FRUUGO is a company whose services make it easier to trade goods across borders, whether they are clothes, tools or other shopping items.

The company is based in Ulverston in Cumbria, England and is a rapidly expanding business which has even been featured on Deloitte’s Technology’s Fast 50.

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Finnish beginnings

Fruugo was formed in 2008 in Finland and received heavy investment to help the service grow.

However, the companies growth was turbo-charged by an acquisition by Dominic Allonby and Darren Naylor in 2012.

The company moved to Cumbria and was serving one million customers globally by 2019.

It doubled its customer base in 2020 and received the first ever King’s Award for Enterprise for National Trade in 2023.

Dominic Allbony, the company’s executive chairman, said the company was “extremely proud” to recieve the award.

He added: “Fruugo has gone from strength to strength over the last few years and to see our achievements recognised with such a prestigious award is a real honour.

“I would like to thank all of my colleagues for their commitment to the company and to our vision; this achievement is a credit to the team’s hard work and determination.”

International trading

Fruugo offers sellers, who partner with the platform, the opportunity to reach customers in over 40 countries and even translate their page for each one of those countries.

They convert currencies on the website, enabling international trade, and drive traffic to its retailers’ products.

It also calculates international sales TAX and VAT, while paying relevant government bodies on its retailers’ behalf.

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Safety concerns?

Fruugo is a legitimate website which has been operating in its current form for over a decade.

The slew of awards it has won gives it even more credibility and the brand has a Trustpilot score of 4.1 (as of October 2024).

The company’s app is also safe to use.

ALDI is selling cosy bedding that’ll keep you warm all night without having to turn the heating on.

Summer duvets are being swapped with thicker sets to snuggle under – and for cheap.

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To start off your new bedding collection, the Teddy Fitted Sheet Double is the perfect place to start.

The soft fleece is perfect just in time for the winter months.

And you can choose from beige, green or grey – depending on what matches you room.

You can grab the bottom sheet for only £7.99 or grab the king sized version for an extra £1.

To match, you’ll want to get your hands on the Kirkton House Teddy Pillowcases that are only a shocking £3.99 each.

These pillowcases are so soft you may struggle to get out of bed in the morning.

You can also get your hands on the Kirkton House Teddy King Duvet Set, which includes the duvet cover as well as two pillow cases.

And, like the other collection, you can choose between beige, green or grey.

For this set, it will only set you back £16.99.

The supermarket giant are also selling a £1.99 gadget that can help to keep homes warm without putting the heating on.

Aldi is to stock a winter essential that could keep you from huddling by the radiator this season.

It’s safe to say summer has come to an end, with temperatures dropping down to single digits and Christmas food popping up in supermarket.

This year, millions of Brits may feel hesitant about turning on their heating due to high energy bills.

But with temperatures set to fall the closer we get to Christmas, now is the best time to prepare for those long winter nights.

Fortunately, there are is an Aldi product dropping soon that might help you steer away from a hefty heating bill.

The Workzone Adhesive Draught Excluder lines the gaps between your windows to prevent drauphts.

Heat often escapes through breaks in the window and can drastically change the temperature of a room.

The product description reads: “This accessory is great for keeping a room warm and keeping any chilling winds outside rather than in.”

By lining the window edges and blocking any temperature transfer, you’ll be less likely to whack those radiators on.

The soft-adhesive sticks to glass and window frames, fitting gaps from 2-5mm.

If you’re conscious of keeping your rooms stylish, as well as cosy, the draupht excluders come in three sets of colours to match your interior – white, brown and black.

For £1.99 you get two 5m lengths of adhesive which is long enough to cover most windows.

The draught excluder is available in stores from October 20.

How to save money when shopping

Sign up to the loyalty schemes of the brands that you regularly shop with.

Big names regularly offer discounts or special lower prices for members, as well as other perks.

Sales are when you can really bag a bargain.

Retailers often have promotions that tie into payday at the end of the month or Bank Holiday weekends, so keep a lookout and shop when these deals are on.

Sign up to mailing lists and you’ll also be first to know about special offers. It can be worth following retailers on social media too.

When buying online, always search for money off codes or vouchers that you can use.

Vouchercodes.co.uk and myvouchercodes.co.uk are just two sites that round up promotions by retailer.

Scanner apps are useful to have on your phone. 

Trolley.co.uk app has a scanner that you can use to compare the price of branded items when out shopping.

Bargain hunters can also use B&M’s scanner in the app to find discounts in-store before staff have marked them out.

And always check if you can get cashback before paying.

This in effect means you’ll get some of your money back or a discount on the item.

A MICHELIN-starred chef who previously appeared on MasterChef has suddenly closed his restaurant.

Peter Sanchez-Iglesias said the Bristol-based Italian restaurant, Casa Bristol, was closing until further notice.

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The West Country restaurateur, who also owns the Spanish-Mexican restaurant Decimo in London, guided contestants through a cooking challenge there in last year’s series of amateur MasterChef.

His third restaurant, Paco Tapas in Bristol, which lost its Michelin star this year.

A statement on the restaurant’s website said: “At this moment, we are closed for future bookings. If you’re looking to book a restaurant, please check out our sister restaurant, Paco Tapas.

“All vouchers for Casa will be honoured at Paco Tapas.

“If you have any concerns or queries, please contact us at info@casamiarestaurant.co.uk.”

Customers rushed to Reddit to discuss why the mysterious closure had occurred.

One was keen to praise the restaurant’s legacy in the area.

They wrote: “What you do have to say is that this restaurant has improved the quality of food served in restaurants across the city and many chefs have gone through this restaurant become top-tier chefs and gone on to open their own restaurants or projects in the city.

“If it is closed for good this restaurant has an excellent legacy.

“Only eaten here once, but one of the dishes was the best tortellini I have ever eaten.”

Another speculated that Peter was “bored on Bristol”, with a third echoing that he had perhaps “been more focused on London at Decimo”.

Peter’s parents were also in the business – opening their restaurant Casamia in 1999.

Peter worked there from the age of 16 along with his brother Jonray, eventually leading it to its first Michelin star in 2009.

After Casamia’s closure in 2022, Peter decided to relaunch and rebrand the restaurant as Casa.

It was designed to have a more casual vibe, with authentic Italian comfort dishes like potato ravioli and mushroom ragu.

But the joint never achieved the Michelin-star status of its predecessor.

Casa Bristol has been contacted by the Sun for comment.

LACED is a footwear website which functions as an online marketplace for shoe sellers.

The website functions in a similar way to Depop but has a particular focus on footwear.

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Born in London

Laced was founded in London in 2018 by its CEO Chris Gibbons.

The brand aimed to make accessing the latest sneakers as “easy as possible”.

Chris explained: ”At the heart of the Laced platform and mission lies our belief that everyone, wherever they are, should be able to go online, purchase luxury goods and have them delivered to their door in the easiest way possible.”

Laced stocks some of the biggest brands in footwear, including Nike, New Balance and UGG.

Is the brand legitimate?

The brand describes itself as the “middleman between buyer and seller”.

It has a Trustpilot score of 4.3, which suggests most users agree that it is a reliable website.

Trustpilot is an open, online review platform where any consumer can freely post their true thoughts and feelings about a product.

Laced maintain this high level of trust, through its team of in-house authenticators who ensure that the footwear sold on the website is legitimate.

The authentication process is very rigorous and involves inspections to ensure the products are good quality and in their original packaging.

Items that fail these tests are rejected and a refund will be sent to the buyer.

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The brand’s ethos

The brand’s CEO shared that Laced is driven by a belief that “everyone deserves access to luxury goods”.

To reach a wider range of customers, the brand is very active on social media and has over 115,000 followers on Instagram.

Laced also sells shoes in Europe, so even more people can buy luxury footwear.

THE best supermarket to buy your Christmas dinner essentials has been revealed in a blind taste test.

BBC Good Food has announced the results of its yearly Christmas Supermarket Taste Awards, with winners across 21 categories.

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Over 185 products from 13 supermarkets were taste tested, with judges submitting a score out of 10 for each product.

Starters, mains, alternative main, best gammon, pigs in blankets and cranberry sauce were all snaffled up by the expert panel.

Vegetarian main, vegan main, desserts, mince pies and mulled wine also featured in the final list.

Lily Barclay, content director at Good Food, said: “The Good Food team of experts started testing in August for the mammoth Good Food Christmas Supermarket Taste Awards, creating the ultimate guide to festive food buys.

“This Christmas the supermarkets have outdone themselves with the range and quality on offer, and our selection of winners will help save time in the kitchen, so you can focus on celebrating the festive season with family and friends.”

M&S took the crown for the most winners in this year’s blind taste test, scooping seven wins out of the 21 categories.

Waitrose was awarded five wins while Asda and Aldi tied for third place with three wins each.

Upmarket retailer Booths scooped the gong for best smoked salmon, with its strong oak smoked Scottish pack, worth £8, scoring well.

Judges said the thick slices and “crowd-pleasing” flavour were ideal for Christmas sandwiches.

Waitrose won the the award for best turkey crown, with its Glorious Treacle Glazed Turkey Crown, weighing in at 2.5kg and costing £60, commended for its herby chestnut stuffing and salty bacon.

Morrison’s “The Best” pigs in blankets, which cost £3.25 for a 210g pack, had a “touch of sweetness, with pleasing crispy bacon and good texture”, judges said, as they gave it top spot in the pigs in blankets category.

The best cranberry sauce went to M&S, whose fresh 400g pack on sale for £3.25 was highlighted for its “pleasing tartness”.

Winner of the Christmas cake category went to Waitrose’s No.1 Hand-Decorated Matured Rich Fruit Cake weighing in at 1.5kg.

BBC Good Food Judges said the £18.50 cake had a generous amount of marzipan and “pretty, impressive appearance”.

Shoppers after something a bit different this Christmas will want to divert their attentions to the winner of the best alternative Christmas cake 2024.

Asda’s Ginger and Caramel Snow Cake took the top podium, with judges noting its “charming” appearance.

Shoppers can pick up the cake, which serves 16 people, for just £12.

Judges voted M&S’ classic mince pie, which is £4 for a pack of six, the winner of the “classic” mince pie award.

They said each one had a “beautiful, unique design with a well-patterned top, buttery pastry with a good mouthfeel”.

Boozy shoppers will want to go for Asda’s Extra Special Mulled Wine, which emerged as the judges favourite in that category.

You can snap a 75cl bottle up for a fiver.

This is the full list of 21 winners in this year’s BBC Good Food Christmas Supermarket Taste Awards:

1. Best smoked salmon: Booths Strong Oak Smoked Scottish Salmon, 200g (£8.00)
2. Best hot canapé: M&S Collection Barber’s Extra Mature Cheddar & Ham Hock Scone, 290g (£7.50)
3. Best turkey crown: Waitrose Glorious Treacle Glazed Turkey Crown, 2.5kg (£60)
4. Best alternative Christmas main: Aldi Specially Selected Wagyu Wing Rib, 1.8-2.8kg (£24.99 per kg)
5. Best gammon: Aldi Specially Selected Sugar Baked Crackling Gammon Joint, £18.99
6. Best pigs in blankets: Morrisons The Best pigs in blankets, 210g (£3.25)
7. Best cranberry sauce: M&S Cranberry Sauce (fresh), 400g (£3.25)
8. Best vegetarian main: Joint winner – Waitrose Ultimate Plant-based Festive Wellingtons, pack of two (£7.50), Joint winner – M&S Collection Handcrafted Honey Glazed Vegetable & Barber’s Cheddar Galette, 400g (£12.50)
9. Best vegan main: Joint winner – Tesco Finest Roasted Vegetable & Cranberry Star, 340g (£6)
Joint winner: Aldi Plant Menu Vegan No Turkey Crown, 490g (£4.99)
10. Best Christmas cake: Waitrose No.1 Hand-Decorated Matured Rich Fruit Cake, 1.5kg (£18.50)
11. Best alternative Christmas cake: Asda Ginger and Caramel Snow Cake, serves 16 (£12)
12. Best Christmas pudding: Waitrose No.1 Jewelled Cointreau & Cranberry Christmas Pudding, 800g (£15)
13. Best showstopper dessert: Co-op Irresistible Spiced Gingerbread Crown, 600g (£8)
14. Best trifle: M&S Sticky Toffee Trifle, 1kg (£15)
15. Best free-from dessert: M&S Chocolate & Orange, Fruit & Nut Brownie, 630g (£12.50)
16. Best classic mince pies: M&S Collection Mince Pies, pack of six (£4)
17. Best flavoured mince pies: Morrisons The Best Cherry Bakewell Mince Pies, pack of four (£2.75)
18. Best gluten-free mince pies: Waitrose Mince Pies, pack of four (£2.90)
19. Best vegan mince pie: Asda Free From 4 Mince Pies 220g (£2)
20. Best biscuit tin: M&S Collection Shortbread Tin, 400g (£10)
21. Best mulled wine: Asda Extra Special Mulled Wine, 75cl (£5)

In other news, Which? tasters crowned a supermarket’s own-brand cheddar winner in a blind taste test.

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Protection Guru has announced it will hold bi-monthly virtual forums for Consumer Duty Alliance (CDA) members.

The forums are to help demystify protection advice for wealth firms and identify how they can define the best strategy for clients’ needs in these areas

These events will complement Protection Guru’s existing monthly Protection Forums and the AdviceTech Forums already chaired for the CDA by Protection Guru founder Ian McKenna.

The initial CDA Protection Forum will take place from midday until 1pm on Tuesday, 29 October.

Speakers will include CDA chief executive Keith Richards, who will address why it is essential for advisers to decide how they wish to address protection needs; Emma Thomson, last week’s recipient of the “Dedication to Protection” award, and newly promoted LifeSearch head of product Alan Richardson.

Each speaker will share their extensive experience of the subject and the session will be chaired by McKenna.

Advisers can register to participate from this link.

The second CDA Protection Forum will take place on Monday, 16 December and will focus on why it is essential business protection is both a crucial advice area and a huge opportunity for wealth advisers.

Richards said: “The recent announcement of the pure protection review has made it clear that the FCA sees protection as a key part of the advice landscape and core to Consumer Duty obligations.

“In recent years, however, many wealth firms have understandably focused on clients’ retirement planning needs, resulting in a general reduction in the level of Protection business written across the sector.”

McKenna added: “While our own forums have focused on firms at the leading edge of technology deployment, the CDA AdviceTech sessions aim to help firms wanting to embrace technology but needing more support and guidance earlier in their journey.

“This has worked well, and we have seen several firms accelerate their plans via this structure.

“Providing the same support for wealth advisers in protection is a natural next step.”