Month: June 2025

Nissan has unveiled the third-generation Leaf, its flagship electric vehicle, which will be built in the UK at the company’s Sunderland plant as part of a major push towards sustainable, UK-based EV production.
The updated Leaf will offer up to 375 miles (604km) of range on a single charge, and customers will be able to place orders later this year, the Japanese manufacturer confirmed. The car will be powered by batteries produced by AESC UK, Nissan’s long-standing battery partner whose facility sits adjacent to the Wearside assembly plant.
The launch marks a milestone for the EV36Zero project—Nissan’s blueprint for EV manufacturing and sustainability—which will bring the new Leaf to market with a focus on reducing emissions across the entire supply chain.
The Sunderland facility, which currently produces the Juke and Qashqai models, employs more than 6,000 people and has been at the centre of Nissan’s UK operations for nearly four decades. The factory first began building the Leaf in 2013, making it the first mass-produced electric vehicle to be manufactured in Britain.
“It’s with immense pride that we unveil the third generation of our pioneering electric Leaf, 12 years after we brought EV and battery manufacturing to the UK,” said Alan Johnson, senior vice president of manufacturing and supply chain management at Nissan Motor Manufacturing.
“It’s a testament to the skill of our world-class team that we can bring into mass production a vehicle with such advanced technology and aerodynamic design.”
The announcement also signals Nissan’s confidence in the UK as a hub for future vehicle manufacturing amid ongoing questions over post-Brexit trade and the competitive pressure of global EV production. The new Leaf is the first vehicle to launch under Nissan’s EV36Zero strategy, which aims to integrate EV production with battery supply and renewable energy use on-site.
Earlier this year, £1 billion of investment was secured for a second AESC battery plant in Sunderland, bolstering the UK’s capacity to support next-generation electric vehicles.
James Taylor, managing director of Nissan GB, said the new model built on the Leaf’s legacy as a trailblazer for electric motoring in the UK.
“Leaf is a pioneering electric vehicle that has encouraged thousands to make the switch to electric motoring — and best of all, it’s built here in Britain,” he said.
The new Leaf is expected to feature cutting-edge aerodynamics, an updated design, and enhanced connectivity features, with full specifications to be confirmed ahead of its release.
Nissan’s announcement comes at a critical time for the UK automotive industry, which is under pressure to scale up EV production and battery supply chains ahead of the 2035 ban on new petrol and diesel cars. The firm’s continued investment in UK manufacturing has been widely seen as a vote of confidence in the country’s industrial base.
As global competition intensifies, Nissan’s Sunderland expansion and the new Leaf rollout will play a key role in the UK’s ability to remain competitive in the electric vehicle revolution.
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Nissan unveils new electric car to be built in UK

WhatsApp, the world’s most popular messaging service, will soon begin displaying paid-for adverts to users for the first time—marking a significant shift for a platform that once proudly declared it would remain ad-free.
The Meta-owned service, which has around three billion monthly active users, will roll out the advertising features globally over the coming months. However, WhatsApp has insisted that ads will not appear in users’ personal chats, but instead will be shown in the app’s “status” section, a space used for ephemeral updates similar to Instagram Stories.
The move brings WhatsApp’s functionality closer to its sister platforms, Facebook and Instagram, and signals Meta’s intent to generate revenue from the service, which it bought in 2014 for $19 billion—still the group’s largest-ever acquisition.
WhatsApp said businesses operating “channels” on the platform will now be able to promote content in the updates tab, which also includes statuses. Companies will also be permitted to charge users for access to premium content via subscriptions, with WhatsApp expected to take a 10 per cent commission.
These new monetisation features come as WhatsApp faces growing scrutiny for recent updates, including the controversial introduction of an “Ask Meta AI” button that cannot be removed. The platform appears keen to reassure users that their private conversations will remain off-limits.
“These new features will appear only on the updates tab, away from your personal chats,” WhatsApp said.
“Your personal messages, calls and statuses remain end-to-end encrypted—meaning no one, not even us, can see or hear them.”
The app will, however, share limited user metadata with advertisers, including a person’s location, language, channels followed, and how they interact with ads. It has emphasised that phone numbers and personal messaging behaviour will not be shared or sold.
The company also clarified that users who do not engage with status updates or channels will not see ads in their inbox. “If you’re only using WhatsApp for messaging, you’re not going to see this,” said Will Cathcart, the head of WhatsApp, acknowledging that the updates tab is “not particularly popular” in the UK but is used by 1.5 billion people daily worldwide.
Despite repeated past assurances that WhatsApp would not adopt an advertising model, this announcement confirms a significant shift in Meta’s strategy. The original co-founders of WhatsApp, including Brian Acton, left the company after clashing with Facebook’s management over the direction of the app—most notably, the plan to monetise it with advertising. Acton famously declared “no ads, no games, no gimmicks” as part of WhatsApp’s founding mission.
WhatsApp had denied reports in 2023 that it was considering introducing adverts, but Meta now appears committed to monetising the platform more aggressively. The changes reflect Meta’s growing need to diversify revenue streams in a competitive digital landscape dominated by TikTok, YouTube, and other fast-growing content platforms.
Meta also continues to face pressure from regulators. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in the United States is suing the company, alleging that it acquired WhatsApp and Instagram unlawfully in a bid to suppress competition. Meta founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg has pushed back, arguing that the company faces intense competition, especially from TikTok, and cited a surge in traffic when TikTok briefly went offline in January as evidence.
The commercialisation of WhatsApp is likely to divide users. While the platform has become an indispensable communication tool across much of the world, especially in developing markets, its growing convergence with Meta’s ad-driven ecosystem may alienate users who value its simplicity and privacy-first ethos.
Nonetheless, for Meta, the untapped monetisation potential of WhatsApp—with its vast user base and business integration—is too large to ignore. With over 200 million businesses using the platform for customer service and engagement, the addition of ad tools and subscriptions represents a significant new revenue opportunity.
As the changes begin to roll out, the tech giant will be watching closely to see whether users tolerate the presence of commercial content—or if the move triggers a backlash for crossing one of WhatsApp’s most sacrosanct boundaries.
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WhatsApp to introduce adverts as Meta pushes to monetise messaging app

The UK’s largest producer of high-purity carbon dioxide has warned of an imminent shutdown that could cause severe disruption to industries reliant on commercial CO₂, after being blindsided by a recent UK-US trade deal that removes tariffs on American bioethanol imports.
Ensus, which operates a major bioethanol plant at Wilton on Teesside, said it may be forced to close its facility within weeks unless the government steps in with tens of millions of pounds in emergency subsidies. The plant, which uses British-grown wheat to produce bioethanol for E10 petrol, also generates a vital by-product: high-purity CO₂. This gas is critical for numerous sectors, including food and drink manufacturing, healthcare, and the nuclear industry.
Ensus says the government’s trade deal has jeopardised the entire domestic bioethanol industry. By agreeing to remove a 19 per cent import tariff on up to 1.4 billion litres of US bioethanol per year—roughly the UK’s total demand—the deal has made it almost impossible for British producers to compete. US manufacturers already benefit from lower crop and energy costs, and the sudden influx of cheap imports has put UK-based plants like Ensus and Vivergo Fuels on the brink of closure.
Grant Pearson, chairman of Ensus UK, said the situation had become critical: “We are at the 11th hour and the government urgently needs to find a solution to a crisis of its own making. We need a solution which will not only save these skilled jobs on Teesside, but also prevent a catastrophic knock-on effect in other vital sectors of the economy.”
Ensus is understood to be weeks away from deciding whether to commit funds for a scheduled maintenance period in September—without government backing, that investment may not happen, effectively sealing the plant’s fate.
The potential closure is not just a blow to the 100-plus staff at the Teesside site, but could also severely affect national CO₂ supply, which is already under strain. Following the shutdown of CF Fertilisers’ plant in Billingham in 2022, Ensus became the UK’s largest domestic CO₂ supplier, providing around 30 per cent of national demand. With imports already meeting the majority of the UK’s CO₂ needs, the loss of Ensus would leave the country dangerously exposed to global shortages.
While the government has highlighted that bioethanol supply itself is not under threat due to healthy global stocks, Ensus is pushing attention towards the wider consequences of domestic production loss. Its CO₂ is used not only to carbonate drinks and preserve packaged foods but also in NHS operating theatres and for cooling systems in nuclear facilities.
The situation is echoed at Vivergo Fuels, a bioethanol plant on Humberside owned by Associated British Foods. While Vivergo does not supply CO₂, it too has warned that without immediate support, it will begin winding down operations within a fortnight.
Industry sources say the sector is lobbying the government not only for short-term financial aid but also for longer-term policies to bolster demand for British bioethanol. Proposals include increasing the bioethanol proportion in petrol blends beyond E10 and encouraging the use of bioethanol in sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs). However, these initiatives would take years to implement—too late to save the plants at risk now.
The government has defended the trade agreement, arguing that it will save thousands of jobs across other sectors and is part of a broader strategy to deepen economic ties with the US. However, critics say the deal was rushed through without adequate consideration of its impact on domestic bioethanol producers and the CO₂ supply chain.
A government spokesperson said: “We are working closely with the ethanol industry to find a way forward — and the Business and Transport Secretaries met with representatives from the bioethanol industry last week to discuss their concerns.”
Despite those meetings, no concrete support has yet been announced, and time is running out. Ensus’s warning comes against the backdrop of several recent CO₂ supply scares, with UK food and drink firms frequently sounding the alarm over shortages that can disrupt production at short notice.
Without immediate government intervention, Ensus’s closure would not only mean the loss of skilled manufacturing jobs on Teesside, but would also leave critical UK industries scrambling for access to a gas that plays an invisible but indispensable role in daily life.
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Give us subsidies or lose CO2 production, warns UK’s biggest bioethanol firm

The future of British horse racing is under serious threat unless the government urgently reconsiders proposed tax changes and new gambling regulations, a cross-party group of MPs and peers has warned.
In a new report published Sunday night, the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Racing and Bloodstock said the combined impact of proposed tax reforms, stricter affordability checks, and an outdated funding model could deal lasting damage to one of the UK’s most prominent sporting industries.
The warning comes as the Treasury continues its consultation on replacing the UK’s complex three-tier betting tax system with a single Remote Betting and Gaming Duty. The consultation, launched in April, closes on 21 July.
At stake, the APPG argues, is the health of an industry that contributes over £4 billion annually to the UK economy, sustains more than 85,000 jobs, and is second only to football in terms of spectator popularity.
The report, produced with input from racing stakeholders and led by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) as secretariat, raises alarm over the potential consequences of consolidating the current betting tax system.
Under the proposed reform, these could be replaced by a single unified tax, raising concerns that racing-specific betting could become less commercially viable for bookmakers, leading them to promote more profitable—yet riskier—forms of gambling, such as online slots and casino games.
The APPG argues that such a shift would reduce investment in horse racing, as betting companies may be disincentivised from offering or advertising racing products.
The report also criticises the Horserace Betting Levy, a longstanding mechanism designed to ensure that a portion of betting profits is reinvested in the racing industry. The levy, last updated in 2017, is increasingly seen as inadequate compared to international standards, with countries like France and Ireland offering far greater support to their domestic racing sectors.
The APPG further cautioned that increased affordability checks—intended to protect consumers from problem gambling—may have unintended consequences for racing. The group contends that racing punters are largely low-risk, and could be discouraged by intrusive checks, with little impact on more harmful forms of gambling.
Dan Carden, Labour MP for Liverpool Walton and co-chair of the APPG, urged the government to take the sport’s concerns seriously.
“The message from this report is clear: British racing needs this Labour government to be on its side. Racing is part of our national story, and its enjoyment and support extends all the way from rural to urban working-class communities.”
Brant Dunshea, chief executive of the British Horseracing Authority, echoed the sentiment, warning of wider socio-economic consequences.
“The cultural, social and economic value of racing is huge for towns and rural areas across Britain. It is those communities that will suffer the job losses, the decline in community pride and the loss of identity that will come if racing is allowed to fail.”
The concern is particularly timely as the Royal Ascot festival—one of the sport’s flagship events—gets underway this week, drawing attention to the role horse racing continues to play in British cultural life.
In response, a government spokesperson acknowledged the importance of the industry but offered no assurances beyond its current engagement process.
“We recognise the huge importance of horse racing to the British sporting calendar and the significant contribution it makes to the economy every year. We have recently launched a consultation on the tax treatment of remote gambling and are actively engaging with the sector, so are grateful to the APPG for their contributions and will consider the report fully.”
While the government continues its consultation process, stakeholders in racing remain wary. With many small racecourses and training operations already struggling under rising costs and declining betting revenue, there are fears that without swift intervention, structural damage could become irreversible.
The APPG’s report stops short of prescribing precise legislative fixes, but calls for a pause and reassessment of current tax and regulatory proposals. It also urges ministers to commit to a reform of the betting levy to reflect modern betting behaviour and secure the long-term viability of Britain’s racing industry.
As gambling regulation and taxation evolve in a digital era, policymakers now face the challenge of balancing public protection with preserving the country’s sporting heritage. For the racing industry, the next few months could prove critical.
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Tax changes ‘threaten future of horse racing’, warns parliamentary group

Vodafone has terminated the contracts of 12 current franchisees who are among a group of 62 business owners pursuing a £120 million High Court claim against the telecoms giant, intensifying a bitter and long-running legal battle over alleged mistreatment within its UK retail network.
The decision comes more than two years after franchisees first accused the FTSE 100 company of “unjustly enriching” itself at their expense, claiming Vodafone slashed commissions and imposed punitive fines on store operators, many of whom say they were pushed into financial distress as a result.
The 12 franchisees had continued to operate high street Vodafone stores while also participating in the lawsuit, which alleges the company acted in bad faith, issued clawbacks and fines for minor administrative issues, and pressured partners into taking out loans and grants to stay afloat. Some claimants have reported experiencing severe mental health struggles, with several stating they feared losing their homes or life savings after racking up personal debts exceeding £100,000.
Vodafone, which disputes the scale of the claim—putting it at £85.5 million—has described the case as a “complex commercial dispute” and said it “strongly refutes” the allegations of unjust enrichment.
In a statement confirming the contract terminations, a Vodafone spokesperson said the company remained committed to building a “successful and thriving franchise programme” and could no longer work with partners actively engaged in what it described as a “negative campaign” against the brand.
“The dispute has been ongoing for over two years and a number of the claimants have remained within the franchise programme and had their contracts renewed during that time,” the company said. “However, we are increasingly concerned about the impact negative campaigning is having on our franchise programme. After careful consideration, and with disappointment, we therefore decided it was no longer viable for us to work with franchise partners who are supporting the negative campaign against the business.”
Franchisees operated stores under the Vodafone brand, earning commissions based on device and airtime sales. Court documents allege that in recent years, Vodafone unilaterally slashed those payments and levied steep fines for minor infractions, such as documentation errors, undermining the financial viability of many of the small businesses.
While Vodafone has denied wrongdoing, it acknowledged that internal investigations revealed instances where interactions with franchise partners fell short of expected standards. The company has since issued nearly £5 million in reimbursements, including for clawbacks and fines, and says it has made “a number of improvements” to its franchise partner programme.
Nevertheless, tensions have continued to escalate. It has emerged that whistleblowers raised concerns with Vodafone executives about franchisee hardship more than two years before the legal claim was filed in December 2023.
Attempts to resolve the dispute through mediation broke down last month, raising the prospect of the case heading for trial at the High Court.
The legal row also comes at a time of major structural change at Vodafone. Earlier this month, the company finalised a £16.5 billion merger with rival Three UK, forming the country’s largest mobile network with more than 27 million customers. The new VodafoneThree joint venture has said it will rationalise its store portfolio, with closures expected where existing Vodafone and Three outlets overlap.
Commenting on the broader dispute, Vodafone CEO Margherita Della Valle said: “The commercial dispute is specifically between Vodafone UK and some of our franchisees. Our first joint attempt at mediation has not resolved the dispute despite our best engagement. We remain open to further discussions as the process continues.”
With relationships between the company and a significant number of its former and current franchisees deteriorating, the fallout from the lawsuit could cast a long shadow over Vodafone’s efforts to reshape its UK retail operations and move towards a leaner, post-merger future.
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Vodafone terminates contracts of 12 franchisees who joined £120m lawsuit

The UK has long been a leader in artificial intelligence (AI) research, pioneering breakthroughs in areas like healthcare, financial modelling and cybersecurity. The Government’s AI Action Plan and recent investments highlight a clear ambition to establish the UK as a global AI superpower. However, ambition alone is not enough.
The UK is ranked among the top five nations in the world for AI readiness, yet businesses continue to struggle with implementation. A recent survey found that just a quarter of UK enterprises have adopted AI technology since the pandemic. Without effective adoption across multiple industries, the UK risks gaining a reputation synonymous with AI ambition rather than successful execution.
Michael Green, UK&I MD and Country leader, Databricks, explain at to convert theoretical innovation into tangible use cases, businesses must address three critical areas: workforce upskilling, data democratisation, and specialist AI talent acquisition.
Democratising data to drive AI success
Effective AI adoption is impossible without strong data foundations. Yet, many UK businesses still struggle with data quality issues. Research indicates that  9 in 10 (91%) of UK business leaders admit it negatively impacts their operations, limiting AI’s ability to drive meaningful insights.
Investing in platforms that centralise and democratise data access can help eliminate the blocker that poor-quality data can have on AI success. With intelligent data platforms built on a lakehouse architecture, which provides an open, unified foundation for all data and governance, employees have access to the ‘one true source’ of unique data in real-time. The result? They are able to easily and effectively access data from across the business and query it in natural language.
By making data more transparent and accessible, teams are empowered, AI-driven decision-making is enhanced and, importantly, valuable insights from across the business aren’t being overlooked or lost.
Workforce upskilling and AI literacy must be prioritised
AI tools are only as effective as the people trained to use them. A lack of AI literacy within organisations remains one of the biggest barriers to successful deployment. PwC found that the majority of UK CEOs (78%) reported some form of skills shortage within their organisation, and 68% specify a lack of tech capabilities is inhibiting their ability to progress with digital transformation.
To ensure a smooth transition, businesses should take a structured approach to AI training, aligning upskilling with business goals. This means taking ownership of internal AI education and integrating continuous learning programmes to ensure employees feel thoroughly equipped to engage with new processes.
Focus on building in-house AI expertise to bridge the talent gap
Recruiting specialist AI talent is another significant challenge. A recent study showed that two thirds of recruitment leaders found hiring for AI roles more challenging than for other tech positions. Due to this skills shortage, businesses are paying a premium for those with the relevant, specialist knowledge.
Without this internal expertise, businesses often rely on generic third-party solutions that may not align with their unique operational needs. To address this, businesses  must prioritise recruiting AI specialists with both technical and industry-specific knowledge, while also upskilling existing employees to create a workforce capable of working alongside AI systems – and to ensure there isn’t a major skills gap across the organisation.
Investing in home-grown AI applications can also provide long-term advantages. When developed in-house, preferably within a unified data platform, AI tools and agents can be customised to meet specific business challenges and build institutional AI knowledge. Businesses that develop in-house AI expertise will be better positioned to adapt the technology to their unique needs rather than relying on off-the-shelf solutions that may not fully align with their operational goals, and therefore not achieve the intended results.
Transparency and collaboration are key for involving employees in the AI journey
AI adoption is not just a technological shift – it’s a cultural one too. Despite AI’s potential, 85% of workers believe AI will impact their jobs in the next five years, leading to a sentiment of resistance and uncertainty.
Businesses must be transparent about how AI will be used and what its limitations are. The focus should be on AI as an enabler, not a replacement. By clearly communicating that AI’s role is to automate routine tasks while augmenting human expertise, organisations can alleviate some of these concerns and put in place a more collaborative AI adoption process.
A gradual implementation strategy is key. Businesses should pilot AI tools with employee involvement, allowing teams to provide feedback and refine the integration process. This helps create a sense of ownership and shared responsibility, so AI is viewed as a workforce asset rather than an imposed transformation.
For the UK to solidify its position as an AI superpower, businesses must move beyond idealist AI hype and focus on practical execution. Investing in workforce training, breaking down data silos, and embedding AI literacy into organisational culture will determine whether AI delivers meaningful business value, or remains an untapped opportunity.
UK businesses have a unique opportunity to collectively work towards leading a new era of AI development and data intelligence. But without addressing the fundamental challenges of implementation, we risk falling behind. The time to act is now.
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How UK businesses can effectively overcome the AI implementation gap

The chief executive of BT Group has warned that the rollout of artificial intelligence across the business could result in further job cuts beyond the 55,000 roles the company has already earmarked for redundancy.
In an interview with the Financial Times over the weekend, Allison Kirkby, who took over from former chief executive Philip Jansen last year, said that while BT’s current cost-cutting strategy includes slashing 40,000 to 55,000 jobs by 2030, it “did not reflect the full potential of AI”.
“Depending on what we learn from AI … there may be an opportunity for BT to be even smaller by the end of the decade,” Kirkby said, suggesting the technology could unlock new levels of automation and operational efficiency.
The comments raise fresh concerns for BT’s workforce, which has already been bracing for steep reductions as part of a wider £3 billion cost-cutting plan aimed at making the telecoms giant a leaner, more agile business.
BT, the UK’s largest broadband and telecoms provider, first unveiled its job reduction strategy in 2023 under Jansen’s leadership. That announcement included plans to streamline operations and reduce reliance on contractors as the company completed its full-fibre broadband rollout.
Since assuming the top job, Kirkby has accelerated efforts to simplify BT’s operations, including the sale of its Italian business and the divestment of its Irish wholesale and enterprise unit. Last month, BT spun off its global division into a standalone business — though the company is reportedly open to offers for that part of its operations.
In her interview, Kirkby also raised fresh questions about the future of Openreach, BT’s network infrastructure arm, which is responsible for rolling out fibre broadband across the UK. She said the market is undervaluing BT’s share price and failing to reflect the true worth of Openreach.
“If that continues,” she warned, “we would absolutely have to look at options” — suggesting that a spin-off could be back on the table once the full-fibre rollout is complete. However, Kirkby added that her preference is for the BT Group share price to reflect Openreach’s value without the need for separation.
Meanwhile, BT is also reportedly weighing a potential acquisition of TalkTalk, its smaller broadband rival, which has around 3.2 million customers. TalkTalk has struggled since it was taken private by Toscafund in a £1.1 billion deal in 2021, which left it with £527 million in debt. Any deal would mark a significant consolidation in the UK broadband market and potentially raise regulatory scrutiny.
BT’s renewed focus on streamlining and automation comes amid broader shifts across the telecoms sector, where operators are increasingly turning to AI and digital tools to cut costs and modernise legacy systems. But for BT’s workforce, it signals a period of prolonged uncertainty as the full implications of AI integration unfold.
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AI could lead to more job cuts at BT, says chief executive

Metro Bank has received a takeover approach from private equity firm Pollen Street Capital, in a move that may see the high street lender taken private and intensify concerns about the shrinking roster of companies listed on the London Stock Exchange.
The approach, made within the past fortnight, has not yet resulted in a formal bid and is understood to be in the early stages of discussion. Pollen Street, which owns a stake in Shawbrook Bank along with BC Partners, is known for its financial services investments and has long been cited as a potential acquirer of Metro Bank.
If successful, the deal would represent a dramatic turn for Metro, which launched in 2010 with ambitions to disrupt British banking and became the first new high street bank to open in over a century. It floated on the LSE in 2016, reaching a market value of £3.5 billion at its peak — but is today worth closer to £750 million following a series of setbacks, including a damaging accounting scandal in 2019.
The bank was rescued from near-collapse in 2023 through a complex refinancing deal that handed a 53 per cent controlling stake to Colombian billionaire Jaime Gilinski Bacal. Since then, its share price has trebled, but it remains a fraction of its former valuation.
Led by CEO Daniel Frumkin, Metro has been repositioning its business, shifting focus from retail to business banking and consolidating its physical footprint to 75 stores and around 3,455 employees.
A successful bid by Pollen Street would mark another chapter in the consolidation of UK challenger banks. Shawbrook itself is reportedly considering a stock market listing, though it may now explore expansion through acquisition.
The Metro Bank news comes amid mounting concern about the London Stock Exchange’s dwindling appeal. More than 30 companies have either delisted or are planning to leave the exchange this year, many as the result of private equity takeovers or moves to more favourable markets abroad.
The potential sale of Metro Bank to a private buyer would further underscore the pressures facing public UK companies, including low valuations, tighter regulatory scrutiny, and a shift in investor appetite away from public equities and toward private markets.
Neither Metro Bank nor Pollen Street Capital commented publicly on the reports. However, the situation is being closely watched by regulators and investors as a bellwether of continued private equity interest in underperforming or undervalued listed assets.
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Metro Bank takeover approach adds to fears of London Stock Market exodus

Multinational companies are pulling back from sponsoring Britain’s largest Pride festivals, with organisers reporting a significant decline in corporate funding amid growing global backlash against diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies — particularly in the United States under the Trump administration.
Brands such as Sony, Reckitt Benckiser, Costa Coffee, Deloitte, and Skyscanner are among those that have not renewed their support for major UK Pride events this year, despite high-profile involvement in recent years.
Pride in London, the UK’s flagship event, has seen sponsorship by Sony’s PlayStation brand and Reckitt’s Durex quietly dropped, while Costa, owned by Coca-Cola, has not returned as a sponsor of Brighton & Hove Pride, one of the UK’s most attended festivals.
BMW, a sponsor of both London and Brighton Prides in 2023, has shifted its support this year to Classical Pride, a smaller LGBTQ+ classical music celebration. Notably, the carmaker has also not updated its social media branding for Pride Month, as it did in previous years.
Similar trends have emerged in Scotland, where both Deloitte and Skyscanner — previous backers of Edinburgh Pride — are absent from this year’s list of sponsors.
According to figures from the UK Pride Organisers Network, three-quarters of Pride organisers across the country have reported a decline in corporate partnerships in 2024. One in four say that their sponsorship revenue has dropped by more than 50 per cent.
The pullback comes at a politically sensitive moment. President Donald Trump has launched a full-scale attack on DEI initiatives, signing an executive order earlier this year banning what he calls “Illegal DEI” policies in federal programmes. The move has emboldened conservative lawmakers across the US, with states such as Utah passing legislation banning LGBTQ+ flags from government buildings and schools.
While Trump has not yet issued a proclamation marking Pride Month — as President Joe Biden did throughout his presidency — there are reports his administration may go so far as to rename a naval vessel honouring Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man elected to office in California.
Though the political wave is most intense in the US, it appears to be influencing corporate decision-making globally. UK-based multinationals with significant American operations, including HSBC and advertising giant WPP, have also taken a more cautious approach to Pride visibility this year.
Analysts suggest that many brands are reassessing the reputational risk of engaging in overt LGBTQ+ advocacy amid polarised cultural debates and targeted backlash. Others argue that this withdrawal risks alienating younger and more progressive consumer bases.
The trend is even more pronounced in the US, where New York City Pride, the world’s largest Pride celebration, has seen a wave of corporate pull-outs. Mastercard, PepsiCo, Nissan, Citi, and PwC have all either scaled back or ended their sponsorships, contributing to a reported 25 per cent drop in overall corporate backing.
While organisers acknowledge that some brands remain committed to LGBTQ+ inclusion, they warn that without sustained support, Pride events may struggle to maintain their scale, reach, and community impact.
As Pride Month unfolds, the tension between corporate allyship and political risk is becoming increasingly clear — leaving many to question what true commitment to equality looks like in 2024.
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Corporate support for UK Pride festivals declines amid political backlash