Fears over shortages as supermarkets hit by ‘pingdemic’

Supermarkets apologised for empty shelves in stores yesterday amid warnings that the “pingdemic” was putting a strain on supply chains. Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose all said they were facing problems, blaming factors including a growing number of staff and delivery drivers being forced to isolate after coming into contact with someone with Covid-19. Andrew […]

Royal Mail hopes online sales shift will keep delivering

Royal Mail is hoping the shift to online shopping and home delivery is a permanent trend and not just a pandemic blip as it announced latest apparently positive data on parcel volumes. But the decline in letters, according to its latest figures, appears to be chronic. The privatised nationwide postal operator reported that between […]

UK borrows £22.8bn as economy recovers more quickly than forecast

The government borrowed £22.8 billion last month, the second highest June total on record, as a sharp increase in debt interest costs offset falls in spending on emergency support in the pandemic. Official figures from the Office for National Statistics showed that borrowing continues to come in lower than forecast in the March budget […]

UK threatens EU with Northern Ireland protocol override

The government is expected to warn the EU it is prepared to override the Northern Ireland protocol if Brussels does not agree to make significant concessions and simplify the agreement. Lord Frost, the Brexit minister, who is due to give a statement to peers today, will outline a strategy that seeks to eliminate most […]

Backlash as pinged staff rules called unworkable

Industry bodies have reacted with dismay at the government’s plan for firms to apply for staff to be exempt from coronavirus self-isolation rules. The government has said there will be no list of critical workers exempt from isolating rules and exemptions will be “considered on a case-by-case basis”. Karen Dee, chief executive of the […]

Backlash as pinged staff rules called unworkable

Industry bodies have reacted with dismay at the government’s plan for firms to apply for staff to be exempt from coronavirus self-isolation rules. The government has said there will be no list of critical workers exempt from isolating rules and exemptions will be “considered on a case-by-case basis”. Karen Dee, chief executive of the […]

Vue cinemas fined £750,000 over death of customer trapped by chair

Cinema chain Vue has been fined £750,000 for safety breaches after a filmgoer died when he became trapped under a cinema chair leg-rest in 2018. Ateeq Rafiq, 24, died in hospital after his neck became stuck under the powered chair, which was found to have blown a fuse in its control box, as he […]

Vue cinemas fined £750,000 over death of customer trapped by chair

Cinema chain Vue has been fined £750,000 for safety breaches after a filmgoer died when he became trapped under a cinema chair leg-rest in 2018. Ateeq Rafiq, 24, died in hospital after his neck became stuck under the powered chair, which was found to have blown a fuse in its control box, as he […]