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
NewsM&S cyberattack has impacted availability on shelves, retailer admits
Taking systems offline has led to ‘pockets of limited availability in some stores’, M&S acknowledged this morning
NewsM&S cyberattack linked to group of hackers as young as 16
The group, known as Scattered Spider, is a loosely organised network of hackers with a history of using sophisticated techniques to obtain usernames and other login credentials
NewsBusiness rates experts’ dismay at government’s move to scrap Valuation Office Agency
The VOA, which deals with business rates appeals, is to be disbanded from April 2026 in a government drive to ‘slash red tape’
NewsFood inflation hits 11-month high as retailers hit by ‘mountain’ of rising employment costs
Food inflation hit 2.6% in April as everyday essentials such as bread, meat and fish all increased in price, according to the BRC
NewsM&S staff ‘checking chillers frequently’ over fears defrost alarms impacted in cyberattack
M&S donations of surplus food from stores to charities have also been disrupted by the retailer taking systems offline to battle the cyberattack which began last Monday
NewsLidl to open 40 UK stores this year in £500m expansion
Lidl’s announcement signals a major step-up in its UK expansion
NewsM&S resorts to pen and paper to honour Sparks loyalty rewards in crippling cyberattack
M&S customers have been unable to claim rewards when scanning the Sparks app at checkouts
NewsMedia Bites 28 April: M&S cyber attack, Mohsin Issa, US trade deal
M&S has suffered a “bruise” to its reputation, an analyst cited by the BBC has said
Analysis & FeaturesWhat’s Asda Price? Reality of Asda rollback return is unclear
The return of Asda’s Rollbacks wiped over £4bn off the value of Tesco, Sainsbury’s and M&S. But is it rowing back on its Rollback programme?
NewsDATA: Asda pulls plug early on thousands of 'Rollback' price promotions
Asda has been keeping products at ‘Rollback’ prices for far shorter periods than suggested, while also failing to sell many post-promotion products at a lower price, as promised
NewsSainsbury’s adds 100-plus products to ‘biggest ever Aldi Price Match’
The supermarket has added over 100 new products to take the total to more than 800 for the first time
NewsPoundland axes a dozen director roles in leadership restructure
Head of digital and loyalty Emma Collins – who led the launch of the Poundland Perks loyalty app – is among those to leave
NewsM&S apologises to customers over ‘cyber incident’
M&S said it had been managing the incident ‘over the last few days’
NewsAldi to fund 125 Marine Conservation Society beach cleans
Aldi has donated £32,000 to support the Marine Conservation Society
Analysis & FeaturesHow Home Bargains is proving king of the variety discounters
Home Bargains has become something of an anomaly in a variety discount sector where rivals are suffering. So what is it doing better?
NewsSupermarkets making mixed progress on closing gender pay gap
Aldi, Co-op, Iceland, Lidl, M&S, Morrisons and Sainsbury’s have all moved closer towards pay parity
Comment & OpinionB&M can’t keep relying on new stores for sales growth
That challenge is not looking any easier after today’s update highlighted fmcg as the area of weakness
NewsB&M taking steps to improve performance as weaker same-store trading continues in Q4
Growth in general merchandise was offset by weaker trading in fmcg
NewsAldi marks 35th UK birthday with a look at then and now
Checkout staff had to know all the prices by memory until 2001
NewsLidl steps up new stores push with five openings in a month
The discounter’s expansion is stepping up following a £70m sale and leaseback deal to fund new stores