UK small businesses gloomy about coronavirus and Brexit March 9, 2020 Worries over the impact of Brexit and coronavirus mean more than 70 per cent of the UK’s small and medium-sized businesses do not expect the country’s economy to grow during the rest of 2020, according to new survey data. The pessimism about growth means firms 57 per cent of firms are unlikely to invest in [...]
Boots Advantage Card payments blocked after cyber attack March 5, 2020 Boots Advantage Card has suffered a cyber attack, forcing the chemist to suspend payments using loyalty points. The cyber attack has affected around 140,000 customers, which Boots said represented less than one per cent of its online users. Scammers attempted to break into Boots Advantage Card accounts using passwords stolen from other websites, which can [...]
CMA warns firms against coronavirus rip-offs as face mask and hand sanitiser prices soar March 5, 2020 The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) today warned companies not to gouge customers during the coronavirus scare as prices for hand sanitiser and face masks rocket. The watchdog said it would look at evidence that companies may have broken competition or consumer protection law by charging excessive prices or making misleading claims about their products. [...]
A digital tax is no way to reward our innovative online retailers July 28, 2020 Throughout lockdown, the advantages — indeed, the essentiality — of online retail became clear. Now, Rishi Sunak is rumoured to be mulling over a new online sales tax. Advocates for this new tax, such as SportsDirect owner Mike Ashley and Tesco boss Dave Lewis, believe that the existing business rates system creates an uneven playing [...]
Tesco boss Dave Lewis tells court of ‘shock’ at discovery of accounts misstatement October 11, 2018 Tesco chief executive Dave Lewis told Southwark Crown Court today of his “genuine shock” at being presented with an internal memo detailing a £250m misstatement in the supermarket giant’s accounts. Lewis, a witness at the fraud trial of Tesco’s ex-managing director Chris Bush and ex-UK food commercial director John Scouler, said he was presented with [...]
Lidl crowned UK’s fastest growing supermarket March 3, 2020 Lidl was the fastest growing supermarket in the UK over the last 12 weeks, taking the crown from online grocer Ocado. The German discounter increased sales by 11.4 per cent in the 12 weeks to 24 February, becoming Britain’s fastest growing grocer for the first time since November 2017, as it opened its 800th store [...]
Former Tesco directors face court over roles in 2014 accounting scandal October 8, 2018 Two former Tesco directors faced allegations in court today that they manipulated figures that resulted in the supermarket chain's 2014 accounting scandal and a £2bn wipe-off of its share price. Christopher Bush, Tesco's former UK managing director, and ex-UK food commercial director John Scouler have each been charged with one count of fraud and false accounting. Former UK [...]
London economy’s post-election bounce continues March 9, 2020 London’s private sector grew strongly in February, survey data has shown, even as the coronavirus outbreak took its toll on tourism. The Natwest/IHS Markit London purchasing managers’ index posted 56 in February, down slightly from 56.5 in January but stronger than the long-run average. A score of above 50 indicates that the private sector expanded. [...]
Tesco set to launch discount store brand next week September 11, 2018 Supermarket chain Tesco is set to launch a new discount store format next week in a bid to compete with German rivals Aldi and Lidl. The UK's biggest supermarket advertised recruitment for retail assistants, customer service assistants and manager roles for a new store format in Chatteris, Cambridgeshire, earlier this year. Read more: Jamie Oliver joins up with Tesco with [...]
Tesco reveals budget supermarket chain, Jack’s, to rival Aldi and Lidl September 19, 2018 Tesco officially unveiled its new discount shopping brand today, called Jack’s. Named after Tesco’s founder, Jack Cohen, the budget brand will open between 10 and 15 stores across the UK over the next six months, with the first two set to open in Chatteris, Cambridgeshire and Immingham, Lincolnshire, tomorrow. Read more: Jamie Oliver joins up [...]