Supply chain bottlenecks push shop prices higher September 1, 2021 Severe supply chain bottlenecks and persistent shortages of microchips drove shop prices higher over the last month, according to fresh figures published today. The British Retail Consortium’s latest shop price index shows shop prices climbed 0.4 per cent in August, up from a 0.5 per cent fall in prices in July. Logistics firms have struggled [...]
Inflation reaches 7 per cent as Brits fear cost of living crisis April 13, 2022 The Consumer Prices Index (CPI) rose seven per cent in the year to March, with Brits braced for sky-high price hikes across essential bills this spring. According to figures published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) today, the largest contributions to the increase came from motor fuels, with no large offsetting downward contributions. The [...]
High street bosses plead for crisis cash to help with dramatic energy bill hikes May 18, 2022 High street businesses have called for emergency help over skyrocketing energy bills, as bosses warn a cocktail of cost pressures threaten to subdue their pandemic recovery. Without government action, historic levels of inflation and dramatic energy bill rises pose a risk to the beauty sector’s recovery, the British Beauty Council has said. The industry group [...]
Top industry brass press Sunak on business rates overhaul October 14, 2021 The UK’s top business groups who represent over 9m workers are pressing Chancellor Rishi Sunak to overhaul the business rates regime. The Confederation of British Industry (CBI), alongside 41 trade associations acting on behalf of 261,000 businesses, have called on Sunak to reduce the burden of business rates on firms at this month’s budget to [...]
Policing minister and BRC say ignore call for ‘discretion’ prosecuting shoplifters May 19, 2022 The policing minister has urged officers not to let people off the hook if they steal food in order to feed their families amid a cost of living crisis. Kit Malthouse hit out at the “old-fashioned” thinking put forward by Andy Cooke, the new chief of HM Inspector of Constabulary, who said police should use [...]
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 [...]
Middle-class favourite Ocado leads FTSE 100 higher February 2, 2022 London markets climbed this morning as middle-class favourite and online supermarket Ocado leads the FTSE 100 higher. The capital’s premier FTSE 100 index added 0.47 per cent to reach 7,571.48 points, while the domestically-focused FTSE 250 index, which is more aligned with the health of the UK economy, gained 0.72 per cent to hit 22,327.31 [...]
Perfect storm of rising costs to hit retail return February 8, 2022 Total retail sales jumped 7.5 per cent during January compared to the same month in 2020. However, retail bosses have warned consumers and firms face a challenging few months ahead with a perfect storm of rising costs. Shoppers were less eager to buy non-food items in stores over the three months to January, compared to [...]
Moving markets: Five things shaping the FTSE 100 today January 30, 2024 Asian stocks stand firm in the wake of Wall Street's record highs, while oil prices surge amidst escalating Middle East tensions, shifting investor attention towards the Federal Reserve, Bank of England, and Q4 tech earnings.
Watchdog set to review fees charged by Visa and Mastercard June 21, 2022 The UK’s top payments regulator has set out plans for two wide ranging reviews of Visa and Mastercard’s operations in the UK today amid concerns over soaring card fees.