Ribena's New Look

Suntory Beverage has backed Ribena with a relaunch that includes a £7m TV advert. The blackcurrant-based drink has revealed a new look in a bid to “drive more shoppers to rediscover their favourite childhood drink”. The new design aims to drive shelf stand out with more vibrant colouring, said Ribena. In consumer testing, the refreshed pack “improved purchasing, unaided recall, taste and overall appeal”, added the brand. Central to the new TV advert ‘No Taste Like Home’ is two films that follow a pair of siblings sharing a glass of Ribena. As they sit back, the unique taste of the drink triggers a powerful memory. Their living room transforms into a rainy British summer, where they relive a happy childhood moment splashing in puddles as their mum calls them in. Ribena has invested £7m across TV, VoD, YouTube and 60,000 points of disruption in store to bring the films to life. The activity will run nationwide until September.

BBQ - How will they judge if this money well spent for Ribena?

Watch - New Ribena Advert

Record Growth of Chinese Cars

One in 10 cars sold in the UK in June were made in China, according to the latest industry figures. New Chinese brands such as BYD, Jaecoo and Omoda are growing rapidly in the UK. There has been a particular surge over the past few months, at a time when most other G7 countries have levied significant extra tariffs against their imports. Around 18,944 cars made by Chinese-owned brands, including MG and Polestar, were sold in June, which is 10% of overall UK sales, according to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). That is up from 6% in the same month a year ago. Across the first half of this year, more than 8% - or 1 in 12 - cars sold were Chinese, up from 5% in 2023 and 2024. This was mainly but not exclusively electric vehicles. Chinese firms and their franchises have been buying up car showrooms. "Chinese manufacturers are producing cars which are better, cheaper and more innovative in every sector of the market," said John Neill, former SMMT President and ex-chief executive of Unipart.

BBQ - Will this soon lead to these brands looking to make their cars in the UK? Why?

Cars Made In China

Bank Note Redesign

Banknotes issued by the Bank of England are about to get their first major redesign in more than 50 years. Notable historical figures, such as Sir Winston Churchill on the current fiver, have featured on these banknotes since 1970 but could be on the way out. The public are being asked for their views on new themes, such as nature, innovation, or key events in history. It raises the possibility of British birds, bridges, or bangers and mash featuring on the next series of £5, £10, £20 and £50 notes. Banknotes issued in Scotland and Northern Ireland already carry images of landmarks and animals such as otters. Euro banknotes feature architectural styles. This public consultation relates to the Bank's next series, which will also continue to include an image of the monarch. People can submit their view via an online form on the Bank's website, or by post, by the end of July. The final decision on what exactly features on a banknote lies with the Bank's governor. More than 4.7 billion Bank of England notes are in circulation, collectively worth around £86bn. Cash use has fallen to 12% of transactions as payments technology evolves, but the Bank has said it is committed to providing cash for those who wish to use it.

BBQ - What would you like to see on the new bank notes?

Bank of England

River Island Retrenchment

River Island has named the 33 shops it plans to close in the UK as part of a plan that puts hundreds of jobs at risk. The clothing retailer said last week that more people shopping online and higher costs to run stores were behind its proposals to creditors. It also wants its landlords to cut rents at a further 71 stores which are at risk. The family-owned retailer currently has 230 shops and employs about 5,500 people, but has suffered heavy financial losses. Ben Lewis, chief executive of River Island, said last week that although River Island is "a much-loved" British retailer, more online shopping means it has "a large portfolio of stores that is no longer aligned to our customers' needs". He added that a "sharp rise in the cost of doing business over the last few years has only added to the financial burden". He said a turnaround plan was in place, but restructuring was also necessary. "We regret any job losses as a result of store closures, and we will try to keep these to a minimum," he added. River Island made a £33.2m loss in 2023 after sales fell 19%, according to its most recent set of accounts. The chain said it will consult employees over possible job losses and will redeploy staff where possible. No head office workers will be directly affected by the proposed closures, a source said. Creditors will start to vote on the plan on 4 August, and a court will decide whether to approve the plan on 7 August. River Island was founded in 1948 under the Lewis and Chelsea Girl brand before being renamed in the 1980s. There is intense competition in fashion retail, not only from the likes of Boohoo, but also from Chinese giants such as Shein and Temu. Retail sales and consumer confidence in general have been down as households cut back to try to deal with inflation, she said, which all adds up to a difficult situation for River Island and its employees.

BBQ - Can the high street continue to compete against e-commerce?

River Island

New Nissan Leaf to be Made in UK

 

Car manufacturer Nissan has unveiled details of its new Leaf electric vehicle, which is set to be built at its UK factory. The third-generation model will be built at its Sunderland plant by its 6,000-strong team, the Japanese carmaker said. The new Leaf will be able to travel up to 375 miles (604km) on a single charge and will be available for customers to order later this year, Nissan said. It will be powered by batteries from AESC UK, Nissan's battery partner, which is based next to the Wearside factory. The site already also builds the carmaker's Juke and Qashqai models. Alan Johnson, senior vice president of manufacturing and supply chain management at Nissan Motor Manufacturing, said: "It's with immense pride that we unveil the third generation of our pioneering electric Leaf, 12 years after we brought EV and battery manufacturing to the UK. "It's a testament to the skill of our world-class team that we can bring into mass production a vehicle with such advanced technology and aerodynamic design." James Taylor, managing director of Nissan GB, said: "Leaf is a pioneering electric vehicle that has encouraged thousands to make the switch to electric motoring - and best of all, it's built here in Britain." It is the first model to be launched under the company's blueprint for electric vehicle production, Nissan's EV36Zero project, which aims for sustainability.

BBQ - Why is it good news that the car will be built in the UK?

Nissan Leaf

Trump Phone to be made in USA

 

Experts have cast doubt on the Trump Organization's claim that its proposed smartphone can be entirely manufactured in the US. Questions have also been raised about the ethics of what is the latest in a series of attempts to cash in on President Donald Trump's name. The phone which will retail at $499 (£367.50) will also come alongside a mobile phone service with a monthly fee of $47.45. The figure is a reference to Trump serving as the country's 47th and 45th president. Trump has said he has put his business interests in a trust, which is managed by his children. The White House has maintained he acts in the interests of all Americans. The Trump family has not said which company would manufacture its phone in the United States. Technology experts have questioned what the Trump Organization's "built in the United States" claim about its handsets means and argued it is probably not currently possible to manufacture smartphones from scratch in the US.The decision comes as Trump tries to pressure Apple chief executive Tim Cook to manufacture iPhones sold to American buyers in the US. The deal is an extension of a business strategy that Trump embraced long before his presidency, striking deals to sell his name to hoteliers and golf course operators in exchange for fees and royalties. The idea of a Trump-related smartphone has received mixed reaction online with some people ready to buy it and others mocking the concept.

BBQ - Why is it not possible for the phone to be manufactured in the USA?

Trump Phone

CEO Pay Inequality

 

The chief executive of a FTSE 350 company is paid 52 times as much as a typical worker, according to the latest measure of inequality between bosses and their employees. Median pay for FTSE 350 chief executives was £2.5m last year, which works out at 52 times a median worker’s pay, according to a new report from the High Pay Centre campaign group. The widest gap was found at the cleaning, security and waste management group Mitie, whose chief executive, Phil Bentley, was paid £14.7m, 575 times more than a middle-earner in the 2023-24 financial year. Tesco ranked the second highest for the same period among FTSE 350 companies legally obliged to report the figure. With a package worth nearly £10m, the supermarket’s chief executive, Ken Murphy, was paid 431 times more than a typical Tesco worker that year. The most recent ratio, for the company’s 2024-25 financial year, was lower, at a multiple of 373 as Murphy’s pay fell to £9.2m. Luke Hildyard, the director of the High Pay Centre, said a maximum pay ratio between chief executives and workers could help ensure that all workers received “a fair reward for their contribution to business success”. The High Pay Centre suggested all companies should be required to publish their CEO-to-worker pay gaps in their annual reports, and include pay figures for outsourced workers in their calculations.

BBQ - Do you think this gap is too big? Should there be a limit?

CEO Pay