Shrinkflation and skimpflation, a permanent loss in what your money can buy

By Alice Pugh, Policy and Data Analyst at City-REDI Shrinkflation is when the size of a product decreases, but the price remains constant. It is a discrete way of increasing the price of a product, without visibly increasing the price of a product that you see on the shelf. Most consumers often don’t realise they … Continue reading “Shrinkflation and skimpflation, a permanent loss in what your money can buy”

London Wins Again – The Debacle of the UK’s High-speed Rail ‘strategy’ 

By Donald Houston, Professor of Regional Economic Development and Rebecca Riley, Associate Professor Enterprise, Engagement, and Impact HS2 has always suffered from a branding failure. HS2 sounds rather anodyne and the ‘2’ reminds those north of London that they were only playing catch-up on London’s existing HS1 to the south (the Channel Tunnel rail link). … Continue reading “London Wins Again – The Debacle of the UK’s High-speed Rail ‘strategy’ ”

Intergenerational Fairness and the UK State Pension

By Andy Mullineux, Emeritus Professor of Financial Economics, Centre for Responsible Business and CHASM The UK scheme is not generous when compared to international peers, indeed rather the reverse, but it does have a safety net for those most heavily reliant upon it. The UK’s ‘triple lock’ state pension scheme was designed to ensure pension … Continue reading “Intergenerational Fairness and the UK State Pension”

Taxing Behaviour

By Andy Mullineux, Emeritus Professor of Financial Economics, Centre for Responsible Business and CHASM So-called ‘sin taxes’ are controversial, given the addictive nature of the underlying consumption, and are opposed by libertarians. Moreover, hypothecation to fund the NHS and treatment of the associated addictions might further increase their acceptability. The new Alcohol Duty regime, which … Continue reading “Taxing Behaviour”

Wilko – What went wrong?

By Professor Sarah Montano Department of Marketing Over the last few weeks, the retail sector has been reeling from the news that we have lost yet another familiar name from the high street. Wilko, the much-loved homeware and household goods store, has gone into administration, causing all 400 stores to close and the loss of … Continue reading “Wilko – What went wrong?”

The Impact of the Black Hole in Local Authority Budgets, and its impact on services

By Associate Professor Rebecca Riley and Dr. Abigail Taylor, City-REDI The BBC has recently highlighted the looming black hole in Local authority Budgets. The average council now faces a £33m ($42m) predicted deficit by 2025-26 – a rise of 60% from £20m two years ago. Unison said the situation meant some councils would not be … Continue reading “The Impact of the Black Hole in Local Authority Budgets, and its impact on services”

Are E-Scooters a Solution or a Hazard?

By Dr. Magda Cepeda-Zorilla, Department of of Strategy and International Business Summary In this blog I write about the return of e-scooters to Birmingham with a new rental company. I emphasise the absence of research on the advantages and disadvantages of using this mode of transport in the West Midlands. So far, the majority of … Continue reading “Are E-Scooters a Solution or a Hazard?”

Unlocking the Future of UK Mortgages: The Case for Long-Term Fixes and Securitisation

By Andrew Mullineux, Emeritus Professor of Financial Economics, Centre for Responsible Business and CHASM Until this week’s ‘price war’ among the major lenders, UK mortgage rates had been at their highest since the financial crisis in 2008, causing sleepless nights for those needing to remortgage after enjoying much lower two, or five-year fixed terms. And … Continue reading “Unlocking the Future of UK Mortgages: The Case for Long-Term Fixes and Securitisation”

Why are the Commonwealth Games struggling to find hosts?

By Dr Matthew Lyons, City-REDI July saw Ozzy the giant mechanical bull and symbol of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games unveiled in Birmingham New Street. The buzz about the station was high and served as a reminder of the success of last year’s Games. Almost at the same time we saw Victoria, Australia the planned … Continue reading “Why are the Commonwealth Games struggling to find hosts?”

How the scars of past wars continue to shape UK society

By Edward Pinchbeck (University of Birmingham), Dr Felipe Carozzi (London School of Economics) and Dr Luca Repetto (Uppsala University) The two world wars of the early 20th century are an indelible part of Britain’s public consciousness, cultural identity, and shared memory. One way in which past wars endure in social and political discourse is through commemorative … Continue reading “How the scars of past wars continue to shape UK society”