Asda workers join supermarket strike action threats December 7, 2021 Asda workers have joined Tesco staff in threatening staff action over pay, with both supermarkets anxious to mitigate disruption for shoppers ahead of Christmas. Union GMB is balloting Asda workers over a potential strike after it described the supermarket as “not taking workers seriously” over pay despite “rampant” inflation. The ballot closes on 20 December, [...]
Central bank of Norway acquires stake in fast fashion firm Boohoo December 7, 2021 The central bank of Norway has acquired a 3.1 per cent stake in fast fashion retailer Boohoo, according to documents filed on the London Stock Exchange. Norges Bank is now the fifth largest institutional investor in the online retailer, following confirmation of the investment this week. Boohoo co-founder Mahmud Kamani is still the largest single [...]
Christmas comes early: November consumer spending up 16 per cent from pre-pandemic December 7, 2021 Consumer card spending grew 16 per cent in November compared to the same period in 2019, with early Christmas shopping giving a boost to retail, hospitality and leisure, according to new data from Barclaycard.
Cost of Christmas turkey rising fast as inflation pushes up food prices December 7, 2021 The cost of a typical turkey Christmas dinner has risen by 3.4 per cent as rocketing inflation pushes up food prices, according to new figures. Kantar said this morning that the average cost of a Christmas meal for four, with a frozen turkey and all the trimmings, is now £27.48. The figures show wider grocery [...]
Cigarette giant British American Tobacco lures more new vaping customers so far this year than all of 2020 December 7, 2021 Cigarette giant British American Tobacco (BAT) said this morning it has seen around 3.6m new customers start using its vaping, heated tobacco and oral products in the first nine months of this year, more than in all of 2020. The business said that its non-combustible products, which include those three types, had 17.1m customers at [...]
West End laments government Covid messaging as footfall falls flat December 7, 2021 The West End has bemoaned government messaging on Covid as it reported no uptick in footfall last week. New West End Company, which represents 600 brands in the area, said yesterday footfall was still down 30 per cent on pre-pandemic levels. Flat footfall was blamed on “the impact of Government messaging around Omicron,” and tube [...]
Thousands of Tesco distribution workers to strike before Christmas as unions warn of empty shelves December 6, 2021 Thousands of disgruntled Tesco distribution workers across the country are to strike in the run-up to Christmas. Up to 5,000 Tesco workers in the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (Usdaw) could take part in industrial action while some 1,200 workers in union Unite are also preparing to strike. Members of both unions are [...]
Sainsbury’s tells staff to delay Christmas parties until next year as UK Omicron cases top 300 December 6, 2021 Sainsbury’s staff have been asked to delay their Christmas get-togethers until next year amid fears of staff shortages. The request came following the return of mask rules to shops and public transport networks last week, following the arrival of new coronavirus variant Omicron in the UK. “We have asked all of our teams to postpone [...]
West End landlord points to new signings as proof of post-lockdown recovery December 6, 2021 West End landlord Shaftesbury has signed over 60 new retail and leisure brands since October 2020, in a vote of confidence for central London’s post-lockdown recovery Bosses said this interest highlights the speed of the West End’s recovery following the lifting of pandemic restrictions. Some 33 retail brands including American Eagle and Aerie have set [...]
$61bn push for supply chain control: Amazon builds 10,000 containers as it charters long-haul planes and private cargo ships December 6, 2021 E-commerce Amazon remains largely unaffected by the global supply chain crisis as it is increasingly taking control of the entire supply chain. The company is building its own containers, and has “quietly” been hiring long-haul planes as well as private cargo ships, according to a CNBC report this weekend. Its 53-foot containers are manufactured in [...]