Waitrose 20p veg bags spark shopper backlash
Waitrose replaces free fruit and veg bags with 20p mesh versions made from recycled bottles, prompting mixed reactions from shoppers in Solihull and Birmingham.
Category : Business
First look inside new Aldi in Sutton Coldfield's Brassington Avenue
Aldi's new Brassington Avenue store in Sutton Coldfield is double the size of the old Parade shop, stocks 2,700 items, and opened October 8 with Paralympian Nick Cummins.
Sainsbury's SmartLists AI app tool launches Wednesday
Sainsbury's launches SmartLists AI tool in app on Oct 7, letting customers create shopping lists by typing, voice, or photo.
TRK Finance Marks 10 Years in West Midlands
West Midlands finance firm TRK Finance celebrates 10 years in business, welcoming Kingswinford community champion Shaz Saleem to mark the milestone and announce discounted services.
Birmingham worst outside London for youth not in work or education
Birmingham has 45,000 young people not in employment, education or training, making it the worst city outside London, according to Centre for Cities.
Wetherspoon confirms two new pubs before Christmas 2026
JD Wetherspoon will open two new pubs before Christmas 2026, in London and Amersham, with further venues planned for Edinburgh and London in early 2027.
£10k savers urged to switch or lose £300
Households with £10,000 in the bank risk losing over £300 as big banks pay as little as 0.75% interest. Switching to a building society could earn £422 a year.
Birmingham food testing firm 'best in UK' invites Brummies
Noted Fieldwork, named best UK research facility, invites Brummies to taste and score new foods at its Kings Heath centre, which opened September 17.
HMRC told to hand over details on 1,772 people in tax crackdown
Foreign tax authorities made 1,772 requests for UK taxpayer information in 2025, a seven-year high, as HMRC assists offshore enforcement efforts.
HMRC confirms automatic crypto reporting rules from May 2027
HMRC will automatically receive overseas crypto data from 52 jurisdictions from May 31, 2027, expanding to 15 more in 2028, helping executors trace digital assets.
M&S £40 feather and down gilet praised as 'so warm'
Marks & Spencer's £40 Padded Feather and Down Gilet earns 4.7 stars from shoppers who say it's lightweight, warm and true to size.
Burnham urged to impose tariffs on Chinese car imports
Andy Burnham faces pressure from UK car makers to impose tariffs on Chinese vehicles, with warnings of a difficult trade-off between China and the EU markets.
Birmingham October openings and closures full list
Birmingham welcomes Flat Iron, KIBOU, and Sticks'n'Sushi in October, while Lloyds, Halifax, and Barry's Fabrics close. Full list of openings and closures.
Barclays £150-£600 switching offers: full details
Barclays confirms switching offers up to £600 for new Premier and Bank Account customers, with payments from £150 to £600 based on salary and debit card use.
Kate's £1k blazer look: chic check style under £50
Princess Kate's £1,170 Max Mara houndstooth blazer has a £45 ASOS lookalike and a £48.75 Roman twin with code AFRPLC25Q226.
Tesco £60 spend fuel discount as UK rationing fears grow
Tesco announces 8p per litre fuel coupon for shoppers spending £60 in-store, as former BP executive warns of possible diesel rationing this winter.
Central Co-op weighs options for West Bromwich store
Central Co-op is exploring options for its Hill Top store in West Bromwich, citing financial challenges, but insists no decision has been made to sell or close.
Savers Urged to Lock Into 5.25% Fixed-Rate Deals
Moneyfacts experts advise savers to spread cash as top five-year bonds pay 5.25%, with inflation forecast at 3.2% in Q4 2026.
AI chatbots wrong on financial advice 57% of the time
AI chatbots like ChatGPT and Gemini give inaccurate financial advice 57% of the time. One bad answer could cost households £17,500, research by Saturn reveals.
NatWest joins 5 banks on AI agentic commerce principles
NatWest and five global banks publish joint principles for trusted agentic commerce, covering transparency, safety, privacy, choice and interoperability.
Dudley firm seeks to expand fleet from six to ten vehicles
KR Grabhire Ltd has applied to increase its goods vehicle fleet at Dormston Trading Estate, Dudley, from six to ten vehicles, with no trailers. Public comments are due by October 16.
TG Jones Stourbridge Store to Close in January 2027
TG Jones in Stourbridge's Ryemarket shopping centre will close, with the last day expected on January 9, 2027. The former WHSmith store is holding a sale with up to 50% off as part of a wider restructuring.
Tonight Josephine closes in Birmingham after five years
Tonight Josephine in Birmingham has closed permanently after five years, with Nightcap Venues directing customers to other bars.
Dusk bedding set drops to £28 in sale
Dusk's Gabriella Gingham 100% cotton duvet set is reduced to £28 for a double, with shoppers praising its quality and cosy feel.
Mortgage rate warning as 750,000 households face shock
Average five-year fixed mortgage rate hits 5.91%, highest since October 2023, as 750,000 households face 'huge shock' when deals expire, says Moneyfacts.
Savers warned of £400 to £2,000 yearly interest loss
Households could lose £12bn a year as £300bn sits in zero-interest accounts, Moneyfactscompare.co.uk analysis shows. Moving £10,000 to a 4% account could earn £400 annually.
Martin Lewis: Free £240 cash before Christmas via bank switch
Martin Lewis reveals how households can secure a free £240 cash bonus before Christmas by switching banks, with the Santander Everyday account paying by December 15.
UK ticket-holder wins £111m EuroMillions jackpot
A UK ticket-holder has won Friday's £111 million EuroMillions jackpot, Allwyn confirmed, the third UK EuroMillions win this year.
Cash ISA warning: £10k savers face £12k limit change
Households with over £10,000 in cash ISAs risk missing out as Andy Burnham's government cuts the tax-free limit to £12,000 from April, with older accounts paying just 1.94% interest.
House prices fall by £110k in West Midlands' poshest area
House prices in Solihull's B94 postcode fell from £746,000 to £636,000 in the year to July 2026, a drop of £110,000, making it the region's poshest yet most affected area.
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