Sir Charlie Mayfield, chairman of the partnership that owns Waitrose, said that it costs more to deliver goods to parts of Scotland than it does further south, and if Scotland and England became separate countries, retailers would consider making their customers bear the extra costs.His comments were dismissed by the Scottish finance secretary John Swinney: Charlie Mayfield is entitled to his opinion. I think the argument is one that is firmly contested by other retailers who do not take the view that has been expressed this morning by Charlie Mayfield.
But as Charlie Mayfield of John Lewis, Lord Wolfson of Next and Andy Clarke of Asda took to the airwaves to warn consumers of possible higher prices in an independent Scotland on Thursday, other business figures remain unwilling to be bounced into commenting publicly. The prime ministers personal p
Date: Sep 11, 2014
Category: World
Source: Google
Retailers under pressure to back no vote in Scottish referendum
g led by Sir Ian Cheshire, the chief executive of Kingfisher, the business behind B&Q, the DIY chain. Other retailers understood to have agreed to back the initiative so far include Marc Bolland, the chief executive of Marks & Spencer, and Charlie Mayfield, chairman of the John Lewis Group. And
Charlie Mayfield, chairman of department store chain John Lewis Partnership, which also owns the Waitrose grocery chain, said it cost more to deliver goods in Scotland due to the longer distances and higher regulatory costs.
"It does cost more money to trade in parts of Scotland and therefore those hard costs, in the event of a Yes vote, are more likely to be passed on," said John Lewis Partnership chairman Charlie Mayfield.