Japanese car maker Nissan has announced plans to cut roughly 10% of its European workforce, with the precise impact on UK operations unclear.
A surge in UK consumer confidence, dubbed the 'Burnham bounce', driven by optimism in economic prospects, coincides with England's strong World Cup run and policy interventions like VAT cuts. However, deep inequalities and gloomy outlooks among older Britons and the poorest households threaten sustainability.
The World Cup brought a significant boost to UK pubs, with 30m extra pints sold and £150m in added sales, outperforming previous tournaments like Euro 2024, though benefits were uneven across the hospitality sector.
UK employers are facing more employment tribunal claims involving ADHD and autism as awareness, diagnosis rates and expectations around reasonable adjustments rise. A Lidl case awarded Ryan Toghill more than £45,000 after the tribunal found his ADHD was not properly considered.
Centrica, owner of British Gas, plans to cut 1,300 jobs (800 new, 500 confirmed) from call centres and back office over two years, citing changing customer behaviour towards digital channels. This comes as retail profits rose despite falling customer numbers and an expected £112m compensation payout.
The Scottish government welcomed the US lifting tariffs on Scotch whisky exports, a move reciprocated for US bourbon and casks entering the UK. This follows an agreement after a state visit, benefiting an industry that lost £150m due to previous levies.
Volkswagen reported a 9.5% drop in Q2 operating profit and cut its annual revenue forecast by up to 3% due to a significant sales slump in China. The German carmaker is implementing a cost-cutting program, including plans to axe up to 100,000 jobs globally, facing union opposition.
