Rail fares in England and Wales are on track to rise at their fastest rate in a decade unless ministers decide to prevent steep price increases to encourage commuters back on to trains. Annual increases in rail fares are usually governed by the July retail prices index (RPI), plus another 1%. The Office for National...
The UK’s low carbon economy is now worth more than £200bn, four times the size of the country’s manufacturing sector, with growth expected to accelerate in the coming years, according to new analysis. Despite what experts say has been lacklustre and patchy support from central government, the analysis found more than 75,000 businesses from wind turbine...
China’s regulators are on the march again, pushing one of the country’s most valuable technology companies, Tencent, into announcing fresh curbs designed to limit the time children spend playing its computer games. The announcement may have led to a collapse in Tencent’s shares, but the measures will be eyed with mild jealousy by many western parents....
The UK’s competition watchdog has imposed fines of more than £100m on the pharmaceutical company Advanz and its former private equity owners after it was found to have inflated the price of its thyroid tablets by up to 6,000%. An investigation by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) found that the private-equity backed pharmaceutical company charged...
At a public library in London, staff members are filled with nerves about “freedom day” on 19 July. Billed as the big unlocking and an end to social distancing rules and mandatory face coverings in England, they fear for their safety as Covid cases grow daily. “I will still be wearing a mask and so will...
Hotel Chocolat has reported a surge in subscribers as chocoholics have signed up to regular sweet treats during the pandemic. The upmarket chocolatier’s online and subscription sales will overtake store sales for the first time as the Covid crisis boosted demand for “regular happy treats” as well as gifts for family and friends, said Angus...
Sainsbury’s has enjoyed a boost in sales of beer and other home socialising staples during the Euro 2020 football tournament, but said it was struggling to keep up with the extra demand. The supermarket chain was selling 17 packs of beer a second on Saturday as England fans stocked up for the quarter-final match against Ukraine....
Some of Britain’s best- paid company bosses are behaving as if the pandemic never happened. Bonuses secured in 2019, and paused last year as firms sought government support, are returning in 2021. But there are signs of a hardening of the shareholder stance on high executive pay. Companies from Cineworld to Morrisons have faced investor ire over...
British factories enjoyed the strongest growth in output on record in June but warned they expected to raise their prices at the fastest pace in nearly 40 years in response to a shortage of key components and materials. The Confederation of British Industry said its quarterly survey of manufacturing showed that the rebound across the sector...
Workers will not be told by ministers that they should return to their offices when the final phase of lockdown restrictions are expected to be lifted next month, government sources have told the Guardian. In a significant change of approach from last summer, the government is minded to let companies make their own decisions – a strategy that...