Money blog: Cadbury's relaunches popular chocolate bar - 20 years after it vanished from shelves | Money (2024)

Poundland has launched its rewards app in Scotland today - and Sky News understands it will be rolled out across the whole UK by the end of the year.

Shoppers at 62 stores in Scotland have been given access to the Poundland Perks programme, after it was trialled in 43 stores across Northern Ireland and the Isle of Wight.

It works by rewarding customers with points for every purchase they make in store.

The points can then be turned into reward vouchers that save them money.

Customers can also play on the app to earn prizes through a "spin to win" system.

Poundland's director of digital Tom Hill said: "Poundland Perks allows us to offer shoppers the chance to save, earn and play through their smartphone, making shopping with us even more fun.

"We're creating an app that's convenient and easy for people to use in store, with reward vouchers that help customers save even more."

The 10 most unaffordable cities in the world have been revealed in an annual housing report.

With house prices soaring globally over the last year, Demographic International Housing Affordability report has created a new category - "impossibly unaffordable".

The majority of the most expensive locations were made up of cities in the US and Australia, but the top place is taken by Hong Kong.

London was found to be the least affordable city in the UK.

The report measures affordability using a price-to-income ratio of the average house price divided by the typical household income.

It has linked the rising prices to land use policies aimed at stopping urbanisation from spreading.

"The middle-class is under siege, principally due to the escalation of land costs. As land has been rationed in an effort to curb urban sprawl, the excess of demand over supply has driven prices up," the report stated.

"Moreover, rising house prices can be driven even higher by the attractive returns from speculative activity.

"The net effect is that land values and house prices have become skewed against the middle-class, whose existence depends upon the very competitive land market destroyed by the planning orthodoxy."

Following news that Cadbury's is relaunching its Top Deck chocolate bar after 20 years (see our 11.00 post), we asked you what confectionary, crisps and general food products you wanted to return - and the response has, frankly, been overwhelming.

We've had hundreds and hundreds of suggestions, with many items being mentioned time and again, alongside some more obscure yearnings.

Here is a relatively small selection of your responses:

Again, we've had far too many suggestions to mention, some more obscure than others.

They have included (but are certainly not limited to): Banjo bar, Rowntrees Tooty Frooties, Burtons Potato Puffs, Cadbury's Wispas mint, Cadbury's Boost coconut, Cadbury's Cream Teddy Bears, Birds Eye frozen cod balls in batter, Cadbury's Snowflake, Oxo flavoured crisps, Knorr micro noodles, Rowntrees Secret bar and Heinz toast toppers.

Keep your suggestions coming, and we may well return to this theme in the future - and even attempt to establish if the various manufacturers have any plans to relaunch any more of your old favourites.

• Which currently discontinued chocolate bar, crisps, sweets - or any other food product - would you like to see brought back, and why? Let us know in the comment box at the top!

The cost of playing video games has shot up in the last two decades - but now some UK gamers could soon be entitled to a little cash back.

Valve Corporation, the owner of the Steam PC gaming platform, has been accused of using its market dominance to overcharge 14 million UK gamers and is being sued for £656million.

The legal claim, which has been filed at the Competition Appeal Tribunal, in London, alleges Valve forces game publishers to sign up to price parity obligations that prevents titles being sold at a lower price on rival platforms.

It claims that Steam charges an "excessive commission" of up to 30% that has led to UK consumers paying too much.

As many as 14 million PC gamers in the UK could have been affected and it claims that, if the lawsuit is successful, they could be entitled to up to £44 each.

"We've seen gaming explode in popularity over the recent years – and it plays such an important role in connecting people and building positive life skills, particularly for children and young people," said digital rights campaigner Vicki Sholtbolt, who filed the claim.

"So it's not good enough that gaming consumers are being taken advantage of and charged over the odds.

"I am bringing this claim on behalf of gamers and their parents to stop this unlawful conduct and help people get back what they are owed."

The claim says people could be eligible for compensation if they purchased a PC game or add-on content from 5 June 2019 on any platform.

The claim is backed by legal firm Milberg London LLP, which brings group action cases against large companies.

Among Steam's best-selling titles as of June 2024 are Apex Legends, Kingdom Hearts 1.5 + 2.5 ReMIX, Elden Ring and Helldivers 2.

Sky News has approached Valve for comment.

House prices are expected to stagnate this year, a well-respected forecaster has said.

Capital Economics initially predicted property prices to rise by 2%, but believes 0.5% growth is now more likely, according to The Times.

Its prediction comes amid softer buyer demand due to the rising cost of living and a volatile mortgage market.

"This softening in demand has come at the same time as the most significant sustained increase in supply since 2013, aside from when the housing market reopened after lockdown," Andrew Wishart, senior UK economist at Capital Economics tells the news outlet.

However, he adds that the market could move to "a state of excess supply" in the coming weeks, which could cause prices to dip.

Last week, Halifax released data that showed house prices in the UK dropped by 0.1% between April and May.

Analysts had expected a drop of around 0.2%, while last week, rival lender Nationwide said its measure of house prices rose in May after falling in the previous two months.

In the 12 months to May, prices rose by 1.5%, Halifax said - faster than the median forecast in a Reuters news agency poll for an annual increase of 1.2%.

"Market activity remained resilient throughout the spring months, supported by strong nominal wage growth and some evidence of an improvement in confidence about the economic outlook," Halifax's head of mortgages, Amanda Bryden, said.

The stable picture for property prices over the last three months was likely to give more confidence to buyers and sellers, she added.

Cadbury's is bringing back its Top Deck chocolate bar after it disappeared from supermarket shelves 20 years ago.

If you don't remember the retro treat, it's a bar that is made up of a layer of white chocolate on top of a milk chocolate base.

It first launched in 1993, but was removed from the UK market in the early 2000s.

It had a small resurgence in 2020, when B&M was allowed to sell it exclusively.

Despite chocolate lovers across the country unable to get their hands on it since then, it's remained a permanent fixture in Australia and South Africa.

Cadbury's teased the relaunch on Facebook, and many fans were excited.

"Top Deck, how I've missed you," one person commented.

Another said: "I have waited years to get my hands on Top Deck again, it was my favourite as a kid.

It's set to return this month and will retail for £1.85.

• Which currently discontinued chocolate bar, crisps, sweets - or any other food product - would you like to see brought back, and why? Let us know in the comment box at the top!

ByNick Lester, business news reporter

Shares in Tesco edged up in early trading after the UK's largest supermarket reported a rise in quarterly retail sales, buoyed by easing inflation.

The grocery giant also said its market share was growing at its fastest rate than at any time in the last two years.

With sales trends in line with expectations, Tesco said it expects to deliver an operating profit of at least £2.8bn for the current financial year, holding its targets set in April.

Elsewhere, housebuilder Crest Nicholson has confirmed that it rejected two takeover offers by rival Bellway last month, including one worth £650m.

It said the latest revised unsolicited proposal "significantly undervalued" the group.

Shares in the company jumped 9.3% on the news, while Bellway stocks slid 2.2%.

The bids highlight consolidation attempts among construction firms, as the sector struggles through a period of weak demand due to high mortgage rates.

Earlier this year, Barratt agreed to buy Redrow, while Vistry bought Countryside in 2022.

Meanwhile, the top-flight FTSE 100 was on course for its fifth consecutive week of declines on Friday as investors wrestled with uncertainty around the outlook for interest rates and political turmoil in Europe.

With Euro 2024 due to get underway tonight, it is an all-too familar problem for many.

The football's on, you've got a drink in hand and your team is just about to score. Just before you get to revel in that spontaneous moment of euphoria, a notification pings on your phone telling you what's happened. Sound familiar?

Well, that's been the situation for almost half of people in the UK due to delays on the stream they are viewing on.

Comparison and switching service Uswitch has found around five million people are at risk of a TV live-lag spoiling a sporting moment because of delay-prone smart TVs.

When watching a live broadcast via a smart TV or digital services such as Sky Go, ITVX or All4, programmes are shown as much as 45 seconds later compared with satellite or terrestrial TV.

If you want to avoid this delay, Uswitch said a simple fix was to watch the games on BBC or ITV via an aerial cable, connected to the wall.

If you are going to stream, the site suggested disconnecting any unnecessary electronics from the internet, checking your router is working properly and minimising casting to other devices.

To stream in HD or above, you will generally need a broadband connection offering at least 25mbps download speeds to avoid buffering.

While no broadcast can ever be truly instant, each option to view has its own slight delay compared with the live event.

You can see how many seconds the lag lasts for each option below...

To avoid having the game spoiled, it also suggests muting app and chat notifications, not looking on social media and shutting the windows so you can't hear your neighbours' reaction.

"While there are a number of excellent digital streaming services, even with the fastest broadband connection and a great streaming provider you're still going to be a little bit behind the live action, and susceptible to dreaded live-lag," saidSabrina Hoque, broadband expert at Uswitch.

"If you're somebody who wants to avoid spoilers at all costs, then using a cable TV connection may be the best option for you, as it will come with the minimum live-lag time. Though at present Virgin Media is the only provider offering this in the UK. "

Every Friday we get an overview of the mortgage market with the help of industry experts. This week finance expertRachelSpringall fromMoneyfactscompare.co.ukoutlines what's been happening in the buy-to-let market...

This week, Santander reduced one of its two-year fixed buy-to-let mortgages by 0.14% and NatWest Intermediary Solutions made selected reductions on fixed and "green" fixed mortgages by up to 0.20%.

Week on week, there have been minor moves to the overall average fixed buy-to-let rates, with the two and five-year rates rising by 0.01% to 5.55% and 5.57% respectively.

Overall, it has been a relatively quiet week for rate tweaks in the buy-to-let sector, but landlords have come up in the news.

The Conservatives launched their manifesto this week ahead of the general election vote, and pledged to eliminate capital gains tax for landlords selling their homes to tenants.

This week, the lowest two-year fix for buy-to-let customers at 75% loan-to-value comes from Metro Bank, priced at 4.19%.

If you are looking to borrow more, then Suffolk Building Society has the lowest two-year fix for buy-to-let customers at 80% loan-to-value priced at 4.79% for second-time buyers and remortgage customers.

A five-year fixed buy-to-let mortgage may be more appealing for you to guarantee your monthly repayments for longer. If you are looking to borrow at 75% loan-to-value, HSBC has a deal for remortgage customers priced at 4.33%.

If you are looking to borrow more, then Virgin Money has the lowest five-year fixed buy-to-let deal at 80% loan-to-value priced at 5.29% for second-time buyers and remortgage customers.

Best Buy alternatives

The lowest buy-to-let rates may carry both a flat product fee and an arrangement fee which is based on a percentage of the mortgage advance, so a Best Buy package may be more suitable if you are looking to save on the upfront cost of any deal. You might also want a deal to cover a valuation or legal fees. A Best Buy buy-to-let mortgage could be the most cost-effective choice in this instance, but it's worth seeking advice before entering any arrangement.

This week, the top package on a two-year fixed buy-to-let deal at 75% loan-to-value comes from HSBC, priced at 4.69%. If you want a loan with a lower upfront fee, then HSBC also has a Best Buy deal priced at 5.08% at 75% loan-to-value.

A five-year fixed buy-to-let mortgage may be more appealing for you to guarantee your monthly repayments for longer. If you looking to borrow at 75% loan-to-value, HSBC has a Best Buy deal priced at 4.39%. If you want a loan with a lower upfront fee, then TSB has a Best Buy deal priced at 4.59% at 75% loan-to-value.

We haven't quite had the summer we were hoping for so far - but there's always hope things will heat up in time for barbecues, picnics in the park and eating outside in the sunshine.

And if you're partial to a glass of rose with your al fresco meal, our regular wine expert has given us his top supermarket picks.

Tom Tryon (@vinetribe) is the founder of online wine community Vinetribe, which gives recommendations to make wine more accessible for everyone.

He spoke toMoney reporter Emily Meeto give his recommendations...

Sainsbury's

Ile de Beaute Rose, Taste the Difference (£10.50). Elegant and fresh rose with some nice texture, but not overly floral

Discovery Collection Bandol Rose (£16). Super dry, super minerally, with just a touch of spice

Tesco

Cupiolo Pinot Grigio Blush (£9). Delicate and fragrant rose from northern Italy

M&S

M&S Found Susumaniello Rose (£9). Juicy and very slightly sweet. A really good rose for food

Myrtia Moschofilero Assyrtiko Rose (£9). Fresh red fruit, well-balanced and with a bit of body to it

M&S Rose Pet Nat Brut (£15). So much fun. Has the little tingle and sourness of a natural wine. It bursts with raspberry

Aldi

Unearthed Chiaretto di Bardolino Rose (£7.99). Very decent northern Italian rose with juicy cherry flavours

Specially Selected Rosorange Rose (£9.99). A fun wine to try. Lots of complexity, golden flavours, orange peel and tropical fruit

Athlon Assyrtiko Syrah Rose (£9.99). Slightly fuller than a Provence style, but with the same characteristic herbal notes

Waitrose

La Carezza Pinot Nero Veneto (£11.99). Delicate red fruit - a serious challenger to Provence

Morrisons

The Best Vinho Verde Rose (£8). Loads of fun, bursting with fruit and Portuguese sunshine

For more personalised recommendations, you can use Tom'sSupermarket Wine Finderapp to see wines in your local store, matched to your tastes and meal plans.