Mouthwash, teabags and sausages latest examples of ‘shrinkflation’ – Which? January 20, 2024 Shrinking mouthwash bottles, fewer teabags and sausages with less pork are among downsized and downgraded supermarket products as manufacturers and retailers cut costs, a watchdog has found.
Federal Reserve and European Central Bank may back final rate rises this week, experts bet July 24, 2023 US Federal Reserve and European Central Bank officials could launch their final interest rate rises this week as inflation ebbs in their respective economic blocs, experts are betting. Members of the federal open market committee (FOMC) are on Wednesday tipped to raise borrowing costs 25 basis points to a range of 5.25 per cent and [...]
Shop visits increase as shoppers hunt for cheapest prices but sales growth lags July 8, 2022 Visits to shops have increased as shoppers hunt for the cheapest prices, however this has not translated into sales growth amid the cost of living crisis. According to data from the British Retail Consortium, UK footfall increased by two percentage points in June, versus the prior month. Shoppers were hunting for the best deals as [...]
Transport Strikes Hit London & The Hospitality Yet Again April 24, 2024 London’s hospitality sector, already reeling from a series of walkouts by ASLEF and TSSA members in April, faces further challenges with a new wave of proposed strikes in May. ASLEF train drivers across the UK have announced a rolling programme of strikes planned from 7th May to 9th May together with drivers not working overtime [...]
Retail sales slow as consumer confidence now lower than horsemeat scandal April 12, 2022 Retail sales slowed last month as consumer confidence has taken a hit as shoppers feel the bite of rising cost inflation. According to data from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and KPMG, sales increased by 3.1 per cent in March. This was worse than a three-month average growth of 6.9 per cent. What’s more, retail [...]
July washout drags retail sales down 1.2 per cent as supermarkets and high street hit August 18, 2023 July’s awful weather dragged down UK retail sales by 1.2 per cent, as supermarkets suffered the most from the washout with Brits not splashing cash on food and clothes. The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show retail sales volumes in July went down following a small rise of 0.6 in June, [...]
FTSE 100 today: London markets set for a cautious start following Wall Street slippage February 27, 2024 Asian markets echo Wall Street caution, with the dollar weakening and Bitcoin surpassing $57,000. Japan's core inflation declines. Investors await pivotal inflation data for market insights and investment decisions.
Settling rail dispute would have been cheaper than strikes, admits minister January 18, 2023 Rail minister Huw Merriman has admitted the government has lost more money due to the rail strikes’ impact than it would have if it had settled the dispute with unions months ago. “It’s actually ended up costing more than it would have if [the dispute] had been settled,” the minister told members of the Commons’ [...]
FCA warns providers of BNPL products about unregulated promotions August 19, 2022 The UK’s financial regulator has written to providers of Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) products and the British Retail Consortium warning about unregulated promotions. The Financial Conduct Authority outlined that products must comply with promotion rules, and some unauthorised firms may be breaking the law if their products aren’t backed up by an approved company. [...]
Brits race to snap up sunflower oil as shops place limits: Restaurants face shortage of cooking oil April 23, 2022 Supermarkets across the UK have placed limits on how much cooking oil customers can buy due to supply-chain problems caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Tesco is allowed three items per customer while Waitrose and Morrisons have placed limits of just two items each. The British Retail Consortium’s Tom Holder said the move was a [...]