6:30 am, April 14, 2026
Retail sales ‘tepid’ as Middle East conflict raises consumer caution
Sales of consumer goods other than food were ‘tepid’ in March amid heightened caution among shoppers due to the Middle East conflict, figures show.
Non-food sales increased by 0.9% year on year last month, below the 12-month average of 1.1%, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and KPMG.
An early Easter gave the month’s food sales an artificial boost to an increase of 6.8%, and inflation was also a factor, driving up overall total UK retail sales to 3.6% higher than a year ago, above the 12-month average of 2.6%. In an indicator of lowered consumer confidence, online non-food sales increased by just 0.1%, well below the year average of 1%.
Vodafone and Three to combine brands on high street after £15bn merger
Mobile provider VodafoneThree has launched a major overhaul of its retail stores which will see the two brands combine under one roof following the £15bn merger of the businesses.
The telecoms giant stressed that it is committed to the UK high street following the merger and will remain in every town where it already has a presence.
However, it is understood the transformation plan will see some consolidation leading to a small number of potential store closures where Vodafone and Three currently run neighbouring premises. It is not clear which locations will be affected, but it’s understood that there are no planned redundancies.
Renault Scenic E-Tech receives government’s full £3,750 Electric Vehicle Grant
The Renault Scenic E-Tech is the latest EV to receive the government’s full Electric Vehicle Grant.
Customers who order a Renault Scenic E-Tech can now save £3,750, with prices starting at £33,245 for the entry-level ‘Techno’ variant, while the mid-range Techno Esprit Alpine comes in at £36,235 and flagship Iconic Esprit Alpine cars are priced at £38,245.
The Renault Scenic is available to order now with the ECG savings, while deliveries will commence later this year.
The markets
The FTSE 100 posted modest falls on Monday as the oil price topped 100 dollars per barrel once more as the US pressed ahead with a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
The FTSE 100 closed down 17.57 points, 0.2%, at 10,582.96. The FTSE 250 ended down 74.13 points, 0.3%, at 22,276.89, but the AIM All-Share rose 4.83 points, 0.6%, to 782.31.
The pound fell to 1.3451 dollars on Monday afternoon from 1.3472 dollars on Friday. Against the euro, sterling rose to 1.1492 euros from 1.1482 euros.
UK and France seek Strait of Hormuz solution as Trump’s blockade begins
The UK and France are leading political and military planning to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but no mission will begin until hostilities between the US and Iran end, Sir Keir Starmer said.
The prime minister was speaking after Donald Trump’s blockade of Iranian ports came into effect, with the US president threatening to sink Tehran’s fast attack vessels if they come near American warships.
Sir Keir refused to back Trump’s blockade and called for unfettered access to the strait, a vital route for global oil and gas supplies from the Gulf.
Southport attack ‘could and should have been prevented’, inquiry finds
Southport killer Axel Rudakubana had ‘clearly revealed’ he was an extreme danger and his attack on a children’s dance class ‘could and should have been prevented’, a public inquiry has found.
The teenager, who was jailed for a minimum of 52 years, could have been stopped if his parents had ‘done what they morally ought to have done’, or if appropriate arrangements had been put in place by agencies to address his risk, chairman of the Southport Inquiry Sir Adrian Fulford said in his report, published on Monday.
Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, were murdered when Rudakubana entered the Taylor Swift-themed dance workshop in The Hart Space, armed with a knife, on July 29, 2024.
Monday on Car Dealer
Official: Huge used car supermarket Cargiant will close on April 24
Used car supermarket Cargiant will close for good on April 24, the company has confirmed.
Doncaster car dealership sells off assets following collapse into administration
The assets of Doncaster-based Volkswagen and Skoda dealership Hayselden are being sold by auction after the business fell into administration just before Christmas.
Car dealer facing jail after scamming customers out of more than £30,000
A north east car dealer is facing jail after he admitted pocketing more than £30,000 of customers’ cash.
Video: Used car prices continue to rise in March as dealers hold prices firm
Used car prices on car dealer forecourts increased in March as the market remained robust in light of weakening consumer confidence.
West Motor Company agrees ‘milestone’ deal to buy former Harwoods Land Rover site
Car dealer West Motor Company has reached an ‘important milestone’ after it agreed a deal to buy a former Land Rover site in Kent.
Weather
Eastern areas start dry and sunny, while the west sees cloud and patchy rain, reports BBC Weather. Cloud and rain spread northeast later.
Tonight stays cloudy and breezy, with rain continuing, heavy at times in the west. It will be mild for most overnight despite unsettled, damp conditions.
