The good, the bad, and the orange: In search of the perfect 2020 Christmas ad November 24, 2020 To call 2020 a “garbage fire” of a year would not be unfair. This year has turned people’s worlds upside-down in so many ways. But at least a few things remain a constant presence in life — one of which is the return of the blockbuster Christmas TV advert. While the advertising budgets look a [...]
Whole Foods was Amazon’s grocery debut, now it’s time for a main course November 11, 2021 Amazon took its first major step into grocery when it bought Whole Foods Market in 2017 for $13.7bn. The purchase sent shockwaves through the retail world at the time. It marked Amazon’s first step into brick-and-mortar retail and analysts interpreted the move as an effort to muscle in on the supermarket sector. But Amazon’s Whole [...]
UK supermarket chiefs call for online sales tax on firms like Amazon February 8, 2021 Some of the UK’s largest retailers, including Tesco and Asda, have called for Rishi Sunak to “rebalance the tax base” between online and bricks and mortar retail in an apparent push for a new digital sales levy on firms like Amazon. In a letter to Sunak, 18 chief executives and union bosses said “online retailers [...]
Plus-size fashion retailer N Brown reshuffles board amid chairman’s exit February 25, 2021 N Brown, the plus-size fashion retailer, announced this morning that its chairman will step down to focus on his other business activities. The firm, which owns Simply Be and Jacamo, said Matt Davies will leave the group from 31 March and will be replaced by Ron McMillan, who will subsequently give up his senior independent [...]
Premier League deal: Fast-growing sportswear brand owned by Andy Murray signs up Wolverhampton Wanderers May 21, 2021 Fast-growing UK sportswear brand Castore, which is part owned by Sir Andy Murray, has agreed its first kit deal with a Premier League club. The company will now supply Wolverhampton Wanderers in a multi-year partnership thought to be worth several million pounds. It comes less than a week after it was disclosed that the Liverpool-based [...]
RAC accuses petrol retailers of taking ‘drivers for a ride’ as prices rise despite plummeting wholesale costs December 3, 2021 RAC slammed petrol retailers today for raising prices in November despite plummeting wholesale costs on both major oil benchmarks.
WPP buys Brazilian software engineering firm DTI Digital February 10, 2021 Creative transformation company WPP has acquired DTI Digital, a leading digital innovation and software engineering firm. DTI’s digital services help clients become more connected to their customers, through the development of support systems such as data collection software. The Brazilian company scales up its expert development teams in response to client needs, comprising more than [...]
High street burns, but Issa brothers mull a fiddle with Nero December 20, 2020 Asda owners EG Group are offering to fund a legal challenge against Caffe Nero over its controversial rescue deal, it was reported today. The Group, owned by the petrol station tycoons the Issa Brothers, has hired lawyers as well as property agents Christie’s and CWM as part of an effort to overturn the coffee chain’s [...]
Domestic M&A retreats in first quarter after dealmaking wave at the end of 2020 June 8, 2021 Domestic UK M&A fell in the first quarter of 2021 after a flurry of dealmaking towards the end of 2020. During the first quarter, domestic M&A – where UK companies acquire other UK companies – was worth £3.8bn, a decrease of £5.3bn from the previous quarter last year, according to figures published by the Office [...]
Lockdown sparks more leave and paid benefits for some working parents July 2, 2021 Lockdown sparks more leave and paid benefits for some working parents