1+ week, 5+ day ago (649+ words) Britain's competition regulator has opened investigations into eight companies, including leading ticket resellers StubHub and Viagogo , over hard sell online pricing practices. The companies being probed by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) are StubHub, Viagogo, AA Driving School, BSM Driving School, Gold's Gym, Wayfair, Appliances Direct and Marks Electrical. It is the first time the CMA has used new consumer protection powers to launch an investigation into anti-competitive behaviour. The latest crackdown comes after it was revealed reselling tickets for profit is to be outlawed under plans due to be announced by the Government tomorrow. Ministers had been originally considering allowing companies and ordinary consumers to sell on a ticket for up to 30% above the original face value but it is now thought that reselling a ticket at anything more than the original face value will be banned. It…...

3+ day, 9+ hour ago (345+ words) Welcome to our gifting issue. Read on and all of your most challenging Christmas gifting dilemmas will disappear in a puff of smoke. Our editors have chosen the cleverest presents for everyone in your life " plus the chicest taste makers, from Zac Posen to Mert Alas, have picked all the gifts they'd like to receive themselves. It's quite the bonanza. In this issue we also publish the shortlist for the 2025 Standard Theatre Awards. Founded in 1955, they are the oldest drama awards in the UK and have celebrated the finest actors, directors and writers across eight decades. Turn to page 20 to see who truly lit up the London stage this year, from Tom Hiddleston in Much Ado at Drury Lane to Cate Blanchett in The Seagull at the Barbican. Elsewhere, don't miss Ed West, one of my favourite writers, on page…...

2+ week, 6+ day ago (606+ words) The Government "only listens to big business, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said as he set out his party's pitch to small business owners. Big businesses "virtually control and own the political arena, Mr Farage said, as he vowed to cut red tape and regulation for business owners who are "literally living in fear about the inspector walking through the door. Speaking at a press event in central London, he told the 300 small and medium-sized business owners joining him that he understood the challenges they face. "We get it. I've been in business, I've run my own businesses, as many of my colleagues have, as thousands of our members have, he said. "Some on the left will tell you "the economy is failing because capitalism is failing'. No. We're not living in capitalism, we're living in an age of global…...

2+ week, 6+ day ago (580+ words) Online retailer The Very Group has been taken over by US private equity firm Carlyle, bringing an end to more than 20 years under the ownership of the Barclay family. The Littlewoods and Very owner confirmed that Washington-based Carlyle " a major lender to the firm " had become its controlling shareholder, with fellow lender Abu Dhabi-based investment fund, International Media Investments (IMI), continuing as a "key stakeholder. It ends a lengthy period under the ownership of the Barclay family, which has been forced to give up control of a raft of businesses in recent years, including The Daily Telegraph newspaper, The Ritz hotel in London and delivery company Yodel. Carlyle and IMI first became lenders to The Very Group in 2021. Robbie Feather, group chief executive of The Very Group, said: "This marks an important milestone for The Very Group as we move into…...

1+ week, 4+ day ago (621+ words) The boss of WH Smith quit today after the publication of a damning report into "extremely serious" accounting errors in the retailer's North American division. Carl Cowling resigned "with immediate effect" after an independent investigation conducted by accountants Deloitte uncovered a litany of failings compounded by "a limited level of group oversight of the finance processes in North America." He will remain employed by the company to help with the handover to his replacement until February. Andrew Harrison, CEO of the Group's UK division, will take over as interim group CEO . WH Smith warned it now expects profits in its US business to be in the range of "5 million to "15 million " down from the "55 million originally expected and the "25 million revised guidance when the accounting shortcomings were first uncovered. As a result guidance for trading profit for the year has…...

2+ week, 6+ day ago (525+ words) Poundland is set to close its stores in Mitcham and Sidcup as part of a major restructuring plan affecting dozens of locations across the UK. The discount retailer, which was acquired by US investment firm Gordon Brothers earlier this year, is aiming to reduce its store count from around 800 to roughly 650700, focusing on more profitable branches. The Mitcham store and the Sidcup branch are both scheduled to close, with the Sidcup store's last trading day set for November 14, while the Mitcham branch will close on November 17. The closures mark the end of a familiar bargain destination for local shoppers at a time when many households are feeling the pinch from rising living costs. Darren MacDonald, Poundland's retail director, said in a statement: "We know how disappointing it is when we leave a store, but before we close our doors for…...

1+ week, 5+ day ago (508+ words) Around "2 million in card chargebacks was claimed by Lloyds Banking Group customers between the start of January and the end of September this year, according to the bank's data. The average transaction was "35, with the bank highlighting customer problems with websites such as purchases failing to arrive, items turning out to be poor-quality imitations, or unauthorised subscriptions being set up. A chargeback is a type of card payment protection which may help shoppers get their money back when something goes wrong. Spending is expected to rise as Black Friday (November 28) approaches. Lloyds said that scammers will identify in-demand items such as Labubu dolls, Jellycat toys and high-end advent calendars " alongside "evergreen" Christmas and Black Friday products, such as jewellery, perfume and gadgets. Fraudsters' websites will purport to sell popular goods, often appearing to be heavily discounted and encouraging shoppers to…...

3+ day, 6+ hour ago (511+ words) Chancellor Rachel Reeves has summoned telecoms bosses to a meeting to demand more protection for consumers from mid-contract price hikes. Ms Reeves and Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said more must be done to ensure "hard-working consumers" do not face price rises they have not signed up to. They have told telecoms chief executives that "more needs to be done to protect consumers so that ordinary people feel empowered when engaging with the sector and confident they are getting a good deal". In a letter to bosses, the Government has called on the sector to reinforce its commitment to treating customers fairly, including by confirming customers under contract will not face price rises beyond those that they signed up to. The ministers said they will shortly convene a roundtable with industry leaders to discuss further action to support customers, as well…...

1+ week, 5+ day ago (464+ words) The competition watchdog has described its opening of investigations into eight firms over online pricing practices as an "important milestone" in ensuring they "do the right thing by their customers". The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said it had reason to suspect the eight businesses had infringed consumer law in relation to their use of fees, use of misleading time-limited offers or by automatically opting consumers in for optional charges. Here is a breakdown of why the CMA is investigating each of the businesses. Secondary ticketing site stubhub.co.uk is under investigation over its presentation of mandatory fees, specifically whether these fees are included in the total price the consumer sees at the beginning of the purchase process. Like StubHub, fellow secondary ticketing site Viagogo is under investigation for how it presents its mandatory fees to consumers during the…...

3+ week, 2+ day ago (668+ words) New issues of British Savings Bonds have gone on sale on Friday with increased rates of interest, NS&I has announced, bucking trends seen elsewhere in the savings market. The Treasury-backed savings provider, which offers a range of savings and investments to more than 24 million customers, said the increased interest rates are being made available to both new and maturing customers. British Savings Bonds are fixed-term issues of NS&I's Guaranteed Growth Bonds and Guaranteed Income Bonds. Among the changes, NS&I is offering one-year Guaranteed Growth Bonds and Guaranteed Income Bonds at a new rate of 4.20% AER (annual equivalent rate), up from 4.04% AER previously. Two-year versions of the bonds are being offered at 4.10% AER, up from 3.85% AER previously. Savers can get three-year versions at 4.16% AER, increased from 3.88% AER previously. Five-year deals are available at 4.15% AER, having increased from 3.84% AER....