All articles by James Ball – Page 3
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Trade credit giant Atradius extends cover by £1bn
Atradius, the UK’s second-largest trade credit insurer, has increased cover to 13,000 businesses.
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Retail Prices: Grocery the only sector to resist deflationary trends
Shoppers are still paying higher prices than last year and no reprieve is in sight thanks to a seasonal shift to fruit and veg imports. James Ball reports
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Brussels to act on price anomalies
The European Commission is to step in to curb supermarket power after alleging shoppers may be paying too much for their food while suppliers receive too little for their produce.
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Unions step up the wave of disputes with war of words
Unions are talking tough as the recession bites and jobs disappear. Are we seeing a new generation of militant trade bodies, asks James Ball
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Quota cuts hit price of cod and haddock
Dramatic quota reductions and the weakness of sterling will lead to shortages and soaring prices for the UK's favourite fish in the year ahead, fishermen have warned. North Sea fishing quotas on cod and haddock will be cut by up to 25% in...
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Retail Prices: Confectionery deals to fore as Christmas push kicks in
Promotional activity has been dominated by confectionery - not just for Hallowe'en but also because the Christmas push has already begun, says James Ball
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As confidence grows, bogof makes a return
In the past year, supermarkets have ditched bogof and multibuy offers in favour of round pound and money-off deals.
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NewsGovernment agrees to VAT changes in victory for The Grocer
The government is set to give retailers 28 days to change their prices when it returns the VAT rate to 17.5% on 1 January.
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NewsDavid Beckham to stand by calamity-hit GO3
GO3, the frozen food range fronted by David Beckham, recorded sales of just £600 in September, but the football superstar has promised to keep the faith as a series of disasters beset the brand.
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News'This is not a popularity contest,' says Euler Hermes's Desnos
Euler Hermes was vilified by the food and drink industry after the trade credit insurance crisis plunged the supply chain into chaos last September. A year on, its defiant UK boss, Fabrice Desnos, tells James Ball why he took such a hardline stance - and warns he'll do it again if he has to
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NewsRetail Prices: Multiples turn promotional firepower back to brands
The big four multiples have talked up their own-label ranges but focused their promotional efforts on the brands. James Ball reports
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Defra sustainability move to have major impact on industry
The government is set to put sustainability on an equal footing with healthy eating in a move experts say has dramatic implications for the food and drink sector.
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Duchy collaboration set to take Waitrose to three-tier system
Waitrose will use a new exclusive and expanded Duchy Originals range to balance its books, countering a potential margin loss through its Essential Waitrose range, according to sources close to retailer.
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NewsRetail Prices: Morrisons racing ahead of rivals in promotional stakes
The latest data from Assosia reveals a huge gap in the levels of promotions by Morrisons and Asda. James Ball analyses the different strategies
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Category Report
The Grocer Fast 50 2009
The Grocer’s first annual Fast 50 charts the suppliers growing most rapidly in UK food and drink. The report, compiled exclusively for The Grocer by Catalyst Corporate Finance, is full of surprises.While high-profile start-ups like Innocent Drinks, Gu and Tyrrells grab the headlines, the real engine of growth in the ...
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John Lewis value range to counter supermarkets’ non-food
High street stalwart John Lewis is to strike back at supermarkets’ non-food offers with its first-ever range of budget products.
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Tesco to net students with fish finger sandwich
Tesco is to launch a ready-made version of a student staple: the fish finger sandwich.
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Retail Prices: Lower commodity costs not reflected on-shelf
The commodity price hikes of last year are just a memory yet there are as many retail product categories up in price as there are down, reports James Ball
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Dairy investigation launched over new butter mountain
The European Commission has launched a Europe-wide investigation into supermarket dairy pricing, after finding huge commodity price drops had led to a retail price drop of just 2%. The Grocer first highlighted disparities in retail and...
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NewsDairy businesses still in running to buy Gü
Dairy businesses are leading the charge as the sale of premium desserts company Gü enters its second round.