Watchdog finds no evidence of junk food ads targeted at children after ‘avatar’ sting June 6, 2019 The advertising watchdog has found no evidence of brands deliberately targeting junk food adverts at children online, but has still pledged to stop children from coming across ads for unhealthy food. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) today said it did not identify “any clear evidence” of brands trying to deliver ads for products high in [...]
Immigrants are building Britain’s fastest-growing businesses July 11, 2019 Too often, immigrants get a bad press. But we’re trying to change the narrative in today’s report Job Creators: The Immigrant Founders of Britain’s Fastest Growing Businesses. It reveals that – despite just 14 per cent of UK residents being foreign-born – 49 per cent of the UK’s fastest-growing businesses have at least one immigrant [...]
Joules lures in top Asda director as new chief executive May 8, 2019 Fashion group Joules has poached retail veteran Nick Jones to take over as chief executive, it announced this morning. A former top director at Marks & Spencer and Asda, Jones has spent 25 years working within the retail industry. Read more: Prime retail rents slip for embattled high street landlords After 15 years with M&S, latterly [...]
Ocado investors set to quiz boss Tim Steiner over M&S food delivery deal February 3, 2019 Ocado boss Tim Steiner will be in the spotlight this week as he delivers the firm’s annual results amid reports of a possible partnership with Marks & Spencer. The two companies are said to be in talks over a food delivery partnership that would see the retailer use Ocado’s warehouses and delivery lorries. Read more: Ocado [...]
John Lewis’ staff bonus has fallen again after a weak performance in 2017 March 8, 2018 The company which owns John Lewis and Waitrose has cut its staff bonus to five per cent of salary this year, after a disappointing performance in 2017. The bonus, which is given out to all staff of the John Lewis Partnership under its employee-owned model, was six per cent last year, down from 10 per [...]
M&S braced for fresh decline in profits as store closures continue May 19, 2019 Marks & Spencer is set to report a sharp decline in profits for the full year as it looks to beef up its online offering amid a raft of store closures. The high street stalwart is expected to post pre-tax profits of roughly £520m in its full-year results of Wednesday, a fall of 10 per cent on [...]
M&S’s FTSE exit is a symbol of its terminal decline September 6, 2019 Archie Norman, the Marks & Spencer chairman, put a brave face this week on the retailer’s demotion from the FTSE 100. Nothing to see here, he said: the business was exactly the same on the day after its relegation. Focusing on it was the reddest of herrings. In a sense, he is right – but [...]
Which Premiership clubs will be hardest hit by the Rugby World Cup? September 17, 2019 It is always a special occasion when Bath Rugby play Bristol Bears under the floodlights at Ashton Gate in a West Country derby, even more so when it is the opening fixture of a new Premiership season. On this occasion, however, there will be some notable differences. The Premiership’s opening weekend will take place later [...]
Why Ocado shares have been chased sharply higher July 9, 2019 A costly warehouse fire hasn’t dented enthusiasm for the shares. Our head of markets explains. Ocado (LSE:OCDO) transformation from online retailer to cutting-edge technology provider remains clear for all to see. The Andover fire in February was an unwelcome distraction and has come at a cost both in actual terms as well as in lost [...]
B&M to open 50 UK stores this year despite retail doom and gloom May 23, 2019 Discount retailer B&M said today it plans to open 50 shops this year, despite the wider gloom in the UK retail sector. B&M grew revenue 17 per cent to £3.4bn and profit before tax 8.7 per cent to £249.4m in the 52 weeks to 30 March. The company said it opened 44 new stores in the financial [...]