From wistful penguins, to overworked mums and even trench warfare, this year Christmas adverts tug at our heartstrings harder than ever. We sat down with Dr. Alex Gordon, semiotician and founder of Sign Salad to discuss the meaning behind the media magic.

Combatting the rise of discount supermarkets like Aldi and Lidl, Tesco has introduced 300 ‘pound zones’ to compete with its cheaper competitors. The UK has been a cash-strapped society in the last few years, and retailers are taking note of Britain's changing shopping habits.

From toothbrushes to paper clips, Harvey Nichols’ special Christmas collection encourages people to buy “a little something” for their loved ones – so they can buy “a bigger something” for themselves. It taps into a growing trend: self-gifting.

Having reshaped the British grocery landscape, discount supermarket Lidl has announced its first fashion line. As competition for ‘top UK supermarket’ steps up, is selling jeans next to the milk aisle now non-negotiable? And what does it say about our changing shopping habits?