Financial news

Shrinkflation boycotts: have you joined the uprising against downsizing?

06-06-2023 14:23

From biscuits to crisps, food items are getting smaller while their price stays the same. A fifth of consumers have had enough – and are shunning the offending productsName: Shrinkflation boycotts.Age: Emerging. Continue reading...

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Housebuilders cut back on construction as UK mortgage rate rises spook buyers

06-06-2023 12:56

Work on residential building sites slips in May to weakest level since 2009UK banks pull hundreds more mortgage deals as fixed rates riseBritain’s housebuilders are cutting back on the construction of new homes amid signs that potential buyers are being spooked by the prospect of increases in mortgage rates over the coming months.The latest report on the construction sector found that work on residential building sites slipped in May to the weakest level since 2009, apart from when sites w

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What’s the Caribbean without its beaches? But the people are losing access to them

06-06-2023 08:00

Barring public access to beaches and other sites is not a model for development. Transparency and engagement are neededWalk along a Caribbean beach, which may stretch for miles, and your stroll is guaranteed to be cut short by an angry hotel security guard. In recent years, the Caribbean has seen a worrying trend of governments readily selling off assets to foreign corporations and political financiers.Prime real estate, protected land and valuable resources are being relinquished without consid

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Boots money-back guarantee on £3,100 hearing aid is a lost cause

06-06-2023 08:00

I bought a pair but mislaid one. When I asked for a refund I expected half back, but only got £685My hearing has been deteriorating for quite some time now and, on the recommendation of a friend, I arranged to visit Boots Hearingcare. After several cancelled appointments (by them) I eventually got a pair of Phonak Virto aids to try out, paying a total of £3,100.For various reasons I found them difficult to adjust to and, because of staffing issues at my local Hitchin branch, which is

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Hard-pressed UK shoppers feel food ‘shrinkflation’

06-06-2023 01:01

Consumers increasingly claim that manufacturers are reducing the size of products, Barclays research findsHard-pressed consumers feel they are becoming the victims of food industry “shrinkflation” amid signs the UK’s persistent cost of living crisis is making households more alert to the need to get value for money.With food prices up by almost 20% in the past year, the latest snapshot of consumer activity from Barclays found households were concentrating spending on essentials

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