"They are creative and sensitive to our business needs, concerned with checking back that their suggestions fulfilled our goals. Their integrity and empathy, as well as their creative skills, are at all times impeccable. I cannot fault the service."

 

NEW ELECTRONIC MAP OF BRITAIN FOR KIDS CURES HALF-TERM MISERY BY DIRECTING PARENTS TO CHILD-FRIENDLY SIGHTS AND PIT STOPS

- Inventors aim to reduce back seat groan factor by avoiding "boring old houses and weird food"

- New "Tot-Nav" works with satellite navigation equipment to guide mums and dads to 3,000 better and often cheaper off-the-beaten-track alternatives

A new electronic guide to the UK that pinpoints restaurants and places of interest that are perfect for kids has been launched to coincide with Autumn half term.

The creators of the guide hope that it will save parents the cost and the misery of trips to motorway services by offering cheaper, less crowded and more pleasant alternatives that are slightly off the beaten track.

In preparation for the launch of the product, RoadTour consulted with its kids' panel for their top ten list of Britain's most boring attractions for children (verbatim comments in brackets):

1. Bridgemere Garden World, Nantwich, Cheshire - a six acre garden centre - "a great big shed full of plants"

2. Glyndebourne - "old people's music that goes on for hours"

3. Builth Wells Castle - "pretty much a pile of earth"

4. Stonehenge - "a bunch of stones and you can't even climb on them"

5. St Albans Organ Museum - "old fashioned record players and weird pianos and you have to sit there and listen to them"

6. Louis Tussauds House of Wax, Great Yarmouth - "I couldn't even figure out who the people were."

7. Speakers corner, London - "Just a whole bunch of tourists taking pictures of nothing."

8. National Lobster Hatchery, Paidstow, Cornwall - "I'm not really into lobster larvae, to be honest."

9. Savings Bank Museum, Ruthwell, Dumfries - "just a load of piggy banks."

10. Site of the Battle of Hastings - "It's just a field."

The 3,000 sites in the guide are selected for the quality of their food for kids ("no weird, fancy rubbish" as one child reviewer put it), the cleanliness and accessibility of their bathroom facilities and the entertainment value of their historical sites and attractions ("no boring rooms with wallpaper and dead animal heads").

The guide is a simple software download that is easily installed on a range of leading Satellite Navigation devices. It enables parents to quickly pinpoint child-friendly locations when nature, hunger or boredom calls.

"For many families with young children, a trip away from home can often seem as complicated as an Apollo Moon mission and about as much fun as two weeks of booster maths classes", said Daniel Taylor, managing director of RoadTour, developers of the product. "Tot-Nav should see an end to miserable journeys for the kids. It helps families get from A to B much more effectively and enjoyably than the A to Z."

"There is a world of difference between what one person means by child-friendly and another. We have spent 5 years researching all the very best places to take children. These are places that make parents and their children feel welcome," said Conrad Doyle, Founding Director of www.childfriendly.co.uk , RoadTour's partner.

Most journeys by families are marked off by visits to characterless and expensive motorway service stations, described by Which? as "dingy and unattractive". The AA found 50% of service stations "Very Poor" and none more than "Acceptable" for Child Friendliness or Price. Food can be particularly expensive and variable according to Which?, with a recent report referring to "Chilli Con Cardboard".

- Ends -

NOTES TO EDITORS

1) Tot-Nav costs a one-off £9.95 and can be downloaded from www.roadtour.co.uk.

2) Images and screen shots are available

3) Free copies are available for reader offers and competitions.

4) AA Report: http://www.theaa.com/public_affairs/reports/msa-report-2007.pdf

5) Keep Moving: http://www.keepmoving.co.uk/home_content.aspx?content=expensive-lunches

 

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VISION EXPRESS LAUNCHES ROSE-TINTING SERVICE FOR GLASSES

"We're optimists as well as opticians", says CEO

After weeks of gloomy economic news, and in an effort to help the nation look on the bright side of life, Vision Express, the leading national chain of opticians, is offering its customers a rose-tinting service for their glasses from today.
Tinting can be applied to existing uncoated lenses in good condition or to new lenses bought from Vision Express stores.

"We've had weeks now of unsettling and worrying news," said Bryan Magrath, CEO of Vision Express. "We think it's about time that everyone had the opportunity to have a fresh and more optimistic look at the world."

Many studies have shown that optimism can have a positive impact on physical and mental health. Writing on the impact of colour on health in the early 1900s, the noted London physician J. Dodson Hessey noted that "a soft rose [colour] is better and beneficial in cases of melancholia and general debility".

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Notes to editors:

The origin of the phrase "seeing the world through rose-tinted glasses" or variants is unclear, though it was in widespread use on both sides of the Atlantic by the mid-1800s. Variations of the phrase may have been proverbial as early as the 1600s.

The origin of the idiom is the subject of a number of interesting theories. The idea of an idyllic rose-tinted view can be traced back to at least the 17th century. Romantic imagery in artwork may have inspired viewers to associate optimism with the rose gardens and deep reds that were commonly portrayed and used. Victorians commonly referenced the idea of "painting a rosy picture" or a "rosy glow".

Another theory relates to early mapmakers and their corrective lenses. Map making requires a great deal of attention to detail and mapmakers needed to keep their eyeglass lenses clean and scratch-free. It is thought that some mapmakers used rose petals to clean dust or contaminants from their lenses. The petals' natural oils would protect the lenses and left a rose-colored stain. Viewing the world through rose-colored glasses would be the equivalent of focusing on the smallest details and ignoring the concerns of larger world.

About Vision Express

Vision Express is one of Britain's leading chains of opticians, with a national network of more than 300 stores. Built on a passion for the optical profession and a drive for unparalleled customer service, Vision Express opened the first 'one hour' Opticians in 1988 and remains the pioneer of a genuine one-hour service today. Vision Express is part of Europe's largest optical retailing network that includes eye care brands Grand Optical, Solaris and Generale D'Optique.

 

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Search underway for footballer lookalikes to play charity five-a-side match on national TV

Hot on the heels of news that a Sven-Goran Eriksson lookalike has fooled Mexico, Screwfix, the leading supplier of building materials and tools to the trade, has launched a nationwide search of building sites for tradesmen who look uncannily like famous football stars.

The search offers tradesman the opportunity to develop a potentially lucrative second career on the popular lookalike circuit, currently dominated by Beckham and Sven clones.

The idea of the search is to find players who will form two lookalike five-a-side football teams to battle it out in a charity game as the warm-up to the final of the Screwfix Masters Cup on Sky Sports. Highlights from the game will be broadcast on Sky Sports as a prelude to the main game and it will be broadcast later on the Screwfix website.

John Mewett, marketing director at Screwfix, said: "This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for unknown talent to take the national stage and battle it out for footballing glory. It is the sort of opportunity that many of us can only dream of, with untold bragging rights down the pub, and we're hoping for thousands of entries from tradesman lookalikes throughout the UK".

Tradesmen from any skill - builders, plumbers, carpenters, electricians and others - are invited to send Screwfix a photo of themselves looking like a famous footballing icon to enter the competition.

Tradesmen who look like Lineker, Maradona, Best, Pele, Gullit, Gazza, Robson, Greaves, Ronaldo, Keegan, Rush, Cantona or any other famous face from the world of football, are encouraged to submit their photos and try for their unique place in footballing history.

A team of expert judges will review the submissions in late August and winners will be notified and publicised on the Screwfix website. The match will take place in Birmingham on 7 September in front of a national audience.

John Mewett added: "We're intending to have a bit of fun in support of Children in Need in the UK. The difference with this game is that that the players don't necessarily have to be good footballers; they just need to look like them from the neck up and be prepared to play a game of five a side in front of a national TV audience."

More information about the search is on the Screwfix website, www.screwfix.com/football.

Tradesmen are invited to send their pictures to lookalikes@screwfix.com or text their photograph to 87799. The deadline for applicants is 22nd August 2008.

Screwfix will make a payment to Children in Need as a thank you to the lookalikes who participate in the match. The award-winning Screwfix call centre team, based in Yeovil, participate in Children in Need activity every year, taking calls and donations from the public during the broadcast.

Ends

About Screwfix

Screwfix is the UK's leading supplier of tools, accessories, hardware products and building materials to the trade, delivering millions of products to building professionals and DIY enthusiasts every year.

Customers can shop at local Screwfix trade counters, via the web or by phone via the Screwfix National Contact Centre.

The Screwfix operation is supported by the famous Screwfix catalogue "the key reference source of the trade" which is updated on a quarterly basis. The catalogue is the most comprehensive resource for products "from screws to roofing materials to power tools" in the UK.

The product range includes 18,000 stock lines and more products are being added weekly. Screwfix offers a 30 day no quibble refund on all unused products, should you change your mind.

CALL

With over 30 years experience in the industry, Screwfix offers next-day parcel delivery to tradesmen, building sites, handymen and serious DIY professionals throughout the UK, dispatching over 15,000 parcels per day.

At Screwfix, customer service is a major priority. The Screwfix National Contact Centre won the European Call Centre "Best Customer Experience" Award in 2006.

CLICK

The Screwfix website, www.screwfix.com, and national call centre, 0500 41 41 41, offer swift, professional access to products for next day delivery.

The Screwfix website also features the famous tradesman's forum, where building professionals and serious <span class="caps">DIY</span> enthusiasts share information and technical advice on a wide range of topics.

VISIT

A national network of 130 local Screwfix trade counters offers tradesmen and DIY enthusiasts in the know immediate access to an enormous range of building essentials at unrivalled prices.

 

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Twelve Thirty Eight shortlisted for outstanding small consultancy of the year award

 

Twelve Thirty Eight has been shortlisted in the outstanding small consultancy category at this year's Chartered Institute of Public Relations PRIDE Awards.

 

 

 

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Surge in the number of plain-glass requests at Vision Express as eyewear becomes a must-have fashion accessory

Men REGULARLY make passes at girls who wear glasses, national poll confirms.

Vision Express, the national eyewear and eye care specialists, has seen a surge in demand for frames with plain glass, with sales currently running at up to 1,500 pairs per week. The surge has been so pronounced that the new group of wearers are being dubbed "Suspecs"

Glasses have become such a prized status and fashion symbol that a growing number of people with perfect eyesight are buying plain glass spectacles or seriously considering it. One in five (21%) 18-24 year old said that they were wearing plain glass eyewear for reasons of style or were considering it. Almost one in 10 (8%) 18-24 year olds admitted that they wear plain glass spectacles.

The age-old cliche that men avoid women with glasses has also been debunked today by a YouGov research for Vision Express.
The study reveals that a majority (53%) of glasses-wearing 18-44 year old women have been on the receiving end of amorous approaches from men.

Celebrity role models from newsreaders to Hollywood stars have also had a huge impact on public perceptions. Julia Roberts, Scarlett Johansson and Nicole Kidman have been seen wearing glasses and Daniel Radcliffe's portrayal of Harry Potter, the bespectacled wizard, is also thought to have had a positive impact on perceptions. At this year's Oscars ceremony, many celebrities, including Johnny Depp, Seth Rogan, Jack Nicholson and Wesley Snipes took to the stage with glasses.

Sixty-four percent of respondents to the YouGov poll said that they felt glasses create a more positive impression today than they did a decade ago.

16-year-old school student, and budding Suspec Imogen Overton said: "When I'm out with my friends, I always pinch people's glasses because I think they make you look more interesting and I always get compliments when I wear them. A whole load of my friends are thinking about getting them. They're now sexy as opposed to geeky."

Respondents also reported that glasses have a positive impact in the workplace, with 22% of 18-24 year olds indicating that they felt they would be taken more seriously if they wore glasses and 32% saying that that they were more likely to be seen as more intelligent.

The shift in the attitude of men follows several years of rapid innovation in the eyewear market, with many world-class designers developing their own ranges of eyewear.

"Not so long ago, glasses were seen primarily as a medical aid rather than a stylish accessory", said Bryan Magrath, CEO of Vision Express. "The benefits of professionally made and fitted glasses are enormous and it is encouraging to see that the introduction of style has had a huge and positive impact on people's perceptions."

"There is a real sense that eyewear can boost your confidence and your desirability today; both to potential partners and to potential employers," he added. "The world has turned on its head in the last ten years and the message is that rather than being a hindrance, glasses are in fact a clear advantage"

Ends

About Vision Express

Vision Express is one of Britain's leading chains of opticians, with a national network of more than 300 stores. Built on a passion for the optical profession and a drive for unparalleled customer service, Vision Express opened the first one hour Opticians in 1988 and remains the pioneer of a genuine one-hour service today. Vision Express is part of Europe's largest optical retailing network that includes eye care brands Grand Optical, Solaris and Generale D'Optique.

 

 

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BRITONS BEGIN TO FORTIFY THEIR HOMES AS DOMESTIC BURGLARY FEARS RISE

- YouGov research for Screwfix reveals that 29% of Britons are more concerned about the risk of burglary than they were 12 months ago

- Screwfix reports a surge in sales of home security equipment, with alarm and latch sales up nearly a third

- More than a third of tradesmen are reporting a shift towards security work as households batten down the hatches

Screwfix, the leading supplier of building and maintenance equipment to the trade, has seen a sharp increase in the sale of domestic security equipment, reflecting increasing levels of anxiety amongst homeowners about burglary as the credit crunch bites.

YouGov research commissioned by Screwfix confirms the trend, with 29% of respondents reporting that they are more anxious about the risk of domestic burglary than they were 12 months ago. Concerns are most pronounced amongst the 55+ age group, with one third (33%) reporting increased anxiety levels versus 12 months ago. The regions reporting the biggest increase in fear of burglary are London (32%) and the North (32%) and lowest in Scotland (19%).

Tradesmen across the UK are also reporting that the range of tasks that they are being asked to carry out is shifting far more in favour of security, as well as repair and maintenance. A separate national Screwfix poll of 1,500 tradesmen found that more than third (34%) were reporting an increase in the number of customers commissioning additional security work for their home. Sales of burglar alarms have risen 30% and sales of window latches are up 32% on a year on year basis. Sales of mortice locks have also been robust, rising 26% year on year.

John Mewett, communications director at Screwfix, said: "We're definitely seeing homeowners beginning to batten down the hatches and focus more of their expenditure on home maintenance. For the time being it's as likely to be barricades as balustrades that tradesmen are sourcing as security concerns start to bite."

Alun Lewis, a tradesman from Luton, said: "I'm definitely spending more of my time fitting locks and alarms than I did a year ago. Most of us have spent the last few years buying loads of fancy kit and it makes sense that we want to make sure that it's locked up."

One home is burgled every 37 seconds, according to Home Office statistics. The current shift towards domestic security work reflects a long-proven link between more challenging economic conditions and a rise in domestic burglary. A landmark 1990 study investigating the relationship between Crime and Consumption carried out by Dr Simon Field for the Home Office confirmed the linkage.

Verbatim comments from tradesmen also included the following:

"Every day you hear of someone locally affected by crime."

"Theft from commercial sites is definitely on the rise in our area".

"The price rises of foods and fuel means that a lot of people are short of money so some go pinching".

"Conversations with customers suggest that things are back to where they were in the late eighties."

- Ends -

About Screwfix

With over 30 years experience, Screwfix is the UK's leading supplier of tools, accessories, hardware products and building materials to the trade, delivering over 15,000 parcels per day to tradesmen, building sites and handymen. Amongst trade professionals, Screwfix has a reputation for quality products, efficient service and market-leading prices.

Customers can shop for same day collection at local Screwfix trade counters, or for next day delivery via the web or by phone.
The Screwfix operation is supported by the famous Screwfix catalogue - the key reference source of the trade - which is updated on a quarterly basis. The catalogue is the most comprehensive resource for products - from screws to building materials to power tools - in the UK.

The product range includes 18,000 stock lines and more products are being added weekly. Screwfix offers a 30 day no quibble refund on all unused products, should you change your mind.

CALL, CLICK, VISIT

The Screwfix website, www.screwfix.com, and national call centre, 0500 41 41 41, offer swift, professional access to products for next day delivery.

The Screwfix website also features the famous tradesman's forum, where building professionals can share information and technical advice on a wide range of topics.

A national network of 130 local Screwfix trade counters offers tradesmen immediate access to an enormous range of building essentials at unrivalled prices.

 

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'FAKEAWAYS' ON THE RISE AS SPENDING ON TAKEAWAYS FALLS AWAY

- Sainsbury's reports the emergence of new DIY trend as Britain on a budget prepares fast food at home - with dramatic savings

- Poll shows collapse in household expenditure on the £5.2 billion takeaway sector, with 52% of us cutting back or no longer buying them

- Households using leftovers combined with key 'fakeaway' ingredients to make financial and environmental savings

YouGov research for Sainsbury's reveals that the Friday and Saturday night call to the takeaway is becoming increasingly rare as the credit crunch bites.

The weekly call to order a number 27 with rice is in decline as budget conscious households browse their fridges for leftover ingredients that can be used for a homemade curry, Chinese or pizza.

More than half (52%) of those polled for Sainsbury's said that they had reduced significantly the amount that they spend on takeaway food or stopped entirely since the beginning of the year. More than a third (37%) have cut back their expenditure and 15 percent said that they have stopped buying takeaways altogether.

The most recent ONS statistics revealed that Britain spends nearly £100 million per week on takeaways.

28% said that they now routinely use leftover meat and vegetables in curries and 26% use leftover vegetables in Chinese-style stir fries. Around one in four (22%) is more likely to make good use of leftovers as a direct result of the credit crunch and 20% said that they now throw away less food.

Sales of key 'fakeaway' ingredients are up at Sainsbury's this year as households try to emulate Indian, Chinese and Italian restaurant tastes for a fraction of the cost. Vindaloo curry paste sales are up 33% year on year, plain poppadums are up 47%, light coconut milk is up 14% and Peshwari naans are up 16%.

Alison Austin, head of sustainability at Sainsbury's, said: "Fakeaways are here to stay. They're created for a fraction of the cost of traditional takeaways, you know what's going into them and they use up food that would otherwise be chucked out and sent to landfill."

Alison continued: "A staggering third of all the food we buy is thrown out, according to recent research, so what tastier way is there to tackle an environmental problem and save a lot of money? Leftover vegetables and meat are ideal ingredients for curries, and pizzas lend themselves to a huge range of toppings. Cooking fakeaways at home is great fun and is the perfect way to love your leftovers."

Better value, Indian and Chinese ready meals, which were recently praised for their relatively low fat content by Which?, are also growing in popularity, reflecting the savings they offer over conventional takeaways. Sales of Sainsbury's Taste the Difference pizzas are up 513% year on year.

Sainsbury's five step guide to the fakeaway habit:

  1. 1. Curries by their nature are a mixture of meat and vegetables. This makes bowls of leftovers from the fridge a perfect source for curry ingredients.
  2. 2. Many leftovers are perfect for pizza toppings - leftover cheese, tomatoes, peppers, onions and mushrooms are perfect toppings, as are most meats. Always keep a box of ready-made pizza bases in the freezer.
  3. 3. Most vegetables are also great ingredients for a Chinese-style stir fry.
  4. 4. Keep jars of olives, capers and anchovies in your store cupboard - they make great additions to a pizza and a little goes a long way.
  5. 5. Freeze any leftover tomato-based pasta sauce - it makes a great pizza topping.

 

 

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SAINSBURY'S MARKS THE 80TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE INVENTION OF SLICED BREAD WITH TIPS TO HELP FAMILIES USE THEIR LOAVES AND CUT WASTE

Sainsbury's is celebrating today's 80th anniversary of sliced bread, which first went into production on July 7th, 1928, with the publication of a series of handy hints for making the most of one of the World's iconic foods.

Each year, 225 million loaves of sliced bread are sold by Sainsbury's alone, enough to cover 30 square miles.

Britons throw away an amazing 7 million slices of bread each day, according to recent research by WRAP - enough bread to carpet ten football pitches. Yet bread is one of the most versatile and usable ingredients in the modern larder.

"Sliced bread is a staple part of the British diet and there can be few people who don't have at least a few slices of it every day," said Ian Cambridge, bread buyer for Sainsbury's. "With the current pressures on household budgets, we thought we'd offer a few hints and tips for all of us to use our loaves and reduce waste."

Sainsbury's started selling sliced bread in the early 1950s at its first self-services stores in Croydon and Eastbourne. In 1964 Sainsbury's began selling its first own-label sliced bread which was wrapped in a cloth bread-bag to ensure the bread arrived home tasty and fresh.

A loaf of Sainsbury's own brand sliced bread retails for 65p.

SAINSBURY'S TOP TIPS FOR LEFT-OVER BREAD

  1. 1. Small pieces of leftover bread can be slowly dried in the oven until crisp and brittle, then ground and kept in a glass jar and used as breadcrumbs for coating scallops or croquettes and used in dry stuffings, etc.
  2. 2. Larger dried pieces of bread are a good substitute for crackers or croutons with soup, and are often preferred to fresh bread.
  3. 3. Small pieces and broken slices of stale bread can be used to make moist stuffings for meat and poultry.
  4. 4. Bread pudding and bread and butter pudding, two great British classics, are a perfect way to use leftover bread. Apple Charlottes and Summer Puddings are also ideal.
  5. 5. Dry bread and rolls can be refreshed by dipping them quickly in cold water, draining them and heating them in the oven.
  6. 6. Bread sauce, made with onion, milk, cloves, pepper and slices of stale bread, is a perfect accompaniment to roast chicken or turkey.

A SHORT HISTORY OF SLICED BREAD

Otto Frederick Rohwedder is considered the inventor of sliced bread. He started working on a bread slicer in 1912. When Rohwedder originally proposed his idea to bakers, they told him that pre-cut loaves would go stale too quickly.

Rohwedder tried to find ways to keep the bread from going stale. Among his inventions was a device that would hold the slices of bread together with hat pins. Unfortunately, the pins kept falling out.

In 1928 Rohwedder designed a machine that would slice and wrap bread, thereby preserving the bread's moisture and preventing it from going stale. The first commercial use of the machine was by the Chillicothe Baking Company of Chillicothe, Missouri, which produced their first slices on July 7, 1928.

By 1933, only five years after its introduction, American bakeries were turning out more sliced than unsliced bread. In the period since, sliced bread has become a worldwide phenomenon.

During 1943, U. S. officials imposed a short-lived ban on sliced bread as a wartime conservation measure, believing that slicing bread would cause it to dry out more quickly. After a popular outcry, the ban was rescinded on March 8th, 1943.

Sainsbury's started selling sliced bread in the early 1950s at its first self-services stores in Croydon and Eastbourne. In 1964 Sainsbury's began selling its first own-label sliced bread which was wrapped in a cloth bread-bag to ensure the bread arrived home tasty and fresh.

A loaf of Sainsbury's own brand sliced bread retails for 65p.

The phrase "the greatest thing since sliced bread" is commonly used to praise an invention or development. The popular use of the phrase is thought to originate from the hype surround 1930s advertisements for Wonder Bread, the first mass-marketer of sliced bread.

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Is it the end of Acacia Avenue for the milk bottle? Sainsbury's to sell "milk in a bag".

- First national roll-out of innovative low-waste packaging for milk begins at Sainsbury’s

– Alternative to plastic bottles and cartons will achieve a 75% reduction in milk packaging waste

 

 

British households may soon resound to the cry: “Would you mind fetching a bag of milk while you’re out?” as a revolutionary new milk packaging system is rolled out by Sainsbury’s nationally.

Sainsbury’s will become the first UK retailer to make ‘milk in a bag’ available in over 500 stores within the next year, with an initial 35 stores receiving stock on June 11. The recyclable bags, which work with a specially designed reusable jug, will reduce packaging waste by 75%.

The bags are made from very strong low density plastic material and have undergone extensive testing to ensure their durability. The milk bag fits within the reusable jug, JUGIT – which contains a spike that pierces the bag, forms a no-leak seal, and delivers milk through the spout. Initially the bags will contain whole fat (less than 4%) and semi-skimmed milk (less than 2%). One percent fat milk will be introduced in 2009.

Sainsbury’s spokesperson Emma Metcalf-King said: “Milk is the biggest selling product by unit in Sainsbury’s stores, with over 8 million litres sold every week. This is a revolution in milk packaging which potentially cuts waste by a massive 75%. Milk in a bag is an incredibly simple way for families to reduce their environmental impact.”

Britain consumes 9.3 billion pints, or 5.4 billion litres of milk every year – enough to fill more than 2,000 Olympic swimming pools.

By using the milk bag over one year, the nation’s households could save the same weight as 3,750 refuse trucks going to landfill.

Plastic milk bottles are one of the UK’s most commonly recycled products. Recent innovation in the design of cartons, with the removal of laminate coating, now makes recycling easier. As councils take an increasingly strict approach to overfilling of domestic recycling bins, reduction in waste volume will have beneficial implications for all households.

The milk bag is an established form of milk packaging – and the dominant format – in Canada, the USA and Australia.

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Notes to Editors:

JUGIT was developed by Dairy Crest

Sainsbury’s is also considering using bags for its own brand juice and is examining alternatives to the wine box, using the same packaging technology

About Sainsbury’s

Sainsbury’s was established in 1869 by John James and Mary Ann Sainsbury and is Britain’s longest-standing major food retailing chain. The founders’ principles and values guide Sainsbury’s as strongly today as they did at the outset – to be the customer’s first choice for food shopping by providing high-quality products, value for money, excellent service and attention to detail. A large Sainsbury’s Supermarket offers around 30,000 products – 50% of these are Sainsbury’s own brand including fresh produce. In addition to a wide range of quality food and grocery products, many stores offer a range of complementary non-food products & services. Sainsbury’s serves over 16 million customers a week at the end of March 2007 had 788 stores throughout the UK. Nearly 60% of Sainsbury’s stores are in centre or edge-of-centre locations, many of these built on previously redundant sites. Visit www.sainsburys.co.uk for more information.

FACT SHEET

The evolution of the milk bag:

The jug is the oldest and most traditional form of milk storage. Before the development of milk bottles, milkmen filled customers’ jugs on the doorstep.

In 1880, milk bottles were first produced and delivered by horse-drawn carts several times a day. These first bottles used a porcelain stopper top held on by wire.

Following the development of pasteurisation in 1894, milk could be sterilised and safely stored for longer periods, allowing for a once-daily delivery.

The arrival of the fridge as a standard fixture in the modern home reduced Britain’s reliance on daily deliveries and the majority of milk is now purchased from supermarkets and corner shops.

The world-famous milk carton went into production in 1951 and has been a feature of supermarket shelves ever since.

More recently, the plastic bottle has been the principal method of packaging milk, enabling greater quantities to be purchased.

 

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National campaign aims to reduce food waste by changing the nation's approach to leftovers and food storage

- Research reveals widespread confusion between ‘best before’ and ‘use by’ dates, contributing to significant waste – Sainsbury’s pledges to help shoppers understand that ‘best before’ does not mean ‘bin before’ – ‘Catwalk cookery’ obsession contributes to throwaway culture – Fruit bowls are a major contributor to waste, research finds

Shoppers are being urged to make better use of leftover food and improve food storage in an effort to cut the mountain of wasted food in Britain’s households and to help cash strapped customers make their budgets go further. A recent report from WRAP revealed that food brought home and not eaten was costing £10 billion, the equivalent of up to £600 worth of avoidable waste per household.

National YouGov research for Sainsbury’s points to potential confusion between use by dates and best before dates. When asked whether they saw a ‘use by’ date or a ‘best before’ date as a cue to throw away food, 31% and 24% of respondents said yes respectively. The research carried out for Sainsbury’s reveals that almost a quarter of Britons throw food away once past its ‘best before’ date – even though it may be perfectly edible.

Sainsbury’s head of brand policy and sustainability, Alison Austin, said: “Consumer reactions to ‘use by’ and ‘best before’ dates are largely similar despite the fundamental difference in their meanings. ‘Use by’ is an instruction and ‘best before’ is guidance. The implications of this misunderstanding are that households are throwing away substantial volumes of food on its ‘best before’ date when it may be perfectly edible. Sainsbury’s will take the lead in communicating the important message that best before does not mean bin before and we would like to see cross-industry collaboration on this point.”

The research also indicates a growing obsession with perfect looking ‘catwalk cookery’ that is contributing to a throwaway culture, with a new generation of cooks losing touch with the value of leftovers, a cornerstone of British cookery for centuries. Almost a quarter (22%) of 18-24 year olds throw away fruit and vegetables as soon as they have lost their perfect look. Alison Austin commented: “Once they’ve been in the home for a few days, fruit and vegetables can look a bit bruised or tired but they’re probably still tasty and perfectly edible.”

“We are so used to seeing catwalk cookery on TV, with its use of perfect-looking ingredients, that we have forgotten how to use leftovers to make meals that the family will love. With a little creativity it’s easy to turn leftovers into a culinary delight. Using leftovers, particularly fruit and vegetables, helps meet the five a day targets and saves money.”

Sainsbury’s and Good Housekeeping magazine are forming a campaigning alliance, encouraging a new generation of cooks to develop the cookery and home economics skills of their grandmothers and at the same time help the environment and save money.

The campaign, launched in the July issue of Good Housekeeping magazine and backed up by practical advice in all Sainsbury’s stores and online, urges shoppers to change their habits and start using leftovers from meals such as the Sunday lunch in other dishes.

Louise Chunn, editor of Good Housekeeping magazine, says: “We’re delighted to join forces with Sainsbury’s in its Love Your Leftovers campaign. With food waste currently topping the news agenda, this initiative will hopefully inspire the nation to think before throwing out perfectly good food. We’ll be running a series of Tried and Tested tips, celebrity recipes and Good Housekeeping Institute favourites in the magazine for the next eight months. This campaign will not only help UK households save money and reduce waste, but also give leftovers a new lease of life.”

Sainsbury’s is creating an online archive of advice on leftover cookery that will also offer tips and recipes to inspire better use of leftover food and is asking its 16.5 million customers to contribute their own ideas for tasty, money-saving recipes.

Alison Austin added: “This campaign is all about showing people that leftovers don’t have to be binned. Stews and casseroles often taste better after a day in the fridge when flavours have infused and leftovers can be used in everything from fruit smoothies to cottage pies and home made soups.”

Shoppers will also be urged to store fruit and vegetables in the fridge and only put out in the fruit bowl what is needed for the next day or two. The supermarket has pledged to work closely with campaign group Love Food Hate Waste to discover why so much fresh produce is thrown out. Initial research shows that fruit and veg stored in the fridge can keep fresh for up to two weeks longer and now Sainsbury’s will become the first supermarket to display advice on the refrigeration of loose fruit and vegetables in its stores.

Despite the benefits of refrigeration, research shows that 63 per cent of people store most fruit in an open food bowl.

Good Housekeeping and Sainsbury’s tips to Bin Less and Save Money:

  1. 1. Before doing the weekly shop, check what’s in the fridge and consider what you can make from it.
  2. 2. Try to plan a week’s recipes in advance, with use of leftovers firmly in mind.
  3. 3. Keep your cupboard stocked with herbs, spices, sauces and pickles, all of which can add a magic touch to leftovers.
  4. 4. Bring back to life food that looks past its best with a little culinary know-how. Cube stale bread and toast for croutons or whiz in a food processor to make breadcrumbs. Cook an onion until soft and add any combination of vegetables for a great soup.
  5. 5. Pour remnants of wine into ice-cube trays and freeze. Use the frozen cubes to boost the flavours of gravies or sauces.
  6. 6. Slice leftover lemons or limes and freeze. Add to squash or water to boost the flavour.
  7. 7. After a roast, cooked lamb leftovers can be used in a moussaka or shepherd’s pie and shredded chicken or pork in a stir-fry.

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About Sainsbury’s

Sainsbury’s was established in 1869 by John James and Mary Ann Sainsbury and is Britain’s longest-standing major food retailing chain. The founders’ principles and values guide Sainsbury’s as strongly today as they did at the outset – to be the customer’s first choice for food shopping by providing high-quality products, value for money, excellent service and attention to detail. A large Sainsbury’s Supermarket offers around 30,000 products – 50% of these are Sainsbury’s own brand including fresh produce. In addition to a wide range of quality food and grocery products, many stores offer a range of complementary non-food products & services. Sainsbury’s serves over 16 million customers a week at the end of March 2007 had 788 stores throughout the UK. Nearly 60% of Sainsbury’s stores are in centre or edge-of-centre locations, many of these built on previously redundant sites. Visit www.sainsburys.co.uk for more information.

For more information on Sainsbury’s Love Your Leftovers Campaign, check out the July issue of Good Housekeeping magazine, on sale now.

 

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SAINSBURY'S INTRODUCES THE "C-THRU-CUMBER"

A revolutionary new variety of cucumber with a translucent skin arrives in Sainsbury's stores this week. The thin-skinned variety, which requires no peeling, arrives in time for summer when cucumber sandwiches are a fixture on afternoon tea and picnic menus.

Traditionally, the skin of the cucumber is peeled in the preparation of sandwiches.

Sainsbury's buyer Carla Ashmore said: "We're hopeful that shoppers will appreciate the convenience of not having to remove the skin from their thin skinned cucumbers. The skin is thinner, making it perfect for quick and easy preparation of sandwiches and salads alike."

The new variety is crispier than conventional cucumbers and has a slightly sweet flavour.

Cucumbers, along with mint leaves and lemon are also an essential accompaniment for Pimms cocktails, another British summer tradition.

The cucumber is believed to have originated in India and has been cultivated for at least 3,000 years in Western Asia. It was probably introduced to other parts of Europe by the Romans.

Records of cucumber cultivation appear in France in the 9th century and England in the 14th century.

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Notes to editors:
- Images available on request

- The cucumber (Cucumis sativus) is a widely cultivated plant in the gourd family Cucurbitaceae, which includes squash, and is in the same genus as the muskmelon.

- Though technically a fruit, cucumbers are widely considered vegetables.

 

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Revolutionary milk variety is an udder success says Sainsbury's

- New 1% milk set to outsell skimmed milk within a month of launch

- 4 million pints to be given away at Sainsbury’s stores this Friday

- “Quiet dietary revolution” will effortlessly save the average milk consumer the equivalent saturated fat of 350 chocolate chip cookies a year

A new milk product that sits between semi-skimmed milk and skimmed milk is proving to be an enormous success with Sainsbury’s customers just a week-and-a-half after launch.

The new orange-topped 1% fat milk, which contains nearly half the fat of semi-skimmed milk, is flying off the shelves. Within ten days of launch, one in 20 Sainsbury’s milk customers had already converted to 1% milk. At current sales rates, 1% milk could account for higher sales than skimmed milk within a matter of weeks.

Those converting from semi-skimmed milk will save the average saturated fat content of 350 chocolate chip biscuits a year. If all UK semi-skimmed consumers were to switch to 1% fat milk, they could reduce their collective saturated fat intake by 12,000 tonnes per year or 112 million blocks of lard .

Sainsbury’s forecasts that 1% milk could even unseat semi-skimmed milk as the most popular milk variety within a few years. Since the mid-1990s, semi-skimmed sales have overtaken whole milk sales, and semi-skimmed now accounts for more than twice the amount of milk consumed than its nearest rival.

“For 1% fat milk, a new market entrant, to be selling nearly as well as skimmed milk in a matter of weeks is absolutely unparalleled”, said Emma Metcalf-King, Senior Milk Buyer at Sainsbury’s. “We’ve evidently found a gap in the market. It’s the sort of product that can create a quiet dietary revolution – enabling customers to effortlessly trade down in fat and saturated fat with no compromise on taste or calcium content.”

She added: “Taste tests show that there is no discernable difference between semi-skimmed and its 1% fat neighbour and we�re confident that once they’ve tried it, health-conscious customers will shift to this lower fat alternative.”

Sainsbury’s will conduct a UK-wide giveaway of 1% milk, offering 4 million pints to customers on its Make A Difference Day this Friday May 16. The event will be Sainsbury’s biggest ever milk giveaway with predictions of a significant shift in buying patterns as customers switch to the benefits of taste without the fat.

Professor Judy Buttriss, Director General, British Nutrition Foundation comments: “It is very encouraging that people are responding so quickly to this opportunity to cut their saturated fat intake by switching to milk that contains just 1% fat. This new product still allows people to access the valuable nutrients, especially calcium, that milk provides without compromising on taste”.

To help customers to recognise 1% milk in stores Sainsbury’s has developed a new orange colour way. Sainsbury’s milk range is now clearly colour coded as follows:

  • Whole – less than 4% fat (2.3% saturated) BLUE
  • Semi Skimmed – less than 2% fat (1.0% saturated) GREEN
  • 1% Milk – 1.0% fat (0.6% saturated) ORANGE
  • Skimmed – 0.1% fat (0.06% saturated) RED

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Notes to Editors:

– Images available upon request

– Sainsbury’s 1% fat Milk

– in all stores and convenience stores nationwide

– 1pt, 2pt and 4pt variants in stock

– Sainsbury’s 1% milk is supplied by Robert Wisemans and Dairy Crest

– Same retail price as other standard milk varieties

– 1% fat milk is not recommended for children aged two and under who need the extra energy for growth. The Department of Health states that children aged 1-2 years should have whole cows milk and from 2-5 years they can have whole or semi-skimmed milk (if they are a good eater and have reached a healthy weight), but not skimmed.

– Although it contains nearly half the fat of semi-skimmed, 1% milk retains the same amount of calcium and vitamin B as semi-skimmed and skimmed milk. Calcium from dairy is better absorbed than any other source of calcium and a 200ml glass of 1% milk can provide an adult with more than 1/3 of his/her daily calcium requirement.

 

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"Dragon's Den"-style challenge offers £1 million investment prize for creator of next-generation software

- Venture capital firm Eden Ventures to make unique early stage capital investment to support winning developer

- Challenge signals the increasing impact of web-based software, an industry growing at 43% per annum

Eden Ventures, a venture capital firm that invests in new software and technology businesses, is today launching a Challenge to find a next-generation software developer or team that will receive an investment of up to £1 million to fund a business based on their innovation.

The Challenge comes as the software market rapidly shifts from old fashioned PC-based software programmes to web-based applications.

Traditional software companies such as Microsoft, Oracle and SAP are faced with having to adapt their businesses to suit the web application model, known as ‘software as a service’ (‘SaaS’), as more and more businesses run their IT infrastructure over the web and web-based applications become increasingly commonplace for both businesses and consumers.

Mark Farmer, General Partner, Eden Ventures, said: “This Challenge is a first for a venture capitalist in the UK and it is an indication of how pervasive we believe the ‘software as a service’ model will become. The days of visiting your local PC store to buy boxed software or having the IT guy visit your desk with a disk are coming to an end, as web-based applications, remote storage and software downloads prosper.”

Enterprise software, the backbone software infrastructure for businesses, covering finance, payroll and HR functions amongst others, is increasingly shifting online. This year an estimated 25% of the enterprise software market will be web-based ‘software as a service’. The market is growing at a compound annual growth rate of 43 percent.

Mark Farmer added: “There are massive technical and efficiency benefits to be derived from the SaaS model. It removes the requirement for tiresome desktop upgrades, centralises maintenance and creates global access to a business’s IT infrastructure. It also democratises the use of enterprise grade software, making it accessible and affordable to small and medium sized businesses. If the software giants of today were starting out today – Microsoft, Oracle and SAP – software as a service is unquestionably the approach that they would adopt.”

The Challenge, which launches today, calls for developers to build an application that works on the Force.com development platform, a highly regarded platform developed by salesforce.com that is rapidly becoming an industry standard.

The £1 Million Force.com Investment Challenge is the first of its kind in the UK. The objective is to inspire a new generation of independent software vendors to develop and deliver SaaS applications on the Force.com Platform. The winner will have the opportunity to negotiate with Eden Ventures for a potential investment of up to £1 million. Eden Ventures will announce the winner in November at Dreamforce 2008, salesforce.com’s user and developer conference.

“SaaS and PaaS have transformed how entrepreneurs and established companies build, deliver and deploy business applications,” said Mark Farmer. “As a team of successful entrepreneurs and experienced business managers we will apply our collective operational expertise to assist the development of SaaS and PaaS companies. Eden Ventures will help this new generation of entrepreneurs leverage Force.com to not only build innovative applications but also build successful long term businesses.”

How the investment challenge works

For the £1 Million Force.com Investment Challenge, salesforce.com will work closely with Eden Ventures in an advisory capacity. As Eden reviews promising entrepreneurs and early stage companies building on the Force.com platform, salesforce.com will provide background and be available to assist in due diligence. Salesforce.com will also provide design, packaging, distribution and marketing support. Eden Ventures and salesforce.com will meet regularly to review Force.com applications and companies that meet the criteria for the £1 Million Force.com Investment Challenge.

Eden Ventures will participate in a panel of judges who will select the winning entrepreneur or startup. In addition to the financial investment, the selected business will receive ongoing support from Eden’s team to grow their business. With Eden’s strong seed and Series A investment track record, they have particular skill in identifying entrepreneurs with the right balance of creativity, vision and leadership who can develop companies of lasting value. Entrants in the £1 Million Force.com Investment Challenge will be judged along eight main criteria:

- A significant market opportunity and likelihood of becoming market leader – A strong team with deep domain knowledge – International vision and ambition – Customer success and user adoption – Adoption and innovative use of the Force.com Platform – Financial plan – Competitive differentiation – Likelihood of long-term company success

For more information, contest rules, and to enter, please visit www.edenventures.co.uk or www.salesforce.com/eu/eden.

About Eden Ventures

Eden Ventures invests in technology companies in the telecommunications software, enterprise software, digital media, e-commerce, internet and mobile sectors in the UK and Ireland. Eden Ventures was founded by a group of software engineers turned investors and the team brings real operational experience to the venture process. The company’s blend of knowledge, experience and skill covers business strategy, sales and marketing, finance and operations, M & A transactions and institutional fund management. Eden delivers value to early stage technology companies through investment of hands-on skills and expertise as well as seed funding and Series A finance. Its goal is to help the businesses in its portfolio grow to their maximum potential through utilisation of a key blend of skills and expertise.
Eden’s existing portfolio includes Huddle, Reevoo and Truphone, and recently completed exits include the sale of Apertio to Nokia. In 2007 Eden Ventures was awarded Winner, Exit of the Year, 2007 for the sale of Cramer Systems to Amdocs by Investor AllStars. Eden Ventures (UK) Ltd. is regulated by FSA.

 

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JAMIE OLIVER AND SAINSBURY'S TEAM UP TO PUT AFFORDABLE NUTRITIOUS MEALS FOR FOUR ON THE TABLE FOR A FIVER

- "Feed your family for a fiver" drive, fronted by Jamie Oliver, offers hearty, nutritious recipe ideas for families of four

- Sainsbury's offers fresh meal ideas with ingredients at better than 100-year-old prices

Jamie Oliver and Sainsbury's are joining forces to put affordable, healthy, hearty meals within reach of even the most cash-strapped British families this Spring, backed by a range of start-from-scratch recipes that will feed a hungry family of four for a fiver.

As Britain tightens its budget this year, Sainsbury's is offering hungry families all the ingredients they need at better than century-old prices. Archivists at Britain's favourite supermarket chain have confirmed that the prices of many of the raw ingredients for Sainsbury's budget-busting recipes are lower in real terms than they were in the early 1900s.

The first recipe in the "Feed your family for a fiver" campaign is meatballs and spaghetti. Analysis of materials from the Sainsbury's archive at the Museum of London reveals that a pound of beef from a 1903 Sainsbury's price list cost 1/6, or £4.28 in today's terms. A 1920 price list shows a packet of spaghetti costing 11d, or 97p in today's money, and a tin of tomatoes 10 1/2 d, or 88p in today's terms. In today's money, that adds up to £6.13, excluding the cost of the other ingredients for the meal - onions, garlic and peas, making the cost of Sainsbury's meatballs and spaghetti substantially lower today than it was in the early 1900s.

Jamie Oliver said: "I've always been concerned about families trying to eat well on a budget and this initiative by Sainsbury's goes a long way to helping those who are counting the pennies."

Judith Batchelar, Sainsbury's Director of Own Brand said: "We're determined to offer good quality, fresh food for our customers at an affordable price. These prices are lower in real terms than they were before World War 1 and our £5 feasts will satisfy a hungry family of four. Britain may be tightening its belt this year, but the family members who enjoy our £5 feasts won't be left hungry."

An advertising campaign to publicise the exceptional deals will be fronted by Jamie Oliver, with the first ad to air on Wednesday 26 March. All ingredients for the meals and their prices will be found on special shopping tip cards for Sainsbury's customers, in-store and online.

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Notes to editors:
All figures are from materials from the Sainsbury�s Archive at the Museum of London. Price comparisons have been made using the National Archive Currency converter, available at http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/currency/default0.asp#mid

Other classic meals that will be featured in Sainsbury's "Feed your Family for a Fiver" campaign include Bangers and Mash and Chilli con Carne.

 

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REEVOO SECURES INVESTMENT FROM BANEXI VENTURES PARTNERS

- Market-leading business, which helps shoppers decide what to buy, receives cash injection from French leading venture capital team that founded Kelkoo

- Investment earmarked for acceleration of international expansion ahead of expected second funding round within 12 months

- French operation commences trading today

LONDON, 7.00AM GMT, 19 MARCH, 2008: Reevoo, the online business that helps shoppers decide what to buy, has secured investment from Banexi Ventures Partners, the French leading venture capital firm that backed Kelkoo, the price comparison site sold to Yahoo for Euro 470 million in 2004.

Existing investors, including Eden Ventures, are also committing funds, which will be used to support Reevoo's international expansion programme and extend services for retailers, manufacturers and shoppers.

Reevoo collates and publishes impartial user generated content from proven purchasers of products and displays them adjacent to the products on retail partners' sites. These customer reviews contain a combination of unedited opinions and scores submitted by purchasers. These help customers visiting retail partner sites to make informed purchasing decisions.

www.reevoo.com is fast becoming the next-generation web destination for shoppers to choose which product is best for their needs and which retailer to buy from. The revenue model is based on a monthly fee for collecting reviews and displaying them on retailer sites, together with click-through referrals to retailers via the Reevoo portal.

Reevoo offers the leading user generated content solution in the UK, providing services to more than fifty High Street and pure play retailers across a range of sectors, including Comet, koodos, Dixons, Vodafone, Currys, Maximuscle and Woolworths. Reevoo now intends to accelerate its international expansion and today announces the opening of offices in Paris to develop its French operation. A French portal, www.reevoo.fr, also launches today.

Richard Anson, CEO and co-founder of Reevoo, said: "There is real momentum in the Reevoo business and this funding from Banexi and our existing investors will enable us to expand our footprint beyond the UK. Already, 15% of visitors to our site are international, which demonstrates that trusted impartial opinion on the web has huge potential across the rest of Europe."

Traffic sent to retail partners from the Reevoo portal has leapt twenty-fold in the last four months and is rated amongst the mostly highly qualified on the UK web. Reevoo content has been displayed a quarter of a billion times across Reevoo's retail partner sites to date. Retail clients have reported conversion rate uplifts greater than 100% for customers who read our reviews.

YouGov research commissioned for Reevoo reveals that customers' buying decisions are five times more likely to be influenced by online reviews of products than by online advertising. The same research found that 84% of UK adults want a kite mark to identify reviews written by genuine purchasers and managed by an independent company, which supports the Reevoo model.

Philippe Herbert, Partner at Banexi Ventures Partners and new Board member of Reevoo, commented: "Reevoo is a perfect fit with our infomediary investment strategy which has included Kelkoo, Quotatis, Adenclassifieds and Brandalley. Online promotional strategies need to engage with what the customer is thinking and wanting. Other promotional mechanics, such as price comparison, have been damaged by a very mixed quality of execution. The strength of Reevoo is that the published customer opinions are always real and unvarnished, which means that the model is untarnished. This creates a win/win/win ecosystem: shoppers want clarity about the products they're thinking of buying, retailers are more credible for hosting real opinions and product manufacturers are looking for direct and meaningful feedback from consumers."

Reevoo was founded in 2005. It received start-up funding from Angel investors, including current non executive directors and advisors, and Series A funding from a consortium of investors, led by Eden Ventures, in December 2006.

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Notes to editors:

Reevoo Non-Executive Directors and Advisors

Roger Graham OBE, Chairman

Roger Graham has been involved with the IT, Communications and Marketing Services industries for over forty years, recently as a Director of Close Brothers Corporate Finance Ltd. For 24 years, as Chairman and CEO, he built the BIS Group from start-up to a firm of 1800 employees operating globally. For the past 14 years he has been an active business angel, investing in some sixteen early stage enterprises involving technology and e-commerce. He has exited 9 of these investments and has secured a substantial growth in the value of shareholders� investments through close working and encouragement of the companies� top management teams.

David Gilbert, Advisor

David has an outstanding track record within the electrical retail industry. His career commenced with Boots, and was followed by 22 years with the Dixons Group. From 2002, David was Group Chief Operating Officer, responsible for the Dixons and Link Chains, Airport Stores, Irish Businesses, IS programmes, Dixons Group Business Services and Dixons Group Marketing Services. He was a member of the Group Executive Committee and also Chairman of the Link Stores Ltd. David is currently Chairman of Warehouse Express (owned by Barclays Bank Venture Capital), Chairman of German drugstore Ihr Platz (owned by Goldman Sachs Private Equity) and is a Director of three separate Arts organisations.

Andrew Phillipps, Director

Andy Phillipps was co-founder and CEO of Active Hotels, which he helped to grow to become the largest on-line hotel booking company in Europe. The company was recognised as the fastest growing technology company in the UK by Deloitte, was a Sunday Times best employer and Andy won Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year. He sold the business to Priceline.com for $161 million in 2004 and was retained by Priceline.com to run their international operations. He resigned as CEO in Q4 2005 following record profits for the international operations and was retained as a non-exec until Q2 2006. He has subsequently helped found, expand and/or invest in a number of start-ups, including Reevoo, I2O, Toptable and Moyses-Stevens and is Entrepreneur in residence at INSEAD business school. Andy has a PhD from Cambridge and an MBA from INSEAD.

Ben Tompkins, Director

Ben is a partner with Eden Ventures, a leading European early stage investor. Ben has 20 years' experience advising and investing in privately-owned and venture capital-backed business in Europe and North America. He spent the first 18 years of his career in corporate finance, advising on over 75 transactions and specializing in the software and digital media sectors.

Ben worked in London and New York before joining Broadview International (now Jefferies Broadview) in 1993. At Broadview, Ben was a Managing Director in the European office, was Co-head of the software, services and media global market group and led the development of the global digital media group. He has advised on transactions involving Yahoo!, IAC, Vivendi, News Corp, Microsoft, Openwave, Lagardere, British Telecom, Cendant, E*trade and Experian.

Ben joined Eden in September 2006 and brings exceptional fund-raising and exit experience to the team. Ben focuses on the digital media, internet, mobile and e-commerce sectors and is responsible for Eden's investments in Reevoo, SmithBayes and Pixsta.

Philippe Herbert

Partner of Banexi Venture Partners, he is in charge of investments in the Internet and Mobile sectors.

He brings 12 years of European investments as well as extensive international and business development experience.

Philippe Herbert started his career in a start-up, Dassault Systemes, the current worldwide CAD/CAM/PDM software leader. From 1982 to 1996, he held executive positions, including three years as International Operations Director and four years as Business Development Director.

In 1996, he relaunched the French operations of Partech International, a US Venture Capitalist Firm. He was during almost eight years General Partner, in charge of IT software investments such as JobPartners, I-Progress, Mediapps and In-Fusio.

In 2004, he became Partner of Banexi Ventures Partners, a leading European venture capitalist (Kelkoo, AdenClassifieds, Soitec), and currently serves at the Board of Kewego, Violet, Tedemis, Mobibase and Reevoo.

He has a MSc. in aeronautical Engineering from ESTACA and an executive degree from HEC.

About Banexi Ventures

Paris-based Banexi Ventures Partners was founded in 1982 and focuses on early-stage companies with high growth potential and technology. Banexi Ventures Partners is the Management Company of Banexi Ventures 2, Banexi Ventures 3 and BV4, French venture capital funds representing over �340M.

Banexi Ventures Partners invests in Europe in different sectors including :
- Information technologies (Internet, mobile applications)
- Electronics, Semi-conductors
- Life sciences

About Eden Ventures

Eden Ventures invests in technology companies in the telecommunications software, enterprise software, digital media, e-commerce, internet and mobile sectors in the UK and Ireland.
The Eden Ventures senior team comprises serial entrepreneurs with a spectacular seed investment track record. Eden Ventures offers its portfolio companies considerable operational management expertise in creating businesses of lasting value.
In 2007, the European Technology Forum named Eden Ventures as Early Stage Venture Capital Fund of the Year and the sale of Cramer Systems (a pre-Eden investment) to Amdocs as Deal of the Year. The sale of Cramer was also heralded as Exit of the Year 2007 by Investor AllStars.

About Reevoo's YouGov research

The YouGov survey of 2,035 online adults shows shoppers of all ages are influenced by online reviews, although the figures are highest for those aged between 35 and 44, at 64 per cent. Men are more likely to read and act on internet opinions, at 62% compared with 57% for women.

Six out of ten people (60%) say online opinions written by consumers who have already bought a product would affect their choice of what to buy. In contrast, just 12% said they would be swayed by online advertising.

 

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"IT'S SAINSBERRIES!"

BRITISH STRAWBERRY SEASON OFFICIALLY OPEN

- Sainsbury's breaks British record with arrival of first British strawberry crop of the season at 8.00am this morning

- One of the sunniest Februaries on record contributes to earliest ever crop

Sainsbury's scored another first with the arrival of the first British strawberry crop of the season at its Hull store this morning. The first tray of punnets arrived from the East End Nursery at Keyingham, fifteen miles from the store, at 8.00am.

The strawberries received the final all-clear late yesterday by expert grower Peter Overvoorde, owner of the East End Nursery in Keyingham, and officials from the Summer Fruit Company, suppliers to Sainsbury's.

Strawberries are judged in a taste test carried out by the grower and supplier which deems whether they meet Sainsbury's Taste the Difference grade, triggering release of the crop to the store.

A special delivery van was on stand-by to deliver the punnets this morning, thereby declaring the British strawberry season officially open.

Mr Overvoorde's strawberries are grown in glass houses near to the coast, where light conditions create optimum growing conditions. The crop was planted at the end of 2007. One of the sunniest Februaries on record has contributed to the record-breaking arrival of the crop.

Phil Finegold, general manager of Sainsbury's Hull said: "We're delighted to be the first supermarket to stock British-grown strawberries this year and it's an honour to have them in our store. After a week of gales and rain, it's great to celebrate the approach of summer with one of the most famous summer tastes."

In the past, the British season was limited to eight weeks in June and July. An estimated 30,000 kg of strawberries are eaten at Wimbledon alone each year. Around 60,000 tonnes are grown in the UK each year. They contain more vitamin C than oranges, are high in fibre, low in calories and a good source of folic acid.
Stocks of new season strawberries will begin to arrive at Sainsbury's stores throughout the UK in the next few weeks as the season begins in earnest.

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SAINSBURY'S NETS ROLE TO SERVE TABLE TENNIS CHAMPS

- Supermarket chain will provide mentoring support for British Table Tennis Federation

- World famous game had its origins in England on Victorian dinner tables

- Retailer will provide BTTF with food for thought through provision of expert management advice

Sainsbury's managers will temporarily shift their focus from the nation's dinner tables to the table tennis table as they provide support to the British Table Tennis Federation (BTTF) as part of the FTSE - British Olympic Association Initiative.

Sainsbury's brief will be to provide management advice to the BTTF on a range of organisational matters.

Rob Crumbie, Head of Sponsorship at Sainsbury's, who will be leading the project said: "We're particularly pleased to have been selected for this important mentoring role and we're looking forward to constructive back and forth dialogue? with the BTTF as they gear up for success on the world stage."

Sainsbury's and table tennis share a similar home on the British dinner table. The game has its origins in England as an after-dinner amusement for upper-class Victorians in the 1880s. Players took their cue from the game of tennis, bringing it into in an indoor environment, where everyday objects were enlisted to act as the equipment. A line of books would be the net, a rounded top of a Champagne cork or knot of string as the ball, and a cigar box lid as the racket.

The popularity of the game led game manufacturers to sell the equipment commercially. Early rackets were often pieces of parchment stretched upon a frame, and the sound generated in play gave the game its first nicknames of "whiff-whaff" and "Ping-pong."

Alex Murdoch, Chairman of BTTF, said: "I am delighted that the BTTF is partnering one of Britain's leading and progressive companies - Sainsbury's - in this ground breaking initiative. The expertise they will bring to the table is something money can�t buy and will be invaluable and allow us to make sure that we are a first class organisation delivering all the services our athletes need as they prepare for 2012."

Rob Crumbie added: "Table tennis is a brilliant and accessible sport that we have been supporting through our Active Kids programme for several years. With the wealth of major world competitive events in the coming years, we're delighted to be able to provide broader guidance to the BTTF that we hope will help British table tennis go from strength to strength."

"We're more accustomed to serving our customers meals than serving for the match and we're looking forward to getting together around a table with the BTTF. Perhaps we'll clear the sandwich trays away and have a knock-about after the meetings. I have a pretty devastating top spin!"

Darius Knight, one of Britain's leading table tennis stars, will be demonstrating his skills in Sainsbury's atrium in High Holborn on Thursday 13th March at 11am to celebrate the announcement of Sainsbury's partnering BTTF and joining the FTSE-BOA Initiative.

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HOME GROWN APHRODISIAC ON TRACK TO MAKE VALENTINE'S DAY APPEARANCE IN SAINSBURY'S STORES BY 2009

- New growing techniques deliver British asparagus crop two weeks early this year, setting another growing record

Britain's earliest ever asparagus crop is being hand delivered to Sainsbury's on March 14.

New growing techniques and improved varieties have brought forward the traditional eight-week season by a staggering six weeks versus 2006 - guaranteeing a huge boost for the entire British asparagus industry. This is the second year in a row that the British asparagus crop has arrived at record time at Sainsbury's stores. Last year, the crop was one month earlier than the previous record.

Sainsbury's sells more asparagus than any other supermarket, with 29.2 per cent of the total market, according to the latest industry figures.

Sainsbury's nutritionist Charlie Parker said: "There's something very Spring-like in every sense about asparagus, so after the long, wet January that we've all endured, it's a welcome treat to have a fresh British crop arriving so early this year. Asparagus is very rich in nutrients and perfect for a boost during the season of love. Next year, we're hopeful that it will be nestled amidst the flowers and chocolates as a Valentine's Day treat!"

Asparagus was first claimed to "stir up lust in man and woman" by herbalist, Nicholas Culpepper, in the 1600s. It is also one of the leading sources of vegetables of folic acid, widely understood to offer benefits for expectant mothers!

English asparagus is always one of the most eagerly awaited events in the entire British fresh produce calendar due to its outstanding eating quality.

Only the young shoots of asparagus are eaten. Asparagus is low in calories, contains no fat or cholesterol, and is very low in sodium. It is a good source of folic acid, potassium, rutin and dietary fibre. Asparagine, the amino acid, gets its name from asparagus, which is rich in this compound.

The home-grown delicacy, with its straight spears and compact tip, asparagus is an attractive, elegant-looking vegetable with a wonderfully subtle flavour.

Sainsbury's British asparagus is grown at New Farm Produce by the McGuffie brothers, who have been supplying Sainsbury's for over 20 years. As third generation growers, the McGuffies are expert at extending the season for as long as possible, bringing the first precious shoots to maturity as soon as possible.
The McGuffie brothers grow their asparagus in a heated environment using methods which are environmentally sustainable. They are also in the running for the most innovative grower of the year award at the Grower of the Year Awards on Thursday 28th February.

Packaging changes this year will also enable Sainsbury's to reduce the amount of packaging by over 35,000 kg this UK Season.

The new crop is part of Sainsbury's drive to increase the amount of British produce sold through its stores.

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SAINSBURY'S REPORTS FIRST SIGNS OF THE NATIONWIDE DELIA EFFECT, 2008

- Jus-Rol pastry, Aunt Bessie's frozen mash and Italian meats are three early winners

- Additional Sainsbury's "Delia-ivery" vans on stand-by to ship stocks of key ingredients to stores

- Brisk sales of "How to cheat at cooking" at Sainsbury's stores throughout the UK

Sainsbury's store throughout the UK are reporting the first signs of the anticipated "Delia Effect" as Britain enters the first weekend of food retail sales after the launch of Britain's most famous cook's latest book. Extra Sainsbury's "Delia-ivery" vans are on stand-by to transport additional stocks of ingredients endorsed by Delia Smith.

Stores throughout the UK are reporting strong sales of the book and there are early signs of a rush on some of the ingredients that Delia Smith recommends in her latest book. "Customers are picking up the book and using it as a shopping list," said Ben Williams, duty manager at Sainsbury's in St Albans.

"Ready-made pastry is doing very well and it is my bet as a real winner," said Mark Conlin, duty manager at Sainsbury's in Godalming. "Italian meats are also doing well and so is Aunt Bessie's mashed potato."

Convenient potato products are a consistent theme throughout the new cook book. "The chocolate cupcakes recipe, which contains frozen mashed potato, has been a bit of a surprise and perhaps we'll have to look at ways in which we can bring potato and chocolate closer together in our stores," Ben Williams added.

Amongst the other ingredients doing well at Sainsbury's this weekend are: Sicilian sausages, three-cheese sauce, anchovy fillets, marigold bouillon powder, dried porcini, pine nuts, parma ham, tortellini, trofie pasta and pancetta.

"We've seen customers doing a double visit to our stores today," said Ben Williams. "Customers are buying the book, then popping to the cafe for a quick think and wandering back in to buy ingredients for the evening meal."

"The test of the Delia Effect is whether customers are bulk buying a product", said Mark Conlin. "We've seen some customers buy half a dozen packs of Aunt Bessie's, which shows that Delia is really having an impact already."

"The convenience element looks like a winner," Mark Conlin added. "It looks as if men especially are buying into the simplicity of the recipes and making a Valentine's week effort to woo their girlfriends and wives with a meal."

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DAME KELLY HOLMES URGES KIDS TO GET UP FROM THE SOFA: "IF YOU SPEND YOUR LIVES ON THE SOFA, WE'VE SEEN THE END OF BRITISH WORLD RECORD PERFORMANCES."

- The average child spends 3 hours 36 minutes watching TV PER DAY and 3 hours 29 minutes exercising PER WEEK, according to Sainsbury's Active Kids study.

- Activity taken outside school hours has declined by 41 per cent in a single generation.

- Virtual activity on games consoles is replacing real activity in kids' lives: "A workout for our thumbs just isn't good enough," says Dame Kelly Holmes.

Speaking at the launch of this year's Sainsbury's Active Kids programme today, Olympic champion Dame Kelly Holmes will urge kids to get off the sofa and spend more time exercising in order to improve their health, enhance their confidence and safeguard the future of British sport.

The Olympic Gold medallist's comments come as Sainsbury's research shows that the average child will spend a year and a half on the sofa between the ages of six and 16. Children spend more time watching TV per day than they do taking exercise per week.

Dame Kelly will say: "I'm deeply alarmed but not surprised at the news that today's children are doing a lot less exercise than their parents did. There's no doubt modern life is limiting the amount they do - whether it's because of lifts to school or use of technology. Our kids need to learn the importance of exercise in leading fulfilling and healthy lives. They need to get up off the sofa."

"We are justifiably proud of our sporting tradition in this country and it is really important that our kids continue this. A generation ago, it was easier for kids to be more active, but the world has changed. So we need to renew our efforts to help children gain the much-needed increase in physical activity."

A national activity audit for the Sainsbury's Active Kids campaign confirms that British Children are spending too much of their leisure time sitting down in front of the telly, the games console and the computer and not enough time exercising. The study found that kids spend more time in front of the TV, the PC and the games console in a day than they spend in active play over an entire week. Last week the Scout Association issued a similar warning about children's activity levels.

In the course of a generation, the amount of exercise that children do has seen a dramatic and worrying decline. The average child today will do some kind of activity outside of school for 3 hours 29 minutes a week, versus 5 hours 52 minutes a generation ago, representing a decline in activity of 41 percent.

Dame Kelly Holmes comments: "Schools are doing a great job in promoting sports, but it is essential that children do activity after school and at home as well. What troubles me about these findings is that so many are spending too much time lying around rather than getting out and about learning new skills and having fun."

An OFCOM study last year found that UK consumers now spend 50 hours per week on the phone, surfing the internet, watching television or listening to the radio. The average time spent watching TV was 3 hours and 36 minutes.

The report also found that the range of services and devices now available to children (8-15 year olds) in the UK is rapidly changing what they do with their time. More than three quarters of 11 year olds now have their own television, games console and mobile phone.

Dame Kelly adds: "Virtual action is fine in moderation but is not a replacement for real physical action. We owe it to our kids to get them off the sofa or out of their bedrooms and sprinting for a ball rather than hunting for the remote control. A workout for our thumbs just isn't good enough."

Launched three years ago, the Sainsbury's Active Kids voucher programme has already generated more than £50 million in investment in sporting equipment for UK schools.

Sainsbury's last commissioned research into children's activity levels three years ago to coincide with the launch of the Active Kids programme. There has been a slight increase in activity levels since the initial research conducted three years ago. Based on today's activity audit, children in 2008 are 16% more active than their counterparts in 2005.

Worryingly, though, one in 20 (6%) children do no exercise at all outside school, rising to nearly one in 10 girls (8%). London children are the most likely to do no activity at all - some 17% of London school kids are totally inactive outside of school. In London, 60% of children say that there is nowhere to go to exercise, or that they have to travel to get there. Urban children were generally more likely to cite the lack of local resources as the reason for a lack of exercise. Children from Cardiff, Birmingham, Manchester and Newcastle are other key cities were more likely to say they had nowhere to go.

Nine in ten children (88%) said they would be more interested in keeping active if they had better sports and games equipment.

Robert Crumbie, Active Kids manager said: "Sainsbury's is proud to have contributed £52 million worth of sports and cooking equipment to UK schools, Scouts and Guide groups in just three years through our Active Kids programme. An active childhood is a great start to a healthy life and we will continue to do all that we can to support kids, families and schools in creating the conditions for a healthy upbringing."

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About Active Kids

Sainsbury's Active Kids is an in-store voucher collection scheme which encourages UK children to be more active and eat healthily.

Sainsbury's Active Kids vouchers can then be donated to any UK school, Scout or Guide group participating in the scheme and redeemed for almost 1000 different pieces of exciting sports equipment - everything from space hoppers to skipping ropes as well as coaching in unusual activities like street-dance and taekwondo.

Vouchers can also be redeemed for over 50 different types of cooking equipment including bread-makers, steamers and woks as well as basics such as wooden spoons and chopping boards. In addition, Sainsbury's has agreed partnerships with the Rugby Football Union, Premier Rugby, English Basketball and English Netball, so pupils can go and watch matches as a way to get inspired to do more sport.

But schools also have the option to collect their vouchers for 'partner schools' in developing countries, to donate specially selected packages of sports equipment through the Sainsbury's "Active Kids Fund".

Over 40,000 British schools, nurseries and Scout and Girl Guide groups are now registered to benefit from the Active Kids scheme, and since launch over £52m of sports and cooking equipment has been delivered. In 2007, every group that made an order received an average of £630 worth of equipment.

The Sainsbury's Active Kids report

1383 parents of school-age children were surveyed across the UK in addition to over five hundred 8-15yr olds to build up a compelling "activity audit" of the nation both past and present in order to identify key trends & changing attitudes towards physical exercise.

 

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Tuesday, 22nd January, 2008

DSG INTERNATIONAL CONSIGNS ANALOGUE TELEVISIONS TO HISTORY

- UK's biggest electrical retailing group becomes first to discontinue sales of analogue televisions in the UK

DSG international plc becomes the first electrical retailer to terminate all purchases of analogue televisions and move to a 100% digital television range. No further orders will be placed for analogue televisions once existing commitments are fulfilled.
The Group's chains Currys, PC World and Dixons.co.uk will begin to transition television ranges to digital-only with immediate effect.

DSG international is the market leader in the sale of televisions in the UK. In the last twelve months, the Group has sold approaching 2 million televisions through its Currys, PC World and Dixons brands in the UK. DVD recorders featuring analogue tuners will also be removed from the range.

Store colleagues will offer buyers of remaining analogue televisions the option of a digital set-top box to ensure that the televisions are capable of receiving digital broadcasts once switchover takes place. A scaled-up information campaign in stores will include literature, prominent display materials and trained staff who provide clear, impartial guidance on options. Guidance will be designed with vulnerable groups including the elderly particularly in mind.

Peter Keenan, managing director of Currys, said: "We believe that it is appropriate to ensure that our customers are able to select from a future-proof range of televisions. Integrated digital televisions are relatively simple to operate, offer superior technology and are an important window on the digital future. They are now available for less than £150 from our stores."

Analogue televisions are still widely available from UK retailers and DSG international has opted to discontinue its analogue range for practical and environmental purposes. Today, a third of televisions (32%) sold in the UK are still analogue, a position that DSG international believes is inappropriate. Already, more than 90% of televisions sold today by DSG international are digital.

Peter Keenan added: "We are concerned at the high volumes of analogue televisions still on sale in the UK and we favour early transition to a digital only range. Digital provides a better deal for customers and reduces waste by removing the requirement for soon-to-be-obsolete analogue tuners in our television range and the unnecessary purchase of extra digital set-top boxes."

Ford Ennals, Chief Executive, Digital UK, the independent body coordinating the digital television switchover, said: "This announcement is further evidence that analogue television's days are numbered. Switchover has already started and by 2012 will make digital television the standard for all UK households. It�s hardly surprising therefore that many consumers question why analogue products are still being made and sold."

He added: "DSG international are to be congratulated for taking a lead in this area and I hope others will quickly follow suit. Currys in Whitehaven went all-digital last year and proved a vital source of advice and switchover ready equipment for the local community. As switchover rolls out around the country, electrical retailers of all sizes have a vital role to play in ensuring their products and their customers are ready for this very significant change."

The shift from analogue to digital transmission in the UK started in Whitehaven, Cumbria, in Autumn 2007. The Borders region will be the first major geographical area to switch to digital transmission later this year.

Digital television offers many practical benefits over its analogue predecessor, including a considerably wider range of channels and programmes, a host of interactive services and true widescreen broadcasts. It also offers improved picture and sound quality. The vast majority of new programmes commissioned and developed in the UK are now produced in widescreen format.

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More information:

Mark Webb, DSG international plc, 07834 256779

Hamish Thompson, Twelve Thirty Eight Ltd, 07702 684290

About DSG international plc

DSG international is one of Europe's leading specialist electrical retailers. We have more than 1,300 stores and online stores, spanning 28 countries and employing 40,000 people. More than 100 million customers shop in-store and online with us every year.
Our retail and e-tail brands include PC World, Currys and Dixons.co.uk in the UK and Ireland, Elkjp in the Nordic countries, UniEuro in Italy, Kotsovolos in Greece, Electro World in Central Europe, Greece and Turkey, PC City in Spain, Italy and Sweden, and Pixmania.com across Europe.
We operate a multi-channel approach to electrical retailing and offer customers a comprehensive range of after sales services. We also run a multi-brand business-to-business operation in the UK.

About Currys

Currys is the UK's largest electrical retailer. Currys' extensive product range includes digital vision, DVD, home theatre, audio, photographic technology, cooking, laundry, refrigeration, computing, communications and small domestic appliances.

On 5 April 2006 Currys announced its intention to extend its brand into 190 High Street stores formerly occupied by Dixons, rebranding them as Currys.digital and significantly increasing their product range. Re-branding is now complete.

Currys' distribution teams manage stock going into stores every day of the week and deliver to nearly two million customers' homes each year. The Currys chain, including Currys.digital has 510 stores in a combination of High Street and out of town locations. There are nine Currys stores in the Republic of Ireland (as at January 2008).

About PC World

PC World is Britain's largest specialist chain of computer superstores. The superstores offer more than 5,000 product lines including extensive ranges of PCs, laptops, printers, software, peripherals and accessories from the major brands, as well as many PC World exclusive products.
In-store PC Clinics offer on the spot advice and service. Component Centres offer a 'one-stop shop' for customers with advanced technical knowledge, providing a vast choice of PC components and upgrade products at competitive prices. In 2007, PC World won Retail Week's Product Innovation of the Year award, for its Data Recovery service.
Every PC World store has an in-store business centre staffed by experienced business specialists. They offer local companies face-to-face help and advice with choosing the best IT solutions. There are 160 stores in the UK and 12 in the Republic of Ireland (as January 2008).

About Dixons

Dixons.co.uk is the UK's best-known retailer of consumer electronics. Its site welcomes more than one million visitors every month. From camcorders to plasma TVs and DVD players to laptops, Dixons.co.uk has been offering customers the very best and very latest technology since it first opened as a single photographic studio in 1937. On 5 April 2006 we announced our intention to focus Dixons.co.uk exclusively on e-commerce operations. Its High Street stores in the UK have been rebranded as Currys.digital and now offer a wider range of products and services, including major and small appliances. Dixons.co.uk will continue to offer new technologies at market beating prices. Our eight Dixons stores in the Republic of Ireland were unaffected by the rebranding, as were our 25 Dixons tax-free airport stores.

 

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PC WORLD ANNOUNCES ITS BEST IN SHOW AWARDS FROM CES 2008

PC World, the UK's leading computing retailer and e-tailer announces its best in show awards from the Consumer Electronics show in Las Vegas. Senior buyers from PC World have been at the conference this week, meeting with manufacturers and viewing the latest developments in consumer electronics.

PC World's Best in Show Awards:

GOLD: Samsung's Super Thin 31 OLED TV

Simon Turner, Group buying director and chair of the PC World judging panel, said: "The innovation that really grabbed our attention is Samsung's Super Thin 31 OLED TV, one of the largest (and slimmest) OLED TV screens available to date. The TV works with organic light emitting diode (OLED) technology. This delivers brighter pictures and uses lower levels of power than other TVs. At the same time OLED technology enables manufacturers to build thinner and lighter TVs."
"OLED pixels generate their own light and eliminate the need for backlighting, reducing materials and enabling more desirable form factor. OLED TVs are also potentially 40% more energy efficient than LCD TVs. So, in the Samsung, we have a TV that looks great, delivers fantastic pictures and delivers energy and environmental savings. Top marks!"

SILVER: The new Spykee Robot range from Meccano

Simon Turner, Group buying director and chair of the PC World judging panel, said: "Meccano's build it yourself Spykee robot lauched last year, and three new members of the family are about to be born: the Spykee Miss, Spykee Cell and Spykee Vox robots. The original Spykee is a great surveillance tool for the home, with a web-enabled camera on board, capable of sending pictures to your office desktop. It can also be used for VoIP calls. The new models will feature Bluetooth and voice activation technology. Consumer robotics is a sector that is expanding rapidly and we're betting that we'll all have some kind of robot servant in our homes within ten years."

BRONZE: The LG Wristphone

Simon Turner, Group buying director and chair of the PC World judging panel, said: "A bit of Back to the Future for our bronze award, as life catches up with Sci Fi, this time a 50-year-old comic strip. LG announced that they are developing a wrist phone, similar to the device made famous in the Dick Tracy cartoon strip from the 1950s. Prototypes of the device are on display at the exhibition. It features a three-button interface, a colour display and Bluetooth. It'll make it a lot harder to lose a phone and it'll suit active types."

PC World's competition of the conference: HD DVD vs Blu Ray

Simon Turner, Group buying director and chair of the PC World judging panel, said: "A bruising encounter this week, but the battle isn't over yet and this is looking like a broader competitive battle. There are new contenders in downloads and hard drive recorders that are entering the fray."

PC World's trend of the conference: "Touch Interfaces"

Simon Turner, Group buying director and chair of the PC World judging panel, said: "Our favourite trend is the emergence of more touch-controlled devices. New phones, audio devices, laptops and camcorders are featuring touch screens, following Apple's lead with the iPod Touch. Microsoft also talked about new computing interfaces that are touch and motion controlled and that is definitely the way forward for gadgets this year and into the future.!"

He added: "Many of the small touch devices are about taking the internet on the road. More and more hand-held devices are incorporating wireless internet technology that will enable owners to access the internet at wireless hotspots, use internet telephony to make calls at low cost or no cost and upload video, pictures and messages to social networking pages."

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More information:
Hamish Thompson, Twelve Thirty Eight Ltd, 07702 684290
Rob Forbes, PC World, 07872 671829

 

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THE TECHGUYS REPORT A DRASTIC RISE IN SLUGGISH PCS AND LAPTOPS DUE TO "E-BESITY"

- 70% of January callers to TechGuys helplines report sluggish PCs as digital downloads and storage weigh heavily on PC performance

Waistlines are not the only things that are feeling bloated this January, according to data from the TechGuys. The UK's digital support service has seen a dramatic rise in the number of PC and laptop owners who are reporting sluggishness on the part of their IT equipment after the festive break. More than 70% of callers to the TechGuys helplines this January have indicated that their PC is running slowly, something that the TechGuys are attributing to an over-indulgence in downloads.

Many users are advising that their PCs are now taking several minutes to boot up and that routine tasks can be "like finding a pin in a crowded kitchen drawer", as one frustrated caller described it.

"We've definitely seen an increase in what we would describe as "e-besity", said Tim Fairs, chief communicator at the TechGuys. "When we've started to run diagnostics, we've seen that many users have downloaded pictures, movies, songs and new software applications, all of which contribute to sluggishness and general digital indigestion."

The widespread use of PCs to store digital pictures taken on personal cameras are also having a massive impact, say the TechGuys. As camera technology improves, even the cheapest cameras now take substantially better and larger photos than they did as recently as twelve months ago.

The TechGuys are counselling PC and laptop owners to take a couple of very simple actions to get their equipment operating more efficiently.

"It's like a simple January detox," said Tim Fairs.

Customers are advised to check the capacity of their hard drives and to check how much space remains available.

The amount of data that we're storing these days is pretty much growing exponentially. For a PC, having a full hard drive PC is similar to having a full belly. The PC wants to sit back and take things easy. That means that everything takes much longer and that can be intensely irritating.

Other simple measures, such as defragmenting the hard disk, can help to improve the PC's digestive tract. Adding further RAM or moving files from the PC's hard drive to another external hard drive can also dramatically improve performance.

Tim Fairs added: "Our appetite for data is growing all the time and many of the things that we download can be stored in such a way that it doesn't impact the PC or laptop's performance."

Software downloads can also create problems. Free or trial software is widely available on the internet and if not handled with care, it can play havoc with the operating system of a PC. Specialist advice can help to ensure that there is little or no impact from new software installations.

The TechGuys have a free PC Detox guide, available at http://support.thetechguys.com/pcdetox.

- Ends – More information:
Hamish Thompson, Twelve Thirty Eight Ltd, 07702 684290

 

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Nintendo Wii wins 2007 Customers' Choice Awards, despite shortages in lead up to Christmas

 

The Nintendo Wii was judged the most popular of the big three consoles in 2007, despite extreme shortages of the console in the lead-up to Christmas, according to reviews from genuine purchasers collated by independent review publishers, Reevoo.

 

 

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Twelve Thirty Eight puts RoadTour on the map

 

A selection of coverage generated by Twelve Thirty Eight for the launch of RoadTour, the World’s first satellite navigation audio tour guide.

BBC One O’Clock News - Click here to view

The Guardian - Click here to view

Guardian Unlimited - Click here to view

The Times - Click here to view

BBC South East News - Click here to view

Wanderlust - Click here to view

Which? magazine - Click here to view

 

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