6:47 am, June 6, 2025
Sports Direct pricing could be misleading shoppers, Which? claims
Sports Direct’s pricing could be misleading shoppers into thinking they are getting a better deal than they really are, consumer group Which? has said.
The watchdog has reported Sports Direct to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) following tip-offs over the retail giant’s use of Recommended Retail Prices (RRPs).
Sports Direct commonly prices its products with a comparative RRP figure to indicate it is offering customers a cheaper deal. But Which? said it could not find some items sold at Sports Direct’s stated RRP price anywhere else online. As well as using RRPs as reference prices, the chain also uses terms such as Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) or Suggested Retail Price (SRP), which the watchdog believed would also be interpreted by consumers as being the same as an RRP.
Gillette maker Procter & Gamble to cut 7,000 jobs in two-year overhaul
The company behind Gillette and Pampers has announced plans to cut up to 7,000 jobs over the next two years as part of a restructuring programme.
US-based Procter & Gamble (P&G) unveiled the plans during a strategy update on Thursday.
The multinational Ohio-based manufacturing giant said it would be reducing its current non-manufacturing workforce by about 15%. P&G said it was not currently specifying how the plans would affect local staff, including which regions or roles would be impacted.
Honda reveals new Civic Type R ‘Ultimate Edition’
Honda has revealed a limited run-out model of the Civic Type R with the ‘Ultimate Edition’.
Sales of Honda’s iconic hot hatchback are due to end in Europe as of next year, so to bid the model farewell it’s created this Ultimate Edition. This special Civic Type R will be limited to just 40 units in Europe and features upgrades to its exterior and interior.
The special edition is painted in Honda’s Championship White paint and gets red decals, while on the inside there’s plenty of carbon detailing. Owners will also receive a special token and matching gift box with the car containing a numbered emblem, a carbon key ring, custom made floor mats and bespoke car cover.
The markets
Stocks in Europe ended mixed and off early highs on Thursday after the European Central Bank signalled it was nearing the end of its rate-cutting cycle.
The FTSE 100 index closed up 9.75 points, 0.1%, at 8,811.04. It had earlier traded as high as 8,838.84. The FTSE 250 ended 49.63 points lower, 0.2%, at 21,069.38, and the AIM All-Share closed up just 0.11 of a point at 754.46.
The CAC 40 in Paris fell 0.1%, while the DAX 40 in Frankfurt firmed 0.2%.
The pound was quoted up at 1.3596 US dollars late on Thursday afternoon in London, compared to 1.3566 dollars at the equities close on Wednesday. The euro stood higher at 1.1456 dollars against 1.1425 dollars.
Six water companies banned from paying bonuses to senior bosses
Six water companies have been banned from paying bonuses to senior bosses, under new rules that come into force on Friday.
Thames Water, Yorkshire Water, Anglian Water, Wessex Water, United Utilities and Southern Water have been told that they cannot issue bonuses for the financial year 2024/25, which concluded in April.
They have all been banned under new rules which prevent bonuses from being paid if a water company does not meet environmental or consumer standards, does not meet financial resilience requirements, or is convicted of a criminal offence.
Trump threatens to cut Musk’s government contracts as public feud escalates
President Donald Trump has threatened to cut Elon Musk’s government contracts as their fractured alliance rapidly escalated into a public feud, with Trump suggesting he would use the US government to hurt his fellow billionaire financially.
Musk claimed that Mr Trump’s administration has not released all the records related to sex abuser Jeffrey Epstein because Trump is mentioned in them. He even shared a post on social media calling for Trump’s impeachment and skewered the president’s signature tariffs, predicting a recession this year.
Trump had largely remained silent, but clapped back on Thursday in the Oval Office, saying he was ‘very disappointed in Musk’.
Thursday on Car Dealer
FCA outlines factors for redress scheme and urges customers not to approach law firms
The FCA may introduce a redress scheme for motor finance commission cases, depending on a Supreme Court ruling expected next month. It aims to protect consumers fairly without harming firms. A decision will follow within six weeks of the verdict.
Heavy discounts on new EVs drove rise in May new car registrations – SMMT
New car registrations rose 1.6% in May to 150,070 units, the best May in four years. Growth was driven by fleet sales and heavy EV discounting. Private demand fell, and BEV uptake remains below 2025 targets, raising sustainability concerns.
Long-standing car dealership goes up for sale as business closes down after 45 years
Stanley Street Motors has closed after 45 years in Lowestoft, as owner John Mitchell retires due to ill health. The dealership thanked loyal customers and friends. Its showroom and forecourt will be auctioned on June 18, with redevelopment potential.
Taser wielding police officers apprehend would-be car thieves at Kent BMW dealership
Two men in their 30s were arrested after a break-in at a Kent car dealership, believed to be Stratstone BMW Tunbridge Wells. Police used a taser, seized a vehicle containing suspected stolen batteries, and found more items at a Tonbridge property.
Weather
Early rain in the east will soon clear, followed by sunshine, cloud, and scattered—occasionally heavy—showers across the UK, reports BBC Weather.
Tonight, cloud will increase from the south-west with rain and showers arriving overnight, while the north-east remains drier with some clear spells.
