Business & Tech
The latest stories from independent business & tech media.
Black Hat and DEF CON are AI conferences now, too
On this week's episode of The Reg's Kettle podcast, we revisit 'hacker summer camp,' where the hottest topic was ... sigh... agentic AI
Atos wins £78.2m HMRC contract to lead digital modernisation
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has awarded IT services group Atos a three-year contract worth up to £78.2m to oversee governance and configuration across the tax authority’s low-code application ecosystem.
Be a hater all you want, AI's here to stay
The good news? One of the worst bits, tech giants controlling it all, might soon be over
Pensioner poverty reversal driven by single retirees, warns LCP
A decade of progress on pensioner poverty has officially gone into reverse, with single retirees, particularly divorced women and those who never married, facing the steepest rise in financial hardship, according to fresh research from consultancy LCP.
Titan Wealth acquires Channel Islands tax firm
Titan Wealth has acquired Channel Islands tax advisory firm LTS Tax, expanding its specialist cross-border tax capabilities. The deal, subject to regulatory approval, follows Titan Wealth’s recently announced acquisition of Progeny International.
Iress UK earnings rise 43% in first half of 2026
Iress’ UK business delivered a 43% increase in adjusted EBITDA to £4.6m in the first half of 2026, as the technology provider continued to invest in product development, AI and engineering capabilities.
Excel's Copilot function is headed for the Recycle Bin
Microsoft realizes the side pane should be enough for anyone
Starting Out: Will we see an expansion in degree apprenticeships?
A degree may be the next step for many students who received their A-level results last week – but going to university is not their only option. Recent research from the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), working with Unifrog, has found that 80% of
Agtech robotics group Versatile RobotX raises £1m
University of Essex spinout Versatile RobotX has secured over £1m in blended equity investment and grant funding to accelerate the commercial deployment of its AI-powered agricultural robots.
Code fixers have fired up the AI warp drive. Strange new worlds await
With more patches per month than at a pirate convention, the bug must be an endangered species. Well, about that
Gillian Hepburn: Why do female clients matter?
Are we really addressing the small matter of the wealth transfer to women, now and in the future? Various data points continue to indicate that wealth transfer to women among baby boomers is a live issue both here in the UK and globally. HMRC data
Part didn't fit so techie got out his screwdriver. Then something flew off the motherboard
Whatever it was broke a PC and led to a face-saving lie
Mothercare warns over future as revenue plunges 42%
Mothercare has warned of “material uncertainty” over its ability to continue trading if conditions deteriorate further, as annual revenue plunged 42 per cent.
Jollyes celebrates 125th store launch in Evesham
Jollyes Pets opened its 125th store at The Valley shopping centre, Evesham, last week.
Asic warns of surge in deepfake scams
Australia's Securities and Investment Commission (Asic) is warning of a spike in the use of generative AI to create vast networks of deepfake websites and celebrity investment endorsements to lure victims
BRC warns employment reforms risk squeezing out retail Saturday jobs
The British Retail Consortium has warned that planned employment reforms could make it harder for retailers to offer entry-level roles. New Opinium polling commissioned by the BRC found 80 per cent of UK adults believe part-time work, including traditional Saturday jobs, plays an…
Crocs launches first mascot as it goes all-in on brand storytelling
Crocs has unveiled its first official mascot, Niles, with a view to increasing the power of its social content and long-term storytelling. The six-foot crocodile character has been developed from the silhouette that has appeared on Crocs footwear since the brand sold its first…
FCA expands global presence with India and UAE attachés
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has appointed Sabina Saini and Darine Obeid as financial services attachés for India and the UAE respectively, expanding its international presence.
Renewed price pressure for retail as global shipping costs soar
Freight rates have jumped sharply for retailers across key shipping corridors including the Red Sea, Panama Canal, Black Sea and Europe’s Rhine as war and drought disrupt global trade.
Is the US is still an attractive market for bricks-and-mortar retailers?
In the face of obstacles such as record low retail space availability, tariff pressures, and high living costs, the US may seem an unlikely location for international retailers to invest in bricks-and-mortar stores.
Fashionphile head of UK brand on its new Vauxhall pop-up
US ultra-luxury resale platform Fashionphile recently opened its first physical retail space in the UK, launching a pop-up in Vauxhall. The launch marks the next stage in the brand’s UK expansion, and comes less than a year after it launched online in the UK market.
BFC to ‘decentralise’ British fashion with new event programme
The British Fashion Council (BFC) has partnered with Westfield to host ‘Fashion Britain’, a programme of events running across seven UK cities.
M&S introduces limited collection by London streetwear label Aries
Marks & Spencer is teaming up with luxury streetwear label Aries on a 26-piece capsule collection that sees the relaunch of the heritage St Michael label.
Aldi boss backs crackdown on ‘fake’ supermarket discounts
Aldi UK boss Giles Hurley has backed government plans to crack down on misleading supermarket promotions, claiming loyalty prices and continual discounts can obscure the true value shoppers receive.
B&M ramps up AI push with senior recruitment drive
B&M has announced that it plans to step up its investment in AI and data, particularly targeting how it makes decisions and runs the business.
Hotel Chocolat forced to shut store as heatwave threatens to melt stock
Hotel Chocolat has been forced to temporarily close one of its stores and bring in emergency cooling equipment as record temperatures threaten to melt its chocolate stock.
Waitrose outpaces John Lewis as it pushes ahead with £800m overhaul
Waitrose is the financial powerhouse of the John Lewis Partnership, as its department store sister battles tougher trading conditions and presses ahead with an £800m transformation programme.
Sainsbury’s pauses AI facial recognition cameras after shopper wrongly ejected
Sainsbury’s has paused the use of AI-powered facial recognition cameras after a shopper was wrongly removed from one of its stores as a suspected shoplifter.
Co-op overhauls transgender and non-binary toilet policy after new legal guidance
Co-op has changed its transgender and non-binary inclusion policy, removing previous guidance that allowed staff to use the gender-specific toilets in which they felt safest.