All comment & opinion articles – Page 485

Comment & Opinion

Editor's Comment: Decline of Mars is more about the whisper than the Wispa

2011-03-12T00:00:00Z

In January last year, Mars announced plans to reformulate the Mars bar. It was a historic move: while other chocolate confectioners were signing up to Fairtrade this and Rainforest that, the UK’s favourite chocolate bar invested £9m over five years…

Comment & Opinion

Dalton's web of intrigue

2011-03-10T00:00:00Z

Morrisons today unveiled its latest annual results, with profits up a healthy 13% and like-for-likes increasing by an altogether more modest 0.9%. More eye-catching than the underwhelming sales performance was the news that Morrisons is sensationally taking on both the US and the whole internet in one fell swoop.

Comment & Opinion

Smoking guns, ticking timebombs

2011-03-09T00:00:00Z

Andrew Lansley today confirmed that the controversial tobacco display ban is to go ahead, dashing the genuine hopes for a reprieve still harboured by many retailers.

Comment & Opinion

Children of the revolution

2011-03-07T00:00:00Z

Grocer Towers is often the scene of fearsome debate, as our newshounds compare leads, dissect the strategies of the companies we write about and, most commonly, row about whose turn it is to make the tea.

Comment & Opinion

Second Opinion: The trouble with Grand Plans...

2011-03-05T00:00:00Z

... is that they are bedevilled by a lack of realism and joined-up thinking, says Kevin Hawkins

Comment & Opinion

Tales of Titania: Let's hear it for Exploitation Week

2011-03-05T00:00:00Z

Like virtually every other PR agency, we've been caught on the hop this week by two developments: the advent of TV product placement and the Advertising Standards Authority's new jurisdiction over websites. So don't be alarmed if you see some...

Comment & Opinion

Third party: Groom your business and get heads turning

2011-03-05T00:00:00Z

Buyers with serious capital would be happy to fork out millions for a well-run and clean independent

Comment & Opinion

Saturday Essay: Why ‘co-opetition’ is central to Brand Ireland

2011-03-05T00:00:00Z

Ireland’s economy is struggling, but forming strategic alliances could be the key to a solid recovery, says Beatrice Blake

Comment & Opinion

Critical Eye... on Raymond's carte Blanc

2011-03-05T00:00:00Z

I'm all for aspirational cookery. But Raymond Blanc's second series of Kitchen Secrets (8.30pm, BBC2, Monday 28 February) is more perspirational than aspirational. Who, aside from avid Hestonites, would dare to attempt anything beyond...

Comment & Opinion

Editor's Comment: Nobody better than Tesco at stealing rivals' thunder

2011-03-05T00:00:00Z

Asda has spent the last 18 months working with mysupermarket.co.uk to develop its shiny Price Guarantee website. So credit has to go to those jackdaws over in Cheshunt who've knocked together their own passable imitation in 10 seconds flat.

Comment & Opinion

Ad of the Week: Aldi’s own-label angel takes a swing at the champ

2011-03-05T00:00:00Z

Thankfully we live in a more tolerant age than when folk hid in kitchens making chugging noises and frothing at the mouth like a possessed Frenchman to convince guests they weren't serving instant coffee.

Comment & Opinion

Time is of the Essenta

2011-03-03T00:00:00Z

Yesterday PayPoint claimed victory in its long-running battle to stop Camelot muscling in on its turf by offering commercial services via its tills. And there was more good news for the payment provider today, having bagged a seven-year gig to replace the Post Office dishing out welfare payments.

Comment & Opinion

Terry, we hardly knew ye

2011-03-01T00:00:00Z

Elvis has left the building. Okay, so Sir Terry Leahy is probably few people’s idea of a rock star. But for UK grocery, his long-awaited exit represents as seismic a departure as when rock and roll died on a Las Vegas toilet in 1977.

Comment & Opinion

Price wars... what are they good for?

2011-02-28T00:00:00Z

Too much messing about with computers, it said. No one is going to want to go shopping, come home and start faffing about with the internet to see if what they have already bought might have been cheaper elsewhere, it cried.

Comment & Opinion

Second Opinion: We need a plan, Mrs Spelman

2011-02-26T00:00:00Z

Ministers must get a grip on food policy. Why not continue Labour’s work, asks Tim Lang

Comment & Opinion

Critical Eye... on patients, petfood, pizza and puke

2011-02-26T00:00:00Z

Only those who've had the misfortune to eat hospital food will know how revolting it is. I certainly didn't appreciate quite how bad until I experienced it first hand.

Comment & Opinion

Third party: Do your imports comply with new EU laws?

2011-02-26T00:00:00Z

Under new legislation, importers could face costly delays if the product details they give are wrong

Comment & Opinion

Editor's Comment: Grocery leads the way as perfect storm looms

2011-02-26T00:00:00Z

At its results, Asda this week stated that the British consumer is heading for the 'perfect storm'. In the same breath, on the supply side, oil was nudging $120 per barrel and some analysts are forecasting it could go over $200.

Comment & Opinion

Tales of Titania: The case of the disappearing Pepsi

2011-02-26T00:00:00Z

So Pepsi disappeared from Sainsbury's shelves during Britvic's 'trade dispute' (aka hissy fit). Did anyone notice? I mean, would anyone buy Pepsi on purpose if they could get Coke?

Comment & Opinion

Saturday Essay: Base NPD on real consumers and real needs

2011-02-26T00:00:00Z

Following these five golden rules will help ensure that brand extensions do not fall by the wayside, says Doug James