Money blog: Major retailers named over questionable Black Friday deals (2024)

ByMegan Harwood-Baynes, cost of living specialist

When you think of Black Friday, you probably think of discount TVs, maybe a half-price pair of boots - but what about a flight to New York?

Katy Maclure has worked for Jack's Flight Club for almost three years, where she spends her days researching cheap flights and finding deals. She now edits The Detour (their weekly travel newsletter) and she's given Money the inside scoop on Black Friday flights...

"I think we can expect something from the big brands - big names like Virgin, and BA," she tells Money - as both have just set their sales live.

"They are prime examples of airlines that love a sale, and they always go head to head, which is quite nice as they cover a lot of the same routes."

When Money looked this lunchtime, BA was offering flights for as little as £39 to places like Barcelona and Nice, discounted city breaks and up to £300 off holidays between now and next October - as long as you book by 2 December.

Virgin Atlantic is promising savings of up to £200 per booking - its blurb says: "Book by Monday 2 December and save £25 off per personplus,save a further £100off when you spend a minimum £3,500 per couple, or £4,400 per family of four."

"We are already seeing deals coming up and they are as good as they have ever been," says Katy.

From the Caribbean to budget Europe

While you may be able to score a decent deal on a flight to the Caribbean, in the UK some of the best offers will be on budget flights.

"We've already seen Jet2's initial offering," Katy says. "And they've got deals that go all the way to the early summer season."

When Money checked, the airline was promising £100 off per person, though that comes with T&Cs as always.

Pegasus, a budget Turkish airline, are one of Katy's favourites - our scan this morning showed 50% off routes.

"Last year the UK routes via Istanbul to different parts of Turkey, Central Asia and the Middle East were fares we have never seen before," she says.

Among the deals she scored was a return to Krygstan for £180.

How to find a deal

Signing up for the JFC newsletter will give you instant access to some of the best deals the team finds - but if you insist on doing all the legwork yourself, Katy has some advice...

Generally speaking, offers will start to filter through to search engines like Skyscanner and Google Flights, so set up travel alerts if there is a particular route you want to take.

"However, some in the past have been known to require a code on their website, so that won't be reflected there," says Katy.

"So if you monitor the overall mood of certain routes and notice one or two drops on one or two dates, it indicates there is more going on behind the scenes, so make sure to check the website directly."

Some websites also offer "flash sales", which means their offerings change every day.

"It might be 15% off routes to Spain one day and then 20% off all routes but only if you travel on the 14 February," she says.

And while some airlines will offer deals for a few days, most may not stick around - or there may only be a limited number of seats available at the cheaper price.

"If you think that's a great price or we're telling you that's a great price, I wouldn't hang around until the following week, just in case, because some airlines are just going to go hard. We have no proof that they're going to go further."

Air Lingus, she says, is a "good example of this": "They make it clear they are sale prices, but there are only a few seats available at that fare."

The Irish airline is offering 25% off flights to Europe and Britain.

You can read the rest of the JFC Black Friday predictions here.

ByJames Sillars, business reporter

There's a big focus today on some top consumer-facing brands reporting their progress.

AO World was among shares doing well after it further raised annual profit guidance on the back of strong sales.

The online electricals retailer reported a 30% rise in first half operating profits to £16m but warned it was expecting budget measures, including the employer national insurance contribution adjustments, to add £8m to its direct and indirect cost base in its next financial year.

Its shares were 2.8% up.

Halfords maintained its annual profit guidance as it revealed a 1% dip in first half underlying profit and sales – better than some analysts had feared.

The bicycle sales to car maintenance retailer, which has been suffering amid the continuing squeeze on consumer budgets, said it was also facing a leap in costs from the budget.

Halfords said it was expecting a £23m hit next year.

Its shares were 8% higher.

One other name said it was making some progress fighting back amid the tough economy.

Topps Tiles, the country's largest tile retailer, posted a 50% reduction in adjusted annual profits to £6.3m but reported that sales had returned to growth since the end of September.

The share price was 3.8% higher at the start of trading in response.

The FTSE 100 opened 0.3% down at 8,265.

Catering group Compass was the biggest faller – down by more than 3%.

That is probably explained by a tougher outlook reported by the firm in the publication of its latest results.

ByOllie Cooper, live news reporter

Welcome to the second part of my series on fitness supplements, where I aim to discover whether they help you get ripped, or you're being ripping off.

I've enlisted the help of performance nutritionistAndrew PettsandArj Thiruchelvam, personal trainer and head coach at Performance Physique, to analyse 12 different supplements every lunchtime over the next two weeks - and today we're honing in on three:Collagen, glutamine and BCAAs.

Collagen

Collagen makes up our connective tissues like ligaments and tendons in the body.

"For athletes who put a lot of stress on joints and their connective tissues, collagen intake is essential to recover from the stress and help to protect these tissues," Andrew explains.

It's basically a blend of different amino acids (protein) that are formed in our body to replenish connective tissue cells.

It's also been linked with better quality skin and nail health.

Meat, dairy, soy, eggs, fish, beans, nuts and gelatine are good natural sources of collagen.

"If you are recovering from a ligament or tendon injury, an ageing athlete or gymgoer/recreational sports person, or have a number of events/training days in a short period, supplementing collagen (alongside vitamin c, copper and zinc) could help your recovery," he adds.

But you can also provide your body with the amino acids it needs by simply consuming enough protein, so you could save your money by doing that.

"Currently the evidence suggests collagen supplementation won't do much for gym goers and one studyshowed it wasn't effective and is vastly inferior to whey protein," Arj says, rating it just 3/10.

Glutamine

Glutamine is an amino acid - a building block of proteins that plays a key role in many bodily functions - and was considered a key sports supplement in years gone by.

"Supplementing additional glutamine was considered to be effective at buffering, reducing muscle soreness and improving performance, but studies do not support this," Arj explains.

He rates it 5/10, given that some studies suggest it offers gastro-intestinal support.

"There is once again a question of need, when it comes to extra supplementation," Andrew says.

"From that point, it's an individual's choice but I'd be saving money and putting it toward my shopping budget. 4/10."

BCAAs

Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) powders are marketed as a brilliant way to recover.

But the science isn't clear, our experts say.

"Some of the research rank them as effective by providing energy for the body, with leucine being a prominent ingredient to stimulate muscle growth, but other research shows no effect," Andrew says.

"If people are consuming enough protein then they should be getting enough BCAAs into their body through eating real food," he adds, scoring it 4/10.

"BCAAs have been identified as having only a small benefit for those with reduced intake, such as vegans," Arj says.

They "appear to be inferior to normal protein sources" because they rely on the other amino acids in order to work effectively, some studies show.

"They're a waste of money for those who don't follow a restricted diet," he adds, also scoring them 4/10.

A "surprising" reduction in mortgage rates by Barclays could encourage others to follow suit, brokers have said.

The high street bank has announced cuts of up to 0.2 percentage points on some of its residential mortgage deals from tomorrow.

They include:

• Two-year fixed deal at 75% loan-to-value (LTV) with a fixed £899 product fee - reducing from 4.46% to 4.36%
• Two-year fixed, 85% LTV, £899 product fee - reducing from 4.94% to 4.84%
• Two-year-fixed, 90% LTV, no fee - reducing from 5.49% to 5.39%
• Five-year fixed remortgage deal at 60% LTV, £999 product fee - reducing from 4.37% to 4.17%
• Five-year fixed remortgage deal at 85% LTV, £999 product fee - reducing from 5.27% to 5.07%

Mortgage rates have been on an upward curve in the last month or two on the expectation base rate cuts from the Bank of England will be more gradual than previously expected - as it waits to see if October's budget proves inflationary.

Industry insiders therefore welcomed Barclays' decision.

Justin Moy, managing director at EHF Mortgages, told Newspage: "This is a somewhat surprising announcement from Barclays, as the mortgage market showed little scope for any form of rate cuts before Christmas.

"Whilst these reductions are not going to be enough to tip the economy back on an even keel, they will be encouraging to borrowers and suggest that improvements may be on the horizon."

Meanwhile,Mike Staton, directorat StatonMortgages,said: "They won't be the only lender that reduces rates before the end of this year. Christmas always seems to be a good time in the industry with rate reductions not uncommon," he said.

Transport for London has come under fire after controversial campaign adverts supporting assisted dying appeared on the Tube network.

Author and lecturer Adrian Hilton posted a picture of one of the adverts which shows a woman dancing a smiling next to the words: "My dying wish is my family won't see me suffer. And I won't have to."

He described the advert from campaign group Dignity in Dying as "grotesque", due to it being displayed in a place "where suicides aren't uncommon".

"I'm aghast that Global, TfL, mayor of London think it's at all appropriate when cake, bacon and bikinis are banned," he wrote.

Mr Hilton's post has been viewed nearly two million times and has attracted a host of critical responses.

One user said it made them feel "sick", while others branded it "disgusting" and one person said they were "speechless" over the decision.

"These adverts are stupid, insensitive, dangerous and offensive," said another user.

The adverts come ahead of the first debate on the proposed assisted dying bill in the Commons on Friday.

The bill, put forward by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater, proposes legalising assisted dying for people with six months left to live, on the approval of two doctors and a High Court judge.

A TfL spokesperson told Money: "We reviewed this advertising campaign against both our advertising policy and the Committee of Advertising Practice code, and it was found to be compliant."

A spokesperson for Dignity in Dying said its campaign "features real people who want a change in law" because they want the choice for themselves or loved ones.

"The campaign uses positive imagery of these people living life on their own terms, alongside messages about why they are campaigning for greater choice. It is fully compliant with the Committee of Advertising Practice code," they said.

The spokesperson added that it was "disappointing" to see some posters had been "vandalised".

Seventeen months of falling shop prices came to an end this month - as retailers warn higher costs will "inevitably" lead to price rises for customers.

British Retail Consortium (BRC) figures show that though shop prices are down 0.6% compared to a year ago, that's a rise from 0.8% lower in October.

The figures may signal the end of falling inflation given cost pressures being placed on big businesses, according to BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson.

Retailers face a barrage of costs which the BRC forecasts will amount to an extra £7bn for retail businesses next year.

Budget measures such as the increase in employers' national insurance contributions and a higher minimum wage form part of those costs, as does the forthcoming packaging tax to fund recycling efforts.

"Retail already operates on slim margins, so these new costs will inevitably lead to higher prices," Ms Dickinson said.

ByJames Sillars, business reporter

There has been a muted reaction in financial markets to Donald Trump's latest trade tariff threats.

He pledged tariffs on all imports from Canada and Mexico, and additional tariffs on China, from his first day back in office.

That announcement overnight helped send the dollar sharply higher.

Stock market declines, however, were limited, with the Shanghai composite down by just 0.1%.

The Hang Seng in Hong Kong was actually up on the previous day.

The trade tariff talk cast a shadow over Europe, however, with sentiment hit widely.

The FTSE 100, along with its counterparts in Frankfurt and Paris, were down at the open - by 0.3% in London.

The pound was 0.2% down versus the dollar at $1.25.

US stock market futures signalled a flat opening for all the major indices on Wall St.

How do you get millions of people off benefits and back into work?

The government is attemptingto solve this age-old problem today as it launches a new white paper to "get Britain working".

But how robust is its plan? And does the government hold the key to successfulwelfare reform?

Also - Donald Trumphas said he plans to introduce tariffs on US imports from Mexico, Canadaand China on his first day in office.

What does this mean for world trade, and for the UK?

Sky News' deputy political editor Sam Coates and Politico's Jack Blanchard share their daily guide to the day ahead in under 20 minutes.

👉 Listen to Politics At Jack And Sam's on your podcast app👈

Jobcentre reform will be at the centre of the Labour government's plans to "get Britain working again".

Tackling the increasing number of people out of work and relying on the state for income has become a major priority of the state, with welfare costs taking up a sizeable portion of government spending.

According to the government, more than nine million people are economically inactive, with 2.8 million on long-term sickness - a number which has risen significantly since the pandemic.

The government will today be publishing its plans to get more people into employment in the form of the Get Britain Working white paper.

It says its main aim is "to target and tackle the root causes of unemployment and inactivity, and better join up health skills and employment support based on the unique needs of local communities".

Nine in 10 Black Friday offers are cheaper or the same price at other times of the year, a Which? investigation has found.

For the first time, the consumer champion examined the pre-sale price on products, which is displayed by retailers to show the scale of the supposed saving.

It looked at deals on 227 products in last year's Black Friday fortnight to analyse the validity of the savings.

It discovered that for 60% of deals, the product had been available for a higher price for less than half the time it was stocked on shop shelves, suggesting it was common for the item to be discounted.

In one of the worst examples, a Remington Shea Soft Hair Dryer at Boots was £18.99 on Black Friday, claiming to be reduced from £49.99 - a huge 62% off.

But it hadn't been £49.99 at Boots for at least a year.

A spokesperson for Boots said: "Which? reviewed a very small number of our Black Friday deals from last year and in all cases, the items were at a lower price whilst on promotion or when price matched against competitors.

"We remain committed to offering great prices and value for money for our customers all year round, and offer a packed programme of promotions and deals as well as constantly reviewing our pricing to ensure it remains competitive."

At John Lewis, Which? found the retailer's offer on a Sage Nespresso Creatista Pro coffee machine was higher than the deal available for 32 days in the six months before Black Friday.

Meanwhile, the Garmin Venu 2S smartwatch was priced at £294, with a claimed saving of £90. But at no point in the previous 12 months had it been on sale at £384 at John Lewis. The highest price during that period was £349.99. In the six months after Black Friday, the watch did not go back up to £384.

A John Lewis spokesperson said: "In a highly competitive and dynamic market, our customers can find brilliant offers with us all year round. But the recent return of our reimagined Never Knowingly Undersold brand promise - which matches prices with 25 leading retailers - gives customers absolute confidence that they are getting fantastic value.”

At Richer Sounds, a Toshiba 24WK3C63DB TV was advertised as an "inflation busting mega deal" for £139.

In fact, it had been £139 for 80 days straight before Black Friday, and before that it was £10 less.

A Richer Sounds spokesperson said the retailer made it clear that anything marked as "Fantastic Black Friday Value" may have been at a lower price previously and "inflation-busting mega deals" were separate to the promotional day.

At Boots, the ORAL-B iO4Electric Toothbrush (and case) was £89 with a claimed previous price of £240. But it had been £240 for just one day in the previous 12 months. Otherwise, the highest price was £95.

At Currys, the Hisense 43-inch Smart 4K TV with Amazon Alexa was £249 on Black Friday, reduced from £429.

But just 15 days later it was reduced yet further, to £229.

A spokesperson for the brand said this year it has committed to making sure none of its products included in Black Friday events had been cheaper in the previous six months.

More than half of its deals will see products at the lowest price it has ever offered, and Black Friday will be followed by a seven-day price match promise, they added.

Which? has called on retailers to be more transparent on their pricing by only quoting savings against the most recent previous price.

It urged shoppers not to feel pressured into making purchases. Instead, it is worth shoppers taking the time to research deals before parting with their cash.