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Latest News [2008] archive from January 2008
| Indesit staff fear for their jobs
The future of the Indesit Company's Peterborough refrigeration factory is hanging in the balance. | |
| Super slim strategy from JVC
JVC used its annual Key Dealer Conference in Prague to unveil a wide range of new products for 2008, including its flagship Super Slim high-definition LCD TVs. | |
| DAB's the way I like it
Following record sales figures for DAB digital radio sets in quarter four, 2007, Rajar today (January 31) confirmed more and more listeners are tuning in to DAB digital broadcasts. | |
| Darling backs down over Capital Gains Tax
Business lobby groups claim the Chancellor's decision to back down on changes to capital gains tax has damaged small businesses' trust in the government. | |
| Don't call us...
An ERT Weekly investigation has found Asda and a number of websites in breach of the Fair Trading Act. | |
| Conference offers help with returns
The perennial problem of product returns is to be discussed at a major conference next month. | |
| Woolworths backs Blu-ray
Woolworths has announced that it will only stock Blu-ray high definition DVDs from March, with HD-DVDs being dropped from stores to be sold online. | |
| Refreshing new training website from Samsung
Samsung UK has launched SamsungRefresh.com, an exclusive training website for retailers and channel partners in the UK. | |
| Princess opens UK subsidiary
Dutch small appliance brand Princess has opened a subsidiary in the UK. | |
| Independents could benefit from selling IT products, says Sony
The consumer electronics market for 2008 could buck expectations thanks to a continued growth in IT products, according to Andy Benson, commercial director for Sony UK. | |
| BBG and ERTV team up to support new Vogel's launch
BBG Distribution has teamed up with ERTV to exclusively launch two new motorised wall supports from European brand Vogel's to the independent trade. | |
| Sony announces new head of digital imaging
Sony UK has announced the appointment of Chris Bowen as head of its Digital Imaging business. | |
| Brighthouse appoints new non-exec chairman
BrightHouse, the national retail chain specialising in the sale of home electronic and domestic appliances, household furniture and related products on a ‘rent to own’ affordable weekly payment basis, has announced the appointment of Richard Pym as non-executive chairman. | |
| Apple announces quarterly results
After Apple revealed what it claimed were the best quarterly results in the company's history, its share price fell by 11 per cent to around $138 (around £69.5). | |
| DSGi chairman to speak at Retail Week Conference
Sir John Collins, chairman of DSGi (Currys/PC World/Dixons), will be speaking at this year’s Retail Week Conference. | |
| Virgin to upgrade broadband services
Virgin claims it is upgrading its broadband services, with customers on Virgin Media's ‘L' tier broadband package upgraded for free from 4MB to 10MB during a gradual roll out that starts from February and should be complete by late summer. | |
| UK economy 'at risk of recession'
The UK economy is set to experience its weakest period of growth in 15 years and there is a risk of a recession in the next two years, a report warns. | |
| Electricals failure at Woolworths
Woolworths blamed electricals for half the fall in its like-for-like sales in the 49 weeks to January 12. | |
| Tesco targets high streets
A leaked marketing document from Tesco revealed that the supermarket giant is planning to attack Debenhams, BHS and Marks and Spencer by putting its own department stores in UK high streets. | |
| GE moves into cameras
General Electric this week entered the UK digital camera market and is targeting independent dealers. | |
| Setanta adds the Gunners to its arsenal
Setanta Sports and Arsenal Football Club have signed a deal that last week saw a new channel for Gunners' fans on satellite channel 423. | |
| Panasonic set to ditch the Matsushita name
The Japanese parent of Panasonic UK, the Matsushita Electric Industrial Company, is to change its name – to Panasonic Corporation. | |
| B & O sacks chief exec
Danish hi-fi and television-maker Bang & Olufsen has sacked its president and chief executive Torben Sorensen the day after it announced a sharp fall in profits. | |
| Clean sweep for supermarkets
It proved to be a good Christmas for the supermarkets. Results from Tesco and Sainsbury’s showed both making strong inroads in non-food sales, including electricals. | |
| A good Xmas for Kesa group
Comet parent Kesa Electrical has reported successful trading over the Christmas and New Year periods. | |
| Cyril Wood steps down as Pana MD
Cyril Wood is to step down as managing director of Panasonic UK at the end of March in time to take up the post, from April 1, of senior advisor to Panasonic Europe (HQ). | |
| DAB digital radio sales light up Christmas
In a gloomy season for retailers, DAB digital radio continued its Christmas tradition of strong sales, with one million products bought in quarter four, 2007. | |
| Retra president speaks out on ERTV
Retra president and Sony dealer, Peter Mann, has given an exclusive interview to ERTV, in which he looks back on his long career in electrical retailing and comments on some of the major issues in the industry today. | |
| Currys and Dixons to stop selling analogue TVs
Electrical retailers Currys, Dixons and PC World are to stop stocking analogue televisions and will instead promote "integrated" sets with built-in digital Freeview tuners. | |
| Roberts launches exclusive promotion for indies
Following the success of a similar promotion in 2007 and 2006, Roberts has announced that 2008 kicks off with a new promotion exclusive to independents. | |
| Employers face fines for smoking policy failures
Employers are being warned to review their smoking policies after figures from the government revealed 1,233 written warnings were issued to bosses last year. | |
| Tighten up on your safety
Insurance giant Axa has advised companies to review their health and safety procedures in preparation of the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act, which comes into effect on April 6. | |
| Check out our ERTV reports from CES
ERTV’s full coverage of CES 2008 in Las Vegas is now up online. | |
| Optimism hits new low
Despite a slight upturn in expectations for their own business performance, UK firms' optimism about the wider UK economy nose-dived in December, according to the latest Lloyds TSB Corporate Markets Business Barometer. | |
| Support for switchover legacy project
Digital UK has announced its backing for a scheme to build on the success of the UK’s first television switchover in Copeland. | |
| Indesit fined £40,000 after worker crushed
After a court fined the Indesit Company almost £40,000 when a stack of cookers fell on one of its employees, the company has agreed to take part in a nationwide review of safety standards. | |
| Fujitsu axes VDUs for all but Japan
Fujitsu General is to pull out of the visual display business outside of Japan by the end of March because of poor profitability. | |
| Pace acquires Philips set-top box business
Pace Micro Technology is to become one of the world's biggest TV set-top box makers after an agreement to acquire the set-top box business of Philips. | |
| Alba to sell shares in Grundig
Beko Elektronik is poised to become the sole owner of Grundig Multimedia and the Grundig brand name after partner Alba agreed to sell it its 50 per cent stake. | |
| Empire to fold catalogue sales: 850 jobs in peril.
Britain's first home shopping company Empire Stores is to close after 175 years with the loss of up to 850 jobs. | |
| It's Blu-ray for Hollywood
Harry Potter’s poor performance on HD-DVD triggered Warner Brothers to move its allegiance solely to Blu-ray, according to Douglas Bambridge, general manager, business development, Panasonic disc manufacturing corporation of America. 16 January 2008 | |
| Croner warns companies over age discrimination
Employers are being reminded that staff ages must not affect decision-making, as new research reveals age discrimination is becoming the biggest office grievance. | |
| The worst December since 2004
A tiny rise in like-for-like sales last month has prompted the British Retail Consortium to warn of tough times ahead. | |
| Rent movies on your iPod for £2 a film
Online movies will soon be available to rent on iTunes. | |
| Big savings possible as tax relief on assets rises
Small businesses could soon be making considerable savings due to proposed changes to the tax relief system, for investment in assets. | |
| Jessops Christmas sales down
Photographic retailer Jessops has revealed that total sales for the seven weeks to January 6 were 20.6 per cent lower year-on-year. | |
| TUC at war over unpaid overtime
The number of employees working unpaid overtime increased by 103,000 in 2007, bringing the total to nearly five million, according to a new analysis of official statistics published by the Trades Union Congress (TUC). | |
| Riding out the credit crunch
UK businesses appear to be riding out the credit crunch, and the impact of a tougher borrowing environment has made little impression on corporate failures, according to industry figures from Experian. | |
| FPB helps its members with their cash flow
The Forum of Private Business (FPB) has teamed up with Cattles Invoice Finance, to help protect its members' cash flow. | |
| Slower Christmas signals tough 2008 for London retailers
Retail sales in Central London in December were 7. 1 per cent higher than a year earlier, on a like-for-like basis, but that was down on the 9.8 per cent year-on-year increase in December 2006. | |
| Darling questions utility price hikes
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Alistair Darling, has written to the energy regulator, Ofgem, demanding an explanation over the sudden increases in energy prices. | |
| People must save now to avert a pension crisis later
Individuals must take personal responsibility by saving for later life as part of a renewed social contract designed to avoid the nightmare of a pensions crisis in years to come, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Peter Hain said. | |
| First Roberts portable with EPG
Roberts has launched its first portable EPG radio, the MP-SOUND 41. | |
| Leek electrical firms receive funding for expansion
Two electrical companies based in a former Victorian textile mill in Leek have become the first businesses in Staffordshire to receive funding from the area’s newly launched Redundant Building Grant (RBG) scheme. | |
| TV's troubleshooter dies
Businessman and broadcaster, Sir John Harvey Jones, died yesterday at the age of 83. | |
| Retra and CIH to work closer together
Retra and CIH have agreed to work closer together from this year for the benefit of independent electrical retailers across the UK. | |
| Fears over job security may rein in consumer spending
Consumer fears over the security of their jobs have hit a six-month high, according to the latest Consumer Barometer from Lloyds TSB Corporate Markets. | |
| Businesses fall short on confidence
The short-term confidence of UK businesses is at its lowest level for about two years, a survey suggests. | |
| Business owners expect running costs to go up
The majority of small business owners expect the cost of running their companies to rise significantly over the coming year. | |
| GPs urge time off for those hit by norovirus
Businesses could be facing staff shortages as GPs urge those struck down by a stomach bug this winter to take more time off to recover completely. | |
| Blogging from Las Vegas
ERTWeekly.com has been blogging on a day-to-day basis from this year’s Consumer Electronics Show. | |
| Smeg launches mini retro fridge
Smeg has announced the long-awaited arrival of the FAB mini fridge. | |
| Future gazing at CES
One of the wackiest products on show at this year’s CES was MyVu’s personal media viewer – the Crystal 701 – which allows users the chance to experience their videos whilst on-the-go. 09 January 2008 | |
| Samsung to open more retail outlets in UK this year - ERTWeekly.com CES Exclusive
Samsung is planning to open several new retail outlets in the UK during 2008, including at least three more Samsung branded stores, one of which will be in Harrods, as well as ten more Shop In Shop concepts. | |
| Potential store closures for DSGI
DSG International, the parent of Currys and PC World, could close up to 200 stores as part of a restructure. | |
| Sony won't declare Blu-ray victory
Despite its delight over Warner Bros joining the Blu-ray camp, Sony was still reluctant to declare an imminent victory in the next-gen format war. | |
| OLED TVs on show at CES
Samsung and Sony both used CES to unveil OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) TVs sets. | |
| Gates delivers final keynote speech at CES
Bill Gates, chairman of Microsoft Corporation, delivered his eleventh and final keynote address at CES. | |
| Next gen DVD format turning blue?
Warner Brothers’ announcement, just days before the start of this year’s CES, that it will exclusively support Blu-ray hasn’t killed off HD-DVD, said Toshiba. | |
| World-first wireless HD transmission system from Panasonic
Panasonic has developed what it claims is the world’s first wireless High-Definition (HD) audio/video transmission system based on the WirelessHD standard, in partnership with SiBEAM of the United States. | |
| Philips unveils new design ethic at CES
Philips used CES 2008 to unveil its new design identity, with the introduction of the Design Collection – a smooth, minimalist, more feminine range of products, including a 52in Ultimate Dream TV. | |
| Christmas 2007: A rollercoaster time for the high street
December saw a 3.2 per cent drop in the number of Christmas shoppers compared with a year ago prompting early pre-Christmas sales. | |
| Andy Mackay joins LG
LG Electronics has announced Andy Mackay as its UK sales director, digital appliances. | |
| Valpak launches WEEE drop-off network
Valpak's producer compliance scheme has launched a network of more than 80 household WEEE drop-off points around the UK. | |
| Hitachi unveils new website
Hitachi reports that visits to its recently redesigned website have "significantly increased" since its re-launch. | |
| Free New Year training offer from Armour
Distributor Armour Home is offering independent retailers a special New Year present - a free place on one of its custom install training courses during the months of January and February, to take advantage of the boom in new build homes. | |
| Sony stops rear projection production
Sony is to stop making rear-projection televisions next month because of falling demand. | |
| Fire devastates Jegs Electrical - see video footage
Stock with a retail value of £3million has been destroyed in a blaze at Jegs Electrical in Leigh on Sea, Essex. | |
| More skills for small businesses
Small business owners should resolve to make 2008 a year to improve their leadership skills and boost their competitiveness. | |
| ERT online team to hit CES 2008
The ERTWeekly.com team will be reporting from the 2008 International CES in Las Vegas. | |
| DSGi issues profit warning
DSG International (DSGi), the owner of PC World and Currys, has issued a profit warning after poor Christmas trading. | |
| Five star reviews for Pure
DAB manufacturer Pure has announced that four of its newest products have been awarded five star reviews in What Hi-Fi? Sound and Vision, the home entertainment magazine. | |
| Independents let down by Christmas stock shortages
Many independent electrical retailers were inconvenienced in the run-up to Christmas by stock shortages, according to electrical retailers’ association Retra. | |
| More consumers buying Christmas presents online
A poll carried out by retail specialist, Actinic, into Christmas trading results has found continued growth in shopping online. | |
| Christmas rush came late, says BRC
This year customers left it late to do their Christmas shopping and it took widespread discounting to tempt them in to stores, says British Retail Consortium (BRC) chief Kevin Hawkins. | |
