Tesco’s plan to rival Ocado with robotic warehouses in tatters after tech partner Attabotics files for bankruptcy. Future of AI fulfilment push now in doubt.
Category: News
The latest news affecting small and medium sized (SME) businesses in the UK
Harrods data breach: luxury retail giant warns customers after hackers steal personal details
Luxury retailer Harrods hit by cyber breach as hackers steal customer data from third-party provider. Names and contact details exposed, but no payment info taken.
Branson told to rethink Eurostar rival bid as rail minister warns Kent stations ‘must be served’
Rail minister tells Richard Branson his Virgin Eurostar rival bid must serve Kent stations like Ebbsfleet and Ashford to win approval, as regulator decision nears.
Yahoo boss warns: AI is a ‘threat to publishers’ very existence’ as copyright battle heats up
Yahoo CEO Jim Lanzone warns AI poses an “existential threat” to publishers, accusing tech firms of pilfering content without consent as copyright lawsuits mount.
Reform UK tells Reeves to grab £20bn lifeline From Bank of England and scrap tax hikes
Reform UK urges Rachel Reeves to seize £20bn from Bank of England’s QE losses, arguing the move could stop tax hikes and boost household finances.
Starbucks to shut cafés and axe 900 jobs in £750m rescue plan as sales slump and UK losses mount
Starbucks will close dozens of cafés and cut 900 jobs as part of a £750m restructuring plan to revive falling sales, with UK stores among those at risk.
Ryanair sparks fury as it bans paper boarding passes
Ryanair faces backlash after banning paper boarding passes from November, with campaigners calling the move “disgraceful” and warning it discriminates against older passengers.
AI data centres to swallow 10% of global power surge — with US demand soaring to 40% by 2035, warns BP
BP warns AI data centres could consume 10% of global electricity growth by 2035 — with US demand hitting 40% — in its new World Energy Outlook.
Pound slides as Bailey hints at rate cuts if inflation falls
The pound tumbled after Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey suggested interest rates could be cut if inflation cools — sparking fresh fears for the UK economy
Government could buy Jaguar Land Rover parts to prevent job losses after cyberattack
The UK government is weighing a radical plan to buy Jaguar Land Rover parts to shield suppliers from collapse after a cyberattack forced the carmaker to freeze global production.
Lloyds to axe 49 more branches as high street banking collapse deepens
Lloyds Banking Group will close 49 more branches in 2026 across Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland as the high street banking exodus deepens.
Reeves urged to slap drivers with pay-per-mile tax that could raise £20bn
Drivers could be taxed per mile under Reeves’s Budget plans, raising £20bn a year. Critics warn of unfair costs and privacy risks.
Mandelson stripped of Power at his own firm after Epstein email scandal
Peter Mandelson has been stripped of his voting rights and dividend payments at Global Counsel after damning emails revealed his close ties to Jeffrey Epstein. His 21% stake is now being sold.
Jeremy Hunt warns Reeves: soaring taxes will kill UK’s ‘animal spirits’
Ex-Chancellor Jeremy Hunt slams Rachel Reeves’s £30bn tax plan, warning it will crush growth, stifle business and kill the UK’s ‘animal spirits’.
‘Companies will go bust’: metal industry warns Reeves as energy fees double
UK manufacturers say they face collapse as energy standing charges and levies double, with firms warning Reeves that new bills will drive jobs overseas.
