The British Retail Consortium claims that raising the rate of VAT
from 17.5 percent to 20 percent would mean the loss of 163,000
jobs and a decline in consumer spending by £3.6 billion over
a period of four years. However, one source told the Times that the BRC’s methodology was not
credible and that it was “speculative and does not really
help anyone in the retail sector”.
Apple, the tech firm behind the iPod and iPhone,
has a greater market value than Microsoft,
making it the world’s s biggest technology company, reports the
Telegraph. By close of trading in New York
yesterday Apple was worth $222 billion (£153.4 billion),
eclipsing Microsoft’s $219 billion (£151.3 billion).
Iconic kitchenware retailer/cataloguer Lakeland
has been voted by Which? readers as Britain’s best shop.
It shared the accolade with consumer electronics and hi-fi
equipment seller Richer Sounds, writes the Telegraph.
In a related item, TV presenter Kirstie Allsopp explains to the
newspaper why she loves Lakeland so
much.
Paddy Byng the chief executive of luxury leather-goods retailer
Smythson is to step down at the end of the
month. According to Vogue, Byng will be replaced by owner
Tivoli‘s chairman Jacques Bahbout.
Supermarket Waitrose and online grocer
Ocado have signed a new ten-year agreement that
allows Ocado to sell Waitrose goods for the next 10 years and to
continue to use the Waitrose brands on its website and on its
delivery fleet.
Wiggly Wigglers, the Organic Gardening
Catalogue, and the Green Gardener are
all mentioned in an Independent article on teaching children
gardening skills.
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