Retail Diary: Lidl's prices go in One Direction as fellow grocers go back to school

Lidl’s Easter egg prices go in One Direction

As Easter approaches, Lidl risked the wrath of One Direction fans on social media by revealing a cheeky price drop.

The boy band’s members went from five to four last month when Zayn Malik left the group, sparking upset among millions of ‘Directioners’. Lidl set about giving those fans a shoulder to cry on by offering One Direction Easter eggs at a knockdown price.

The discounter tweeted: “#Awkward - looks like we’ll have to knock 1/5 off too”.

Grocery bosses go back to school

There’s been plenty of talk of bosses at grocery giants “going back to basics” in a bid to regain market share and fight back against the discounters - but two supermarket chiefs have seemingly taken that phrase a little too literally.

Asda boss Andy Clarke and his Sainsbury’s counterpart Mike Coupe have both gone back to school.

The duo haven’t returned to learn the secret of success, though. Instead they have been helping students prepare for the move into working life.

Clarke and Coupe have both signed up to IGD’s Feeding Britain’s Future Schools Programme, which aims to help 13 to 17-year-olds acquire the skills they need to find jobs.

We’re sure they’ve provided the youngsters with plenty of food for thought.

Mrs Brown’s sauce is a hit at B&Q

It has emerged that the B&Q executive team are fans of rummaging through the fancy dress box.

B&Q boss Kevin O’Byrne has dressed up as Pudsey the bear for Children in Need, but he was well and truly trumped by B&Q customer and marketing director Chris Moss.

The former boss of 118 118 proved he can walk the walk as well as talk the talk by living up to his ambition to have fun and instil “secret sauce” at the companies he works at.

He dressed up as the eponymous character from Mrs Brown’s Boys (played by Irish writer and performer Brendan O’Carroll in drag).

Moss has certainly upped the stakes. We await with bated breath the next B&Q fancy dress party.