Commercial news round-up: Brexit, New Balance, government surplus, Dixons Carphone, Lidl
updated on 24 August 2017
As details of the laborious and confusing Brexit negotiations continue to seep out – today’s highlights alone include the possibility that UK will remain under EU judicial remit and warnings that an absence of EU workers will seriously damage the economy – there is much to consider about where we will be from an economic point of view when the split becomes final. For news on this, and more, read on:
- A new round of Brexit talks open on 28 August – the BBC helpfully explains what’s at stake.
- New Balance has won a significant trademark battle against Chinese company, New Boom, over its distinctive slanting ‘N’. The Chinese company will have to pay $1.5 million in damages.
- The government recorded a surplus for the first time since 2002 in July – £0.2 billion compared to a £0.3 billion deficit in July 2016.
- With consumers holding onto their phones for longer, Dixons Carphone is facing a steep fall in profits this year. Citing a tough environment, the company said: “Due to the sharp fall in the pound since last year’s Brexit vote, handsets have gone up in price by 16% to 20% […] and there have been no phones coming onto the market with ground-breaking new features.”
- The rise and rise of Lidl; the Guardian looks at how the discounter has overtaken Waitrose in the league tables to become Britain’s seventh largest grocer.
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