6:43 am, January 27, 2026
Shop price inflation defies expectations to jump in January
Shop price inflation defied expectations to jump in January amid a warning that any suggestion it had peaked was ‘simply not borne out’ by the figures.
Shop inflation overall was 1.5% higher than a year earlier – a significant increase on December’s 0.7% and the three-month average of 0.9% – as high business energy costs and the hike to National Insurance fed through to prices, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and NIQ.
Inflation on non-food items rose to 0.3% against a decline of 0.6% in December, with furniture, flooring, and health and beauty products particularly affected. Food inflation increased to 3.9% from December’s growth of 3.3%, with fresh food prices up 4.4% on a year ago, driven by weak supply and strong demand for meat, fish and fruit.
Morrisons blames government cost hikes amid dispute over staff pay rises
Morrisons has warned staff that it is not planning to offer significant pay rises this year as it swallows higher costs.
The Bradford-based supermarket group is currently locked in a dispute with Usdaw (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) over the plans regarding pay.
The union, which represents about 45,000 Morrisons staff, said the business had refused to offer an increase beyond the national living wage. Morrisons linked its decision to pay staff the minimum allowed amount on a ‘number of challenges’, including £200m of ‘unexpected’ cost increases which came into force last April, including changes to national insurance contributions.
Bertone reveals modern-day remake of its ‘Runabout’ concept from 1969
Bertone has revealed a modern-day take on its ‘Runabout’ sports car concept from 1969.
The Runabout is Bertone’s latest supercar and takes its inspiration from the concept car of the late 1960s with a wedge-shape body style, reinterpreted pop-up headlights and red lower ‘Bertone’ body stripe. At the rear, there are four square-shaped apertures with the twin-exit exhaust pipes integrated into two of them.
There is also a ‘Targa’ convertible model, which comes equipped with a removable carbon fibre roof. Power comes from a 3.5-litre supercharged V6 engine that produces 468bhp, and just 25 cars will be built, priced from £338,500.
The markets
The FTSE 100 made modest headway on Monday, supported by fresh gains in mining stocks as gold and silver prices hit new highs.
The FTSE 100 index closed up 5.41 points, 0.1%, at 10,148.85. The FTSE 250 ended 34.13 points higher, 0.2%, at 23,351.66, and the Aim All-Share closed up 5.74 points, 0.7%, at 828.49.
The pound was quoted higher at 1.3704 dollars at the time of the London equities close on Friday, compared to 1.3567 dollars on Thursday. The euro stood at 1.1884 dollars, higher against 1.1758 dollars. Against the yen, the dollar was trading at 153.99 yen, lower from 157.99 yen.
Labour MPs urged to unite for by-election as Reform prepares its candidate
Labour MPs have been urged to unite after a spat over blocking Manchester mayor Andy Burnham from standing in a by-election in the city, as their political rivals begin preparations for the race.
The Gorton and Denton by-election is expected to take place on February 26, after former MP Andrew Gwynne stood down for health reasons. Reform UK will announce its candidate for the contest on Tuesday at a press conference in the constituency.
Jostling over the Gorton and Denton by-election comes as Sir Keir Starmer is set to begin a trip to China, removing him from the domestic political arena for several days.
Braverman tells Reform she has ‘come home’ as she confirms defection
Former home secretary Suella Braverman said she felt she had ‘come home’ as she confirmed her defection to Reform UK.
She will represent her constituency of Fareham and Waterlooville as a Reform UK MP with immediate effect after resigning her Conservative Party membership of 30 years, she said.
She denied plans to defect as recently as September, but Farage told reporters he had been talking to the former Cabinet minister for ‘just over a year’ about the possibility of defecting and that the ‘professionalisation’ of his party had probably been a draw.
Monday on Car Dealer
CMA green-lights BCA owner’s Aston Barclay takeover in provisional ruling
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has provisionally given the green light to Constellation’s takeover of Aston Barclay, concluding the deal is unlikely to harm competition in the used car auction market.
Snows Motor Group expands with BYD as fifth and sixth dealerships open their doors
Snows Motor Group is continuing to expand with BYD as it opens two brand new dealerships.
Keyloop agrees to acquire Motortech.AI to further expand AI tools for motor trade
Automotive technology exerts Keyloop has agreed to acquire AI developer Motortech.ai.
Weather
Heavy rain spreads north and east today, with heavy hill snow in the north, reports BBC Weather. It turns drier later with some brightness and showers in the south, but it will be very windy with gales in the west and north.
Tonight brings further rain and strong winds in northern Scotland, while elsewhere sees a few showers, then drier and clearer conditions.
