Helen Dickinson news, features and comment – Page 2
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NewsFood inflation hits 18-month high driven by eggs and butter
The price of staples like butter and eggs shot up due to high demand, tightening supply, and increased labour costs, said the BRC
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NewsSupermarket chiefs warn Chancellor of rising inflation if shops are hit with higher business rates
The chiefs of Aldi, Asda, JLP, Lidl, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s and Tesco are among 60 retail bosses to have signed the letter to Rachel Reeves
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NewsHigher food sales ‘barely touching the sides’ of extra labour costs
Rising food inflation meant increased spending was more due to higher prices than rising demand
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NewsRetail footfall “stubbornly negative” in July
Retail footfall remains “stubbornly negative” compared to 2024, with July the third month in a row to record fewer consumers in shops
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NewsFood inflation will hit 5.5% in 2025, Bank of England warns
Food price increases have been driven by rising key food commodities, higher employment costs and extended producer responsibility levies on packaging
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NewsRetail leaders in fear of tax rises as 42% say they have frozen recruitment
A BRC survey of chief financial officers and finance directors at retailers representing more than 9,000 stores found 85% had raised prices following tax increases in last year’s budget, and 65% expected to
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NewsFood inflation hits 4% as budget cost pressures meet tightening global supplies
Food inflation has climbed from 3.7% year on year in June, with staples such as meat and tea among hardest-hit categories amid tighter global supplies, according to the latest BRC-NIQ Shop Price Monitor
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NewsBRC urges further reform to Employment Rights Bill after Lords scrutiny
Members of the House of Lords proposed amendments to the bill – which has been hailed as the ‘biggest shakeup’ of workers’ rights in 30 years – in a report stage debate earlier this week
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NewsMedia Bites 21 July: John Lewis bonus, taxes, food prices and tariffs
The big news in retail this weekend was the revelation that John Lewis is considering reinstating its staff bonus scheme for the first time in four years
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NewsBRC urges government to exempt shops from business rates hike for large properties
The trade body is hoping ministers will listen to its warnings that taxing large shops more will also harm the smaller ones the plans are supposed to help
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NewsMedia Bites 16 July: Sainsbury’s, Good Food Cycle, ASA, greenwashing, B&M
The Chancellor’s Mansion House speech last night did not trigger many headlines
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NewsInflation on supermarket shelves drives surge in UK food sales
Soaring prices in supermarkets has fuelled a jump in UK food sales in the past month, as volumes in store remained under “sustained pressure” and consumer confidence continued to drop
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NewsShoppers avoid the high street during heatwave
Total UK footfall decreased by 1.8% in June, compared with a 1.7% fall in May
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NewsFood price inflation hits 3.7% as autumn budget costs bite
It pushed overall shop prices into inflation for the first time in almost a year
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NewsRetail boardrooms close to gender parity but D&I efforts retreat, shows BRC report
Gender equality in retail boardrooms has continued to improve but D&I overall is falling down the list of priorities for the sector
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NewsBRC blames ballooning bills for poor May footfall
The BRC has blamed high household bills for May’s “disappointing” footfall figures, as consumers proved reluctant shoppers despite the warmest start to May on record
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NewsMore than 90,000 retail jobs lost last year amid ‘rising tide’ of employment costs
ONS figures show 360,000 roles have been lost from the retail sector over the past decade, warned the BRC
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NewsMedia Bites 10 June: consumer spending, spending review nerves, e-cig flop
Today’s food and drink headlines are dominated by the doom and gloom of new figures showing families are cutting back on spending in the shops in their droves
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NewsBrits put brakes on spending as retail growth slows
Food was the main driver of growth, supported by a run of bank holidays and seasonal events including football tournaments
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NewsRetail bosses call for steel industry-style intervention to tackle jobs crisis
The BRC said ministers had been hammering its sector with an avalanche of extra costs