The sour notes from the Sainsbury’s boss show that business must do better May 4, 2018 “We’re in the money.” Lyrics made famous by Ginger Rogers and 42nd Street, more recently appropriated by Sainsbury’s boss Mike Coupe in an unguarded off-mic moment at ITV. But whereas the musical focused on the travails of those trying to make it on Broadway in the depths of the Great Recession, for Coupe it came [...]
Asda offloads pensions in £4bn deal as it eyes stock market float October 17, 2019 Asda owner Walmart is said to have secured a deal to offload £4bn of the UK supermarket’s pension liabilities as it looks to clear the path for a potential stock market listing. Read more: Asda employees stage fresh protests over contract changes Walmart and Asda’s pension trustees have agreed a £3.8bn buy-in with specialist insurance [...]
Supermarkets prepare for bumper weekend during UK heatwave June 28, 2019 Supermarkets are preparing for bumper sales this weekend as shoppers stock up on rose wine, sun cream and barbecue food, with temperatures expected to soar during a UK heatwave. Londoners could bask in temperatures of up to 32 degrees tomorrow following a soggy start to the summer. Read more: Cold weather dampens May retail sales [...]
Lidl sales soar as big four supermarkets struggle November 12, 2019 Budget supermarket Lidl enjoyed soaring sales this autumn, as the big four grocers struggled to keep up with the German discount stores in the lead up to the crucial Christmas trading period. Lidl was the fastest growing bricks and mortar supermarket in the 12 weeks to 3 November with a sales increase of 8.8 per [...]
Lidl invests £15bn in British suppliers October 16, 2019 Lidl has announced a £15bn investment in its UK suppliers as it pledged to sell more British meat and fresh food. The German discount supermarket announced the five-year investment today as it marked 25 years operating in the UK. Read more: Lidl’s suppliers warned of EU tariff import costs As part of the announcement, the [...]
How would a potential merger affect Big Four supermarket giants Asda and Sainsbury’s? May 2, 2018 Earlier this week grocery giants Asda and Sainsbury’s sent shockwaves through the retail industry as they announced merger plans. If the proposal is successful, the new organisation could overtake Tesco as the UK’s largest retailer. There are some obstacles to clear before the merger is confirmed of course. The Competition and Markets Authority will have [...]
Buoyed by Sainsbury’s and BP gains, London’s FTSE 100 continues its rallying march May 1, 2018 The FTSE 100 is continuing its strong performance today, inching past yesterday’s 7545 highs to 7549 and extending its 10 per cent late-March reversal into May. The slip in sterling as well as a drop in UK manufacturing activity have helped buoy the London market, as have Sainsbury’s shares which have continued to rally in [...]
World High Life buys British cannabis firm Love Hemp September 23, 2019 Medical cannabis investment firm World High Life is set to buy British cannabis oil company Love Hemp in a £9m deal. World High Life is hoping the deal will help them weed out the competition and expand its UK and European business. The company also announced a share placing intended to raise up to £5m. [...]
Unilever pledges to cut plastic use in half October 7, 2019 Unilever has pledged to halve the amount of new plastic it uses over the next five years by increasing its efforts in producing reusable and recyclable packaging. The consumer goods giant, which owns brands such as Dove and Ben & Jerry’s, said it will reduce its use of plastic packaging by more than 100,000 tonnes [...]
Mike Coupe is yet to convince the City that he has a Plan B for Sainsbury’s July 3, 2019 It has been several months since the Mike Coupe dream of a merger with Asda was dealt a lethal blow from Britain’s competition watchdog. But how much has the embattled chief executive changed his tune? Not enough, it would seem, to quell anxiety among investors. Shares in the supermarket giant failed to pick up today [...]