Norway has implemented a ban on cross-border online sales of nicotine and tobacco products, meaning any orders of these products from an online shop in another country that gets delivered to Norway can be stopped and seized by customs. This ban does not apply to online sales within Norway and has been put in place as part of Norway’s tobacco control policy, with a particular objective to address youth access to nicotine products. In support of the ban, Markus Lindblad, Head of Legal and External Affairs at Northerner, explains why the UK should follow suit. The nicotine product market has evolved…
Author: businessfast
The UK housing market in 2026 is best described as stable but selective. Gone are the extreme conditions of the pandemic-era boom and the sharp affordability shock that followed rapid interest rate rises. Instead, buyers and sellers are operating in a more rational, data-led environment—one where value, location, and affordability matter far more than momentum. While national headlines often talk about “the” housing market, the reality in 2026 is that regional differences are defining outcomes. A first-time buyer in the North East is experiencing a fundamentally different market to one in London, and sellers in the Midlands face a very…
GP surgeries run on tight margins, fixed contract income, and a workload that doesn’t pause when a clinician is off. When a partner or salaried GP is suddenly absent—illness, accident, stress-related leave, surgery, long COVID, pregnancy-related sickness, or a complicated recovery—the practice still has to deliver safe access and meet contractual obligations. That usually means paying for cover at short notice. England does have NHS locum reimbursement arrangements for certain GP absences. But the scheme has eligibility rules, waiting periods, maximum weekly caps, and administrative delays—so it rarely removes the full financial risk. That’s where locum insurance and GP absence…
Avantia becomes one of the latest UK insurers to work with Google Cloud and scales its award‑winning AI tool “Holmes” to transform customer experience. London, UK, 20 January 2026 – Avantia Group, the parent company of specialist home insurer Homeprotect, has collaborated with Google Cloud, marking a major step in the use of AI across the UK insurance market. At the centre of the collaboration is Holmes, Avantia’s proprietary AI tool built with Google Cloud technologies, now proven in live insurance operations to help combat insurance fraud and improve the experience for genuine customers. Building on its success in trials, Avantia is expanding the use of Google…
By Simon Batchelor As we limp toward the end of 2025, the marketing world is already full of bold predictions for 2026, most of them produced by people who haven’t spoken to an actual small business owner since the last time their boiler broke—and not a single one of those predictions will help that owner decide the real question: SEO vs Paid Ads. But here’s the reality:2026 isn’t going to rewrite the laws of marketing. It’s simply going to expose what already works — and what never did. And if you’re a small business trying to decide where to put your…
A £2.2 million project led by the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS) has so far supported 90 organisations and upskilled 250 people to explore how data science and artificial intelligence (AI) can boost productivity, efficiency, and competitiveness across Scotland’s manufacturing sector. The Data-Driven Design and Manufacturing Colab (D3M Colab), delivered by NMIS, operated by the University of Strathclyde and part of the High Value Manufacturing (HVM) Catapult, is helping to close the gap between manufacturing and digital technologies by giving engineers the confidence and practical skills to apply data-driven methods within their own businesses. Through hands-on projects and tailored training,…
London, 8 December 2025 – With rising fraud now accounting for more than 40% of all crime in the UK, finance leaders are urging Silicon Valley platforms to take far greater responsibility for combating the surge in online-enabled scams. At the 2025 Economic Crime Congress, UK Finance delivered a stark warning to global technology platforms, urging them to “grasp the scale of the crisis,” take responsibility for how their networks are used, and collaborate meaningfully with regulators, law enforcement and civil society to protect consumers. With criminals stealing £629.3 million in the first half of 2025 alone, a three per cent increase…
LONDON, UK — November 21, 2025 International entrepreneur, #1 bestselling author, and film producer Marco Robinson has been fully exonerated from a year-long smear and harassment campaign orchestrated by competing parties, as confirmed by official court documents, legal correspondence, and a formal police report. This development not only clears Robinson’s name but also serves as a blueprint for entrepreneurs facing similar reputational attacks in an increasingly digital world. Robinson, known for his $2 billion sales empire, the Start Over Movement, and his role in Lionsgate’s Legacy of Lies, faced targeted misinformation, malicious interference, and defamatory statements aimed at damaging his…
As the era of unquestioned US market leadership wanes, shifting global forces and innovation are laying the groundwork for a new cycle in equities London, 05 November 2025 Global equity markets may be entering their most significant transition in well over a decade. After years of capital and confidence flowing in one direction, signs of change are emerging across currencies, valuations and policy cycles.New research from Ninety One’s Investment Institute, The great rebalancing: A new cycle reshaping global equity leadership, explores how the forces that drive long dollar cycles also relate to equity markets and help explain the long cycles of relative…
For many small and medium-sized businesses, managing energy bills has become another daily challenge – squeezed between rising costs, shifting regulations, and a steady flow of confusing terms that seem to appear with every government update, including the upcoming Autumn Statement in November. With fluctuating energy prices, increased National Insurance contributions, and upcoming changes like Transmission Network Use of System (TNUoS) charges from April 2026, SMEs are under constant pressure to keep track of what’s affecting their costs. Plus, navigating a constant stream of updates across various channels like social media, TV, online forums, and online news – no wonder…
Between January 2022 and January 2025, the UK’s Google search habits hint that more of us may be turning into workplace night owls, which may be having consequences on productivity and the nation’s health: Graph below, highlighting internal Bupa UK Google search analysis. Link to our full research: https://www.bupa.co.uk/business/news-and-information/managing-night-owls It’s very important to develop a diverse workforce. In fact, research shows that there are many benefits to having night owls on your team. For example, it’s been found that night owls tend to perform better on cognitive tests, and they’re great at bringing creativity and impulsivity to the workplace. However, being…
Students at Kirklees College are set to benefit from hands-on experience with electric vehicle (EV) charging technology thanks to a new partnership with Drax Electric Vehicles. As part of the collaboration, Drax has donated multiple EV chargers to the college’s engineering department. Students will use the chargers in workshops and classrooms, giving hands-on experience with EV infrastructure, installation, fault diagnostics, and maintenance. This practical training will equip them with the skills to drive the next generation of sustainable transport. Adam Hall, Energy Services Director at Drax Electric Vehicles, spoke of how the company is proud to support education providers that…
EDINBURGH, Scotland – 28 October 2025 – On March 9, 2026, the 250th anniversary of the publication of Adam Smith’s The Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations, esteemed global economist Dambisa Moyo will deliver a keynote address at Panmure House in Edinburgh, the last home of the ‘father of modern economics’, Adam Smith. Adam Smith’s The Wealth of Nations is the most influential work of economic theory that helped define modern capitalism. Dr. Dambisa Moyo’s speech will analyze the extent to which Smith’s ideas can still be used to address today’s four (4) great global challenges: Artificial Intelligence, climate change and the energy transition, deglobalization, and the…
New York, NY, 10/28/2025 – Pave Finance, Inc. (“Pave”), the next-generation wealth management platform, has today announced its integration with Charles Schwab, the world’s largest registered investment advisory custodian and one of the largest retail brokerage firms. The move enables registered investment advisors (RIAs) to link their Schwab client accounts directly to Pave for automated portfolio construction, management, and trading, all without moving a single client asset. By deploying automation and removing operational friction, advisors now have the ability to deliver personalized, risk-managed portfolios that scale effortlessly, saving up to 18 hours per week without compromising performance. As the wealth management industry is…
Volkswagen has long held its place among the most popular car brands in the world — and not by accident. Year after year, it proves what good German engineering looks like. Still, autumn itself brings its challenges. The roads get much slicker than usual, mornings become darker, and everything about driving feels significantly less predictable. That’s a moment when a well-built car begins to show what it’s made of. LLLParts specialists say Volkswagen vehicles tend to handle seasonal transitions better than most because the engineers behind them think about real-world use, not just performance numbers. It’s not about luxury for…
Driver fines have risen sharply in the UK, up 23% since 2019, according to new analysis from Ayvens. The company, which manages hundreds of thousands of fleet vehicles nationwide, processed 248,301 fines in 2024 – the highest number on record. The data shows a steady climb in fines since the pandemic, with 156,311 fines recorded in 2020 compared to 193,011 in 2021. In 2023, fines stood at 243,610 before rising again in 2024. Ayvens’ analysis also revealed that the peak fine months are March, October and December, reflecting seasonal spikes in fleet activity. Also Read: 5 Ways to Monetise Your…
Money laundering losses in the UK have risen to almost £150 billion each year, according to research shared at the World Anti-Corruption Conference. Losses increased by 8.3% annually, driven by rising compliance costs and London’s continuing role as a global hub for foreign capital flows. Data from the Napier AI / AML Index 2025 – 2026 found that global financial institutions could save £183 billion annually through AI-driven anti-money laundering (AML) solutions. The findings were shared at The World Anti-Corruption Conference, hosted by International Strategy Institute (ISI), focusing on financial innovation, integrity, governance and key proposals to combat corruption. Also Read: How Russian Sanctions Accelerated…
Today, Thursday 23 October, the winning pumpkin from the Danish Giant Pumpkin Championship was transformed into Denmark’s largest — and perhaps most terrifying — jack-o’-lantern inside the historic 182-year-old amusement park Tivoli Gardens, in the heart of the Danish capital Copenhagen. Until Sunday 26 October, Tivoli’s guests can experience the Danish-American artist Malik Mabe wielding his chainsaw as he transforms the nine giant pumpkins that competed in this year’s championship into enormous, glowing, and delightfully spooky pumpkin lanterns. This year’s winning pumpkin — an impressive specimen weighing 903.5 kg (1,992 lbs) — is roughly the same weight as a male…
The survey revealed one in three adults (34%) reported experiencing high or extreme levels of stress or pressure “always” or “often” over the past year – showing that this is an ongoing issue. One particular type of burnout that is very prevalent at this time of year is often referred to as “burnout blocking”. This refers to employees suppressing or pushing through burnout rather than acknowledging it or taking leave. With many workplaces having a Christmas blackout period where you are not able to book time off, employees may feel that “burnout blocking” is their only option. Ben Wright, Head of Global Partnerships at Instant Offices, says, “Burnout should never be seen as normal or expected. Many employees stay silent because they don’t want to feel like they’re passing their workload onto someone else. However,…
The borderless future: “HR leaders expect more than half of the UK of new hires in 2026 will be from outside their home country” 59% of the UK HR leaders expect that most new hires in 2026 will be based outside their organisation’s home country, according to new research by HR technology and payroll innovator Remote. Company executives reported that on average, 57% of new hires in the UK will come from abroad, meaning nearly two out of every three new recruits could be international within the next year. These findings come from Remote’s 2025 Global Workforce Report, which surveyed 3,650…
London, 16th October 2025 — Revolut, the global fintech with over 11 million customers in the UK, has launched Joint Savings accounts, giving couples a new way to grow their money together. The new feature — Revolut’s most-requested by existing customers — allows couples to earn up to 4.5% AER, with interest paid daily. The launch comes as Revolut research highlights a shift towards financial openness in relationships. Nearly three-quarters (71%) of Brits feel comfortable discussing money with their partner, while two in five (39%) believe joint accounts are the best way to manage shared expenses. There are no fees, and…
The top 3 continue as Apple, Microsoft, and Amazon. Nvidia, Instagram, YouTube, Uber and Netflix power up the ranking with the highest level of new entrants since the ranking was created in 2000 October 15th, 2025 – New York, United States: Global brand consultancy Interbrand today launched its annual Best Global Brands ranking, with this year’s report reflecting how brand leaders moved quickly to adapt to competitive challenges and shifting market dynamics to position their brands for growth. The total value of this year’s Best Global Brands stands at $3.6 trillion, a 4.4% increase from $3.4 trillion in 2024. While…
Agentic AI Goes Mainstream as Majority of Companies Report Leveraging Multiple AI Agents London, UK: 14th October 2025 – Leaders are adopting AI so widely that they now trust it to take charge of critical business decisions, with three-quarters (76%) of UK executives believing AI has become so essential their company would struggle to function without it. This is according to new survey data from PagerDuty, a global leader in digital operations management. The company’s latest AI Resilience Survey analyses insights from 1,500 IT and business executives in the UK, US, Australia, Japan, France and Germany. In the UK, a vast majority of executives…
Galytix is deploying its CreditX AI Agent to provide greater insights into emerging market credit risks and support a consortium of 29 multilateral development banks (MDBs) and development finance institutions (DFIs) to increase investment flows into Emerging Markets London: Tuesday, 30th September 2025: Galytix, the leading Agentic Artificial Intelligence company for financial services, today announced its appointment as part of a supplier consortium with PwC to support the Global Emerging Markets Risk Database (GEMs) Consortium to transform how the Consortium and broader audiences access and use credit risk statistics for emerging markets and developing economies (EMDEs). As developed markets face growing debt burdens and…
Commercial vehicles are getting smarter, cleaner and more connected — and diagnostics has had to evolve just as quickly. Workshops and fleet operators now face a world of mixed makes, electrified drivetrains, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), and always-on telematics. In this article we’ll unpack what’s new in heavy-duty diagnostics for trucks, trailers and other commercial assets, and explain why a modern, multi-brand platform is often the most cost-effective choice. What’s Changed in Diagnostics for Trucks and Trailers? 1. From Fault Codes to Full System Insight Yesterday’s diagnostic workflow largely meant reading fault codes, clearing them, and hoping the light…
British furniture brand Swyft is proud to announce a new charity partnership with Furnishing Futures, the interiors-led social enterprise dedicated to transforming empty social housing into safe, healing homes for women and children escaping domestic abuse. Furniture poverty is a hidden crisis in the UK, affecting more than 14 million people. Less than 2% of social housing is furnished, leaving vulnerable families in empty properties without essential items. Meanwhile, 22 million pieces of furniture are sent to landfills every year, many of them in new or nearly new condition. Furnishing Futures provides a sustainable, industry-led solution to both problems: rescuing high-quality donated pieces…
Shaping a Mind for Leadership The leap from manager to CEO is not a simple step up the ladder. It is more like moving from playing checkers to playing chess. Strategy shifts from daily moves to long-term positioning. Books on Strategic Leadership that focus on this transition can act as quiet mentors offering perspectives that sharpen judgment and broaden vision. They reveal how leaders weigh risks and steer organizations through calm waters and storms alike. Every corner office holds a story of trial and error yet the wisdom of others can shorten the learning curve. Reading about the strategies that…
Clean Me, the UK’s largest marketplace for mobile car washing services, has today revealed a comprehensive pricing report based on over 1,000 bookings. The findings highlight clear cost benchmarks and a growing desire for convenience for car owners across the country. The figures show that the average total valet cost of a small car is £69.98, rising to £75.86 for a medium sized car and £93.43 for a large car, which equates to an average of £76.69. In terms of service type, prices for an exterior valet came in at £34.33-£47.41, while an interior valet was £41.11-£54.83. A mini valet…
Revolut, the global fintech with over 60 million customers globally, and hundreds of thousands of business customers, has today announced the launch of Pay by Bank as an option on the Revolut Gateway. This new feature enables businesses to accept fast and secure payments directly from a customer’s bank account, providing a seamless experience for consumers and significant benefits for merchants. The launch comes as ‘Pay by Bank’, also known as Open Banking, has surged in popularity in the UK, growing from 15 million to 27 million monthly transactions in just one year. With approximately 14 million people now using…
Launching a new business can be both exciting and overwhelming. But one of the biggest challenges start-ups will face on their journey is building credibility in a crowded and competitive marketplace. Establishing trust is vital in the early stages, and having a strong reputation is paramount for attracting customers, securing contracts, and standing out against competitors. Michael Baron, Managing Director of BWS, is breaking down the 5 must-know ways to build credibility as a new business: “Building credibility as a new business can feel daunting, but it can be an exciting way to build from the ground up. It’s crucial to…