Features

Jan- 2020 -

31 January

The whole Amazon thing is getting scary now

The ‘growth of online retail’ is now so proverbial that the phrase itself is nearly redundant. Is anyone surprised to learn this morning that Amazon has absolutely rampaged through the Christmas retail season, while scores of well-known bricks-and-mortar retailers reported a torrid set of financial results for the same period? No, me…

29 January

British Airways gets flighty and Starbucks smells the coffee over coronavirus

The business response to the coronavirus situation, which appears to be developing into a serious crisis, continues apace today. British Airways today announced that it was suspending all flights between the UK and Wuhan, the Chinese city where the virus originally broke out. In a statement it said: “We have…

28 January

Coronavirus dampens markets but boosts mask producers

Some years ago Bill Gates was asked in an interview what future scenario it was that kept him awake at night. To the surprise of the interviewer, he did not say climate change, or financial collapse, or nuclear war. He said he most afraid of the next major pandemic, in…

23 January

Asos bounces back from tricky period

Back in July last year Retail Sector reported that Asos was having problems. It had issued a profit warning, suggesting profits were likely to be about one-third of what was originally anticipated. It was an interesting moment in the retail world, because the narrative for the whole of the last…

22 January

Ted Baker hanging by a thread amid £58m balance sheet black hole

If you have shares in Ted Baker, you are probably not having a good morning. The price has tanked by almost 7% after news broke that the fashion brand has found a £58m black hole in its accounts. There’s being a few hundred thousand or a few million short, but when…

21 January

In the dog house: the art of running a pooch-friendly hotel

Former television presenter Caroline Flack made headlines this month when it was revealed that her pet pooch was staying at a luxury hotel for dogs, with room stays sold to the tune of £80 a night. To some, it may seem like an extravagance, but to others, dog hotels are…

21 January

Global CEOs and the IMF reckon the UK is about to have a good year

It’s not often there is some incontrovertibly positive news about the economy, but today we’ve had some. Audit and business advisory firm PwC has polled 1,600 chief executives, and found that they think the UK is the fourth most important target in the world for companies looking to make investments. PwC said Britain’s reputation…

20 January

How do you keep your pet hydrated during the winter months?

While we know how to take care of ourselves during the colder months, we can sometimes forget that, at this time of year, our pets will need a little extra TLC too. Harsh temperatures can cause a number of complications for pets, so owners should take extra care to ensure…

20 January

The growing problem of obesity in dogs

Obesity is a growing problem in dogs. However, the 2019 Burns Pet Nutrition Pet Census found that 89% of dog owners think their pet’s weight is normal. In 2018 the PFMA (Pet Food Manufactures Association) surveyed Veterinary Professionals at the London Vet Show and found that 74% believed that obesity…

17 January

The trillion-dollar club has gained Google as a member

Remember at school when teachers used to explain how one million was an essentially incomprehensibly large number? I recall one of mine showing the number represented on a huge rolled out piece of paper as wide and long as a carpet, with precisely one million individual dots. I was about…