Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey has warned that reviving Britain’s faltering economy must become a central priority for the incoming Government, as businesses contend with sluggish demand, rising energy costs and renewed inflationary pressure. Appearing before MPs on the Treasury Committee, Bailey said the UK’s fundamental economic challenge was its persistent lack of growth, describing the problem as a structural weakness that had developed over almost two decades. “T

Speculation over a fresh round of consolidation in the UK grocery market is gathering pace as the widening gap between the sector’s strongest and weaker-performing operators raises questions about its future shape. Retail Week has highlighted Asda and Morrisons as the businesses most likely to feature in any renewed debate over mergers, acquisitions or strategic partnerships, although there is currently no suggestion that formal talks are taking place. The discussion comes as

Labour is being urged to place farming and rural businesses at the heart of its economic plans, after new research suggested that closing England’s rural productivity gap could generate an additional £22.5 billion in economic output. The report, The Future of the Rural Economy, was produced by the Labour Rural Research Group in partnership with the Country Land and Business Association (CLA). It argues that rural communities are too often treated as peripheral, despite their

UK exporters supplying Gibraltar could face significant new costs, delays and disruption from Wednesday, 15 July, as sweeping sanitary and phytosanitary controls are introduced under the UK–EU Gibraltar Treaty. In a high-priority notification circulated to industry representatives late on Friday, Defra warned that plant health-regulated goods may no longer be able to travel directly from the UK to Gibraltar. Instead, products subject to SPS controls are expected to enter thro

Morrisons has launched a new international sourcing division as it seeks to expand its overseas revenues and grow the customer base of its manufacturing operation. According to The Grocer, the new business, named Myton International, will offer sourcing, product development and manufacturing services to retailers and food brands in markets outside the UK. The division forms part of Myton Food Group, Morrisons’ vertically integrated food manufacturing business, which operates

Lidl GB is launching a children’s fruit and vegetable scavenger hunt across 100 UK stores this summer as part of a trial aimed at increasing engagement with fresh produce and encouraging healthier shopping habits. Image: Lidl GB Starting in mid-July, the initiative will see recyclable clue tags attached to Lidl’s children’s shopping trolleys, inviting young shoppers to discover and identify fruit and vegetables around the store using simple descriptive prompts. Scavenger hun

France’s Rungis International Market and Dunkirk-Port have signed a partnership agreement to create a European-scale agri-logistics hub dedicated to logistics, processing, and the enhancement of food products. L-R: Frédéric Loiseau, Maurice Georges, Stéphane Layani and Patrice Vergriete The initiative seeks to secure the long-term supply of Rungis Market, reduce dependence on foreign ports, and create greater value within France. By encouraging the transit and processing of g