Newcastle United has announced the early extension of its partnership with parcel delivery service, InPost. This follows a very successful first 12 months which has seen a number of community activations reach thousands of fans in the North East.
To kick off the partnership, InPost installed bespoke Lockers at St. James’s Park, the first in the country at a Premier League stadium, and has since gone on to form a key part of the club’s newly launched ecommerce offering, giving fans the option of online deliveries to be sent to any InPost Locker across the UK.
As well as using their logistical expertise to benefit supporters, InPost has partnered with the club and Newcastle United Foundation on a number of community initiatives.
As part of an innovative campaign to support the club’s mental health engagements in October 2024, InPost captured personal wellbeing messages from first team players and placed them inside its lockers for its customers to read – proving “what’s inside really does matter”.
Building on this message of mental wellbeing and community connection, this month the Newcastle United Foundation will launch a collaborative art project with InPost. The project will feature artwork created by local school pupils, alongside contributions from a talented local artist. This project will provide visitors to the Foundation with a thoughtful and engaging display that celebrates the creativity and spirit of the local community.
“Over the past 12 months, InPost has become immersed in the football club and city,” said Newcastle United’s Chief Commercial Officer, Peter Silverstone. “We have been able to offer bespoke, localised services to our supporters which are powerful, positive and meaningful to the Newcastle community. As a result, this partnership has been a resounding success for both parties and is testament to the incredible spirit that has been forged so quickly with InPost.”
Michael Rouse, CEO International of InPost group, added: “Our partnership with Newcastle United reflects a shared ambition to make a tangible difference – both for the club’s supporters and the wider community. Together, we are building meaningful connections with thousands of consumers and supporting the communities at the heart of InPost and Newcastle United.
“We look forward to growing this partnership and providing even more consumers with new initiatives and innovative delivery solutions for the future.”
Craft beer giant BrewDog said its chief executive James Arrow has stepped down for personal reasons.
The Aberdeen-based business has promoted chief financial officer James Taylor as new chief executive, effective immediately.
Arrow took over as chief executive last year, after co-founder James Watt stepped down from the role. He joined the company in September 2023 as chief operating officer.
In a statement, the BrewDog board thanked Arrow for his contribution to the company, in particular overseeing the restructuring of the US business, strengthening the company’s operational framework and driving its on-trade presence, including a landmark partnership with the MCC at Lord’s.
Taylor brings a wealth of financial and strategic expertise to the role, having overseen BrewDog’s finance operations during a period of significant transformation, including the return of the business to profitability in 2024.
Prior to joining BrewDog, he held senior leadership roles at Mayborn, the childcare company whose brands include Tommee Tippee, GHD and Anya Hindmarch.
Lauren Carrol
The company also announced the appointment of Lauren Carrol as chief operating officer.
Carrol joined BrewDog in 2018 and was appointed chief marketing officer in 2022. Since then BrewDog has launched flagship beers including Wingman, Black Heart and Shore Leave, building on its position as the UK’s leading craft beer brand.
Prior to BrewDog, Lauren held a number of project management roles at Stork.
“James Taylor has been an instrumental leader at BrewDog, steering the financial strategy and laying a strong foundation for profitable growth. His deep understanding of our business, coupled with his proven track record in operational excellence, makes him the ideal choice to guide BrewDog into its next chapter,” Allan Leighton, chairman of BrewDog, said.
“I would also like to congratulate Lauren for her promotion, testament to her fantastic work and proven track record during her time at BrewDog.
“Finally, I would like to thank James Arrow for his contribution to BrewDog since he arrived in 2023 and wish him every success in the future.”
One in fours Brits have seen shop theft in stores while the same ratio has also witnessed abuse of a store staff, shows latest BRC-Opinium survey data released today (13), highlighting the scale of epidemic of retail crime and how massively it affects the larger population in the UK.
Stating that criminals are becoming bolder and more aggressive, retail leaders are calling on the government to cover delivery drivers too in the Crime and Policing Bill.
According to statistics, nearly a quarter of the UK population (24 per cent) have witnessed shoplifting taking place while at a shop in the last 12 months. That is equivalent to over 16 million people witnessing these events.
The data also shows 23 per cent of customers have witnessed the physical or verbal abuse of shop staff. This can include racial or sexual abuse, physical assault or threats with weapons.
The research comes as the UK experiences record levels of retail crime with 20 million incidents of theft last year, and incidents of violence and abuse climbing to over 2,000 per day.
Separately, Usdaw – the shopworkers’ union – have produced their own survey showing 77 per cent of retail staff experiencing abuse, 53 per cent threats, and 10 per cent assault.
These incidents are not restricted to those working in stores: delivery drivers are often subjected to abuse, physical violence, and threats with weapons.
As a result, many are being equipped with protective measures, such as personal safety devices to alert the police of their whereabouts, and DNA spit testing kits.
Crime cost retailers an eye-watering £4.2bn last year. This includes £2.2bn from shoplifting, and another £1.8bn spent on crime prevention measures such as CCTV, more security personnel, anti-theft devices and body worn cameras.
These costs add to the wider cost pressures retailers already face, further limiting investment and pushing up prices for customers everywhere.
There are stark differences between cities in the UK. Customers in Nottingham saw the most shoplifting, with just under a third (32 per cent) of people witnessing an incident. London followed close behind at 29 per cent, followed by Southampton (28 per cent) and Leeds (26 per cent).
Meanwhile, Plymouth and Belfast saw the least at 12 per cent and 13 per cent respectively.
A similar pattern also existed for abuse of colleagues. Customers in London witnessed the most incidents of physical or verbal abuse at 30 per cent. Nottingham and Liverpool were close second at 29 per cent, with Manchester at 27 per cent of customers.
The government is taking action to address retail crime through the new Crime and Policing Bill. Retailers hope this will play a vital role in protecting retail workers from harm and tackling the surge in theft.
The Bill includes a standalone offence which will improve the visibility of violence so that police can allocate appropriate resources to the challenge.
It also seeks to remove the £200 threshold of ‘low level’ theft, which will send a clear signal that all shoplifting is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. But, this Bill needs to go further and protect all retail staff working in customer facing roles, including delivery drivers, just as the Workers Protection Act does in Scotland.
Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium, said, "Seeing incidents of theft or abuse has become an all-too-common part of the shopping experience for many people.
"While an incident can be over in a matter of seconds, it can have life-long consequences on those who experience it, making them think twice about visiting their local high streets.
"Criminals are becoming bolder and more aggressive, and decisive action is needed to put an end to it. The Crime and Policing Bill is a crucial step in providing additional protections to retail workers.
"However, in its current proposed form, it does not afford all retail workers the same protections as those working in Scotland, where delivery drivers are also protected. The Bill must protect everyone in customer facing roles in the industry.”
Percentage of people who have witnessed shoplifting in past 12 months:
RANKING
CITY
% witness to shoplifting
1
Nottingham
32%
2
London
29%
3
Southampton
28%
4
Leeds
26%
5
Manchester
25%
6
Birmingham
23%
7
Newcastle
23%
8
Sheffield
22%
9
Brighton
21%
10
Liverpool
20%
Percentage of people who have witnessed physical or verbal abuse of shop staff in past 12 months:
Bestway Retail has announced the launch of a pilot scheme across a select number retailers in a collaboration with Socio Local – the leading digital marketing platform for multi-location brands.
Socio Local is an innovative platform that simplifies the process of managing multiple social media pages, helping retailers to create and schedule content across platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and X (Twitter) from a single dashboard. With access to branded content, promotional assets and suggested posts, retailers can maintain a consistent and engaging presence.
Following a trial period of three months, Bestway is expected to roll out the collaboration across its estate of retailers.
“Retailers are increasingly leaning into the digital side of marketing, recognising that a strong local social media presence is crucial for driving engagement within communities,” Mindy Mondair, Bestway Retail’s head of marketing, said.
“And we’ve listened to our retail partners who have called for better support and tools to help them manage their social media, and in response we’re delighted to introduce Socio Local, which is the number one management platform specifically tailored to achieve better reach, engagement and instore performance by leveraging both branded and local store social content, to make social media management effortless. It’s built specially FOR retailers and has been inspired by their requests and needs.
“The platform is designed to support retailers’ stores with high quality, localised content that enhances brand visibility and increases engagement. It’s more than just about social media - it’s about maximising success and driving sales at every opportunity.
“We also understand that not all retailers are experienced with social media and their focus also needs to be on running their business, which is why Socio Local provides easy-to-use tools that simplify the process. Whether using supplied branded content or creating customised posts, stores can maintain a continuous online presence with minimal effort”.
Bestway has cited a number of key benefits that it believes retailers will be able to enjoy through their use of Socio Local including increased local awareness, a boosting of product visibility (ensuring latest offers and promotion get attention from the store’s online community), as well as driving engagement to encourage customer interaction and loyalty through varied and engaging social media posts.
“Retailers can save time by storing, creating and scheduling all their content in one place – its straightforward and easy to manage through this centralised approach,” Mondair noted.
“Furthermore, retailers will be able to manage their communities effectively, through monitoring and responding to customer reviews, comments and direct messages.
“We are looking forward to the results of this trial and believe it is a market leading approach to support retailers and help them boost engagement and sales within their communities”.
Michael Nolan, chief executive and co-founder of Socio Local said: “We are enormously excited to be working with Bestway Retail and its progressive estate of retailers.
“At SocioLocal, we know all too well the importance of optimising local social media for today's physical retailers. We fully believe that this will be the start of a new era in how grocery and convenience leverages the power of social media and its connection with local communities. Bestway Retail now has the opportunity to drive awareness of products and promotions into their retailers' communities and support sales through hundreds of social media pages. We’re looking forward to a fruitful relationship with Mindy and the team in Bestway throughout the trial and into the future.”
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Undercover footage revealed animal abuse at Arla supplier Lowfields Farm
A farmer has been suspended from supplying milk to Arla, the UK’s largest dairy company, after undercover footage seemingly revealed cows being kicked, beaten, and struck with what appeared to be electric goads.
The video, captured by an undercover investigator working for the animal welfare group Animal Justice Project, was filmed at Lowfields Farm in Northallerton, North Yorkshire.
The footage also appeared to show dead calves left in the open and cows struggling to walk being forced onto transport trucks.
Arla confirmed that the farmer had been suspended pending further investigation.
In a statement, the dairy major said: “The individuals in the video are no longer employed at the farm.”
An Arla spokesperson termed the actions shown in the footage as “completely unacceptable and do not meet the high standards that we expect from our farmers.”
The undercover worker, who spoke to the BBC, claimed that cows were mistreated from “the very first shift,” adding: “The group of cows are milked three times a day on rotational shifts, and every single shift cows get hit and beaten.”
Animal Justice Project said the footage revealed “routine cruelty to cows and calves, unsanitary conditions, and a lack of enforcement.”
The group also alleged that overcrowding was uncovered, with sheds designed for 125 cows housing up to 214 animals, forcing them to stand in their own waste.
Animal welfare charity RSPCA described the footage as “incredibly distressing,” with a spokesperson stating: “This is incredibly distressing and completely unacceptable behaviour. All farmed animals must be treated with respect.”
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Love2shop Perks platform dashboard showcasing employee discounts and retailer offers
With the new financial year weeks away, leading gifting and reward experts Love2shop have urged businesses and organisations to shake up their employee benefits packages.
The PayPoint-owned business noted that this will meet not only rising business costs including the upcoming National Insurance hike, but the cost of living demands faced by the staff too, as employees want to save money on essential, everyday living costs more than ever.
The newly launched Love2shop Perks platform hosts over 150 retailer discounts in one handy place, offering staff discounts of up to 38 per cent which they can take advantage of in seconds.
It comes as businesses across the UK face unprecedented financial challenges and look to offer more cost effective ways than ever to support and retain workers.
Rising employment and National Insurance costs, inflation, operational costs and energy bill hikes have forced a rethink among British businesses on the best possible options that benefit employees most effectively.
Employee discounts are consistently rated the number one most desirable employee benefit and Love2shop Perks platform offers a simple solution - providing unparalleled access to discounted e-Gift Cards as a staff benefit.
The tech behind the Love2shop Perks platform is simple, low cost and fast to set up, allowing employees to take advantage of their new cost-saving ‘perks’ immediately.
“This is a crucial time in the financial calendar to really re-evaluate your company or organisation's rewards and benefits strategy,” Frank Creighton, Director of Business Development for Love2shop, said.
“Love2shop Perks is a very exciting proposition for any UK business looking to reward and retain staff cost effectively. Crucially, it supports staff by saving them money. Why offer a fancy gym membership or office yoga classes when staff would much prefer a fantastic discount with day-to-day spending at the supermarket or at a restaurant, or for special purchases at a top retailer.
“We strongly urge all employers to rethink their benefits packages and bring staff what they want - savings with retailers that make a real difference to their life.”