JD Sports boss quit after failed coup attempt April 24, 2026 The chair of JD Sports quit earlier this week because he failed to convince its board to eject its chief executive, it has been revealed. Andy Higginson quit as chair of the FTSE 100 sportswear retailer on Wednesday, with his tenure set to complete after the firm’s annual meeting in July. He said he was [...]
Retail sales jump as motorists stock up on fuel April 24, 2026 Retailers saw a much-needed sales boost in the last month as Brits rushed to stock up on fuel amid fears that the Iran war could choke global supplies. Total retail sales were up 0.7 per cent in March, compared to a 0.6 fall in February, as fuel sales rose sharply by more than six per [...]
Inflation fears push slump in demand for City offices April 24, 2026 Demand for office space in the Square Mile slid in the first quarter of the year as investors stalled decision making following the outbreak of war in Iran. Office property demand fell by 23 per cent year on year in Canada and 14 per cent in the capital as a whole in the [...]
‘How long can the pain continue?’ Consumer confidence falls again April 23, 2026 Consumer confidence has fallen to its lowest level in more than two years, as fears grow that the UK economy could be ravaged by soaring inflation caused by the Iran war. A closely-watched survey conducted by research firm GfK found consumer confidence dropped by four points to -25 in April. The index is another warning [...]
Supermarkets pile pressure on government to cut energy costs April 23, 2026 Supermarkets are calling on the government to cut taxes on energy to help retailers dodge looming food inflation, with Sainsbury’s, Tesco, M&S and Asda piling pressure on Labour. The boss of Sainsbury’s, the UK’s second-largest grocer, became the latest industry figure to call for the Treasury to step in. On Thursday, the supermarket said it [...]
BRC chief: Red tape ‘weighs heavily’ on retailers April 23, 2026 Helen Dickinson, the boss of leading trade body the British Retail Consortium, believes red tape “weighs heavily” on retailers. She speaks to Felix Armstrong about food inflation, workers’ rights and her meeting with the Chancellor. Helen Dickinson was six weeks into her job as chief executive of the BRC when the horsemeat scandal landed on [...]
WH Smith profit grounded as flight cancellations take hold April 23, 2026 WH Smith shares tumbled after the retailer adopted a more “cautious outlook” as the Iran war sparks a slowdown in international tourism. The retailer’s share price fell by more than 15 per cent on Thursday’s open, to 532p, leaving the stock down more than 16 per cent in the year so far. The stationer suffered [...]
Sainsbury’s warns of Iran war hit to customers, share price dips April 23, 2026 Sainsbury’s has warned that the Iran war “will impact both our customers and our business,” as the supermarket giant saw its share price fall. The FTSE 100 grocer’s underlying retail profit fell by more than one per cent to £1bn, which Sainsbury’s said was due to “significant operating cost inflation,” as total sales grew by [...]
Robert Dyas losses double as Dragons Den star eyes turnaround April 23, 2026 Robert Dyas saw its loss double last year as Dragons Den star Theo Paphitis attempts to reverse the fortunes of the struggling hardware retailer. The company’s pre-tax loss widened to £4.7m last year, more than double its previous £2.3m setback, according to previously unreported Companies House filings. Former Dragons Den magnate Theo Paphitis announced last [...]
Food inflation rises as ‘storm clouds gather’ April 22, 2026 Food inflation has started to climb as industry figures warn “storm clouds are gathering” over potential double-digit food inflation later this year. The rate of food inflation climbed to 3.7 per cent in the year to March, up from 3.3 per cent year on year to February, according to the Office of National Statistics. This [...]
