Bird flu: Free-range egg rules could be scrapped to help UK farmers rival EU December 29, 2022 Eggs laid by hens kept indoors for months straight could be sold as free-range under a potential relaxing of rules. It comes as egg farmers in the UK have been battling the biggest avian flu outbreak on record, leading to fears of shortages. Under changes being looked at by ministers, there could be a relaxation [...]
Made.com customers will not see return of £12m in deposits for pricey furniture December 27, 2022 Tens of thousands of Made.com customers will be left out of pocket by a total of nearly £12m, according to the homeware firm’s administrators. The London-listed sofa seller collapsed this autumn after a consumer crunch caused sales to slow, resulting in hundreds of job losses. Now, a report by PwC administrators has revealed that more [...]
Boxing Day footfall bounce for retail as West End chief calls for recovery help December 27, 2022 Retail destinations across the country reaped the rewards of a Christmas without Covid restrictions as Boxing Day sales enticed shoppers out of their houses. However, business leaders noted footfall was still below 2019 levels and called on the government to help accelerate retail’s recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic as it grapples with an economic downturn. [...]
Former Chancellor George Osborne ‘disappointed’ by government delay on junk food advert ban December 27, 2022 Former Chancellor George Osborne has said he would extend a sugar levy and dubbed it “disappointing” that marketing restrictions on junk food have not yet been introduced. The former Tory politician said it was “very disappointing” that restrictions on advertising food products with high fat, sugar or salt (HFSS) contents have been delayed. A ban [...]
Currys, Asos and Sainsbury’s top retail stocks this Christmas December 23, 2022 For investors looking to give their portfolios a seasonal shake-up, CityA.M. takes a look at analysts’ selections of the retail stocks to keep a close eye on in the coming weeks. Analysts at Hargreaves Lansdown chose Currys, Asos and Sainsbury’s as the three retail stocks to watch this Christmas. It comes as retailers have been [...]
Strikes: Thousands of nurses to walk out again in January as ambulance strike date called off December 23, 2022 Nurses will once again walk out over pay next year while ambulance worker union heads have called off strike action scheduled for next week. Nurses will strike on 18 and 19 January and further dates will be confirmed next year, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has announced. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had “left us [...]
Border Force staff walk out at airports as Royal Mail workers back on strike December 23, 2022 The UK’s major airports will be hit with a walk-out of Border Force workers on Friday, as posties walk-out over pay again, causing disruption in the run up to Christmas. Members of the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union will walk out from Friday 23 December to 26 December as well as 28 December and [...]
Government ‘will not hesitate’ to ensure retailers give drivers fair fuel prices December 23, 2022 Fuel retailers have been threatened with state intervention over prices by the business secretary, who urged companies “to take any steps necessary” to ensure affordable prices for drivers. In a letter to retailers on Thursday, Grant Shapps said the government “will not hesitate to act to ensure competition is healthy and consumers get a fair [...]
Wagamama owner The Restaurant Group agrees £340m debt terms with lender December 22, 2022 The Restaurant Group has announced an amendment and extension of its debt facilities, with a revised £340m package. On Thursday, the owner of the Wagamama and Frankie & Benny’s brands said the new deal comprised of a £220m term loan facility and a £120m revolving credit facility with its existing lenders. The new terms represented [...]
Oil, pasta and tea see largest price rises as food inflation leaves poorest worst off December 22, 2022 Budget staple grocery products have shot up considerably in price this year, as new analysis shows the most vulnerable have been hardest hit by food inflation. Some 61 per cent of people in the most deprived areas are buying less food compared with last year, according to data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). [...]