News and Trends

Waitrose is hoping to put a spring in the step of its customers with a raft of new sweet bakery items for Easter and spring 2025. There are shaped crumpets, flavoured hot cross buns, lemon scones, and a panettone/hot cross bun hybrid to name a few. Take a closer look at the range here: Source: Waitrose Apricot & Stem Ginger Hot Cross Buns Part of the premium No.1 range, these hot cross buns are made with sourdough starter for extra flavour. They’re lightly spiced and packed with apricot pieces and stem ginger which adds warmth. Waitrose suggests serving them toasted with butter and its Spanish Apricot & Ginger Preserve. Price: £3 for four-pack Source: Waitrose Lemon Drizzle Scones Lemon drizzle cake meets scones. These scones are made with Cornish clotted cream, zesty lemon curd and lemon peel, and topped with nib sugar for some added crunch. For added zing, Waitrose suggests serving them with raspberry jam or more lemon curd. Price: £2 for four-pack Source: Waitrose Apple ...

 

Thinktank IGD has developed six insights that are moulding the future of the UK and European Grocery Retail sector in 2025, underlined by a renewed focus on fundamental retail practices, new revenue opportunities, and the growing demand for health and sustainability initiatives.   Optimising Retail Fundamentals for Success While new technologies capture attention, UK and European retailers are reinforcing core retail fundamentals like stock availability, pricing, and promotions. Innovations like shelf-edge cameras and AI-driven stock management are improving these essential areas, ensuring a seamless shopping experience.   Exploring New Revenue Streams As operating costs rise, UK retailers are diversifying their revenue sources by leveraging ecommerce technology, data monetization, and B2B services.  Tesco’s launch of  Transcend , enabling other grocers to use its fulfilment tools, exemplifies the growing interest in non-traditional retail income streams.   Evol...

A total of 400 jobs are set to go at Tesco - with staff at in-store bakeries specifically targeted Staff working in Tesco’s in-store bakeries will be specifically targeted for job cuts after the supermarket giant announced it would be shedding 400 roles as part of plans to “simplify” the business. Tesco said managers in its head office and Tesco Mobile phone shops, on top of staff at its in-store bakeries, will be affected. Tesco now stocks around 2000 items from 150 Northern Ireland suppliers It has been reported the major brand is planning to pivot away from having staff bake goods inside the supermarket. The decision comes after rival Sainsbury’s announced last week that it was cutting 3,000 jobs, as it shuts down its remaining cafés and closes its patisserie and pizza counters. Tesco has said the decision to axe 400 jobs came amid a market that is “more competitive than ever”. It has not yet been confirmed how many of the job cuts will fall in Scotland....