Watchdog censures Boohoo and Missguided over ‘sexual’ adverts October 16, 2019 The advertising watchdog has censured retailers Boohoo and Missguided over adverts that contained “offensive” and “socially irresponsible” sexual references. In an online video ad for women’s fashion brand Missguided, young women in swimwear were depicted in “seductive poses”, including one shown with a strawberry between her lips. Read more: Deliveroo astronaut ad banned over misleading [...]
Restaurant sector gloom takes a slice out of Pizza Express profit August 28, 2019 Pizza Express has fallen victim to the gloom which has enveloped the casual dining sector, with first half profits shrinking. The company blamed a drop in earnings of nearly one-tenth on “industry-wide cost pressures” in its key home market. Pizza Express, founded in 1965, runs 480 restaurants across Britain and 148 abroad in Asia and [...]
Burger King’s milkshake tweet ‘incited violence’, ad watchdog rules October 2, 2019 Burger King has been censured for inciting violence after the fast food chain promoted its milkshakes just days before a banana and salted caramel drink was launched at Nigel Farage. In May, a branch of rival McDonalds in Edinburgh halted sales of milkshakes and ice creams during a nearby political rally due to a string [...]
Takeway.com tells shareholder Delivery Hero to abstain on Just Eat vote October 28, 2019 Takeaway.com, the Dutch food delivery firm eyeing a merger with Just Eat, has asked investor Delivery Hero to abstain from voting on the deal. Prosus, which is the largest shareholder in Delivery Hero, last week tabled a £4.9bn rival takeover bid for Just Eat, sparking a bidding war with Takeaway.com. Read more: Just Eat gatecrasher [...]
Papa John’s shares sizzle after appointment of new chief August 27, 2019 Shares in Papa John’s have jumped six per cent, after the company hired the head of US restaurant chain Arby’s as its new chief executive. The world’s third largest pizza chain appointed Arby’s president Rob Lynch today, replacing Steve Ritchie just 19 months after he took the role. Read more: Sainsbury’s partners with Deliveroo on [...]
Just Eat backer leads $11m raise for City fintech August 15, 2019 Prolific tech investor Index Ventures has led an $11m (£9.2m) series A round for London fintech firm Flatfair. Other participating investors included Onefinestay founder Greg Marsh, former Savills boss Jeremy Helsby, Transferwise co-founder Taavet Hinrikus, Revolt Ventures and Adevinta. Index has previously backed the likes of Facebook, Skype and Just Eat, among others. Flatfair allows [...]
German and British scaleups go head-to-head in tech funding wars November 4, 2019 Tech scaleups in the UK and in Germany are leading the way for European late stage funding, locked in a battle to see which country will come out on top for 2019. The two nations have pulled ahead of the pack in terms of mega rounds — injections of €100m (£86.3m) or more — between [...]
Robot waiters, half the tables, and crossed fingers: How restaurants will reopen after UK lockdown ends May 2, 2020 Robot waiters, staff in masks and two metres between each table. This is what dining out could look like when the UK coronavirus lockdown is eased. At least, for the restaurants that manage to survive. Official government guidance on reopening has been limited so far. However, that could change soon as the Prime Minister said [...]
Top 10 Just Eat shareholder to vote against £9bn merger deal with Takeaway.com September 3, 2019 Just Eat’s proposed merger with Takeaway.com was dealt a setback this morning after a top 10 shareholder revealed it plans to vote against the tie-up. US asset manager Eminence Capital, which holds a 4.4 per cent stake in Just Eat, is set to oppose the British food delivery firm’s £9bn deal with Amsterdam-based rival Takeaway.com. [...]
£500m Future Fund launch mired by fears startups will miss out May 20, 2020 Future Fund, the government’s £500m answer to startups’ need for cash to survive coronavirus, is set to launch today – but risks freezing out a swathe of British firms, entrepreneurs and investors have warned. That many startups cannot yet demonstrate a turnover, and that they typically rely on equity investment for cash flow, excludes most [...]