Soaring inflation forces Brits to tighten belts on groceries as summer clothes, DIY and fuel sales pick up June 23, 2023 Brits are still splashing the cash amid soaring inflation, with retail sales estimated to have increased by 0.3 per cent last month off the back of non-food splurging. The main driver of sales was online, with non-store selling volumes up by 2.3 per cent, while food store sales were down by half of one per [...]
Scrapping ban on two-for-one junk food deals would be ‘unforgivable’ despite cost of living crisis June 17, 2023 Scrapping a planned anti-obesity policy banning two-for-one junk food deals would be “unforgivable”, health campaigners have warned, after the Government delayed the measure beyond the next election. TV doctor Chris van Tulleken branded suggestions the “light-touch” regulation would restrict consumer choice “ludicrous” following No 10’s announcement it had been shelved amid concerns about the cost-of-living [...]
Tesco: ‘Encouraging signs inflation is starting to ease’ as quarterly revenue tops £14.8bn June 16, 2023 Britain’s biggest supermarket Tesco has reported a nine per cent increase in UK sales, with its new chief executive saying there are “encouraging early signs that inflation is starting to ease”. Tesco said it reported £13bn in sales across the UK and Republic of Ireland, up almost nine per cent on the previous quarter. In [...]
Where to celebrate English Wine Week in London, from tours to tastings June 14, 2023 As a UK-based wine lover, one of the most important weeks is nearly upon us: English Wine Week. England has always been one of the most important wine markets in the world, flooded with wines from every grape growing country, but 17-25 June is the time for our own produce to shine. At the recent [...]
Burnt Faith: A cool new brandy distillery in Walthamstow June 13, 2023 When you imagine a Cognac distillery – if you imagine one at all – it’s probably a bucolic scene set around the rolling vineyards of the French countryside. It is almost certainly not a commercial estate in Walthamstow. But thanks to Burnt Faith, that’s exactly what you can now find at the rapidly-expanding Blackhorse Road [...]
The Notebook: Globalisation, vertical farming and indy cafes June 8, 2023 The Notebook is where interesting people say interesting things. Today it’s Edwin Morgan from vertical farmers Harvest London. Globalisation, as we once knew it, is dead”, the shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves boldly proclaimed to an audience in Washington last week. The speech was as much about keeping Labour in the news as it was a [...]
Exclusive: Tao Group to open its first UK venture at new Marylebone hotel June 6, 2023 Hakkasan owner Tao Group Hospitality will launch its first new UK restaurant at the new The BoTree hotel in Marylebone, which is set to open its doors this summer. The hospitality offering will include flagship restaurant Lavo, which will serve “coastal Italian fare” as well as a more casual dining option and bars. New York-based [...]
Nobu Shoreditch is back, now with ultra-chic new rooftop rooms June 5, 2023 The weekend: Like most London hotels, Nobu Hotel London Shoreditch was forced close in March 2020, due to the pandemic. It reopened some two years later, having taken advantage of its time out of the spotlight to upgrade its offering. Found in a quiet street in what is London’s most creative corner, just off Great [...]
Retailers urge rethink on net zero ‘grocery tax’ as public blame Brexit for rising costs June 4, 2023 Top retailers have urged the government to rethink plans for green levies to fund the recycling of food packaging in a bid to avoid a further rise in spiralling food costs. The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has warned the scheme, dubbed the ‘net zero grocery tax’, could push up shopping bills by up to £4bn [...]
Deliveroo, Just Eat, Amazon and Uber: Delivery apps charging DOUBLE for supermarket groceries, says Which? June 3, 2023 Ordering supermarket groceries via a delivery app such as Deliveroo, Just Eat or Uber Eats could cost twice the price of buying directly from the same store, according to Which? Meanwhile, Amazon is charging up to 45 per cent more for Morrisons products than if they were bought from the supermarket’s own website, the consumer [...]