Analysis

Businesses are sitting on £115bn and waiting to splurge

Goldman Sachs thinks money will pour into UK stocks and shares after this election, but it’s at least partly because they suspect a Tory victory. Regardless of which side of the Brexit divide you are on, there is one thing that’s for certain: business has been extremely cautious about the…

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Small business owners dip into personal wealth to survive? Of course they do

We are living through an era where there is much discussion about capitalism, taxes, executive pay and so on. Is Philip Green a monster for raiding the BHS coffers when they were his to raid? Is the pay of a city CEO morally acceptable when his lowest paid workers are…

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Is Boris sticking two fingers up at the Treasury Select Committee on Business Rates?

The worst fears from those who have read and welcomed the recent Treasury Select Committee report into business rates- that the next Government could well ignore them,- seem to be borne out by the latest Conservative party announcements on the “broken” business rates issue. Announcements last night from the Conservatives…

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Beaverbrooks: Celebrating 100 years

What started out with three brothers moving to Belfast with just a suitcase full of silverware and a dream of selling fine jewellery and gifts has ended up as a thriving business celebrating a century of trading this year. Founded by Isaac, Harry and Maurice Adlestone, Beaverbrooks now operates some…

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How food retailers can capitalise on AI’s potential

The grocery sector is preparing for a period of unprecedented disruption as food retailers battle to discover new sources of value for consumers. Focusing on the fundamental aims of improving customer service, loyalty and integration of digital and real-life experience, retailers are seeking out ways to better understand shoppers’ buying…

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COMMENT: First bans for ads breaking UK gender stereotyping rules

As we reported back in May 2018 in the post “CAP considers new rule against harmful gender stereotyping” a review by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), the Committees of Advertising Practice’s (CAP), which are responsible for writing and maintaining UK advertising codes) has introduced a new rule on banning harmful…

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How Games Workshop is standing up against the UK’s high street woes

In what is still an incredibly turbulent time for the retail market, fantasy miniatures retailer Games Workshop has seen explosive growth in recent years and remains defiant against a tide of CVAs, job cuts and declining profits sweeping the UK’s high streets. And it shows no real signs of slowing…

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What on earth is Mike Ashley’s game?

If you’ve been paying even cursory attention to the retail market over the last 18 months, you will know that the founder of Sports Direct, the billionaire Mike Ashley, has been on a mission to buy up the high street. As news of the torrent of CVAs and administrations has…

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Why the in-store shopping experience is irreplaceable

  There’s no denying that the shopping experience has truly transformed over time. However, it’s also important to appreciate that the in-store shopping experience is irreplaceable to any online alternatives. A change in shopping habits More of us know what we want when we walk into a shop. In fact,…

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Disorderly Brexit could see the UK economy lose out on £22bn a year by 2024

Employers operating in retail most at risk of losing staff A ‘disorderly Brexit’ could see the UK suffer a £22bn reduction in economic output, compared to an ‘orderly Brexit’ – a new study has revealed. The report, developed by workforce management expert Quinyx in collaboration with Development Economics and Censuswide,…

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