Steve Farrell
Steve is deputy news editor at The Grocer.
He’s responsible for covering the discounters and retail property, and for commissioning and editing The Grocer’s analysis features. He has over 20 years' experience as a journalist, during which his by line has appeared regularly in a range of national newspapers.
Contact info
- Tel:
- 01293 846613
- Email:
- steve.farrell@thegrocer.co.uk
- Comment & Opinion
Aldi and Lidl have both copied Tony’s, but with very different reactions
Aldi’s Choco Changer and Lidl’s Way To Go bar both take a styling cue from Tony’s Chocolonely, the brand known for its ethical sourcing standards – but there is a key difference
- News
Media Bites 17 September: Oxford Street, remote working, Amazon, THG, Brexit checks
London’s Oxford Street is to be pedestrianised in a “major regeneration” plan announced by Sadiq Khan
- News
Aldi brings back chocolate bar meeting Tony’s Chocolonely’s ethical sourcing commitments
News of the return of Aldi’s Choco Changer bar comes days after The Grocer revealed Tony’s had hit out at Lidl over a copycat version of the ethical chocolate brand’s range
- News
Poundland draws ire of plastic campaigners with ‘collectable’ bags for life
The bags are one of Poundland’s bestselling lines, with 91 bought per minute, according to the retailer
- News
Tony’s Chocolonely slams Lidl over copycat bar that ‘doesn’t feel right’
Lidl’s Way To Go bar mimics Tony’s irregularly shaped sections, adopted by the ethical chocolate brand to represent inequality in cocoa sourcing
- Comment & Opinion
Aldi is sticking to ‘straightforward low pricing’… for now
Aldi UK & Ireland CEO Giles Hurley delivered a subtle change of tone on loyalty at its 2023 results press conference
- News
Aldi willing to invest in planning process at local authorities as it races to open new stores
The discounter is racing to open 23 stores by the end of the year
- News
M&S moves organic blueberries and chestnut mushrooms to recyclable packaging
The change is set to cut two million units of plastic in 12 months
- News
Poundstretcher holding 75%-off 'summer sale' and second weekend of £10 giveaways
The variety discounter said it was slashing the price of hundreds of products from this week
- News
Lidl shuts down its original customer app and switches users to loyalty version
The discounter is directing users to switch to its newer Lidl Plus loyalty app
- News
Aldi in planning reform talks with No 10
The discounter is offering investment to address “under-resourcing” in local authorities, which is holding up new stores
- Analysis & Features
What changes could the government be considering on business rates?
More than seven weeks on from being elected to government, Labour is yet to flesh out its plan to replace the current business rates system in England
- News
M&S in tricky talks with suppliers over UPF ingredients in Eat Well range
The challenge of removing ingredients is understood to be proving difficult in the context of wider ongoing debate over what UPF means and how important it is to public health outcomes
- News
Lidl middle aisle ‘mystery boxes’ sell out ‘almost immediately’
Lidl put 1,000 of the boxes on sale from 10am on Thursday 15 August, containing anything from ‘coffee machines to ukuleles’
- News
Lidl pitches its bakeries against Greggs in ad campaign
The discounter has been highlighting the savings customers can make by heading to its stores, with a newspaper ad comparing its 39p jam-filled doughnut with a 95p one from Greggs
- Analysis & Features
Can new Ocado pilot finally crack the code of refillable packaging?
Ocado is the latest retailer to take a stab at reusable packaging. Can it finally provide a route to scale where others have failed?
- News
The Range and Wilko owner appoints new head of property
Antony Darbyshire will be particularly responsible for the continued rollout of new Wilko stores
- News
Lidl becomes latest supermarket to quietly end reusable packaging in-store pilot
The pilot involved refill machines dispensing Formil detergent into pouches in stores in Swadlincote, Lichfield and Kingswinford
- News
Aldi calls on A-level students to apply for apprenticeship roles
The discounter is offering opportunities in stores, warehouses, and as HGV drivers
- News
Poundland cuts head office jobs after sales decline
About 60 jobs are believed to have entered a consultancy process across supply chain, finance, IT and property