Exclusive: Political turmoil causing ‘uncertainty’ and jeopardising rules reform, Starling boss warns July 11, 2022 The chief of digital bank Starling warned that political volatility was causing “uncertainty” for businesses today as she voiced concerns that the government’s business reform agenda could be blown off course. In comments shared exclusively with City A.M., Anne Boden, who founded the digital bank in 2014, warned the tumult of Boris Johnson’s resignation last [...]
Heritage campaigners and M&S roll up sleeves for public inquiry over Oxford St flagship store July 27, 2022 Heritage campaigners have started crowdfunding to battle Marks and Spencer’s plans to demolish its 1929 flagship Oxford St store this autumn. M&S hopes to demolish the Marble Arch building, which it says has “asbestos throughout,” to create a new 10-storey building, with office space and a gym. A two-week public inquiry in October will assess [...]
Food shortage: Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Lidl and Morrisons warn salad will not be on the menu for ‘a few weeks’ March 1, 2023 Brits are being advised to avoid salads for the next “few weeks” as supermarkets have kept restrictions in place on tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and lettuce. Reports of adverse weather conditions in the Mediterranean has forced Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Morrisons and Lidl into restricting the sale of produce. This comes after social media users took to [...]
Revenue soars at Ocado during lockdown July 14, 2020 Retail sales for the first half of 2020 for online grocer Ocado jumped 27 per cent to £1bn, as Brits did their supermarket shopping from home. The group reported a loss before tax of £40.6m in the six months to the end of May, citing an increase in investment to handle increased demand as a [...]
Egg farmers: Supermarkets must raise prices by 40p to avert sector crisis March 31, 2022 Egg farmers have called on supermarkets to up the price of a dozen eggs by 40p as producers face cost pressures. Many free range egg farmers are bleeding cash on every egg laid by one of their hens, according to the British Free Range Egg Producers Association (BFREPA). Shoppers in the UK were unable to [...]
City rumour mill grinds around possible mega private equity offer for Marks & Spencer November 22, 2021 As shoppers prepare for a black Friday spree, the bargain hunt for good value UK companies continues for private equity firms. The rumour mills are now grinding around a possible bid by Apollo Global Management for UK high street staple Marks & Spencer, sending shares 3 per cent higher in early trade. The New York-based private equity giant [...]
M&S declares war on Aldi over ‘obvious’ copy of Christmas gin December 16, 2021 Marks and Spencer has launched legal action against discount supermarket rival Aldi, over what it alleges is a copycat gin. Aldi’s ‘The Infusionist’ gold-flake gin liqueur range has been accused of copying M&S’ Light-Up Gin, in papers filed at the High Court earlier this month. M&S registered three varieties of its designs earlier this year, [...]
Zegna boss: The suit is not dead – but the tie is May 19, 2022 “Let me be clear – the suit is not dead. But the tie is!” That’s the view of Ermenegildo Zegna, CEO and chairman of the Italian luxury fashion house Zegna. Speaking at the Financial Times’ business of luxury conference on Thursday, Zegna said knitwear was the “new tie” and demand for luxury leisurewear continues to [...]
Architects call for public inquiry over plans to bulldoze ‘important’ M&S flagship Oxford St store May 19, 2022 A coalition of historians and architects have urged Michael Gove to hold a public inquiry into plans to bulldoze the Art Deco M&S flagship store on Oxford St. The supermarket hopes to demolish the iconic building, constructed in 1929, in order to create a new 10-storey building, with office space and a gym. Architects – [...]
Amazon bets on UK as Netflix slows down May 20, 2022 Amazon has invested more than £1bn in TV, movie and live sport content in the UK since 2018, with plans to pump even more cash into establishing itself as the go-to content provider for Brits.