Comment
The latest comment and opinion, from industry figures and the business journalists at Catering Today. We bring you the latest on what’s happening in the restaurants, bars and catering industry, with exclusive stories, analysis, best practice and industry comment.
-
Jan- 2020 -9 January
Who would have thought skinny jeans could be anyone’s undoing?
It’s not often that the business pages give you a good belly laugh. But today we have the spectacle of Marks & Spencer blaming its poor Christmas trading results partly on an oversupply of skinny jeans for men. Apparently customer surveys revealed that the high street bellwether’s ranges were “too old” the…
Read More » -
8 January
Greggs going vegan has paid dividends: we can all learn from them
There is an adage about business and entertainment emerging in the conservative media, which is “get woke, go broke”. It translates crudely to, “cave to the demands of social justice activists and you will suffer financially”. And while it is true that some have come a cropper by tilting the…
Read More » -
8 January
How will high street restaurants survive dark kitchen disruption?
Shops have already suffered the fate of losing their footfall to clicks on the internet and it seems restaurants are headed the same way. Amidst the plight of the high street for retail, I’ve always thought of restaurants as the real stalwart. Surely you can’t get rid of restaurants from…
Read More » -
7 January
Northern Ireland’s business community want compensation for their Brexit troubles
To say that Brexit has been ‘divisive’ is both an understatement and also a cliché of the highest order. But Johnson’s election victory, as we are all now well versed, will not bring an immediate end to the arguing. Today we hear that business leaders and entrepreneurs in Northern Ireland want their…
Read More » -
6 January
As long as WW3 does not kick off, 2020 looks set to be a better year
All eyes on are on the rising tensions between the United States and Iran after president Trump ordered the assassination of Iran’s most powerful general, Qassem Suleimani. The oil price has risen, stocks have fallen this morning, and the threat of war almost always depresses global trade flows. But let’s bask in…
Read More » -
6 January
How the blue planet effect is greening the hospitality industry 2010-2030
At the start of a new decade it seems only fitting to look back on the previous decade and forward to the next. If there is one defining movement of the last ten years, it’s got to be a growing concern for the environment and how we transition to doing…
Read More » -
3 January
Volkswagen’s unceasing nightmare is a lesson in honesty
Readers will recall the scandal surrounding faked emissions tests conducted by the car-making giant, Volkswagen, in recent years. In case you have forgotten, the controversy surrounded the manufacturer’s attempts to depress the emissions readings on regulatory testing of its vehicles in order to artificially meet the standards on CO2 that were…
Read More » -
2 January
The internet need not be the scourge of every sector – just ask the CEO of Mountain Warehouse
The last decade in business was arguably characterised by one word: disruption. While the internet behemoths had already begun building serious fortunes in the 2000s, most would agree it was after 2010 that things really started motoring. Heralded as the great democratiser of information and services, the effects of a…
Read More » -
2 January
Catering for the new year health-kick
For many, January marks one thing: a fresh start. The bottle-filled recycle bins are emptied, the mince pies have all been eaten and the health-kick is in full swing. As part of a new and healthier lifestyle, increasing numbers of people are choosing to start the year by cutting down…
Read More » -
Dec- 2019 -20 December
Finally, a government addressing the business rates fiasco
Regardless of your political colours, small businesses up and down the land will be pleased to hear of at least one policy which looks set to survive the transition from manifesto wish lists to actual policy and legislation, and that is a business rates overhaul. The prime minister, Boris Johnson,…
Read More »
