Megabrew latest: AB InBev tells EU antitrust regulators it would sell SABMiller’s Peroni, Grolsch and Meantime brands April 13, 2016 Anheuser-Busch InBev has attempted to avoid a corporate hangover in its takeover of fellow drinks giant SABMiller, in the latest move in the so-called megabrew deal. AB InBev has formally informed European antitrust regulators it plans to sell the premium European Peroni, Grolsch and Meantime brands owned by SABMiller to avert competition concerns as the drinks giant tries to [...]
Craft beer prices threatened by hop shortages following heatwaves in Europe last summer April 13, 2016 There's no easy way to say this, but if you're a fan of craft beer and ale, now could be the time to drink up fast. In the coming months, craft beer producers could be forced to raise the prices of their increasingly popular brews following heatwaves last summer that have led to shortages of [...]
Global glut led by China’s production boom sees sun set on UK steel industry April 12, 2016 Britain used to be synonymous with steel, but in the past year multiple rounds of harsh job cuts and high-profile pullouts from foreign companies have left the sector struggling to survive and its future uncertain. Around 18,000 people are directly employed in Britain's steel sector, of which 15,000 are employed by Tata Steel. But the [...]
One in 10 say they’re addicted to “freemium” game apps such as Candy Crush and Game of War according to research from Go Compare Money April 12, 2016 Chances are, at some point, you've been that person avidly playing Candy Crush on the tube. Or, if you haven't, you've probably sat mesmerised watching someone else play it over their shoulder. The addictive nature of "freemium" games like Candy Crush, which are free to initially download but encourage in-app purchases, is well-known to commuters, but [...]
Gala Leisure and Gala Interactive brands become latest to join independent gambling regulator Senet Group April 12, 2016 The Gala Bingo brand has become the first bingo business to join the independent gambling industry watchdog, the Senet Group. Gala Leisure, the UK's largest operator of bingo clubs, and Gala Interactive, the company's online bingo operator, are the latest companies to join the regulator, following in the footsteps of other industry majors including Paddy Power Betfair and [...]
Greybull or grey clouds? Why these are temporary solutions to structural problems in UK steel April 12, 2016 Tata Steel's decision to sell the firm's UK steel assets follows the wider divestment and mothballing trend playing out in the country's steel sector. Most recently, Tata Steel put the firm's Port Talbot and Scunthorpe mills up for sale, following a suit of competitors in the UK market, such as Sahaviriya Steel Industries and Caparo. [...]
McDonald’s, JD Wetherspoon and Domino’s urged to crackdown on use of antibiotics in global meat and poultry supply chains April 11, 2016 A coalition of 54 institutional investors, which manages funds totalling $1 trillion, has called on 10 UK and US restaurant chains including McDonald’s, JD Wetherspoon, Wendy’s and Domino’s Pizza Group to curb antibiotic use in their global meat and poultry supply chains. The investors, which include Aviva Investors and Coller Capital, have written to ten [...]
HMRC to analyse lower-than-expected uptake on Alcohol Wholesaler Registration Scheme April 11, 2016 The government's Alcohol Wholesaler Registration Scheme has suffered a blow after it was revealed it received only a quarter of the sign-ups as HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) had predicted. The scheme received around 4,800 applications before its deadline of 31 March, although HMRC had previously estimated around 20,000 businesses might need to register and had directly [...]
Sugar lovers beware: anti-smoking drugs could curb sweet cravings according to Queensland University of Technology research April 11, 2016 Sugar cravings could become a thing of the past with the help of anti-smoking drugs, new research has found. Drugs used to treat nicotine addiction could be applied to treat similar addictions to sugar, according to the new study from the Queensland University of Technology published in the journal PLOS ONE. The researchers found sugar [...]