Comment & opinion – Page 514

Comment & Opinion

Above the argy-bargy

2011-01-20T00:00:00Z

Sometimes it’s better to rise above it. The unseemly spat over pricing between some of the UK’s largest supermarkets rolled on this week, with Tesco unveiling new press ads having a pop at Asda’s 10% price guarantee.

Comment & Opinion

The battle for Northern's soul

2011-01-19T00:00:00Z

The time has nearly run out for Ranjit Boparan to put up or shut up and clarify whether he intends to table a bid for Northern Foods.

Comment & Opinion

When good men do nothing

2011-01-18T00:00:00Z

They say evil prospers when good men do nothing. And by doing very little today, the coalition has managed to upset almost everybody. Retailers in England and Wales are to be banned from selling booze below the cost of duty plus VAT.

Comment & Opinion

Unhappy Mondays

2011-01-17T00:00:00Z

Today is Blue Monday. That’s the most depressing day of the year, if you believe ‘research’ paid for by online travel agents that want you to book some winter sun. Perhaps that explains the tetchiness in the weekend’s exchanges between Tesco and Asda over the latter’s 10% pledge.

Comment & Opinion

Careers File: If you're looking for an angel to help with your career, why not consider a coach?

2011-01-15T00:00:00Z

I read over the Christmas break that, according to a recent survey, one in three people in Britain believe in angels. There have certainly been a fair few occasions in my career when I have felt like someone was watching over me.

Comment & Opinion

Tales of Titania: Dioxin quiche and bondage buyers

2011-01-15T00:00:00Z

Karoline (with a K) loves a great big crisis. It means she can double our hourly charge-out rates, swan around like a proper 'consultant' and get the rest of us to do the actual work. So she's bitterly disappointed that none of our clients were...

Comment & Opinion

Terry Caton's Expert Advice: How to win in an austere new year

2011-01-15T00:00:00Z

Freezing winds, climbing taxes and shoppers feeling the pinch... but it’s not all bad news for c-store owners

Comment & Opinion

Listen to the eerie silence surrounding Asda’s Price Guarantee

2011-01-15T00:00:00Z

What took you so long? It was a strange way for Asda to respond after it was overtaken by Sainsbury’s in the Kantar Worldpanel data this week. But there was no shortage of strange responses.

Comment & Opinion

Thank you, Hugh, for fighting fish discards

2011-01-15T00:00:00Z

Sustainable policies must be backed by regulatory reform and a wider repertoire of seafood on sale, says Leendert den Hollander.

Comment & Opinion

Third Party: Obese UK must seize Swapathon opportunity

2011-01-15T00:00:00Z

The Change4Life initiative is a step in the right direction, but we need to do more to tackle the issue, says Sue Davies

Comment & Opinion

Second Opinion: Inflation is the big worry this year

2011-01-15T00:00:00Z

Retailers will push the promotional envelope to deliver value to shoppers, says Clive Black

Comment & Opinion

Ice, lemons and hot pork bellies

2011-01-13T00:00:00Z

Last weekend in the FA Cup there was the usual talk about bog-like lower-league pitches being “a great leveller”. Top clubs don’t fancy having lumps kicked out of them on swampy pitches, so there’s more chance of a giantkilling.

Comment & Opinion

Justin's cracking Christmas

2011-01-12T00:00:00Z

No wonder Justin King was looking so pleased with life at today’s 90-minute briefing in Holborn, attended by The Grocer’s newshounds.

Comment & Opinion

Bright Youngs things

2011-01-10T00:00:00Z

Hyperbole is without a doubt the worst crime any retail chief can commit. Well, perhaps that’s an exaggeration. Dalton Philips avoided too many verbal fireworks when he said Morrisons was “a nose ahead of the market” after reporting a solid, if unspectacular, 1% rise in like-for-likes for the Christmas period.

Comment & Opinion

Careers File: If 2010 was about recovery, 2011 should be on nurturing talent

2011-01-08T00:00:00Z

Wow, what a year 2010 turned out to be. After a very tough 2009, I was wondering what to expect and was struggling to keep my 'glass half full' outlook on things. Thankfully, in our sectors, things have turned out much better than anyone watching...

Comment & Opinion

Critical Eye... on the adult Blue Peter

2011-01-08T00:00:00Z

There's obviously demand for an adult version of Blue Peter as The One Show demonstrates (and shame on you if that wasn't what sprang to mind!). But when it comes to kids-style TV for grown-ups there's a fine line between success and failure and...

Comment & Opinion

Third Party: Make sure your lease is not anti-competitive

2011-01-08T00:00:00Z

Changes to competition law mean leases – and how they are handled – will face greater scrutiny, says Catriona Munro

Comment & Opinion

Editor's Comment: Nudges and swapathons won't change many lives

2011-01-08T00:00:00Z

The new year. A time for resolutions, rollbacks and, er, price hikes. Actually, the price hikes have not exactly kicked in thus far. While Starbucks and McDonald’s (along with utilities and rail services, of course) have been exposed for opportunist…

Comment & Opinion

Second Opinion: A lame case for the prosecution

2011-01-08T00:00:00Z

The BBC fell on its face trying to dig the dirt on cheap supermarket food, says Kevin Hawkins

Comment & Opinion

Saturday Essay: Tesco should face tough questions from the OFT

2011-01-08T00:00:00Z

Its acquisition of Mills shouldn’t be waved through simply because it plans to use One Stop name, says James Lowman