A new supermarket chain is set to open in the UK, and it’s already proving to be a rival to leading budget retailers Aldi and Lidl.
MERE Retail – which is affectionately known by some as “the Russian Lidl” – was founded in 2009 as Svetofor in Siberia, and has since gone on to become one of the largest Russian retail operators in the discounter segment, with more than 2,500 stores in Europe and a reported total of 3,200 stores worldwide.
Although fellow European budget supermarket retailers Aldi and Lidl are likely to be the easiest comparison for Brits, MERE compares itself to Costco.
What makes it different to Costco is that there is no membership fee and no in-store service.
MERE branches are currently set to open doors over the coming months in Castleford, Mold, Caldicot and the nearby Lancashire city of Preston – which is expected to open in mid-July – but the retailer is yet to put down routes in Greater Manchester.
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Now though, it’s reported in The Grocer that plans to step up store openings elsewhere in the UK are beginning to take shape.
Speaking to The Grocer earlier this month, Pavels Antonovs – Head of UK Buying at MERE – claimed that the supermarket would be 30% cheaper than rivals, adding that: “We are the gap in the market [and] we don’t have any competitors.
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“Our model is no service and no marketing.”
Each UK store will reportedly be about 10,000 square feet, and have just eight workers.
Another thing that makes MERE different to other retailers is that items are typically sold directly from the pallets they’re delivered on, and the supermarket buys stock from suppliers on a “sale or return basis” – which means it’ll return any unsold goods back to the seller.
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The shops are also said to include a walk-in chiller room and freezer.
MERE Retail has set out ambitious plans to open over 300 stores in the UK within the next eight to 10 years.
Featured Image – MERE Retail
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One in 10 Brits are fired or disciplined after their work’s Christmas party, new survey finds
Emily Sergeant
We’re in peak office Christmas party season right about now.
With just under two weeks to go until the big day itself is here, many businesses across the UK are treating their staff to night out to celebrate both the festive season and all of the hard work they have been putting in throughout the year… and as you can expect, these are usually quite eventful gatherings, shall we say.
But now, a survey by has shed light on just how ‘eventful’ they actually are, as a new survey has revealed that, apparently, one in ten Brits face some sort of disciplinary action or dismissal due to their behaviour at Christmas parties.
The study was conducted by After Drink, and included more than 2,000 participants.
During the research, it was highlighted that 89% of employees admitted to drinking alcohol at these events, Lad Bible reports – with 65% of these confessing that they drank “excessively”.
One in 10 Brits get fired or disciplined after their work’s Christmas party / Credit: Kraken Images | Mimi Thian (via Unsplash)
There are a multitude of incidents which could lead to disciplinary action in the workplace nowadays, but according to the survey, some of the common reasons following festive celebrations with colleagues included inappropriate comments (23%) and even getting into fights (21%).
16% of these incidents were because of drug use during the event, while inappropriate interactions with colleagues accounted for 14%.
Some of the legal reasons you can be fired from your place of work after a Christmas party include gross misconduct, drunken behaviour, and fighting of any kind.
Despite all these risks, however, Christmas parties still remain as popular as always, and a whopping 79% of respondents said they are planning to attend theirs this year.
Clearly, the moral of the story here is , enjoy yourself… but just not too much.
Featured Image – The OurWhiskey Company (via Pexels)
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Half of Mancs don’t know how to cook Christmas dinner, new survey reveals
Emily Sergeant
Christmas dinner is one of the key parts of any festive celebration.
No matter whether you choose to tuck into a traditional roast with all the trimmings and lashings of gravy, or you prefer to go for something a little different like a curry or a Chinese instead, your Christmas dinner is a chance to gather round with your loved ones and enjoy one of the heartiest meals you’ll likely have all year.
However, some shocking new figures have revealed that half of Manchester residents have no clue how to even cook a Christmas dinner.
Through a major study by the UK’s leading electrical retailer, AO.com, it was revealed that the majority of our city’s residents are “losing confidence” in preparing even the simplest of British dishes – with a traditional roast or Christmas dinner being one of them.
A new survey has revealed that half of Mancs don’t know how to cook Christmas dinner / Credit: Freepik | GoodFon
As part of its new campaign to get Brits back into the kitchen, AO found that just 57% of respondents reckon they would be able to make a roast dinner, 52% could whip up a classic shepherd’s pie, 58% could cook bangers and mash, merely 61% could prepare a full English breakfast, and again, only 57% could tackle fish and chips.
Classic desserts are clearly a struggle for us Mancs too, according to the survey, as only 19% of respondents said they’d feel confident cooking a Christmas pudding.
The survey also found that nationwide, it was Gen Z – those between the age of 16 and 27 – that are the least confident in their ability to cook great British classics, while on the other end of the spectrum, Baby Boomers are the most capable, proving that culinary confidence increases with age.
Our region’s residents are apparently ‘losing confidence’ at cooking simple British classics / Credit: Freepik
Commenting on the results, Jay Lockton, oven expert at AO.com, said: “Kitchens should be a place of creativity and joy, but our data shows that a lot of people in Manchester are losing confidence in preparing even the simplest of British dishes.
“Based on our findings, many younger people may be opting for convenience foods or takeaways due to their busy schedules and the perception that cooking from scratch is time-consuming or difficult.
Emily Sergeant -
15th June 2021 
