Hundreds of thousands of Brits receive mystery Amazon parcels in ‘brushing’ scam October 28, 2021 A scam known as “brushing” may have impacted up to 1m UK households after they received mystery Amazon parcels designed to boost the rankings of third party sellers. Consumer group Which? said it was concerned at the numbers of households reporting receiving a mystery Amazon package at their home address that they did not order [...]
John Lewis in hot water as “misleading” ad is pulled October 27, 2021 John Lewis was forced to apologise after it aired an ad that was considered potentially misleading by the financial watchdog. “This advert has been withdrawn because the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) considers the content to be potentially misleading and could cause customers to be confused about John Lewis’s new home contents insurance offering,” the department [...]
Was John Lewis’ home insurance ad dressed for success? October 27, 2021 John Lewis’ new home insurance ad – in which a small boy dances in a dress to Stevie Nicks’ Edge of Seventeen – has been described as “a glorious antidote to toxic ‘boys will be boys’ messaging” and “everything wrong with modern Britain”. Data from YouGov BrandIndex UK shows that the public were aware of [...]
Rishi Sunak’s Autumn Budget: A quick overview of what has been announced October 27, 2021 Downing in numbers and announcements? No worries, here are the main points from Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s Budget. – The Budget is focused on the “post-Covid” era, according to the Chancellor, and will pave the way for the “Prime Minister’s economy of higher wages, higher skills, and rising productivity”. – Independent forecaster the Office for Budget [...]
Budget 2021: Retail chiefs disappointed after no decision on online sales tax October 27, 2021 Retail bosses have said the Chancellor’s silence on an online sales tax in the Budget comes as “another blow” to the beleaguered high street. While Rishi Sunak did not mention the mooted sales tax at the dispatch box, the autumn budget and spending review stated ministers will “continue to explore the arguments for and against” [...]
Budget 2021: Hospitality and retail to get 50 per cent discount on business rates October 27, 2021 Chancellor Rishi Sunak has announced a one-year 50 per cent business rates discount for retail, hospitality and leisure sectors. Any eligible business in these sectors can claim a discount of up to 50 per cent up to a maximum of £110,000 – a business tax cut worth almost £1.7bn. Under reforms, system property valuations would [...]
Heineken sales lower than expected after Vietnam lockdown October 27, 2021 Brewing behemoth Heineken posted a steeper than expected decline in third-quarter beer sales after coronavirus restrictions in Vietnam. Lockdown measures slashed volumes in Vietnam, one of its top three markets, by more than half. The brewer said it sold 5.1 per cent less beer on a like-for-like basis than a year earlier, with Asia-Pacific sales [...]
JD Wetherspoon launches 99p pints despite sector warning of cost pressures October 27, 2021 Pub giant JD Wetherspoon has put 99p pints back on the menu as the pub sector battles rising costs. The operator said it would slash the prices on a range of drinks throughout November in a bid to lure post-lockdown drinkers back. Across its 671 pubs in England, JD Wetherspoon (JDW) will sell three alcoholic [...]
Watchdog approves £222m takeover of Hawthorn pubs by Admiral Taverns October 27, 2021 Admiral Tavern’s £222m acquisition of almost 700 pubs has been given the green light by the competition watchdog. However, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said Admiral Taverns and Hawthorn Leisure must tackle competition concerns in several local areas. The community pub operator said it understood the merger gives rise to a realistic prospect of [...]
Higher prices anticipated in approach to Christmas October 27, 2021 Retail bosses have warned once more that consumers will feel the pinch of price rises in the run up to Christmas. Consumer prices have been projected to rise up to 20 per cent over the next few weeks, according to the Salesforce Shopping Index. This is due to worker and raw material shortages. Food inflation [...]
