Wetherspoons founder rails against Europe's elite in Brexit rallying cry...and more

The boss of Wetherspoons is calling for Brexit
The boss of Wetherspoons is calling for Brexit

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Wetherspoons founder and chairman calls for Brexit

Wetherspoons founder and chairman Tim Martin has taken the unusual step of using the company’s interim results to call for Britain to exit the EU.

Martin claims "returning power to the national parliament will increase the level of democracy and accountability" and fleshed out his arguments in an opinion piece at the bottom of the pub group’s results document.  

In the strongly-worded article Martin argues "the political elite found democracy troublesome and tiring and yearned for a European club where the great and the good could rule with minimal interference". 

He added: "Clearly, if the UK decides to leave the EU, it would be in the economic and other interests of this country and our European neighbours to have friendly relations, strong business links, including free trade and, I believe , free movement of labour."

Wetherspoons’ trading update revealed profit before tax had dropped £37.5m to £36m for the half year ending 24 January.

Martin also slammed the "continuing tax disparity between supermarkets and pubs" in the results 

Source: Wetherspoons

Reebok bans fizzy drinks from its global HQ

Reebok has banned fizzy drinks from its global headquarters in Canton, Massachusetts, as part of a "drastic" cut to products in its head office that contain added sugar. 

The move supports a company wide sugar reduction initiative launched in 2015 and comes on the back of research that found some of the unbelievable lengths people will go to get their sugar fix.

The research claims Americans are willing to risk life and limb in the name of their favourite soft drinks.

Reebok president Matt O’Toole said: "The goal for us here at Reebok is simple - to be the very best fitness brand in the world and to inspire everyone who touches our brand - consumers, fans, and employees – to reach their potential."

Source: Reebok

Colgate to cut further jobs

Colgate-Palmolive has revealed it will cut more jobs under an extended restructuring program as the world's biggest toothpaste company grapples with difficult macro-economic conditions such as a strong dollar.

The restructure is now expected to end in December 2017 and will result in the reduction of up to 3,800 positions globally.

Colgate, had previously said it would finish the restructure this year and cut between 2,700 and 3,200 positions.

The company has been hit by the strong dollar because it gets more than three-fourths of its revenue from outside the United States.

Source: Reuters

Catch up with some of our longer reads...

The millennial dilemma: generation, mindset or irrelevance?

It's tempting (and useful) for marketers to put people in neat demographic boxes. But, as consumer lives become more fluid, age-agnostic and globally minded, is it time to put a stop to generational generalisations, asks Rebecca Coleman.

Motherhood, interrupted: brands must be sensitive to the stresses of digital parenting

At a time when parenting is endlessly interrupted by digital communication and social media, brands must beware of exacerbating the pressure on women, writes Nicola Kemp.

If you watch one video today...

...hear what the public think of the Conservative government spending £5m to promote the new National Living Wage.

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