Coffee shop chain investing more than £9.2m to raise hourly rate amid sector-wide labour shortagePret a Manger is increasing pay for the second time in four months as labour shortages force up wages across the hospitality and retail industries.The coff…
Harrods restaurant staff strike averted after pay victory
UVW union says deal represents a new benchmark for pay in the hospitality sectorRestaurant workers at Harrods say they have won a 25% increase in pay, with some chefs now earning more than £12.50 an hour – averting a threatened strike during Christmas …
Operation Save Christmas: retailers’ desperate dash to meet demand
Large stores are having to be creative to meet booming online orders at a time of staff and stock shortagesAn army of 3,000 staff will fan out from Marks & Spencer’s head office this week with one mission in mind: meeting the Christmas boom.Staff w…
Liberty Steel owner GFG to restart Rotherham and Stocksbridge plants
‘Substantial majority’ of 1,000 jobs will be saved, with £50m pumped into the businessThe owner of Liberty Steel has pledged to restart its plants in Rotherham and Stocksbridge in South Yorkshire this month, saving the “substantial majority” of 1,000 j…
Smaller packs, same price: curse of ‘shrinkflation’ hits shoppers’ baskets
Food suppliers are cutting pack sizes and raising checkout prices in response to rising costsUK faces ‘grim winter’ as cost of living crisis quickens paceRising inflation ‘could trigger global sell-off that would harm UK’Shoppers should watch out for s…
Frasers Group could face shareholder revolt over new CEO’s £100m bonus
Advisory groups advise voting against remuneration plan, flagging ‘excessive payouts’Mike Ashley’s Frasers Group faces a showdown with shareholders on Wednesday as it seeks approval of a £100m bonus scheme for its incoming chief executive, Michael Murr…
Bonfire Night fireworks ‘70% down’ due to Brexit and supply chain crisis
Suppliers said to be unwilling to stock up because of confusion over safety labelling and extra paperworkBrexit and the supply chain crisis are threatening to put a dampener on this year’s Bonfire Night firework displays as distributors warn that impor…
Pret a Manger shareholders fund £100m expansion despite big losses
More than 200 new outlets planned for UK and Ireland in suburbs, regions and travel hubsPret a Manger shareholders, including its co-founder, Sinclair Beecham, are pumping £100m into the company to fund expansion despite losses ballooning to £256m duri…
Ding dong, Avon now calling with ‘omni-channel’ cosmetic sales in a digital age
Spurred on by the Covid pandemic, the traditional doorstep retailer is training its ‘reps’ in new techniquesCoronavirus – latest updatesSee all our coronavirus coverageAvon may soon be calling you into shops and live-streamed shopping events as well as…
Costa Coffee gives staff 5% pay rise as it looks to recruit 2,000 workers
Increase for 14,500 shop workers comes into effect from 1 OctoberCosta Coffee is increasing pay for its 14,500 shop workers by 5%, as it looks for 2,000 more staff before Christmas.The company, which was bought out by Coca-Cola in 2018, said that from …