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Latest News [2009] archive from March 2009
| Government rationalises business support schemes
More than 3,000 business support schemes have been cut to 30 by the Government. 31 March 2009 | |
| Retailers to be honoured in first Freesat awards
The best in digital TV and TV-related industries, including retailers, will be honoured at an awards ceremony on May 20 – the first to be held by free-to-air satellite TV service Freesat. 31 March 2009 | |
| Sales drop at Marks and Spencer
Marks and Spencer reported a 4.2 per cent drop in like-for-like UK sales although total group sales grew by 1.9 per cent during the last quarter of its financial year. 31 March 2009 | |
| Scottish retailers issue checklist for developers
Scottish retail chiefs have issued a checklist to help developers submit Business Improvement District (BID) plans that actually meet the needs of retailers. 30 March 2009 | |
| Fall in UK spending money
The average UK family had £13 a week less to spend in February than a year ago. 30 March 2009 | |
| Online shopping becoming more popular
If current trends continue more online retailers will overtake traditional high street retailers. 30 March 2009 | |
| Amdea welcomes CBI backing for green campaign
White goods bosses have welcomed backing from the Confederation of British industry (CBI) for their campaign to replace old appliances. 27 March 2009 | |
| Weekly sales fall at John Lewis
Department store group John Lewis reported a 12.6 per cent drop in sales last week. 27 March 2009 | |
| Profits slump at Best Buy
A 23 per cent slump in net profits was reported by US electrical retailing giant Best Buy. 27 March 2009 | |
| Sales downturn in February
Retail sales volumes fell 1.9 per cent in February compared with January and all sectors were affected, according to latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). 26 March 2009 | |
| Nintendo's Wii hits 50 million
Worldwide sales of Nintendo's Wii games console have passed the 50 million mark. 26 March 2009 | |
| Profits soar at Loewe
Loewe saw a 35 per cent jump in pre-tax profits in the year ending December 31 even though there was only a slight improvement in sales. 26 March 2009 | |
| Pain continues for retail sales
Retail sales are continuing to suffer in the economic downturn with March figures completing what industry chiefs admit has been "a full year of pain" for retailers. 25 March 2009 | |
| Sainsbury's sales buck the downturn
Supermarket group Sainsbury's saw like-for-like sales rise 6.2 per cent in the 11 weeks to March 21. 25 March 2009 | |
| Samsung has no plans to launch OLED TVs in the near future
Samsung will not be launching any OLED (organic light-emitting diode) TVs for at least four of five years as it believes the technology is not currently commercially viable. 25 March 2009 | |
| Rent quarter day the toughest for 18 years
Retail chiefs are urging landlords to switch existing retail leases to monthly terms as the retail sector faces the toughest quarterly rents payment day for at least 18 years. 25 March 2009 | |
| Inflation up and down
The Retail Prices Index (RPI) fell to zero for the first time in 49 years thanks largely to interest rate cuts triggering a steep fall in mortgage repayments. 24 March 2009 | |
| Virgin to beat BT to faster broadband
Virgin Media will offer 100 to 150Mbps broadband speeds up to two years before BT completes its rival fibre network. 24 March 2009 | |
| Price falls spark deflation risk
Figures released today are expected to show inflation has turned negative for the first time in nearly 50 years. | |
| Roberts gets on board
Roberts has teamed up with Universal Pictures to promote the launch of ‘The Boat that Rocked’. | |
| Jamo relaunches its website
Jamo, the Danish manufacturer of speakers and consumer electronics, has completely revamped its www.jamo.com website, with several new features. | |
| Cash still tops with spenders
Cash is still king, according to a study by the British Retail Consortium (BRC). | |
| Armour to distribute Scandyna
Armour Home is to distribute the Scandyna loudspeaker and electronics range. | |
| Sky wants Virgin Media to open up its network
Satellite broadcaster Sky wants Virgin Media's cable network to be opened up to competitors to speed up access to high-speed broadband services. 20 March 2009 | |
| Sony Ericsson predicts first-quarter loss
Mobile phone maker Sony Ericsson has predicted that it will make a net loss of between Euros 340-390 million (around £319.5m-£366.4m) when it reports its first quarter results on April 17. 20 March 2009 | |
| Best Buy looking for significant UK share
US electrical retailing giant Best Buy said it planned on taking a significant market share when it brings its stores to the UK in spring next year. | |
| Card fraud on the rise
Plastic card fraud jumped 14 per cent last year, according to figures released today by payments body APACS. 19 March 2009 | |
| Business rate rise 'complete madness'
"Complete madness" is how Alliance Boots health and beauty chief executive Alex Gourlay described Government proposals to increase business rates. 19 March 2009 | |
| Apollo 2000 stores closed
Independent chain Apollo 2000 has gone into administration. | |
| Half of Britons have used video-on-demand
Half the population has used video-on-demand services, a new poll has found. 18 March 2009 | |
| Toshiba nominates new chief
Toshiba's board of directors has nominated Norio Sasaki as its choice to head the company as president and chief executive. 18 March 2009 | |
| Standardised recycling label launched today
Retailers are backing a single standardised on-pack recycling label that will inform consumers whether or not packaging can be recycled. 18 March 2009 | |
| World's greenest vacuum cleaner from Electrolux
Electrolux has unveiled what it claims is the world’s greenest vacuum cleaner. | |
| Debenhams pleased with first-half trading
Department store group Debenhams saw like-for-like sales fall 3.6 per cent in the 26 weeks to February 28, although transactions over all improved by 0.3 per cent. 17 March 2009 | |
| Online sales grow 13 per cent year-on-year
Online sales registered an annual increase of 13 per cent in February although sales for the month were actually 11 per cent down on January. 17 March 2009 | |
| Vogel's opens own UK office
AV furniture maker Vogel's has opened its own UK distribution office. | |
| Toshiba boss talks of a 'leaner and meaner' organisation
Toshiba UK has unveiled a ‘leaner, meaner and more efficient’ business strategy to help support a wide range of new products, including what it claims is the first ever television with Dolby Volume, which solves the problem of inconsistent sound levels when switching between TV channels, or during advertisement breaks. | |
| BBG signs up Peerless
BBG Distribution has signed an exclusive partnership with Peerless Industries, the leading US-based AV mounting company. | |
| Taylist Media acquires ERT
ERT has a new owner, following a management buyout. | |
| In-store battery collections - right aim, wrong timing, say retailers
Retailers have lined up to warn the Government it is heading for a New Year nightmare if it pursues current plans to make shops collect used batteries. 16 March 2009 | |
| Government and banks not helping small business
The Government and the banks are doing little to help small businesses through the credit crunch, a new study has claimed. 13 March 2009 | |
| Government scheme fails to aid business
Only one company out of 250 has been offered a loan under the Government's flagship Enterprise Finance Guarantee Scheme, a study has found. 13 March 2009 | |
| Sales dip at Aga Rangemaster
Aga Rangemaster saw its pre-tax profits plunge to £14.4 million in the year to December 31, against £27m the year before. 13 March 2009 | |
| Council signs pledge to consult small businesses
Business leaders have welcomed the signing of the first agreement in which a local authority pledges to involve small businesses in its decision-making. 12 March 2009 | |
| Argos reports drop in like-for-like sales
Argos saw its sales rise by 1.6 per cent to £575 million in the eight weeks to February 28, although like-for-like sales fell 1.6 per cent. 12 March 2009 | |
| US scientists create batteries that can recharge in seconds
US researchers have discovered a way of making lithium-ion batteries that can be recharged in seconds. 12 March 2009 | |
| Top speakers for Intellect CE conference 2009 - ERT exclusive
Intellect, the trade association for the UK technology industry, has announced details of this year’s Intellect Consumer Electronics (CE) conference. | |
| Virgin Media "working on HD"
Virgin Media has told customers that it is still working on securing more linear and on demand high definition content. | |
| Profits slide 26 per cent at JLP
John Lewis has said its profits declined last year amid "deteriorating conditions". | |
| Wellworths opens for business
A former Woolworths manager has defied the recession by reopening the shop under the name Wellworths. | |
| China suffers record fall in exports
China suffered a record fall in its exports in February, sending its trade surplus tumbling by more than £25 billion. | |
| Bailouts slammed by Electrolux boss
Electrolux CEO Hans Straberg is taking a hard line against bailouts, telling CNBC that failing companies should not receive any more help from governments around the world. | |
| Darling urged to make Budget count
The Chancellor has been warned not to miss his "last real chance” to help businesses through the recession in next month’s Budget. | |
| Retail sales fall back in February
Snow at the beginning of last month had a negative effect on retail sales, which fell 1.8 per cent on a like-for-like basis against February 2008. 10 March 2009 | |
| 100 days until Isle of Man switchover
Digital UK is encouraging residents on the Isle of Man to prepare for the switch to digital on June 18. | |
| Recession victims to be offered free counselling
Victims of the recession will be offered counselling for depression and anxiety, ministers have said. | |
| Sky to launch 3D TV on existing Sky+ HD platform
Sky plans to deliver 3D TV services over its existing Sky+HD platform, but as yet has no clear plans for a dedicated 3D channel. | |
| Cashflow problems for a third of SMEs
Almost a third (29 per cent) of small and medium sized companies reported cashflow problems in the second half of last year, with 70 per cent citing late payment as the main cause, according to research by Lloyds TSB Commercial. | |
| SMEs depositing less into banks
The latest figures from the British Bankers' Association (BBA) show that deposits by small businesses into the UK's banks have eroded substantially. | |
| Bank Governor promises economic recovery
Bank Of England Governor Mervyn King has said interest rates will fall no further - and promised that £75 billion of newly "printed" money would trigger recovery. | |
| ITV may offload terrestrial mux operator
ITV may dispose of digital terrestrial multiplex operator SDN as part of its new cost-cutting exercise. | |
| Interest rates down to 0.5%
The Bank of England has cut interest rates to 0.5 per cent - a fresh all-time low - as it continues efforts to try to revive the struggling economy. | |
| UK retirement age backed by ECJ
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has ruled that the UK's compulsory retirement age of 65 is not in breach of European Union legislation. | |
| 'Dramatic upturn' in brown goods sales in January
A dramatic upturn in sales of technology goods in January has been recorded by market researcher GfK Retail and Technology. 04 March 2009 | |
| Best Buy postpones UK launch
US electrical retailer Best Buy is to postpone the launch of its first UK store until the start of next year. 04 March 2009 | |
| Tesco wins appeal against competition test
Supermarket giant Tesco has won its appeal against a "competition test" in the planning system. 04 March 2009 | |
| DSGi plans more UK megastores
DSG International believes it can open between 20 and 50 megastores throughout the UK, based on its recently opened 55,000 square-foot Currys Megastore in Birmingham. 04 March 2009 | |
| Indesit factory to close with loss of 305 jobs
More than 300 jobs are set to go with the closure of the Indesit washing machine factory in Denbighshire. | |
| Comet to cut 280 jobs
Comet has announced plans to close four of its 18 service centres, and consolidate head office roles, with the loss of 280 jobs. | |
| BT gets green light for faster broadband
Regulator Ofcom ruled today that it will present "no regulatory barriers" to the development of super-fast broadband infrastructure. | |
| Call to lower VAT on energy-efficient products
UK retailers are calling on European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso to lower VAT on energy-efficient household products. 03 March 2009 | |
| Government urged to subsidise wages for struggling firms
Small businesses and unions have joined forces to call for a fund to subsidise wages to help keep 600,000 people in work a year. 02 March 2009 | |
| Asda launches TV channel on YouTube
Asda launched its own TV channel on YouTube on Saturday called Saving You Money TV (SYMTV). | |
| Arcelik and Grundig to merge
Turkish white goods maker Arcelik is to merge with Grundig, its TV arm, in a bid to become more competitive. 02 March 2009 | |
