Can online favourite Ocado make a comeback, or will its share price sink lower? March 28, 2023 Ocado’s share price fell nearly six per cent in afternoon trade as the “magic” of the online retailer’s venture with Marks and Spencer did little to buoy the confidence of investors In its start of year trading update Ocado revealed that retail revenue grew slightly by 3.4 per cent, although a 7.5 per cent decrease [...]
Wave of dealmaking sees 123 UK firms taken over by private equity during pandemic May 25, 2021 The pandemic has acted as a catalyst for a wave of private equity takeovers of UK firms, with their value reaching their highest level since the financial crisis. While coronavirus initially triggered a slowdown in dealmaking, private equity houses gained momentum by the autumn with a string of high-profile and high-value deals. Some 123 UK [...]
Issa brothers’ EG Group acquires UK’s second-largest bakery business October 4, 2021 Petrol station forecourt giant EG Group has acquired the country’s second-largest bakery business, Cooplands The Issa brothers’ firm has acquired CS Food Group Holdings Limited, which operates a number of bakeries that produce and distribute fresh food to some 180 stores and cafes. The bakery business mostly operates across the north-east and Yorkshire regions and [...]
Supermarkets urge shoppers to keep masks on after 19 July July 15, 2021 Supermarkets are urging customers to continue wearing masks even after 19 July, when they will no longer be a legal requirement in England. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced that from Monday 19 July, dubbed ‘Freedom Day’, almost all pandemic restrictions will be lifted including the legal requirement to wear masks. Instead the public will [...]
UK hiring woes: Amazon lures new recruits with £1,000 joining bonus August 25, 2021 E-commerce giant Amazon is offering new warehouse recruits a £1,000 joining bonus as it looks to attracts staff amid a mounting hiring crisis. The group is advertising for “urgently needed” warehouse pickers and packers across the UK to help meet booming online shopping demand. Job ads on the Indeed website reveal it is offering to [...]
Poundland owner to create 13,000 jobs as it eyes online retail expansion July 23, 2021 The Pepco Group, which owns Poundland, has tabled plans to create 13,000 new jobs across Europe over the next three years. The discount group’s boss Andy Bond told Reuters that it is betting on shoppers flocking to less expensive stores amid pandemic-induced inflation. Unlike most retailers over the pandemic, the discount chain group has not [...]
M&S remains UK’s fastest growing supermarket catching up with Big Four grocers February 8, 2022 Marks & Spencer has maintained its position as UK’s fastest growing food retailer, market researcher NielsenIQ said today, indicating its turnaround plan is gaining momentum. It said M&S’s sales rose 12.3 per cent in the 12 weeks to January 29 year-on-year, giving it a market share of 3.6 per cent, up 0.4 percentage points on [...]
Asda rejects request to remove sack threat for thousands over compulsory contracts October 26, 2019 Asda has rejected a last-minute request from trade unions to remove the threat of dismal for thousands of staff if they fail to sign a compulsory contract by the end of next week. The GMB union has predicted that up to 12,000 of the more than 100,000 employee affected could lose their jobs because they [...]
December strikes: Who’s walking out when and how will it affect you? December 6, 2022 December is set to be a month blighted by industrial strife, with everyone from nurses and posties to train drivers and security staff to walk out. With inflation reaching a 41-year high at an eye-watering 11.1 per cent, thousands of workers have voted to down tools and ask for a real-term increase in pay. As [...]
Ocado allows employees to work from abroad for a month August 9, 2021 Ocado Group has announced its employees will be allowed to work remotely from a country of their choosing for up to a month. The online grocer’s Chief People Officer, Claire Ainscough, confirmed the policy in comments to The Times, stating that the company is still encouraging a return to the office. The news comes as [...]