GLASGOW, UK. March 27th, 2025 – IOLLA, the leading eyewear brand known for its innovative design and affordable pricing, is celebrating a decade of success with the launch of its most ambitious product expansion to date.

As part of its commitment to offering its community the best in eyewear, IOLLA is introducing new sunglasses and custom tint options, alongside a major shift in its brand proposition.

Since IOLLA was founded in 2015, the brand has worked tirelessly to make people look and feel great in their eyewear, providing a blend of style, innovation and value. Over the past 10 years, IOLLA has grown to become a trusted name in eyewear across Scotland, Manchester and beyond.

With a focus on offering an affordable yet stylish product range, IOLLA has gained a loyal following and continues to break the mould in a traditional and competitive eyewear industry.

“For the past decade, we’ve been redefining eyewear, designing frames that blend style, quality and accessibility,” said Stefan Hunter, Founder and CEO of IOLLA. 

“Innovation has always been at the heart of IOLLA, and this launch marks our next evolution. By bringing custom tinted lenses into our offering, we’re giving our customers more freedom than ever to express themselves through their eyewear.”

IOLLA’s new product lineup features a range of fashion forward designs, including five new coloured tints, four new gradient lenses and 34 new frames across 12 new models.

These new offerings mark a significant expansion of IOLLA’s eyewear portfolio, with a focus on customisation, choice and personal expression. Customers will now have the opportunity to choose their own custom tints in any of IOLLA’s new or existing frames – allowing for them to tailor their IOLLAs completely to match their own individual style.

“This launch is a direct response to the growing demand for more choice and the ability to express personal style through your eyewear,” said Kirsty Humpherson, IOLLA’s Marketing Manager. 

“Our new custom tints and sunglass options reflect our continued commitment to innovate and respond to our community’s needs.”

Despite expanding its product range, IOLLA remains committed to its core values – providing high quality eyewear at accessible prices and all regular sunglasses will remain at the core price of £85 (with prescription and full customisation of tints available for an additional £20). Over the past three years, IOLLA has kept its £85 pricing strategy unchanged, a rarity in today’s economic market.

Stefan added: “Even as costs continue to rise across the board, we’re proud to have kept our prices stable and offer even greater value to our customers. We’ve made strategic adjustments to our pricing structure for our custom tints, which will allow us to improve choice, availability, and, most importantly, value for money.”

As IOLLA enters its next decade, the brand remains focused on innovation, simplicity, and maintaining a close relationship with the IOLLA community.

“We are incredibly grateful for the support of our community over the past 10 years,” said Stefan. “The feedback we receive from our customers is what drives us to keep evolving, experimenting and striving to do better. We’re excited about the future and look forward to continuing to provide our customers with great eyewear.”

Join IOLLA to celebrate the launch this weekend on the 29th and 30th of March and visit one of their showrooms or online to shop the new collection at www.iolla.com/collections/sunglasses.

ENDS

Essex, UK – March 20th, 2025 – Leading tool retailer ITS has relocated its Harlow store to a larger location to accommodate a completely new tool shopping experience.

Featuring a unique “Shop-in-Shop” format with dedicated areas for top brands like DeWalt, Makita, Milwaukee, Festool, Bosch, and more, the new ITS store at DC One, Edinburgh Way, Harlow, offers a much larger space just two minutes away from its previous location at Ascent Park.

Unlike traditional trade counters, the new store offers a retail experience where customers can see, touch, and feel more than 6,000 products before purchasing.

The store offers a vast range of products to suit both trade professionals and DIY enthusiasts. 

Customers can explore power tools, hand tools, workwear, garden tools, fixings, accessories, storage solutions, ladders, site equipment and much more – all readily available in-store, with friendly expert advice on hand to help them find exactly what they need.

Now integrated into the company’s main distribution centre, the new location ensures customers have access to a massive stockholding, making it very rare for items to not be in stock and ready to take away. 

This means customers can walk in with confidence, knowing they are highly likely to find exactly what they need, when they need it. For busy tradespeople, where time is money, having the right tools and equipment available on demand is essential—eliminating delays and keeping projects on track.

Paul Hubbard, Director at ITS, said: “This isn’t just a bigger store – it’s a completely new way to shop for tools. We’ve created a hands-on experience where customers can explore top brands in their own dedicated spaces. Plus, being part of our main distribution centre means we have unbeatable stock availability.

Driven by both the launch of the new store and the company’s continued strong growth, ITS is actively expanding its team across multiple departments, including retail, marketing, warehousing, and buying. This expansion reflects ITS’s ongoing commitment to job creation in the Harlow area.
 
The expanded Harlow store, at DC One, Edinburgh Way, Harlow, CM20 2BN, is open seven days per week: Monday – Friday (7am-8pm), Saturday (8am – 5pm) and Sunday (10am-4pm).

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DUBLIN, Republic of Ireland. March 7th, 2025 – BF Mulholland, a leading supplier of products, equipment and support services for the dental industry in Ireland and the UK has been acquired by Viso Capital. 

With the change in ownership from DD Group to Viso Capital, BF Mulholland is independent once more, providing renewed flexibility to serve clients in Ireland, the UK and beyond.

With a long-standing heritage of 56 years in business, a loyal customer base of 1,500+ dental practices and an extensive supplier network, BF Mulholland has been a leader in the dental sector and trusted ‘one-stop-shop’ to dental practices for many years. With a wide and innovative range of over 10,000 products on offer to their customers, as well as specialised engineering and training services, Viso Capital are excited about the strong growth potential of BF Mulholland, in Ireland, the UK and Europe. 

With the support of Viso Capital, customers can expect to see an investment in technology, systems, processes and new partnerships to further grow on BF Mulholland’s offering.

Viso Capital is a business acquisitions company dedicated to acquiring and growing profitable companies. Working across the UK, Ireland and further afield, their model is to acquire specialist B2B businesses with expertise in specific sectors such as logistics, dental supplies and travel. Businesses that join the Viso network still operate as an independent entity and continue to be managed locally. 

John McAviney, Managing Director of BF Mulholland, shared “We are excited about what this new chapter will bring for the BF Mulholland team and our valued customers. We are extremely proud of our strong history of supporting the dental sector – this acquisition of our business means we can further grow our customer base to new, untapped markets that were historically unavailable to us.”

“Viso Capital shares the same values and vision for the future that we do, and we know that this partnership will continue to honour the heritage of our business whilst innovating to better serve our customers.”

Alexi Jones, Managing Partner at Viso Capital, added “Viso Capital’s focus is to acquire long-standing B2B businesses which demonstrate excellence in serving attractive end-customer sectors. We were impressed by BF Mulholland’s integrated approach to serving the dental profession – providing both a convenient online ordering platform, a purpose-built warehouse, extensive on-the-ground coverage and high-end specialist engineering services. We are thrilled to welcome BF Mulholland to the growing Viso Capital network.” 

BF Mullholland in the third business to join the network, after Viso Capital acquired Jag Express in 2021 and Really Cool Logistics in 2024

Apple’s latest iPhone 16E launches at £599—but for the same price, is a premium refurbished iPhone 15 Pro the better choice?

Apple has just launched the iPhone 16E, its latest budget-friendly model, priced at £599. While positioned as an affordable option, shoppers may find better value in a certified refurbished iPhone 15 Pro, available for as little as £565 on platforms like BackMarket.

The iPhone 16E is designed as an entry-level device, but for the same budget, consumers can opt for a refurbished iPhone 15 Pro. With its powerful A17 Pro chip, a triple-lens camera system the iPhone 15 Pro delivers flagship features at a lower cost.

“Many assume buying new is always best, but a refurbished iPhone 15 Pro can offer more power, better features, and even cost less,” says Sam Wilson, Founder of Gadget GoGo, a leading platform for trading in and buying refurbished tech.

Beyond cost savings, choosing refurbished is also the more sustainable option. E-waste is a growing global crisis, with a record 62 million tonnes generated in 2022—an 82% increase since 2010. By 2030, this figure is expected to hit 82 million tonnes. With smartphones contributing significantly to this waste, extending a device’s lifespan is a simple yet effective way to reduce environmental impact.

“Every refurbished iPhone sold is one less device wasted and a step toward tackling e-waste,” adds Wilson. “Extending a phone’s lifespan isn’t just good for your wallet—it’s a smarter choice for the planet.”

With rigorous refurbishment processes ensuring like-new performance, choosing a certified refurbished device allows consumers to benefit from top-tier technology while making a more sustainable choice.

A premium refurbished model might be a better option for those looking to upgrade without breaking the bank. 

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND. 11th February, 2025 – Pointspay, the innovative marketing and payment solution, has launched a new Shopify plugin that enables online retailers to engage, convert and retain new customers more efficiently than ever before.

The first version that has launched is for Flying Blue+, the new payment method launched earlier this year in partnership with Pointspay.

The Shopify plugin is a quick and straightforward alternative to API integrations for merchants using the Shopify platform for their e-commerce business. Merchants can simply download the Flying Blue+ plugin directly from the Shopify App Store, configure it, and conduct a test transaction, all within a matter of minutes. 

 

“Shopify is the leading global commerce company that provides essential infrastructure for commerce,” said Jasper Mulder, Chief Growth Officer at Pointspay. “We are thrilled to be part of Shopify’s ecosystem and to offer a solution that is engineered for speed, customization, reliability, and security. With Pointspay’s new plugin, merchants can quickly tap into the power of loyalty programs, enhancing their customer experience and driving growth.”

 

Retailers that have already integrated Pointspay into their online shopping experience include Oger, Diamond Point and Polaar, showcasing the solution’s growing adoption among brands seeking to leverage loyalty programs for customer engagement and retention.

For more information visit https://www.pointspay.com/

LONDON, UK. February 6th, 2025 – Spudos enters the Dragons’ Den on Thursday 13th of February at 8pm on BBC One with their unique crisps offering to see if they can tickle the Dragons’ taste buds. Spudos are unseasoned crisps that you season yourself with their 8 amazing flavours of Spud Dust. They’re UK produced and use home-compostable packaging and refillable tubs.

We eat 6 billion bags of crisps every year in the UK alone and most of those bags can’t be recycled and end up in landfill, the ocean, or being burned. Del Currie, Spudos co-founder, says “I started shopping more sustainably myself, but being a crisps addict, I was still sneaking off for a cheeky bag of crisps and feeling guilty throwing that empty packet in the bin”. So he decided to start Spudos with his business partner Chris Neal.

“I remembered getting Salt n Shake when I was a kid and feeling like a chef cooking my own crisps” says Currie. Crisps have pretty much been the same for the last 70 years, so they decided to do something different with their crisps while doing good for the planet. 

With a Spudos crisp kit you get a big 500g bag of crisps (about 16 regular bags worth), some Shake Bags and their Spud Dust seasoning.  You just add some crisps to a shake bag, sprinkle on your favourite seasoning, shake them up and enjoy.  All disposable packaging is home-compostable with Spudos, so you’re not dumping a crisp bag that’s going to take 80 years or more to decompose.

How did Spudos do in the Den? You’ll have to tune in to find out.

BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, UK. December 20th, 2024 – Organic Herbal Remedies has added the Herbfarmacy Skincare range of certified organic face creams, moisturisers, healing balms and oils to its stable of organic tinctures and dried herbs.

After over 40 years growing and producing herbal products, Paul Richards of Herbfarmacy Ltd has decided it is time to hand over the skincare side of the business to focus more on herbal medicine alone. The Herbfarmacy brand is being passed on to Fiona Durning of Organic Herbal Remedies Ltd.

Fiona has been passionate about herbs ever since working alongside her father in their business selling high quality organic tinctures and dried herbs.  Fiona’s role has helped in marketing the company and to bring these traditional organic products to a new younger generation of consumers.

Fiona Durning said: “The Herbfarmacy Skincare brand is the perfect addition to our range of organic tinctures and dried herbs. The combined range provides the perfect offer to the health food and beauty trade markets. Look out for wonderful new organic skincare products in the coming months and years.”

A creative spirit, with a background in finance and accounts, Fiona is extremely excited to embark on this new business venture as she takes the helm of Herbfarmacy. As a mother of two young girls, it is important to Fiona to raise them with an understanding of how to live as sustainably as possible. From treading lightly to using toxin-free, organic products, these are values which she looks to share with her girls.

The same earth-friendly ethics will continue with the Herbfarmacy brand, from using wholesome, organic ingredients to taking a stand against animal testing. The herbs and flowers will continue to be grown on the Herefordshire herb farm, and supplied by the founder, Paul Richards.

Bringing her energy, creativity, and curiosity to the table, along with her care for the natural world, Fiona is looking forward to continuing developing and expanding Herbfarmacy’s high-quality, organic skincare products. 

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DUBLIN, IRELAND. 26th November, 2024 – The Jet BI company launched on Kickstarter a new IoT solution: Smart Shelf for optimizing resource management. 

A common problem in traditional manual inventory management is inaccurate demand forecasting, leading to overstocking or shortage of goods. Overstocking leads to increased storage costs and wasted resources, while out-of-stock results in missed sales and customer dissatisfaction.  

Jet BI analyzed this problem and came up with the idea of creating a solution like Smart Shelf. Smart Shelf is a device with IoT sensors, gas sensors, GPS and others, allowing for more efficient inventory management. IoT solution: Smart Shelf also reduces costs by reducing excess inventory and shortage of goods, which directly affects profitability and much more.

On November 21, 2024, Jet BI launched its innovative IoT technology solution: Smart Shelf on Kickstarter — a crowdfunding platform for creative projects. 

Jet BI co-founder, Andrey Bosak, said: “Smart Shelf can help you manage purchasing and give you peace of mind. It’s perfect for your small business or big family, and you can customize it with your branding or integrate it with other systems. This is our first Kickstarter project, and we believe it will resonate with our audience, as Smart Shelf simplifies inventory management and reduces operational costs.”

The solution is already generating demand among businesses looking to increase automation and digitally transform their processes. Companies from various industries see Smart Shelf technology as an opportunity to reduce costs, minimize human error and manage inventory more efficiently. 

Jet BI look forward to expanding the capabilities of our solution and plan to introduce new features that will integrate Smart Shelf with other management and analytics systems, as well as expand its functionality for more complex usage scenarios. 

About Jet BI

Jet BI is a consulting company that implements CRM and BI solutions, provides product development and systems integration services. Jet BI has headquarteres in Dublin and serves customers for over 11 years.

Explore Smart Shelf on Kickstarter to learn more and support the project. 

BRISTOL, UK. 12th November, 2024 – As the biggest online shopping weekend of the year looms, advisors at DAS Law offer tips for consumers to protect their legal interests and make better buying decisions, during Black Friday (November 29) and Cyber Monday (December 2) sales.

 

Key points:

While consumers are busy securing the best online deals, it’s crucial for them to know their rights. What are your legal rights when shopping online? Can you get a refund or exchange an item if it’s cheaper before the sale? And how can you avoid a ‘subscription trap’?  

 

Chloe Jones, a Legal Advisor at DAS Law explains what every online shopper needs to know to shop smarter this Black Friday and Cyber Monday. 

 

You have 14 days to return an item if you change your mind – even if there’s nothing wrong with it – starting from the date of delivery, not the date of purchase. Whilst you are entitled to receive a refund for the item and standard delivery charges, you may be liable for the costs of sending it back, so it’s important to check the terms and conditions. 

 

If you buy an item in a shop, some stores will offer a returns policy within a specific period, but this is not obligatory if there is nothing wrong with the item. It is always advisable to check each store’s returns policy before buying – no matter how good a deal it may seem at the time.  

 

If the store’s returns policy allows a refund then it may be possible to refund the previous purchase and buy the same item at a discounted price. The law does not automatically entitle you to do this; however, it is worth checking the store’s return policy for discounted items as they generally offer more rights than the law guarantees.  

 

The most secure method of paying for goods online is to use a credit card. If there is a fault or you are a victim of fraud, on purchases between £100 and £30,000, you have protection under section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974. This means that you may be able to recover the monies from the credit card provider rather than pursuing the retailer. For transactions under £100 or using a debit card, you may be able to claim under the chargeback scheme. Most debit and credit cards are covered under this scheme but it’s best to check with the card issuer before making any purchases.

 

PayPal or a similar online payment provider is another option you may want to consider, as they may offer additional protection to users for purchases online. However, this is subject to terms and conditions, so it’s recommended you check these before making any purchases.

 

As long as your review is factually correct or is simply an expression of your honestly held opinion, then it is extremely unlikely to be considered defamatory and a company will probably not have a legal basis to pursue a claim against you. 

 

Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, if the retailer arranged the delivery, then the retailer will be responsible for any issue that arises during the delivery process, until the goods are received by the customer or anyone appointed by the customer, for example a neighbour, at which point the risk will be passed from the retailer to the consumer.

 

If the courier is appointed by the customer directly, then the courier will be responsible, and the customer can sue them directly. The standard time limit for delivery is 30 days and should be without undue delay unless the retailer and the customer agree otherwise. 

 

Unfortunately, the customer must pay for the service that has been used during the 14-day cooling period, but they still have the right to cancel the contract. 

 

A subscription trap is when a consumer is misled into signing up for a subscription for goods or services. This is commonly done by the retailer promising a free trial, a reduced rate trial or sample goods where the consumer only has to pay for postage and packaging using a credit or debit card. 

 

’Subscription traps’ have been the subject of regulatory focus for several years and government action on them is anticipated.

 

Subscription traps generally involve a continuous payment authority (CPA) in favour of the retailer. Consumers have the right to cancel CPAs with their card issuers and to obtain a refund in respect of any payments taken after such cancellation. But many factors need to be taken into account for the customer to be able to claim a refund, such as whether the trader is in breach of its obligations; whether the payment terms could be unfair and so non-binding on the consumer; whether the trader, in failing to make it clear that a subscription was being entered into, committed a misleading action; whether the consumer may be able to argue that the obligation to make payment was not incorporated into their contract with the trader and, as such, is unenforceable etc. 

 

It may also be possible to make a claim against the credit card company in respect of the pre-cancellation payments. Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 makes the credit card company jointly and severally liable with the trader for a misrepresentation or breach of contract.