Fuller’s toasts return to profit amid ‘fragile’ consumer confidence June 9, 2022 Pub chain Fuller’s is back in the black after posting an adjusted profit before tax of £7.2m, as the licensed trade recovers from the pandemic. In results for the year to 26 March, the pub operator saw profit back in growth after posting a £48.7m loss in 2021, when Covid lockdowns enforced the closure of [...]
The new landlord in town: John Lewis to build homes on two London Waitrose sites June 9, 2022 John Lewis is preparing to pitch itself to Londoners as an affable landlord, revealing plans for two rental developments at Waitrose sites in the city. The retailer set out early plans to for build to rent developments in Bromley and West Ealing in London, as well as a vacant John Lewis warehouse in Reading. The [...]
Amazon seizes more than three million counterfeit products as ecommerce giant cracks down on fraud June 8, 2022 Amazon has seized more than three million counterfeit products in the last year and referred more than 600 criminals for investigation as the tech firm tries to stamp out fraud. In its latest Brand Protection Report, the ecommerce giant revealed it has invested more than $900m and had more than 12,000 people—including machine learning scientists, software developers, and [...]
Govt declares war on smokers as Javid looks at ‘radical ways to create a smoke-free Britain’ June 8, 2022 The UK government is about to declare war on smoking as health officials are considering “radical ways” to reduce the number of smokers in England, Sajid Javid said today. But the Health Secretary would not be drawn on whether or not the Javed Khan review on smoking would recommend that the legal smoking age should [...]
WH Smith lures Admiral chief Annette Court as new chairwoman to replace Henry Staunton June 8, 2022 Retailer WH Smith has named Annette Court as its new chairwoman to replace Henry Staunton when he retires later in 2022 year after nine years in the post. Ms Court – currently chairwoman of insurer Admiral Group – will join the board as a non-executive director and chair-designate on September 1 before succeeding Mr Staunton [...]
Franco Manca owner says restaurants in office locations struggling to return to pre-Covid trade June 8, 2022 The owner of pizza chain Franco Manca has said its restaurants situated nearby office hubs “still have a way to go” with returning to pre-pandemic levels. However, Fulham Shore said that its small number of restaurants situated in worker hotspots were “showing continued improvement” as demand recovers after Covid lockdowns. Footfall was down 15 per [...]
Boots to freeze prices on own label essential beauty and health products June 8, 2022 High street chemist Boots has said it will freeze prices on more than 1,500 beauty and health products as consumers face a cost of living crunch this year. The company said it would lock prices on popular essential items until the end of the year. Items under the Boots own label lines will see price [...]
City Pub Group evaluates menu offering as increased headwinds hammer sector June 8, 2022 The City Pub Group’s sales have surged faster than predicted, with last month’s results slightly ahead of pre-pandemic levels. The pub operator said it was trying to mitigate historic cost inflation hitting the sector, with a “particular focus on labour scheduling to maximise sales and efficiency.” “Control of energy usage and procurement remains a key [...]
Zara owner Inditex’s profit up 80 per cent as shoppers stock up June 8, 2022 Zara owner Inditex has posted a bumper quarterly profit, while taking a hit of €216m after the temporary closure of its business in Ukraine and Russia. The Madrid-listed firm, which is the largest fashion company in the world, saw net income profit hit €760m in the first quarter of the year. It marked a decade-high [...]
‘Misleading’: Watchdog bans Tesco Plant Chef ads after lacking environmental evidence June 8, 2022 Adverts for Tesco’s plant-based burgers ‘Plant Chefs’ have been banned for its “misleading” claims about its environmental impact compared to meat. In October and November 2021, Tesco ran ads which featured a woman about to eat while hearing the words on TV about the benefits of the Tesco Plant Chef burger. “The planet is continuing [...]