m, pushing [...]
Are men embarrassed to eat Coronation quiche? April 20, 2023 As the King’s Coronation looms, and with it, it’s signature quiche, Adam Bloodworth admits he’s one of many men embarrassed to order the eggy flan Who eats quiche? The egg based tart has a dry image, seen these days as the preserve of grandparents, academics, and people who can’t be bothered to make lunch. It’s [...]
Dragons’ Den star Levi Roots on Brixton being the ‘sauce’ of entrepreneurial spirit December 7, 2022 In Brixton, the “heartbeat of the community” is its market, Dragons’ Den star and the businessman behind Reggae Reggae sauce, Levi Roots, tells CityA.M. The south London district has been Roots’ home ever since he moved to the UK as a young child from Jamaica, so it’s no surprise it is close to his heart. [...]
American candy stores or retail hub? What might be next for Oxford Street March 19, 2023 It has been three years since the UK was plunged into its first-ever full scale lockdown – forcing the majority of stores in London’s West End to temporarily cease trading and arguably altering the state of physical retail forever. The pandemic forced once seemingly indestructible retailers such as Debenhams, Topshop, and Gap off Oxford Street, [...]
Artificial intelligence could turn human contact into a prerogative of the wealthy June 13, 2023 Artificial intelligence won't destroy our world, but will definitely change it. It could deepen inequalities in unforeseen ways - and human contact could fall victim to its progress, writes Phoebe Arslanagic-Wakefield
More trouble for Black Friday as DS Smith workers vote to strike November 7, 2022 Workers at packaging giant DS Smith voted in favour of strike action this afternoon, adding further pressure on the likes of Amazon in the run up to Christmas. The GMB union said that almost 1000 staff voted for action, adding that the move could have “serious implications” on household names like Amazon who rely on [...]