insight – Page 20
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Comment and Opinion
Only a long-term food strategy for the UK can truly address the cost of living crisis
Sainsbury’s and Unilever this morning became the latest fmcg giants to warn margins will come under pressure from “unprecedented inflation”. And while Sainsbury’s CEO Simon Roberts vowed the retailer would do everything it could to “keep delivering the best value for customers”, Unilever warned further price hikes were on the ...
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Comment and Opinion
The price war is hotting up and Asda and Morrisons won’t be the only ones joining the fight
Both retailers have been struggling in the top four battle of late, and both have new owners trying to put their stamp on their businesses
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Comment and Opinion
How much is a pint of milk? Not enough, more than it was, lower than it will be soon
It’s a question most often asked to trip up out-of-touch politicians, though research from Aldi in September 2020 found shoppers too were surprisingly in the dark
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Comment and Opinion
How fmcg price rises are impacting the likes of Nestlé, Danone and P&G
Trying to call when inflation peaks is virtually impossible, but the key is that we do not see a structural erosion in sector profitability, says Warren Ackerman, head of European consumer staples research at Barclays
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Comment and Opinion
Why shrinkflation isn’t the crime it’s often made out to be
Reducing pack size or weight is a perfectly legitimate marketing lever, says David Sables, CEO of Sentinel Management Consultants
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Comment and Opinion
How UK consumers are bracing for Ukraine-driven inflation
In the UK, concern over rising food prices is growing faster than any other area, says Toby Clark, director of research, EMEA, Mintel
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Comment and Opinion
How will inflation influence grocery shopping trends in 2022?
There has been a gradual normalisation of post-pandemic shopping behaviours which appears to now be complete, says NielsenIQ’s Mike Watkins
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Comment and Opinion
Tesco’s approach to inflation: a little bit less and a little bit later
Ken Murphy delivered a message of subtle prudence, in which Tesco signalled its focus on doing the right thing for shoppers, colleagues and suppliers
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Comment and Opinion
M&S’s ‘everyday essentials’ price cuts could go a long way to boost its competitiveness
The price cuts mean an M&S loaf of bread now costs the same as its equivalent in Sainsbury’s and Tesco, and is only 1p more expensive than Morrisons and Asda.
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Comment and Opinion
How price rises could force an evolution in consumer behaviour
Inflation isn’t new information, but we need to dig deeper to realise the full impact on the UK grocery sector, says Kieran South, senior vice-president UK, IRI
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Comment and Opinion
Agility will be the defining characteristic of businesses that survive this pricing crisis
Adapting portfolios to this cost of living crisis is no easy task, but those agile enough to respond will benefit, says Warren Ackerman, head of European consumer staples research at Barclays
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Comment and Opinion
Morrisons needs to watch its back. Aldi is eyeing its place in the big four
The discounters are back with a bang, the latest Kantar figures show. And there are more than ever snapping at the big four’s heels
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Comment and Opinion
Rishi Sunak’s tax tweaks cannot stem the inevitable rise in food poverty
While the Chancellor will hope his tax-cutting pledges dominate the headlines, the reality is rocketing inflation will cause the biggest drop in UK living standards since records began
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Comment and Opinion
The UK economy is heading for stagflation. Protecting jobs will be critical
The war in Europe is going to exacerbate an already delicate post-pandemic economic situation, says David Sables, CEO of Sentinel Management Consultants
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Comment and Opinion
No one wins a race to the bottom. Brands have to avoid a price war
Brands should avoid cost cutting as a knee-jerk reaction to hardship, says Si Atherley, brand consultant at Kantar UK
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Comment and Opinion
British exporters have reason to be optimistic as we move on from the pandemic
As we learn to live with Covid, there is real reason to be bullish about the opportunities that lie ahead, says minister for exports Mike Freer
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Comment and Opinion
Sunflowers are a symbol of this catastrophic war: visually, metaphorically, economically
Almost 80% of the world’s sunflower oil comes from Ukraine and Russia. So the price, which more than doubled last year from a 2020 low of $685/tonne, hit a new record high of $1,665/tonne
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Comment and Opinion
How shopper behaviour is mitigating grocery inflation
The latest grocery retail data suggests we’re at the beginning of a seismic shift in consumer behaviour, says Kieran South, senior vice-president UK, IRI
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Comment and Opinion
How brewers should prepare for the knock-on effects of the Ukraine crisis
The beer industry should be prepared for further price increases or severe supply chain problems, says Craig Willmott, co-founder and head of operations at HonestBrew
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Comment and Opinion
Profit warnings indicate a perfect storm of post-pandemic challenges
The pandemic’s impact on consumer behaviour, rising energy costs, inflation and labour shortages have all added costs and strained supply chains, says Hunter Kelly, partner at EY-Parthenon Turnaround & Restructuring Strategy