So, we may still get some more opportunities for barbecues just yet. And over at Homebase, there’s a corker of a deal on offer just for such an occasion.
The Texas Starter Smoker & BBQ grill has been slashed from £120 down to £50.
Viral store POP MART announces opening date of highly-anticipated Trafford Centre store
Emily Sergeant
Viral retailer POP MART has confirmed the news that fans have been waiting with bated breath for.
You may remember that a couple of months back, it was announced that POP MART – the Chinese collectables retailer home to the phenomenon that is the Labubu – would be opening in Greater Manchester‘s biggest shopping complex, the Trafford Centre, later in the year, and now the opening date has been confirmed.
Once POP MART opens its doors, shoppers can expect to find exclusive gifts, hot products, and plenty of surprises in store… oh, and big queues too, presumably.
The new 1,400 sq ft store will feature a full range of POP MART collectables – including the most iconic IPs and blind boxes, and fans and collectors will be able to shop from limited-edition ranges and get their hands on seasonal exclusives only available at Trafford Centre.
The new store opening at Trafford Centre takes the brand’s UK presence to double figures, and forms the brand’s goal to make its popular characters ‘accessible’ to more people across the country than ever before.
“POP MART aims to celebrate entertainment and pop culture to a growing community of designer toy collectors,” commented Peter Shipman, who is the Managing Director and Head of Europe for POP MART.
“The opening of our Trafford Centre store expands our UK presence and helps to bring playful and engaging experiences to customers.
POP MART has announced the opening date of its highly-anticipated Trafford Centre store / Credit: The Manc Group
“Trafford Centre’s vibrant retail environment, strong footfall, and strategic location strengthens our opportunity to access both loyal fans and new audiences, and we look forward to seeing visitors embrace the fun collectable toys and retail experience.”
Simon Layton, who is the Centre Director at Trafford Centre, says POP MART is a ‘brilliant addition’ to the shopping centre.
POP MART opens at the Trafford Centre next week on Saturday 16 August from 10am.
Featured Image – Supplied
Shopping
The UK has a new cheapest supermarket for the first time in nearly two years
Emily Sergeant
Aldi has officially been dethroned, as the UK has a new cheapest supermarket for the first time in nearly two years.
We know that two years doesn’t sound like that long of a timeframe, but when you consider the fact that consumer choice company Which? names the UK’s cheapest supermarket every month based on its latest data, you begin to realise that it’s a slightly more impressive feat than it initially sounds.
For the past 21 months, Aldi has reigned supreme in the Which? rankings – claiming the title of the UK’s cheapest on a consecutive basis.
As it does every month, Which? checked the prices of 76 popular branded and own-brand groceries at eight of the UK’s biggest supermarkets throughout July to see how they compared, with items including things like Hovis sliced bread, milk, and cheese.
For each supermarket, the company works out the average price of each item across the month, then adds those up to get each one’s average total price.
The average price for a shop of all the 76 items in July would’ve set Lidl shoppers back £128.40, compared to £129.25 at Aldi.
Lidl has been named the UK’s cheapest supermarket / Credit: Lidl GB
The next cheapest after Lidl and Aldi was Asda, which doesn’t offer loyalty prices in the same way its competitors, but even then, the price was 9% more than at Lidl for our shopping list.
Meanwhile, the latest data found that shopping at Tesco without a loyalty card was still cheaper than shopping at Morrisons with one.
Sainsbury’s was running Nectar price promotions on 15 items on our list, while Tesco had Clubcard prices on 16, Lidl had three items with a loyalty discount, and Morrisons had More Card scheme discounts on only two items in the basket.
Aldi has been dethroned for the first time since October 2023 / Credit: Aldi UK
On the other end of the spectrum, as you might expect, was Waitrose – with the price for the 76 items here setting shoppers back £170.91 in total, which is more than £42, or 33%, more than Lidl.
Waitrose also offers some loyalty prices to members, but there were none for items on the Which? shopping list this month.
When it comes to annual grocery price inflation, this figure was found to have jumped to 5.2% in the four weeks leading up to 13 July, according to market analysis from Worldpanel by Numerator, which is the highest level since January 2024.
Prices are rising faster for items such as chocolate, butters and spreads, and fresh meat, and they are falling fastest for dog food, sugar, confectionery, and laundry.
The Manc -
30th July 2021 
