Poppi To Debut in UK

A new soft drink is about to land in the UK — and it’s already caused a storm across the Atlantic. Poppi, the prebiotic, low‑sugar soda that’s gone viral in the US, will be hitting Tesco and Pret from early March. PepsiCo snapped up the brand last year, and it’s clear they see Poppi as more than just another fizzy drink. With its bold cans, fruity flavours, and gut‑health message, Poppi has built a reputation as the drink for the social‑media generation. Now it’s crossing the pond with five flavours: Strawberry Lemon, Raspberry Rose, Orange, Lemon Lime and Wild Berry. What’s interesting from a business perspective is how Poppi fits perfectly into the UK trend for functional beverages. Consumers aren’t just looking for “less sugar” anymore — they’re after drinks that claim added benefits, whether that’s energy, immunity, or now gut health. And retailers love a product that looks good on shelves and taps into a growing market. Poppi’s launch also signals a strategic shift for PepsiCo. Rather than trying to reinvent older brands, they’re investing in new ones that already have cultural momentum. If Poppi performs like it did in the States, we could soon see the big UK players reacting quickly, especially in the premium soft drink category. It’s always fascinating to see how quickly the soft drinks market evolves. One big launch can set the tone for the year ahead — and Poppi might just be the brand to watch in 2026. In terms of pricing, Poppi will sell in 330ml cans, both individually and in four‑packs. Recommended pricing sits at £2.59 per can and £7.79 for multipacks, putting Poppi firmly in the premium soft drinks bracket.

BBQ - With its premium pricing and gut‑health positioning, do you think Poppi will become a UK staple — or will it remain a niche American import?

Poppi

Dyson Settle Employment Lawsuit

 

Electronics appliance maker Dyson has agreed to settle a lawsuit filed against it by 24 migrant workers, who alleged they were subjected to forced and abusive treatment in a Malaysian factory making the firm's parts. The workers, from Nepal and Bangladesh, sued the firm in 2022 and described being subject to what amounted to modern day slavery. Dyson has denied any liability. When the case was brought it said it had been previously unaware of the alleged abuses, and the Malaysia supplier should be held responsible instead. The case is significant for establishing the precedent that allegations against foreign companies supplying British manufacturers can be judged in an English court. The workers described being threatened and beaten, having their passports withheld, and being forced to work long hours in unsanitary conditions. According to their lawyers, from Leigh Day, they were denied toilet breaks and forced to work "upwards of 12 hours at a time without relieving themselves". Under the terms of the settlement the details of any compensation to the workers are not being disclosed. They both also said the settlement was not an admission of liability on Dyson's part. The company had earlier argued that the case should be heard in Malaysia, not Britain. But the Supreme Court agreed that the trial could take place in an English court, setting a precedent that British companies can be held to account in the UK for actions taken by suppliers in another country.

BBQ - Should the Malaysian supplier or Dyson be held accountable for breaking Employment Law?

Dyson

Burger King Customer Service AI

 

Burger King is testing artificial intelligence-powered employee headsets that monitor staff interactions with customers and oversee store operations. The AI system, called BK Assistant, compiles "friendliness scores" at the fast-food chain's locations based on employees' conversations. The chain is currently piloting the system at 500 US restaurants, a spokesperson for Burger King said. The company says the technology is not designed to "record conversations or evaluate individual employees". An AI chat-bot dubbed "Patty", embedded in the headsets, answers questions from employees about how to prepare menu items and flags when a product needs restocking. But its ability to monitor restaurant staff tees up a debate about surveillance. Burger King's chief digital officer told online publication The Verge that the fast-food outlet had trained the OpenAI-powered system to identify terms including "please" and "thank you" in order to evaluate staff friendliness. The system analyses audio from drive-thru interactions. All US Burger King restaurants are poised to have access to the BK Assistant AI platform by the end of 2026, a company spokesperson told the BBC.

BBQ - Is this a good use of AI for business or is it crossing the line for monitoring staff?

Meet Patty

Tesco Clubcard for Under 18s

Tesco intends to make its Clubcard available to under-18s this year, the supermarket said. Its loyalty scheme allows shoppers to get discounts on thousands of products, including its popular meal deals, and collect points which can be turned into vouchers. Loyalty cards are a way for retailers to collect data on what customers are buying and offer them more at lower prices. It allows them to compete for customers as rising food prices squeeze margins. The average person has loyalty cards for three supermarkets, data from research firm Kantar suggests. Most of the biggest UK supermarkets require shoppers to be 18 or over to sign up for their rewards schemes. Asked why most big UK supermarkets don't already allow under-18s to sign up to these schemes, he said there had been concerns about data protection for minors.But he added that if people younger than this can hold bank accounts, access social media and the internet, drive a car and get married, "they should also be able to buy food for themselves and those they may care for, at the most competitive prices".

BBQ - Would you sign-up to a Tesco loyalty card?

Tesco Loyalty

Big Brands Ditch Chicken Pledge

Major restaurant chains, including KFC, have ditched a commitment to improve chicken sourcing standards in the UK as poultry demand soars. Eight restaurant groups, which also include the owners of Burger King and Nando's, have left the Better Chicken Commitment (BCC), in which they pledged to stop using fast-growing chickens, for an industry-led plan without that commitment. Animal welfare groups say fast-growing "franken-chickens" mature quicker but also have higher rates of premature death and muscle disease.Trade body UKHospitality said the industry-led plan will help restaurant firms reduce emissions and meet surging demand for the lean protein while ensuring secure supply chains. The BBC understands the famous chicken chain owned by Yum Brands buys about 4% of the UK chicken supply. An industry source said there is not yet a large enough supply of slower-growing poultry in the UK. However, animal welfare group Anima International said the change was "about money and nothing else". Its UK chief executive Connor Jackson said the companies' explanation for leaving is rubbish.

BBQ - Have businesses put profit over ethics with this decision? What would be the impact of this?

Chicken Supply Chain

 

Pandora to switch from silver to platinum

 

Jeweller Pandora has said it will switch from using silver in some of its ranges to platinum-plating following a dramatic increase in prices. Silver prices have more than doubled over the past year with other precious metals such as gold also surging. Pandora's chief executive Berta de Pablos-Barbier said the aim was not to make all jewellery platinum-plated, but silver will be reduced to around 25% of its goods to reduce its exposure to the metal given the recent volatility. The Danish firm, one of the world's biggest jewellery retailers, currently makes the majority of its products from silver. Although platinum is more expensive than silver per ounce, Pandora said it will create an alloy, which would make it cheaper to use. It said over time, parts of its silver ranges will shift to platinum-plated, using its own metal alloy called Evershine, which it already uses for its gold-plated products. Pandora is well known for its charm bracelets. Chief executive de Pablos-Barbier said that around 60% of its business was currently in silver. Silver prices hit record highs in January before falling back, but remains elevated compared to last year. Pandora said that it would introduce the new platinum-plated range in 2026 before rolling it out more broadly.

BBQ - Will this switch in supplier impact the customer perception of the brand?

Pandora

Aldi Store Protest

About 160 people have taken part in a protest in Cornwall over plans to build an Aldi supermarket on a green field used by a local rugby club. The food retailer has announced a £10m investment plan for the supermarket in Saltash, on ground used by Saltash Rugby Club for youth training.Elliott Saunders, real estate director for Aldi, said the retailer was "listening and reviewing feedback from the community" with plans to "agree appropriate measures to mitigate any loss of open space" in its planning application. Thompson, who organised the protest, said the turnout was "fantastic" and "really impactful". He added "I think it sent a very clear message to Aldi, Cornwall Council and Saltash Town Council that an Aldi store is not wanted on that green space." Saunders said the project team at Aldi was carrying out a "detailed audit of current and future open space provision" in Saltash. "Once this has been carried out, it is our aim to work alongside the council and key stakeholders, including Saltash Rugby Club, to agree appropriate measures to mitigate any loss of open space. He added: "Our proposal for Saltash represents a £10m investment: creating around 40 new, local jobs with sector-leading pay, and improving access to Aldi's award-winning range of high-quality food at low prices."

BBQ - How can you apply the concept of stakeholder conflict to this?

Aldi Saltash