Business

ArrowXl Wins Aldi Contract For Home Deliveries

Posted on September 17, 2019 by Brian

ArrowXL, the leading home delivery and fulfilment expert, has secured a contract to provide home delivery services to Aldi across the UK. Under the terms of the agreement – which runs for three years – ArrowXL will provide a comprehensive two-person home delivery solution to online shoppers purchasing specific oversized items from Aldi’s website. This covers a wide range of products such as garden furniture, spa pools and DIY items. The company expects to handle…

Dunelm profits jump on online sales

Posted on September 6, 2019 by Brian

Furnishing retailer Dunelm has reported a 23% jump in its annual pre-tax profits of £125.9m, compared with £93.1m in 2018. Dunelm said sales rose in June due to a rise in online spending, as well as wet weather in the month driving consumers to visit its out-of-town stores. In particular, the retailer said it benefited from tablet-based selling tools that enabled its staff to offer customers home delivery on an extended range of products. Dunelm…

Surging global pig price heads towards record level

Posted on September 6, 2019 by Brian

Growing demand for pork could push global prices to record levels as the effect of African swine fever (ASF) in China is forecast to continue well into 2020. The latest ASF assessment by analysts at lender Rabobank suggests almost half of China’s herds will be lost as authorities struggle to control the disease. This will cause a 25% drop in productivity this year, with a further 10-15% drop in production likely in 2020, according to…

Government pledges extra £56m in farm support

Posted on September 6, 2019September 6, 2019 by Brian

Scottish and Welsh farmers will be the main beneficiaries from an increase in government support for agriculture over the next two years. It follows a review by Lord Bew into how cash is allocated between the four UK countries. The UK budget for direct support will increase by £56.59m for 2020-2022 – with funding increased in Scotland and Wales and maintained in England and Northern Ireland. Prime minister Boris Johnson confirmed this would mean a…

DfE plans accreditation scheme in bid to regulate online schools market

Posted on September 5, 2019September 9, 2019 by Brian

The government plans to launch an accreditation scheme for online schools in a bid to regulate the growing market. Under the plans, such schools would volunteer for inspection against measures similar to the independent schools standards. Those who meet the grade would become accredited Department for Education (DfE) providers. Online schools are typically used by children educated at home or not in traditional settings because of parental choice, special educational needs or exclusion. The DfE…

School funding boost to reverse cuts

Posted on September 5, 2019September 9, 2019 by Brian

Schools in England will receive £2.6bn extra next year under Chancellor Sajid Javid’s spending plans. This will be the first step towards reversing budget cuts and returning school funding to pre-austerity levels. The announcement follows last week’s unveiling of a three-year plan to boost school funding by £7.1bn by 2022-23 School leaders have raised concerns about relying on a funding plan that will take three years at a time of such political and economic volatility….

Spending plan: What it means for health and care

Posted on September 4, 2019September 6, 2019 by Brian

In terms of health and care, there were two eye-catching numbers in the chancellor’s spending announcement – £6.2bn extra for the NHS and £1.5bn for social care in England – but neither is quite what it seems. The £6.2bn refers to the extra cash the front line of the NHS will receive next year as part of the five-year settlement announced a year ago by then Prime Minister Theresa May. And it takes the total available to…

M&S to be booted out of FTSE 100 for first time ever

Posted on September 3, 2019September 6, 2019 by Brian

Marks & Spencer is set to drop out of the FTSE 100 for the first time since the index was introduced 35 years ago, after its stock market value fell below the threshold for inclusion. The bellwether retailer’s exclusion was confirmed by stock market closing prices on Tuesday, which undertakes a quarterly reshuffle of the UK’s top listed brands. The official announcement is due to take place today and changes will take effect on September…

UK’s First C2c Courier Launches In London

Posted on June 14, 2019 by Brian

Peyk has launched London’s first consumer to consumer (C2C) courier service, to change the way Londoners send each other things. Across Asia and The Middle East when you want to send something to a friend or a member of your family, you don’t use the post, you use a C2C courier, a service that Peyk has now brought to London. Let’s say you’ve gone to visit a friend and left your keys at her house, without…

Body Shop owner Natura to buy Avon for £1.6bn

Posted on May 23, 2019May 23, 2019 by Brian

Brazilian cosmetics group Natura has announced that it is buying UK-based direct-selling cosmetics business Avon. Natura, which already owns The Body Shop and Aesop, is Brazil’s top business in cosmetics, perfumes and toiletries. Its all-stock offer of about $2bn (£1.6bn) means Natura shareholders will hold 76% of the combined company, which will have annual revenue of over $10bn. The deal will create the world’s fourth-largest cosmetics company. The new combined company will boast 3,200 stores…

1 2 3 4 »