Handel

Last month saw an agreement reached between the EU and the UK, which involved a commitment by the UK to avoid a hard border on this island. However, British ministers still say they intend that the UK will leave the customs union - something that is incompatible with a soft or non-existent border. It remains to be seen how this ambiguity will be resolved in the future negotiations.more

British shoppers shunned Christmas offers in favour of more lavish food - though German discounters Lidl and Aldi enjoyed a big boost at the end of 2017. The spending splurge saw the Friday before Christmas, December 22, become the busiest shopping day ever recorded with £747 million going through the tills and online.more

Nearly a quarter of all British shoppers have admitted to stealing items from supermarkets by smuggling them through self-service checkouts. A study has found that in total, the great British public is behind the theft of around £3.2billion worth of goods every year.more

Some retailers have agreed not to sell products containing harmful levels of corrosive substances to under-18s in an attempt to stop acid being used as a weapon.more

New car sales fell for the first time in six years last year, with demand for diesel cars plunging by almost a fifth.more

Supermarket becomes first in UK to restrict sale of beverages amid concerns over impact on children's health and behaviour.more

The retailer plans to invest £160m to expand its business - with 18 of the new stores in Scotland and 10 in Wales.more

Donald Trump abandoned a Pacific trade group not long after getting to the White House. But could the UK now be eyeing it up?more

The turkey's corpse is not even cold yet, but the Easter bunny is already dancing on its grave.more

Bargain-hunters are hitting the high street for the traditional Boxing Day sales amid predictions more will be taking part this year in order to beat rising prices.more

Almost 90 percent of Poles after finishing the race for gifts start their race againbecause of off-season sales.more

The EU has launched an "in-depth" investigation into the tax affairs of Ikea after claims the retailer's deals with the Dutch government have saved it around €1bn (£880m).more

hoppers hoping to stock up last minute are likely to face festive disappointment as Britain's biggest retailers including Sainsbury's and Tesco will be shutting their doors as early as 4pm.more

Poczta Polska has withdrawn from the parcel delivery on Sunday to not interfere with the time for a family - "Rzeczpospolita" reports.more

Shoppers in the UK will spend a record £4.2bn on food and drink in the final week before Christmas, shrugging off higher prices caused by the fall in the value of the pound since the EU referendum.more

Marks and Spencer has launched a new type of avocado without a pit, that can be eaten whole - and the supermarket chain has said the fruit could reduce instances of "avocado hand."more

Almost half of parents will resort to 'extreme action' - such as skipping meals - after spending too much on Christmas presents for their children this year, new research reveals. A fifth see the festive season as a big financial burden, while a third dip into savings and overdrafts to pay for toys and treats, the Barclays poll shows.more

Dunnes Stores have just announced a new food offer set to rival Aldi and Lidl. The Irish chain have launched a range of 49c vegetables which includes potatoes, onions, cabbages and even avocados.more

Toys R Us has put forward plans to close at least a third of its stores in the UK next year, putting up to 800 jobs at risk. The retailer said it is working on a company voluntary agreement (CVA), which would allow it to jettison 26 loss-making stores.more

Drinkers in JD Wetherspoon pubs will have no doubt about where the boss of the chain stands on Brexit - hundreds of thousands of beer mats will be selling it to them. more

The Co-op will start selling food past its "best before" date for just 10p as it looks to tackle the issue of food waste.more

It could be a very happy Christmas for Irish retailers with shoppers taking advantage of rising wages and falling prices to spend significantly more in the weeks ahead, a new report suggests. Irish consumer spending will reach its annual peak in December with households set to spend an average of €2,654 in shops this month.more

After a few years, Poland began to import concentrated apple juice from China - informs "Puls Biznesu", noting the deficit of apples.more

One of the UK's busiest shopping centres has installed a "fast lane" for shoppers who are in a hurry. Lakeside Centre in Essex has marked out a bright orange 225m path especially for those looking to cut through the crowds.more

Fast-food takeaways will be banned from opening within 400 metres of schools in a bid to tackle the capital's child obesity epidemic. In addition, all new chicken, fish and chip and pizza outlets will have to sign up to minimum healthy food standards before getting planning permission.more