Showing posts with label lifts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lifts. Show all posts

Monday, July 4, 2011

South Korea lifts whisky barriers

30 June 2011 Last updated at 23:45 GMT whisky bottles generic During 2010 Scotch whisky was the UK's biggest export to South Korea Trade barriers to Scotch whisky imports have been removed in South Korea - a nation that already ranks among distillers' most successful markets.

The new free trade agreement was struck between the European Union and the Seoul government.

The 20% spirits import duty is being phased out and complex requirements for labelling and warehousing removed.

The South Korean government also agreed to protect Scotch whisky and other European products against imitators.

During 2010 Scotch whisky was the UK's biggest export to South Korea, with top brands including Windsor, Imperial Classic and Scotch Blue.

Macallan and Glenfiddich are the most popular single malt brands.

It was the sixth biggest export market by value and the ninth biggest by volume, with direct shipments from the UK worth ?153m last year.

The Scotch Whisky Association, representing distillers, said the free trade agreement with Seoul was "the most ambitious trade deal negotiated by the EU and the first with an Asian country".

It said Scotch whisky was expected to be one of the biggest beneficiaries.

The EU Trade Commissioner Karel de Gucht welcomed the potential for the Scotch whisky industry, saying an impact assessment points to a doubling of exports.

"This will make the product 20% less expensive, and it will make it much more competitive with the local brands, which represent the larger part of the market," he said.


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Sunday, July 3, 2011

'Lipstick factor' lifts Debenhams

30 June 2011 Last updated at 10:41 GMT Debenhams store Greater use of discounting helped the department store increase its sales and gain market share Debenhams has reported rising sales, helped by the "lipstick factor" after cosmetics sales proved resilient.

Like-for-like sales excluding VAT were up 1.5% in the 17 weeks to 25 June, bucking the weak trend seen elsewhere on the UK High Street.

The department store chain said its market share was up, but profit margins were hit by greater discounting.

It also said it would revamp another 20 stores in the next year, on top of 11 already underway, creating 600 jobs.

The firm reconfirmed its profits guidance for the current year at ?158m.

Chief executive Rob Templeman, who retires in September, said that the health and beauty sector was "probably one of the most resilient areas in the market".

"Everybody calls it the 'lipstick factor', that people still buy health and beauty whatever," he added.

Business continued to shift to the web, with online and mobile sales up 77% in the past 10 months.


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Thursday, June 16, 2011

Improved confidence lifts Bellway

10 June 2011 Last updated at 08:50 GMT Bellway home Bellway said it had taken another 1,600 reservations for completion next year Improving consumer confidence has helped boost property sales, UK house builder Bellway has said.

The group achieved a sales rate of 111 units per week between February and May, a rise of 9% on the same period last year.

The average selling price rose 4% to ?182,000, helped by more higher-value units being sold in and around London.

The Newcastle-based group said that current market conditions had left it well-positioned for growth.

"The uncertainties that affected consumer confidence during the challenging autumn trading period appear to have diminished and, encouragingly, there has been a return towards a more normal reservation pattern with a healthy spring selling season, despite ongoing concerns remaining in the wider economy," the company said.

Although its net debt had risen to ?57m at the end of May, Bellway said it expected this level of gearing to reduce by the end of the year.

It added it had taken another 1,600 reservations for properties to be completed in 2011-12.

On Wednesday, the government announced plans to sell off public land to developers and housebuilders, worth an estimated ?10bn, to help tackle a growing housing shortage.

The move could create up to 100,000 homes and 25,000 jobs during the next four years.


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