Waitrose plans expansion and 2,000 new jobs January 27, 2015 Waitrose announced plans yesterday to create 2,000 new jobs as the upmarket supermarket continues to expand its presence and grab a greater slice of the grocery market. The chain, owned by the John Lewis Partnership, will open 14 new stores from spring this year including seven Little Waitrose convenience stores and seven supermarkets, including one [...]
FTSE rises ahead of Osborne’s pre-poll Budget – London Report March 17, 2015 BRITAIN’S top share index edged higher yesterday to extend a recent rebound from last week’s lows, with gains coming in ahead of key policy announcements from the UK and the US. The FTSE 100 rose 0.5 per cent to 6,837.61 points, as shares of natural-resources producers ticked up and utilities pushed higher, led by a [...]
Lidl owner Schwarz Group to be biggest grocery retailer in western Europe by 2018 | City A.M. June 18, 2014 Schwarz Group, the owner of cut-price supermarket Lidl, is set to become the top grocery retailer in western Europe, with the German company likely to overtake current market leader French rival Carrefour by 2018 and perhaps as soon as the end of next year,a report released by Planet Retail yesterday claimed. With Schwarz Group only [...]
Asda sales drop as boss Andy Clarke admits “pace and scale of change exceeded expectations” February 19, 2015 The boss of Asda has warned that the retail sector is in “one of its most challenging and changeable periods in history” as the supermarket today posted a drop in sales in 2014. The figures Like-for-likes at Wal-mart owned Asda dropped one per cent in the 12 months to December 31, while fourth quarter figures [...]
Wetherspoons profits drop: Pub chain looks for new weapons in push against supermarket price war March 13, 2015 JD Wetherspoon could be a victim of the supermarket price war. To fight the discounters, the pub chain offers competitive prices for breakfasts and Lavazza coffees – of which it has already sells 50m cups a year- between certain hours. It also sells 24m breakfasts a year and hopes to triple the sales of both [...]
Tesco tells suppliers to cut prices as commodities slump February 8, 2015 Tesco has delivered a stern message to its suppliers: cut prices or your products could be taken off the shelves. The scandal-hit supermarket is still rebuilding its reputation following the revelation of ia £263m profit blackhole last year, yet an ongoing price war with discounters such as Aldi and Lidl has kept its [...]
Tesco: Here’s what the City and analysts are saying about record annual losses April 22, 2015 As the details of Tesco's losses and its turnaround plans sink in around the City, here's the initial take from analysts, business experts and even the man funding shareholder litigation against Tesco over the profit overstatement last year that triggered it all. Louise Cooper, CooperCity – "Tesco is like Miliband – it has two kitchen [...]
Standard & Poor’s cuts Tesco to junk January 14, 2015 Standard & Poor's (S&P) today downgraded Tesco to junk status, suggesting the ratings agency is unconvinced by the turnaround strategy unveiled by new chief executive Dave Lewis last week. The grocer's senior long-term credit rating was lowered to BB+ from BBB-. It is unlikely to go any lower than this however, with S&P saying the [...]
Mooove over Sainsbury’s: Waitrose claims its dairy farmers get the cream of milk prices January 26, 2015 Premium supermarket Waitrose has lifted the lid on its dairy practices following Sainsbury's attack ad last week, insisting it pays “a fair price” for its milk. The John Lewis Partnership-owned grocer was among those to appear on the naughty list of businesses that were accused of not supporting British fresh milk farmers. The [...]
Sainsbury’s axes 500 jobs as part of cost-cutting drive January 13, 2015 Sainsbury's has announced plans to axe 500 jobs as part of a cost-cutting exercise, as the UK supermarket battle continues to heat up. Sainsbury's, which is the UK's second largest supermarket, said the job cuts would be across "all divisions and grades in our store support centres". A consultation on the job losses will start [...]