AT_954_20241101
Welcome to interactive presentation, created with Publuu. Enjoy the reading!
NEWS
www.asiantrader.biz
Like us on: www.facebook.com/AsianTrader
8 ASIAN TRADER 1 NOVEMBER 2024
Follow us on: www.twitter.com/AsianTrader
The Post Of ce’s outgoing CEO
Nick Read, expressing “deep
regret” that the Post Of ce had
not lived up to delivering
“speedy and fair redress”.
Read, who resigned last
month, was giving evidence at
the Post Of ce Horizon IT
Inquiry, focussing on fi nancial
delays to victims, when he
admitted that the government
is using the company as a
“shield” concerning compensa-
tion schemes.
Edward Henry KC, repre-
senting wronged sub-postmas-
ters caught up in the Horizon
scandal, asked Read if the
government “is using the Post
Of ce as a shield or a fi re curtain”.
He replied, “That could be a
description, yes.”
Henry continued, “The fact
you’re [the Post Of ce]
administering two out of the
three schemes gives the
government a degree of
protection… one step removed
gives it room for plausible
deniability?”
Read responded, “That’s
true.”
The outgoing Post Of ce
boss denied the company has
been instructed “to minimise or
suppress compensation claims
whilst avoiding public scruti-
ny”.
Read admitted the compen-
sation process had been “overly
bureaucratic” and expressed
regret that the Post Of ce had
not lived up to delivering
“speedy and fair redress”.
However, he insisted the
“approach” and way of “engag-
ing” with victims has changed
in the last few months, with
“lessons learned” since the start
of the year.
Read also addressed the
“terrible” fact that many
sub-postmasters died before
receiving compensation. A total
of 251 people have died without
getting full fi nancial redress,
according to data cited at the
inquiry.
Nick Read insisted “a lot of
time” has been spent “trying to
work out how we improve and
speed up the process”.
Read says process of redress has been overly bureaucratic
Post Of ce CEO claims ‘deep
Post Of ce CEO claims ‘deep
regret’ over compensation delays
regret’ over compensation delays
Deputy Prime Minister Angela
Rayner’s proposed “biggest
upgrade to workers’ rights in a
generation” will put yet
further fi nancial pressures on
already struggling independ-
ent retailers.
Unveiling its plans – includ-
ing better access to sick pay,
protection from unfair
dismissal and strengthened
rights for pregnant women
and new mothers – the
government said these would
“deliver economic security
and growth to businesses,
workers and communities
across the UK”.
Responding to the
proposals, Mo Razzaq, the
National President of the
Federation of Independent
Retailers (the Fed) said,
“Independent convenience
stores and newsagents are an
important part of the commu-
nities across the UK, providing
employment opportunities
and, in many cases, giving
young people their fi rst jobs.
“As responsible retailers,
we want to ensure that
employees are treated fairly,
but many of these proposed
changes will have cost
implications on small
retailers who are already
struggling fi nancially
because of rising bills and
sluggish sales.
Razzaq continued, “It is
important for the Fed to
engage with the government
as it consults on these
proposals to ensure that the
measures introduced are both
practical and workable for
independent retailers.”
New employee rights will ‘cost
small retailers’, warns Fed
Scottish Bee and Nuisance
Scottish Bee and Nuisance
Drinks join forces
Drinks join forces
The Scottish Bee Company has
embarked on the next phase of its
expansion by operating as part of a
wider Natural Larder Collective
operation.
It said the initiative will not only
extend the business’s appeal beyond
Scotland but provide a haven for
other all-natural brands to join.
The fi rst outsider brand to join
this “healthier living” movement is
the botanical brew specialist
Nuisance Drinks, an adult soft drinks
range which celebrates the foraging
of all-too-often overlooked shrubs,
herbs and weeds in a positive, at “one
with nature” light.
Bira launches new
Bira launches new
insurance service
insurance service
The British Independent Retailers
Association has announced its new
insurance service, Bira Insurance,
provided by Ascott Insurance.
The trade body said the service
partnership aims to of er tailored
insurance solutions to Bira
members across the retail sector,
adding that Ascott Insurance, an
independent insurer, aligns with
Bira’s core value that every business
is unique and requires bespoke
insurance cover.
The new service of ers a wide
range of commercial insurance solu-
tions, covering shops, vehicles, fl ats
above shops, and mixed-use
properties – also healthcare, travel,
exhibitions, and even livestock.
P&G profi ts dip on
P&G profi ts dip on
weakening demand
weakening demand
Procter & Gamble reported a decline
in profi ts on slightly lower sales as
the company said a recovery in China
was still a number of quarters away.
The producer of Tide detergent
and Crest toothpaste reported
mixed sales across its fi ve product
categories, with health care
growing the most and beauty
declining the most.
Profi ts were $4.0 billion
(£3.07bn), down 12% from the
year-ago level, partly due to some
$800 million in one-time restructur-
ing costs tied to the liquidation of
assets in Argentina. Revenues
slipped 1% to $21.7 billion.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68