Shop price inflation hits highest rate in more than a decade March 2, 2022 Shop price annual inflation surged to the highest rate since November 2011 last month, as households’ concerns about the cost of living increases. The rate hit 1.8 per cent in February, an increase from 1.5 per cent in January, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and NielsenIQ. Non-food inflation surged to 1.3 per cent [...]
Wilko reviewing management of financing ahead of vital Christmas season November 20, 2022 Discounter Wilko has said it has a strong relationship with lenders, amid newspaper reports that it is urgently attempting to secure a £30m cash injection. The high street chain was reported to be in emergency talks with alternative lenders over rescue cash, off the back of a dramatic leap in interest rates, according to The [...]
Will inflation ever fall back below 10 per cent? Yes, but we’ve been wrong before April 19, 2023 We find ourselves in the same situation again. UK inflation has topped the City and Bank of England’s expectations, hanging in the double digits in March at 10.1 per cent. The forecast was for it to slip to 9.8 per cent. Families and businesses will be forgiven for worrying whether it will ever fall back [...]
Sainsbury’s to pump tens of millions into its prices to offset inflation pressure on Brits August 31, 2022 Sainsbury’s said this morning the supermarket giant plans to invest £65m into its pricing next month amid ratcheting pressure on customers’ budgets. Simon Roberts, chief executive of the supermarket chain, promised the brand will stand with its customers “to ease the financial pressure they face”. The latest pricing pledge – which is part of wider [...]
Cost of living crunch: Grocery price inflation hits highest level in 13 years as households struggle to pay bills May 24, 2022 Grocery price inflation has now hit the highest level since May 2009, with almost a quarter of households saying they are struggling to make ends meet. Supermarket prices have risen seven per cent over the past four weeks, according to the latest grocery sales data published by Kantar this morning. Products to see the sharpest [...]
How Brits (and businesses) fell in love with the humble retail park September 20, 2023 On the outskirts of every bustling town and city lies the reliable, yet boring, retail park. But, as dull as they may be, retail parks are having their moment in the sun.
We shouldn’t be running out of tomatoes because we can’t sort out our supply chains May 5, 2023 Over the last month, bad weather in Europe and Northern Africa led to certain salad items being in short supply across the UK. Leading supermarkets, including Tesco’s, Morrisons, Aldi and Lidl all limited the number of tomatoes, peppers and lettuce that consumers can buy. Product shortages aren’t necessarily unusual, but since the pandemic, they have [...]
Salad Days: A run on grow bags and why Harry and Charlotte could help Brits see off food shortage, says RHS March 2, 2023 A shortage of fruit and vegetables in particular tomatoes, cucumber peppers and lettuce, is believed to be behind an increased interest in gardening. Brits have been being advised to avoid salads for the next “few weeks” as supermarkets have kept restrictions in place on tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and lettuce. The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) said [...]
Euro 2024 branding: There will be no escaping football fever this year May 28, 2024 Euro 2024 is not just about football on the pitch. Brands use this period of captive audience for their own benefit. Either way, as Daniel Sproul writes, there’s no escaping football fever. The summer of sport kicks off in earnest on 14 June with Euro 2024 – and brands across Europe and in the UK [...]
Supermarket sales slow over Easter as Brits start to cut back on grocery purchases May 4, 2022 Supermarket sales slowed last month as spending habits returned to normal after pandemic restrictions. Households are tightening their purse strings after the first tranche of higher bills hit budgets this spring while spending habits are also normalising after the easing of lockdown restrictions. Shoppers added slightly fewer items to their baskets over the last four [...]