Whisper it, but Marks & Spencer is becoming fashionable again
Groceries performed so strongly over Christmas, jumping 10pc from 2020 and up 12.4pc on pre-Covid levels, that it couldn’t resist a clear dig at rivals with a…
Farmers are collateral damage in supermarkets’ price war
Still, Lidl’s commitment to cheap silly knitwear and to undercutting the competition helps to underline a serious point about Britain’s new round of supermarket price wars. In…
If the Czech Sphinx plans to pounce on Sainsbury’s, now is the time
Vesa, for its part, has made some platitudes about how Sainsbury’s “strong brand” and well-located stores in the more prosperous south-east make it “an attractive long-term investment…
Sainsbury’s escalates Aldi price war amid ‘challenging’ year for shoppers
Sainsbury’s said annual profits would be £60m higher than predicted following better than expected food and sales over the festive period, boosted by record sales of champagne. …
Investors lose patience with Unilever’s ethical dilemma
Unilever’s pricing problem While the FTSE 100 firm has long said its values need not detract from growth, some analysts fear the corporate campaigning may be overshadowing…
Investment star Terry Smith attacks Unilever for ‘ludicrous’ focus on social and green issues
One of Britain’s best known investors has attacked Unilever for its “ludicrous” focus on sustainability, in a sign of growing City frustration at blue chip companies championing…
Festive sales at online retailer Very surpass pre-Covid levels
Strong demand for gaming consoles and Christmas decorations propelled festive sales above their pre-pandemic levels at the owner of Very.co.uk. The Very Group, which also runs the…
Farmers are no more than collateral damage in supermarkets’ price war
Still, Lidl’s commitment to cheap silly knitwear and to undercutting the competition helps to underline a serious point about Britain’s new round of supermarket price wars. In…
Architect of Boots takeover mulls new bid for chemist chain
The architect of Boots’ takeover deal in 2007 is mulling a new bid for the chemist chain as CVC Capital considers joining forces with Bain Capital. The…
Investment star Terry Smith attacks Unilever for ‘ludicrous’ focus on social and environmental issues
One of Britain’s best known investors has attacked Unilever for its “ludicrous” focus on sustainability, in a sign of growing City frustration at blue chip companies championing…
THG claims it was attacked by hedge funds
THG has handed over data to the financial regulator seeking to show it was at the centre of a coordinated attack from hedge funds and stockbrokers that…
Tory chairman Ben Elliot’s Quintessentially gears up for a sale
The luxury concierge service founded two decades ago by Tory chairman Ben Elliot is gearing up for a sale, a senior insider has said. Quintessentially is fielding…
Omicron grant is a ‘drop in the ocean’ for restaurants
An omicron grant scheme for businesses is a “drop in the ocean” that will fail to prevent a wave of corporate collapses, industry leaders warned on Thursday…
What’s Next? The year ahead in five unanswerable questions
Because of a combination of higher freight rates, increased manufacturing costs and UK wage inflation (exacerbated by an increase in the national living wage), Next expects to…
Joe Wicks-backed Gousto wins $100m investment
A meal-kits business backed by fitness guru Joe Wicks has been boosted by a $100m (£74m) injection from Japanese investment giant Softbank. Gousto, which was founded by…
Working from home creates new crisis for high street retailers
The gloomier picture was echoed by the British Chambers of Commerce, which released separate figures late on Wednesday showing that the UK’s economic recovery slowed in the…
The extraordinary survival of Next – the cockroach of the high street
Next (like the Duchess of Cambridge) will imminently celebrate its 40th birthday, and part of its success can be attributed to the fact it has been steadfastly…
Supermarkets face uncertain year after a bumper Christmas
Separately, analysts have questioned the likelihood of speedy grocery delivery apps providing huge competition ahead, despite securing hundreds of millions of pounds to aggressively expand internationally in…
‘I make a fortune buying up abandoned shipping containers’
He launched it from his bedroom at his parents’ house and had just £400 in his current account. Two years later, in 2021, the company’s turnover was…
New Selfridges owners plan hotel and apartments for Oxford Street store
Mr Berninghaus said Signa would also bring its expertise to the upgrade of the food hall, which offers items such as “pantry essentials” hampers for £120. “We…
Müller carves out farm shop delivery service in bid to rival Ocado
German yoghurt maker Müller is carving out its farm shop delivery service in a potential challenge to Ocado. Milk & More will become a standalone business in…
The charity turning ghost shops into art studios
The organisation has handled 35 leases during its first year, having placed fashion designers, a theatre collective, visual artists and poets in ghost units up and down…
A millennial’s take on how to save the high street
Things are quiet out there, on the high streets. Traditionally, this Twixmas week – that netherworld of food comas, plodding Scrabble games, terrible television and miserable walks…
My wish for the business world in 2022? More trust and less bureaucracy
Q: With a new year almost upon us, what do you think the business world should resolve to do in 2022? A: I have given myself three…
The charity giving turning ghost shops into art studios
The organisation has handled 35 leases during its first year, having placed fashion designers, a theatre collective, visual artists and poets in ghost units up and down…