Business

Santander has announced a £2.65 billion all-cash deal to acquire TSB from Spanish rival Sabadell, marking another significant move in the wave of UK banking consolidation. The takeover, which is expected to complete in the first quarter of 2026 subject to regulatory approval, will see Santander absorb TSB’s five-million-strong customer base and expand its UK footprint further. The acquisition price comfortably exceeds the £1.7 billion that Sabadell paid to acquire TSB in 2015, and comes...

High street health and beauty giant Superdrug has shrugged off rising tax burdens and wage costs to expand its workforce by more than 600 roles and post a jump in pre-tax profits. In newly filed accounts for the year ending 2024, Superdrug reported a pre-tax profit of £136.8 million, up from £111.6 million the year before. The performance came despite what the company described as “pressure” on its margins due to government-imposed hikes in the...

Royal Mail has today launched a new £1 million apprenticeship levy gifting fund to help small businesses across the UK tackle skills shortages and unlock growth opportunities. The initiative, announced alongside the publication of a new report by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) and Royal Mail, follows in-depth research which found that a quarter of small firms are struggling to recruit skilled workers — a major barrier to their expansion. The report, titled Small...

Greggs has warned that full-year profits will come in below last year’s level, after scorching June temperatures dented footfall and overall sales — sending the high street bakery’s shares tumbling by over 13 per cent in early Wednesday trading. The sausage roll maker told investors that total sales in the first half of the year rose 6.9 per cent to £1.3 billion, while like-for-like sales edged up by just 2.6 per cent. But the firm...

Eventwise, the end-to-end budgeting platform built for event professionals, has raised £525,000 in a funding round led by Fuel Ventures. The raise, completed on 30th June, marks a major milestone for the fast-growing startup as it scales its platform and infrastructure to meet increasing demand across the events sector. Designed to replace outdated spreadsheets and fragmented systems, Eventwise provides event teams with a single, intuitive platform to manage complex budgets. The tool streamlines financial planning,...

Scottish Bakers has launched its inaugural ‘Future of Bakery’ report, an exclusive new industry insight resource designed to empower Scotland’s bakery businesses with vital commercial and consumer data. Developed in partnership with global ingredients supplier Dawn Foods, the dual report spans both sweet and savoury categories and is available exclusively to Scottish Bakers’ members via the organisation’s new digital Insights Hub. The report aims to provide actionable intelligence on market performance, consumer behaviour, pricing dynamics,...

Across the UK and internationally, homeowners are rethinking how they use their outdoor spaces. Gardens are no longer simply areas for planting or summer barbecues. Increasingly, they are being transformed into functional, stylish extensions of the home. This growing focus on outdoor living presents clear opportunities for businesses across design, retail, landscaping and property services. Consumer expectations are evolving, and companies that respond to this shift with practical, personalised solutions are well placed to benefit....

Let me start with this: most bias isn’t loud. It doesn’t storm into the room or make a scene. It’s subtle. It hides behind compliments, casual comments, and unspoken assumptions. And that’s exactly why we need to prioritise talking about it. In today’s workplaces, many of us genuinely want to be inclusive. We pride ourselves on being self-aware, open-minded, and fair. But bias isn’t always about conscious discrimination. More often, it shows up in the small...

The Crown Estate has reported a record £1.1 billion in net revenue profit for the second consecutive year, thanks largely to a surge in offshore windfarm “option fees” paid by developers. However, the King’s property company has warned this windfall will soon pass, with profits expected to “normalise” from 2026. The bumper profits were driven by payments from energy companies who secured leases to build six new offshore windfarms in January 2023. These projects—three in...

Senior UK industry figures have issued a stark warning over the government’s new packaging tax, branding it “horrific” and economically damaging. The finalised Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme, published by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) on Friday, will make producers pay the cost of recycling their packaging from October. Though the final fees are slightly lower than previous projections, business leaders across the retail, hospitality and food and drink sectors argue...