Money blog: Mars admits Celebrations have been shrunk ahead of Christmas - here's how many fewer sweets you'll have to argue over (2024)

A box of Celebrations has been quietly shrunk.

It doesn't quite mean Christmas is cancelled - but there may be even more bickering than usual as there'll be on average five fewer sweets to choose from.

We mentioned that the shrinkage had been implemented quietly - firms don't usually advertise these things and instead we got wind of the 600g box becoming 550g via a warehouse worker who posted this on X...

The Money team contacted Mars Wrigley for comment - we haven't heard back but when approached by The Grocer,a spokeswoman said the business had "been actively trying to find ways to absorb the rising costs of raw materials and operations".

"Unfortunately, the growing pressures mean more needs to be done.

"Reducing the size of our products is not a decision we have taken lightly but it is necessary for shoppers to still be able to enjoy their favourite Celebrations treats without compromising on quality or taste," she added.

Mars Wrigley has also shrunk the tub itself, she said, "to reduce the plastic used in the packaging by 17%."

On whether the cost of a box would come down, the spokeswoman said: "Pricing is at the sole discretion of the retailer."

It would seem fairly pointless to shrink the product because of rising costs and then also reduce the price - but let's see.

The Grocer has pointed out that Mars Wrigley has shrinkflation form in recent years - impacting Twix, Maltesers, Galaxy bars and Starburst.

Barclays has launched a £175 incentive for new customers to bank with them.

The cash can be claimed by switching to a Barclays Bank Account or Premier Current Account by 30 August.

But the majority of switchers will have to pay a £5 monthly fee to be eligible.

In order to qualify for the free cash with a Barclays Bank Account, customers must pay for a Blue Rewards subscription in the Barclays app.

The recently revamped Blue Rewards comes withApple TV+, a Major League Soccer season pass and cashback incentives.

Still interested? Then you need to use the current account switch service, pay in at least £800 and move over at least two direct debits.

The alternative is to open a Premier Current Account, which is only available to those with an income of £75,000 or at least £100,000 in savings or investments with Barclays.

Every Monday we get an expert to answer your money problems or consumer disputes. Find out how to submit yours at the bottom of this post. Today's question is...

iD Mobile has placed a default on my credit record for a £16 debt that I didn't know I had. I cancelled the direct debit for my £3.99 per month SIM but they accumulated £16 without me knowing because I had stopped using the phone, their emails went in my spam folder and I didn't get a letter.As soon as I learned about the debt I paid it off but the default is stopping me from getting a mortgage. Are they allowed to do that? Can I get the default removed?

Caitlin

In a bid to help Caitlin resolve this issue, we first went to iD Mobile for their version of events.

They gave us a timeline of the action taken:

25 August 2023 - text sent confirming direct debit was cancelled and warning this can lead to missed payments and extra charges

31 August 2023 - text sent asking for immediate payment of £3.99 and saying account was suspended due to missed payment

2 September 2023- Final demand letter sent

26 September, October and November 2023 - texts sent reminding customer their payment was due

17 December 2023 - Account was disconnected and default was reported to the credit reference agencies

20 February 2024 - The balance was paid

21 February 2024 - Credit reference agencies told default can now be marked as settled

7 May 2024 - Subject Access Request for all data relating to the debt received and completed on 28 May

We asked the Complaints Resolver, Scott Dixon, to take a look at this case to outline what Caitlin could do. He said the timeline above put her question in a "completely different light" - and "firms have rights as well as consumers".

"Cancelling a direct debit does not terminate the contract. It merely stops the payment. You should always put a cancellation request in writing and adhere to the T&Cs you have signed and agreed to," he said.

ID Mobile terms and conditions state: With 30-day SIM only contracts, you have the flexibility to change or cancel your plan at any time, after your first month with us.

Scott said: "You should have cancelled the contract and plan via the iD Mobile app, online account or by live chat."

Data Subject Access Request

Scott went on: "A Subject Access Request (SAR), which you now seem to have done, would reveal all communications made by SMS, email and post and if any errors were made before recording the default.

"This would prove whether iD Mobile has followed due process and adhered to their timeline of events.

"Reading the timeline of events and presuming it's correct, iD Mobile are allowed to record a default, which has since been marked as settled.

"You can only get a default removed if you can prove it was an error and the provider gives permission for it to be removed.

"iD Mobile has set out its final position and says it was not a mistake."

What to do next?

As the issue relates to just £16 and has been marked as settled, but in the absence of proof that it was an error, there's one more avenue, Scott said.

"She can contact credit agencies like Experian and get a 'notice of correction' put on her credit file to explain it in more detail to help lenders understand the background to it if it's incorrect," he explained.

"You need to stress that the debt has been settled and it was an honest mistake which was remedied at the earliest opportunity.

"Obtain a copy of your credit record afterwards to see that the appropriate action has been taken.

"I would have an open conversation with any lender in advance once this has been remedied to pre-empt any future issues on loan and mortgage applications. As time moves on, it becomes less important to lenders."

Any other options?

You can also refer your case to the Communications Ombudsman.

"The ombudsman will review your dispute based on the information submitted by both parties before making a fair and impartial decision. They look at the supporting information, the law, any relevant regulation and what is accepted as good industry practice," Scott said.

"When you receive their decision, both you and the provider will have the opportunity to review it. If you decline their decision, you are free to pursue the dispute with your provider in court.

"It may not be worthwhile or viable in this case over such a trivial amount.

"If the decision goes in your favour and you accept it, the provider has up to 28 days to implement the proposed remedy."

What did iD Mobile say?

Providing a statement to the Money team, iD Mobile said our reader's complaint had not been upheld

"Although we can understand the impact this has had on our customer, we have assured that all processes were followed correctly and the default on our customer's credit file is accurate," it added.

This featureis not intended as financial advice - the aim is to give an overview of the things you should think about.Submit your dilemma or consumer dispute via:

• The form above - you need to leave a phone number or email address so we can contact you for further details
• Email news@skynews.com with the subject line "Money blog"
• WhatsApp ushere

The Money blog is back for another week of consumer news, personal finance tipsand all the latest on the economy.

This is how the week is shaping up...

Monday: This week's Money Problemfocuses on a credit default affecting a mortgage application - due to a £16 unpaid mobile phone debt.

Tuesday: We're concluding our eight-partWomen in Businessfeature - interviewing women who are bossing their industry. And this week'sBasically...explains everything you need to know about bankruptcy.

Wednesday: We are in Liverpool for this week'sCheap Eats, where Michelin chefs reveal their favourite spots to get a meal for two for less than £40.

Thursday: Savings Championfounder Anna Bowes will be back with her weekly insight into the savings market.

Friday: We'll have everything you need to know about the mortgage market this week with the guys from Moneyfacts.

Running every weekday, Money features a morning markets round-up from theSky News business teamand regular updates and analysis from our business, City and economic correspondents, editors and presenters -Ed Conway,Mark Kleinman,Ian King,Paul KelsoandAdele Robinson.

You'll also be able to streamBusiness Live with Ian King onweekdays at 11.30am and 4.30pm.

Bookmarknews.sky.com/moneyand check back from 8am, and through the day, each weekday.

The Money team is Bhvishya Patel, Jess Sharp, Katie Williams, Brad Young, Ollie Cooper and Mark Wyatt, with sub-editing by Isobel Souster. The blog is edited by Jimmy Rice.

By Brad Young, Money reporter

If your child is approaching secondary school, you might be preparing to spend hundreds of pounds on their first smartphone.

But choosing a costly contract is just the first in a series of difficult decisions facing parents as their child gains online autonomy.

While phones bring huge benefits in terms of connectivity and independence, they also expose children to risks ranging from accidently running up bills to sexual exploitation and AI-enabled bullying.

Sky News spoke with experts in the field about what trends parents should be aware of, and what tools they can use to tackle them.

There are four categories of risks to children according Childnet, a UK-based charity for child safety online.

These are content, such as p*rnography or gambling, contact, like grooming or cyberbullying, commerce, where children have mistakenly racked up huge bills, and conduct, which includes what information a child shares online.

The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) has revealed "a really sharp rise in young people who are being sexually exploited and groomed over the internet" without leaving their home, said Kate Edwards, the charity's associate head of child safety online.

This refers to incidents where a child is directed to take part in their own abuse, which may be filmed or photographed and shared.

Ms Edwards said young people have also been self-reporting instances of sextortion, where they "have been tricked into sharing a sexual image of themselves and then given a ransom demand" under the threat of sharing the photograph.

The charity hasreceived phone callsfrom children reporting generative AI being used to bully, groom or medically misdiagnose children, as well as calls raising concerns over pro-eating disorder or pro-suicide content.

"The age of onset for an eating disorder can be quite young... if it's around a similar age where someone might get their first phone, then it is important for parents to be aware of the risks," said Umairah Malik, clinical advice coordinator at the UK's leading eating disorder charity, Beat.

The risk of an eating disorder developing is highest for children aged 13 to 17 years, said the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.

Video content shared on social media is particularly hard to regulate, with those that fixate on body image or what an influencer eats in a day causing disordered behaviours to develop among vulnerable viewers.

'We gave him a loaded gun'

Social media played a role in the murder of Amanda Stephens' son, Olly, aged 13, who was lured to a field near his Reading home and stabbed to death in 2021 following an online dispute.

Ms Stephens now believes the risks posed by smartphones are too great for children to own one.

"I look back to it, I felt almost proud as we gave Olly his first phone. Now I feel like we gave him a loaded gun," she said.

"He was exposed to horrendous violence, threats, bullying, under our roof."

During the trial of two 14-year-old boys and a 13-year-old girl, Ms Stephens said she learned there waslittle policing on social media of violent language or sharing images of knives.

"In the safety of your home, they are surrounded by a billion strangers."

She's not the only one in favour of a blanket ban - the House of Commons Education Committee has advised the government to consider legislating against mobile phones for under-16s.

As it stands, phone ownership is near universal among children by age 12, according to Ofcom.

But there are tools parents can use.

"There are many tools out there to help them. I know it can feel very scary when you hear about all those risks," said Ms Edwards.

"What is important to bring across is while there are all of those risks, that does not mean that every child that uses a smartphone is going to come across those risks and that there are only risks to using this technology. There are also many benefits."

What can parents do to increase safety?

Ms Edwards said parents should have open conversations with their children, working with them to decide onrestrictions and breaking down barriers of authority between parent and child.

And whatever rules are in place, the most important thing is to "let your child know their safety comes before any rule".

A common issue raised by children via Childlineis online harm or abuse while breaking a family rule – such as using a device at night. The children were therefore fearful of getting in trouble so did not speak up, she said.

Ms Edwards said parents can contact the mobile phone operator and let them know it is a child's phone, and they will put additional barriers in place including blocks on content or spending.

At home, internet service providers offer tools to set up limits on what can be accessed via the WiFi.

CEO of Childnet International Will Gardener pointed to Apple's Family Sharing account and Google's Family Link, which connect a child's phone with their parents, enabling some control over down-time, such as switching off certain apps within particular timeframes.

They can also be used to approve payments, ensure requests for app downloads and monitor usage.

Apps also have their own safety mechanisms, said Ms Edwards, including whether someone can contact or share things about your child, or whether they can game with other people.

Parents and children should also be aware of what support mechanisms are available.

The NSCC's safety hub has more information on how to keep children safe online, while their partnership with Vodaphone has produced a toolkit for thinking about your child's first phone.

Childrencan confidentially report sexual images or videos to Childline and the IWF's Report Remove, which will work to remove them from the internet.

Any adults concerned about a child's safety or wellbeing can contact theNSPCCHelpline athelp@nspcc.org.ukor by calling 0808 800 5000. Children can contact Childline on 0800 1111 or childline.org.uk.

If you're worried about your own or someone else's health, you can contact Beat on 0808 801 0677 or beateatingdisorders.org.uk.

Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK.

Anyone else dreaming of sea views, warm weather and a glass of wine?

We can't work magic and book you a holiday, but we can tell you where to find the flavours of Puglia, Sicily and Valencia in your local supermarket - and for less than £10 a bottle.

Our regular wine expert Tom Tryon (@vinetribe), who is the founder of online wine community Vinetribe, gave news reporter Emily Meehis recommendations...

Sainsbury's

Minimalista Malbec (£9). Lighter than your average Malbec, this is juicy and well balanced

Sicilian Grillo, Taste the Difference (£8.75). Full of sunshine-ripened flavour, but with enough acidity to keep it fresh

Tesco

Amandla Shiraz Zinfandel (£9.50). Luscious and juicy with delightful black fruit and spiciness

Canto Nono Alvarinho (£9). Classy Portuguese Alvarinho. Perfect for a warm summer's day

M&S

M&S Found Agiorgitiko (£9). Bright and juicy red with delightful ripe red fruit

M&S Found Organic Verdil (£9). Intriguing and complex wine, bursting with marmalade, grapefruit and sweet honey flavours. You have to try it

Lidl

Agramont Garnacha Old Vine (£6.49). Light and fresh wine - a lovely, juicier alternative to Rioja

Duca di Castelmonte Zibibbo(£8.99). Beautifully aromatic: herbal, floral and peachy. Plenty of body and a good acidity too

Aldi

Specially Selected Australian Cabernet Franc (£8.99). Quite tannic, balanced by rich fruit. Unusual wine but delicious

Unearthed Custoza Bianco (£9.99). Slightly floral with a bit of a bite

Waitrose

Maree d'ione Organic Nero di Troia (£9.99). Classy and rich, packed with fruit and spice

Azevedo Vinho Verde (£9.99). Zingy, slightly spritzy and loads of fun. Very easy sipping

Asda

Extra Special Barossa Shiraz (£8). Powerful BBQ-ready flavours, lovely with smokey food

Santodeno Grillo Sicilia (£8). Super Sauvignon alternative - plenty of flavour and juicy enough to be refreshing

Morrisons

Cidade Branca Alentejo (£7). Classic Portuguese red with oodles of rich, dark fruit and spice

The Best Verdeca (£7.50). Citrussy, aromatic and interesting. Too good to miss

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.

The one piece of Money news we need to take with us from the week just gone concerns speculation over when an interest rate cut will come.

When the Bank of England's chief economist began his speech on Wednesday, some expected he would tee up a long-awaited August rate cut.

But instead, Huw Pill dampened expectations, saying the timing of a rate reduction was still an "open question" amidstrong price pressures.

Services inflation and wage growth showed "uncomfortable strength", he said, prompting investors to rein in bets on a cut, dropping to a 50/50 chance from 62/48.

Mr Pill, a centrist on the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), voted with the majority of his colleagues last month to keep interest rates at a 16-year high of 5.25%.

His more hawkish colleague Catherine Mann has signalled she is unlikely to vote for a cut next month.

She said inflation dropping to 2% was merely "touch and go" and that it would likely rise above that rate for the rest of the year.

Ms Mann added that growth in wages and services prices were still inconsistent with the Bank's target.

When will a rate cut come?

Sticky inflation is causing the Bank to hesitate "despite evidence that a high interest rateenvironment has heightened monetary conditions and also causedgrowth conditions to be more unfavourable", said Jeff Ng, headof Asia macro strategy, SMBC.

He said that while he still expects a rate cut in thecurrent quarter, odds for the first cut to come in the fourthquarter are rising.

Economic forecasters ANZ said the Bank will only have one more set of data when it meets in August, which is "unlikely to be sufficient for the MPC to be able to gain confidence on the path of inflation, and the MPC may lean in favour of waiting for more data."

It added the MPC will "have greater confidence to cut rates in September".

Of all the stories we've covered this week, none prompted more correspondence than publicans hitting out at a Co-op advert that urged people to watch the football at home (with Co-op pizzas) instead of the pub...

We have highlighted the struggles of pubs and hospitality extensively in this blog, but the bulk of your comments came out on the side of Co-op...

Pub prices are way over the top! When you are expected to pay £12 for a small wine and a beer, aren't the pubs pricing themselves out of business?

Bottos01

What is wrong with the Co-op advert? Pubs advertise to draw people into their establishments in order to sell them vastly overpriced alcohol, what is the difference? I can get four pint cans from the Co-op for the price of one pint in the pub. Come on publicans, do the maths.

Confused

Buy 4 pints and a couple of pizzas in a pub. Then starve for a week because you've blown the grocery budget. Muppets.

Mark clacton

No sympathy for the pubs. They've been pricing themselves out of the market for years. The cost of a pint in a pub is ridiculous. Perhaps they should man-up and learn to respond to a bit healthy competition!

DaveZ

I'm sure the pubs are slightly annoyed, although many other businesses need to survive. Sky News provides so much emphasis on pubs and not other businesses trying to cope in the BIG squeeze.

Fossy

Fossy will be pleased to know we have a long read coming up on the plight of pubs in the coming weeks.

Reader Richard Stubbs was among a minority batting for his local...

This IS disgraceful by the Co-op, they have been waging war on shoppers because of shoplifting, innocent shoppers stopped and searched constantly, yet staff will just stand watching whilst shoplifters fill huge bags. The pub has atmosphere!

Richard Stubbs

We also had reaction from readers on water bills, which are set to rise less than some water firms wanted over the next five years - but still by 21%.

All firms sought hefty increases to bills between 2025-30, with Southern Water leading the way with a proposed rise of almost 73%.

The want customers to pay for an investment programme to stop raw sewage dumping, build new reservoirs and reduce leaks.

Water bills to rise 21% over the next five years. Why are the customers paying for the incompetence of the men in suits? They should be made to pay for everything that needs to be done. Once again it's the public that have to foot the bill. Absolutely disgraceful and pathetic.

Colin

The proposed 21% increase in water bills is completely unacceptable due to years of neglect by water companies. I would find a maximum increase of 10% acceptable, but only if there are no pay rises, bonuses for bosses, directors, and managers, and no dividends paid to shareholders

Kam

Finally, and on a more positive note, there was praise for Tesco's decision to close Express stores at 7.30pm this Sunday so staff can watch the Euro 2024 final.

Well done Tesco for shutting your doors on Sunday so your staff can see the match. At last you have seen sense as your staff are human after all.

Jean Allco*ck

Tesco's announcement was followed by moves by Sainsbury's and Lidl...

The Money blog is your place for consumer news, economic analysis and everything you need to know about the cost of living - bookmark news.sky.com/money.

It runs with live updates every weekday - while on Saturdays we scale back and offer you a selection of weekend reads.

Check them out this morning and we'll be back on Monday with rolling news and features.

The Money team is Bhvishya Patel, Jess Sharp, Katie Williams, Brad Young, Ollie Cooper and Mark Wyatt, with sub-editing by Isobel Souster. The blog is edited by Jimmy Rice.

The UK is set to lose the most millionaires of any country by 2028, a report has found.

Bucking a worldwide trend, the number of millionaires (in dollars) will fall 17% from 3.1 million people in 2023 to 2.5 million, according to Swiss bank UBS.

It joins the Netherlands as the only two countries of 56 analysed where the number of millionaires is forecast to decline - though the UK is starting with the third most millionaires to begin with, behind only the US and China.

Paul Donovan, chief economist of UBS Global Wealth Management, said the shift away from the UK partly reflected its millionaire tally was "disproportionately high".

He added: "You have obviously seen in the UK over the last few years, as you have seen in other countries, implications arising from sanctions against Russia."

The UK's decision to scrap non-dom status - which meant wealthy, often foreign residents did not pay tax on overseas income - had a "small effect".

"The non-indigenous millionaire population, the global population, which is constantly shifting, will be looking for low tax locations all of the time," he said.

This was "not a function of UK policies per se" but reflected the "pull factors" of other countries, such as Dubai and Singapore.

The UBS report forecast the total number of dollar millionaires in the United States would rise by 16% by 2028, in Germany by 14%, in France by 16%, in Japan by 28%, in Spain by 12% and in Italy by 9%.

The strongest growth in millionaires - of 47% - was expected to be in Taiwan, driven by the country's microchip industry.