Lidl leapfrogs Morrisons to become UK’s fifth-biggest supermarket Retail Lidl has soared past struggling Morrisons to become the UK’s fifth-biggest supermarket, as its heavy discounting gave the grocer an edge in the fiercely competitive market. The German grocer snatched an 8.6 per cent market share, powered by an 8.8 per cent uplift in sales across the last 12 weeks, according to data by Worldpanel. [...]
Intense discounting pushes food inflation to year low Retail Intense competition among UK supermarkets has pushed food inflation to its lowest level in a year, despite warnings that the Iran war will push up prices. Heavy discounting saw food inflation fall from 3.1 per cent last month to 2.7 per cent in May, according to data by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and NIQ. [...]
Morrisons blames Labour for closure of 100 lossmaking stores Retail Morrisons has taken aim at Labour policy for “significant cost increases” as it announced the closure of 100 lossmaking stores. The supermarket chain said on Thursday that it will close the 100 unprofitable Morrisons Daily convenience stores, in a move which could affect hundreds of jobs. Morrisons has faced steep debt costs following its £7bn [...]
Reeves food tariffs policy will ‘barely touch the sides’ on supermarket prices May 21, 2026 Food manufacturers and retailers have slammed Rachel Reeves’ cost of living measures, claiming the government’s loosening of food tariffs will do little to help supermarkets to cut prices. The Chancellor urged supermarkets to pass on savings from the stripped tariffs to shoppers “in full,” but retailers fear this measure will “barely touch the sides,” City [...]
Tesco boss Ken Murphy took £1m pay rise in grocer’s bumper year May 15, 2026 Ken Murphy, the boss of Tesco, took a more-than £1m pay rise this year, bringing his total pay packet to £10.8m in the year the grocer solidified its dominant position in the market. The chief executive of the supermarket giant’s total pay packet for the 2025/26 year included £1.5m in basic pay, a £3.4m bonus [...]
M&S eyes up Brits’ weekly shops as food arm set to expand May 15, 2026 Marks & Spencer has not been shy over its ambition to conquer the British weekly shop, and the retail giant is nearing a crucial update on its foray into the UK’s fiercely competitive grocery market. M&S Food accounts for more than half (54 per cent) of the retailer’s revenues, and its recent warehouse expansions suggest [...]
Who Gives a Crap: The toilet roll tycoon making a splash May 6, 2026 Simon Griffiths founded Who Gives a Crap toilet paper with the philanthropic aim of ensuring everyone has access to a clean toilet. He has raised £11m so far, but Griffiths tells Felix Armstrong that’s not nearly enough “I was always an entrepreneurial kid at school,” Simon Griffiths says, as he explains the complex process of [...]
Supermarkets round on Aldi and Lidl over ‘rigged’ system May 6, 2026 A host of leading British supermarkets have rounded on German discounters Aldi and Lidl over fears competition is being “distorted” by a “rigged” system. Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and Iceland are ramping up pressure on the competition watchdog to crack down on Aldi and Lidl’s ability to block rivals from opening new stores on nearby land. The [...]
‘Political choice’: Retailers urge government to act on rising costs May 6, 2026 Retailers have urged the government to cut tax and red tape to counter soaring energy costs caused by the Iran war. The British Retail Consortium (BRC), an industry trade body, has accused Labour of making a “political choice” not to cut energy taxes and delay costly regulation to avoid the worst shop inflation. The effective [...]
Blackstone, Saudi wealth fund collect £4m dividends from four Morrisons stores May 4, 2026 Private equity firm Blackstone and the Saudi sovereign wealth fund have handed themselves £4m in dividends from their ownership of four Morrisons supermarket buildings. The pair acquired the sites – in Maldon, Stockport, Harrogate and Newcastle – for £110m in 2023 as part of a sale and leaseback arrangement which saw the supermarket chain sell [...]