UK regulator to ban telecom providers from selling ‘locked’ smartphones October 27, 2020 Mobile phone operators across Britain will be banned from selling ‘locked’ handsets, UK telecoms regulator Ofcom announced this morning. Most of Britain’s largest providers, including BT/EE, Tesco Mobile and Vodafone, sell mobile devices that cannot be used on other networks unless they are unlocked, a potentially complicated process which often costs around £10. Ofcom has now [...]
Primark expects £1bn sales hit due to lockdown store closures January 14, 2021 Associated British Foods (ABF), the owner of Primark, said the closure of the budget fashion chain’s stores had cost the company £540m in lost sales so far, warning the total could reach £1bn due to ongoing restrictions. ABF said the loss of sales due to temporary store closures will cost the firm £1.05bn if they [...]
Morrisons bans mask flouters amid crackdown on Covid rulebreakers January 11, 2021 Morrisons has become the first British supermarket to enforce an immediate ban on customers who refuse to wear face coverings, as the Prime Minister today warned low lockdown compliance would lead to tougher restrictions. From today, shoppers who turn down masks offered by staff will be refused entry from Morrisons unless they are medically exempt. [...]
Kingfisher joins supermarkets in returning business rates relief December 7, 2020 DIY retailer Kingfisher has joined a list of retailers announcing plans to repay millions in business rates relief it received at the start of the pandemic. The FTSE 100 firm has announced it will pay back £130m in tax relief, pointing to strong sales since it reopened its UK stores in April amid high demand [...]
DEBATE: Is the Tesco boss right to call for slashed business rates and an online tax to save the high street? May 15, 2019 Is the Tesco boss right to call for slashed business rates and an online tax to save the high street? Robert Palmer, executive director of Tax Justice UK, says YES. Tesco’s Dave Lewis is right: the way we tax high street shops and online firms isn’t working. The tax system benefits companies like Amazon and Google, [...]
Talktalk worst performing broadband provider for customer satisfaction August 21, 2020 Talktalk was the worst performing broadband provider for customer satisfaction last year, according to the latest research by the UK telecoms watchdog. A survey by regulator Ofcom found that overall satisfaction levels among Talktalk customers were lower than average, with an approval rating of 78 per cent. Customers were also less satisfied than average with [...]
Accountants BDO to pay back millions in furlough cash after payout outcry December 13, 2020 Accountants BDO will return £4.1m in furlough cash after being subject to a barrage of criticism for paying out hefty profits to its partners. The Sunday Times reported that the company, which is one of the UK’s biggest accounting firms, would give back the money after paying its partners an average of £500,000. Managing partner [...]
Fizz is the fun we need: Your guide to sparkling wine October 6, 2021 After a year and a half of lockdown there is an undeniable thrill in leaving the living room. As we head into town to gossip once more by the water cooler, we deserve more of a celebration than an oat-milk latte clutched on the commute. Times like these call for sparkling wine, the true beverage [...]
Waitrose pledges to keep meat and fish counters open as rivals shutter services November 11, 2020 Waitrose has this morning pledged to keep its meat, fish and deli counters open, taking on the supermarkets that have shuttered the services to cut costs amid falling demand. The up-market grocer said it is committed to the long-term future of its food service counters, and is planning to expand its meat and fish range [...]
Private equity interest: Why is Morrisons such an attractive takeover target? June 21, 2021 Morrisons has rejected a £5.5bn takeover approach from a US private equity firm amid speculation that more UK supermarkets could be snapped up. Shares in Morrisons jumped earlier this morning following confirmation of the rejection at the weekend, as the chain said potential bidder Clayton, Dubilier & Rice “significantly undervalued” the grocer with its 230p-per-share [...]