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UK firms lead northern Europe in sustainable IT use

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Advania has published research suggesting UK businesses lead Northern Europe in the use of sustainable IT equipment. The findings are based on a survey of 500 UK IT decision-makers.

The study found that 38% of UK respondents said their organisations were using environmentally friendly or refurbished IT equipment to cut carbon emissions or support net-zero goals. That figure was higher than in other Northern European markets covered by the research.

The results point to a shift in how companies manage technology spending amid economic pressure, rising software costs and scrutiny of environmental targets. Alongside greater use of refurbished hardware, many respondents also reported tighter control of cloud spending and concern about cyber risk.

Sustainable IT

The UK market appears to be further ahead in applying circular economy ideas to workplace technology. The research linked that trend to a combination of ESG targets, pressure to cut costs and ongoing hardware supply issues.

Some organisations are extending device lifecycles through structured refresh and refurbishment programmes rather than buying new equipment as standard. The report also pointed to growing interest in identifying which staff would benefit most from an upgrade, instead of replacing devices more broadly across the workforce.

Licensing pressure

The survey also highlighted concern over software spending. Nearly half, or 49%, of UK IT leaders said their organisations overspend on software licences.

That is driving efforts to consolidate suppliers and make better use of existing systems rather than expand spending without closer review. The research described this as a reassessment of cloud and software investment, with organisations seeking more control over hosting and vendor relationships.

Trust in suppliers also appeared to be under pressure. Some 40% of respondents said they believed vendors prefer to sell products rather than solutions, while 36% said vendors favour transactional relationships over supportive ones.

These findings suggest cost control is not the only issue shaping procurement decisions. Businesses are also re-evaluating the balance between commercial flexibility, support and long-term value from technology providers.

Cyber concerns

At the same time, the report identified a weaker pattern in cyber maintenance. Although 44% of UK leaders said emerging threats were their top concern, patching frequency had declined.

Advania argued this creates a risk if organisations keep ageing devices in service without robust maintenance and validation. In that scenario, older hardware may struggle to support newer endpoint protection and device management tools.

The research drew a distinction between professionally refurbished equipment and devices whose life is simply extended without the same level of oversight. It said sustainability goals and security do not have to conflict, but lifecycle decisions need to account for both.

Chris O’Brien, Chief Technology Officer at Advania UK, commented on the findings.

“Our research shows that UK organisations are becoming incredibly savvy on sustainability and hardware lifecycles. Leading Europe in refurbished IT adoption is a major win for the circular economy and demonstrates that cost-efficiency and ESG goals can go hand-in-hand. It is a valid sustainability strategy that allows businesses to extend the life of their hardware effectively, and our involvement in schemes like HP’s Brighter Futures trade-in programme for the education sector is a great example of the altruistic aspect of this strategy,” said Chris O’Brien, Chief Technology Officer at Advania UK.

He also warned against reducing cyber defences while trying to improve efficiency.

“However, as we recalibrate cloud investments and address software licensing fatigue, we must be careful not to leave the door open to attackers. Cutting cyber spending or lapsing on patching frequency is a high-stakes gamble. The goal for 2026 should be ‘secure efficiency’, leveraging the savings from refurbished tech and cloud consolidation to reinforce digital defences rather than stripping them back,” O’Brien said.

The wider survey covered 1,236 IT decision-makers across Northern Europe, offering a broader picture of how businesses are balancing sustainability, technology costs and operational resilience.



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Rosa’s Thai is giving away 4000 free Pad Thais to students

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Celebrating both GCSE and A-Level Results Days, the chain will offer the popular dish to students who buy one of its bubble teas.

The free offer is available at all 42 Rosa’s Thai restaurants across England and Wales.

To avail of the free noodles, students need to register on Rosa’s Thai website for a unique code, which they should present at the restaurant together with a copy of their results.

Rosa’s Thai has a new range of bubble tea flavours, including Ube-Taro, Matcha-Coconut, Mango Sticky Rice, and Milo Chocolate Milk, as well as favourites like Home-brewed Thai Tea with Tapioca, and Lychee Mango with mango boba.

Students can sign up for their free Pad Thai at rosasthai.com/result-day-free-pad-thai and find their nearest restaurant at rosasthai.com/locations.





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Historic coin company enters administration after 20 years

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The London Mint Office, which distributes commemorative coins and medals, appointed administrators on July 31 after 20 years in business.

The company’s website now displays a message confirming the appointment of Michael Magnay and Jonny Marston of Alvarez & Marsal Europe LLP as joint administrators.

A spokesman for Alvarez and Marsal said: “On July 31 2026, Michael Magnay and Jonny Marston of Alvarez & Marsal Europe LLP were appointed as Joint Administrators of The London Mint Office Limited in administration (the “Company”).

“Regrettably, the Company’s liquidity challenges have led to a number of immediate redundancies. We are supporting the affected employees through the redundancy process.


What Happens When a Company Goes Into Administration?


“The affairs, business and property of the Company are being managed by the Joint Administrators who act as agents of the Company and without personal liability.”

The announcement confirms that it is no longer possible to purchase coins or medals through the company’s website.

The London Mint Office operates a distribution centre in Tonypandy, Rhondda Cynon Taf, where it employs a significant number of people.

Administration is a formal insolvency process triggered when a business cannot meet its financial obligations.

An insolvency practitioner is appointed to manage the company’s affairs and may attempt to restructure the business or sell off assets to repay creditors.


What happens when a company goes into Liquidation?


Founded in 2006, The London Mint Office describes itself as “one of the UK’s most trusted suppliers of historic, commemorative, and collector coins.”

It is part of Samlerhuset AS, a Norwegian company based near Oslo and one of Europe’s largest distributors of commemorative coins and medals.

Samlerhuset’s website states that it offers “provide a wide range of coins from ancient to modern, originating from virtually every country in the world.”

The London Mint Office has advised anyone with an interest in the company’s assets to contact the administrators at INS_THLMOL@alvarezandmarsal.com.





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Warning of new rules for Aldi and Lidl after watchdog review

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The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has provisionally decided that both discounters should be added to the Groceries Market Investigation (Controlled Land) Order 2010, which currently applies to Asda, Co-op, Marks and Spencer, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, and Waitrose.

This order is designed to prevent large grocery retailers from using land agreements to block competitors from opening nearby stores, often through restrictive covenants or exclusivity terms.

Juliette Enser, executive director of competition enforcement and markets at the CMA, said: “We want everyone to have the best choice of supermarket and range of prices when buying their groceries.

“To ensure this happens, we put rules in place to prevent big supermarket chains blocking rival stores from opening nearby – and now we propose applying those rules to Aldi and Lidl too.

“This is about allowing shoppers to choose where they spend their money and levelling the playing field for all major supermarkets.

“Today’s proposals are provisional and we welcome views before deciding the best way forward.”

The CMA’s review found that Aldi, Lidl GB, and Lidl NI now meet the criteria of ‘Large Grocery Retailers’ (LGRs) due to their store footprint, nationwide presence, procurement model, and the breadth of their grocery range.

Aldi and Lidl were originally excluded from the 2010 order as ‘limited assortment discounters’, offering a smaller selection of products compared to traditional supermarkets.

However, the CMA’s provisional findings indicate that this is no longer the case.

All three now operate large grocery stores, each with more than 1,000 square metres of shop floor space, and offer a full range of products, though with less category choice than some competitors.

They also purchase goods directly from suppliers through integrated wholesaling.

With the UK grocery market estimated to be worth £215 billion, Aldi and Lidl are now ranked among the top five retailers by market share.

The CMA is seeking feedback from stakeholders before reaching a final decision.

Aldi and Lidl could join the other supermarket chains later this year.

The CMA is inviting views until 5pm on Monday, September 7, 2026, and will issue its final decision in the autumn after reviewing responses.

If the discounters are included under the order, they will be prevented from using land agreements to limit competition from other supermarket chains.

The CMA aims to ensure competition across the grocery sector to give shoppers more choice and competitive pricing by removing obstacles to new store openings.





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