tour of amazon warehouse uk

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Come meet Amazon in person - book your free fulfilment centre tour now!

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Have you ever wondered how your packages get to you so quickly? With Amazon Tours, you can go behind the scenes to meet the people and see the innovation behind Amazon’s speedy delivery.

There is a lot to explore, so wear your walking shoes. Amazon’s buildings can stretch almost 1 million square metres in size, and they hold an average of 4 million products for sale. On the tour, you’ll learn how we use cutting-edge robotics technology to move millions of items every day.

“Being a tour guide makes me feel proud and gives me a sense of accomplishment!” said Pau Porta Poveda, an Amazon tour guide based in Dartford, England. “I love being able to welcome our visitors and family members to our ‘home’.”

Every tour lasts approximately one hour and features overviews of key processes and technology, safety and wellness innovations, Amazon’s peculiar culture, and a Q&A session. The tours are also supported by Amazon leadership.

Robert Kowalik, Amazon’s Vice President of Operations for North America, said, “I’m extremely excited for more communities to see how we make the Amazon magic happen. Amazon is an exciting place to have a career. Tours allow us to share some of that excitement with our customers.”

Tours are opening in new buildings all the time, so check amazontours.com to see if one is available in your area. In-person tours are now available in over 30 new locations across the U.S., Canada, the UK, Italy, and Germany.

Sign up today for a free fulfilment centre tour . Registration is limited and on a first-come, first-served basis.

And if you can’t join us for an in-person tour, we welcome you to join a livestreaming virtual tour. Sign up today .

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February 11, 2019

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Ever wonder how Amazon gets your packages to you so quickly?

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Why Amazon warehouses are called fulfilment centres

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In the mid-1990s, the Amazon warehouse and its office were one and the same. A handful of employees and one lovable dog shared the Seattle space, along with shelves and shelves of books.

Over time, one warehouse became hundreds, and they are now called Amazon fulfilment centres. While they store millions of items and employ hundreds of thousands of people who seek warehouse jobs , Amazon fulfilment centres are a far cry from your typical warehouse. Read on to learn more about these facilities, Amazon warehouse jobs, and where to find Amazon fulfilment centre tours .

What is an Amazon fulfilment centre?

The name reflects the function: Amazon fulfilment centres are charged with fulfiling customer orders. In other words, Amazon warehouses not only store products but also serve as distribution centres where associates pick, pack, and ship orders quickly and efficiently. Amazon robotics, scanning machines, and computer systems in fulfilment centres can track millions of items in a day. While the word "fulfilment" refers to orders, these centres also fulfil career paths for many associates who participate in the Career Choice program . They also fulfil the vision of engineers and developers who innovate every day to make the work in fulfilment centres more efficient and constantly improve the way Amazon gets products to customers.

How many Amazon fulfilment centres are there, and where are they located?

Amazon operates more than 175 fulfilment centres around the world in more than 150 million square feet of space, the majority located across North America and Europe.

How many Amazon warehouse jobs are there?

It’s easy to find roles at Amazon at just about any time of year, but the holidays are where all the investment, training and recruitment really come together to deliver smiles for customers. To learn more about available positions, visit www.amazon.jobs to see what it’s like working inside fulfilment centres and which career opportunities best fit certain skill sets. There are many different types of jobs available, and Amazon has a £9.50 minimum wage (£10.50 in the London area). Choose from roles leading teams, IT and human resources support to picking, packing, and shipping customer orders, organising shipments and loading lorries.

What is it like inside an Amazon warehouse?

No matter the season, Amazon fulfilment centres are well ventilated and kept at the same comfortable temperature you'd find at home. Skylights combine with artificial lighting to keep the environment bright, while conveyance systems shuttle items across the building and boxes from packing stations to awaiting lorries.

Are fulfilment centres the only type of Amazon warehouse?

No, Amazon also operates sortation centres, where packages are distributed based on location and delivery speed, specialty centres designed for specific item categories or for seasonal use, and receive centres for popular items distributed throughout the network. Dividing facilities by function allows Amazon to fulfil orders for products as big as a canoe or hot tub, or as quirky as a five-pound gummy bear or Halloween costume for your pet. Learn more about the types of Amazon buildings here.

How can I tour an Amazon fulfilment centre?

Public tours are available at eight locations in England and Scotland. Find out more and book your tour at amazon.co.uk/fctours

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Inside new Swindon Amazon warehouse which probably handled all your Christmas presents

There are thousands of robots and tens of thousands of pods across three robotic floors, as well as millions of products

• 05:02, 25 DEC 2021

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Take a tour Swindon's new Amazon fulfilment centre, the size of size of six and half football pitches and meet some of the staff.

The enormous warehouse, with a footprint of approximately 547,000 sq. ft has created 2,000 jobs in the town.

However, beyond the large team that work here, the building is fitted out with advanced Amazon Robotics technology.

READ MORE: Two Wiltshire companies 'named and shamed' for failing to pay employees minimum wage

The robots slide under a tower of shelves called ‘pods’ where products are stowed, lift it and move it through the fulfilment centre.

There are thousands of robots and tens of thousands of pods across three robotic floors, as well as millions of products.

With Christmas wish lists being ticked off by the second, December is Amazon's busiest time, as the deals begin to travel along the conveyor belts to the pack lines.

General manager at Amazon’s fulfilment centre in Swindon, David Tindal said: “We’re a global business with local roots set firmly in the South West of England.

"We are excited to invest in the Swindon area with a new fulfilment centre which is already providing efficient delivery for customers, and creating new jobs for the local community.

"I have been impressed with the talent and commitment of the workforce that we have hired so far. We like to be part of the local community, and to invest in its success, including supporting local organisations.

"It is important to us that the local organisations that we support are the ones that matter the most to the people from the communities where we live and work.”

Meet some of the staff

Desislava Angelova said: “I’m a step-up lead hoping to get a promotion in the future and take advantage of Career Choice to progress my career. I don’t know what to expect for the busy Christmas period but my colleagues are lovely and I’m sure it’ll be a lot of fun with lots of great events and activities.”

Catalina Jeczalik said: “I was at Amazon for four years and met my husband here. I then decided to take a job in the recruitment industry but to be honest this wasn’t the right move for me and after two years I decided to come back to Amazon in the new Swindon fulfilment centre where my husband has also relocated to.

"I came back to Amazon because it’s a great place to learn and progress. I hope to get a step-up role and eventually be promoted.

"If you want to be successful Amazon is the right place. I also love the schedule because I get three days off and if I want overtime I can have it.

"It’s a very diverse place, with lots of different opinions and cultures. This is going to be my sixth Christmas period at Amazon. I like the challenge it brings and I love that we’re making customers happy when they need us the most. It’s really rewarding.”

Jay Colsell, 26 said: “My first real job was at the Honda plant in Swindon doing repairs and quality checks. I was there for five years and wanted to go for a team leader role before the closure was announced.

"Luckily, Amazon in Swindon opened, it’s a very similar atmosphere here with lots of progression opportunities. I have only been here two weeks and I’ve already been made a Process Guide supporting employees on the line and I am also a proxy team lead. On a personal note, I have a baby on the way and I enjoy fitness and boxing.”

Daniel Baluta said: “This is the third Amazon building I have worked in during my three years at the company and I’m looking forward to my third Christmas at Amazon - it’s a great atmosphere with lots of fun activities going on.

"I’ve made lots of new friends here from different backgrounds. The technology at this site is really exciting - I love working with the robotics. I am hoping to do a course via Career Choice in the future to expand my knowledge.”

Dawn Eden said: “I was head of parking at Swindon council for 20 years before being made redundant so this is quite a big change for me.

"Amazon is more manual but I like that I am on my feet keeping fit, my previous job was more stressful mentally. I like to take part in an internal process where I share any problems or barriers that my colleagues might be facing and work with leadership to come up with resolutions.

"For instance if there is a recurring problem with the scanners I would work with the IT team to explain what we are seeing. I see Amazon as a full-time career.

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"I have lots of friends and family in California so I’d love to move there with Amazon in the future. On a personal note, I have a French bulldog crossed with a pug named Taullah and a cat called Wilson (after the Castaway film).”

Florentino Nhanca said: “I have been at Amazon for three years and was at the Coventry site before moving to the Swindon fulfilment centre. I love the opportunities the company provides, I have a Master’s Degree in global logistics and supply chain so I hope to grow here.

"I also really like the flat structure of the company. If you have an issue you can just walk up to the site manager and speak to him directly without any red tape - what other company does that?”

Anthony Merrifield siad: “I’ve been with Amazon for ten weeks. I was born in Zimbabwe and lived in South Africa, where I was a business entrepreneur.

"I owned various businesses and set up international ventures. I was also a director at other companies over the years. I moved to the UK seven months ago and Amazon is my first job here.

"I can see that there are advancement opportunities within Amazon and I hope to grow to leadership within the company.

"Working here feels like being part of a great big family but at the same time I’m recognised as an individual. I really enjoy being part of the Amazon team.

"Shifts are quite long at ten hours a day but they fly by and then you get three days off. It’s a very enjoyable place to work, I like being part of a team.

"I think leaders hear are great, there is no silly question. They are amazing at helping me and the others find a solution to any problem. On a personal note, I’m a keen tennis player, and was captain of tennis, hockey and cricket team at school.”

Take a tour of Swindon's new Amazon fulfilment centre

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The next time you're stopping by your local convenience store, supermarket, gas station, or even AAA location, keep an eye out for their gift card kiosk. You'll likely see Amazon gift cards there (along with Visa gift cards and others) in a range of dollar denominations.

Where won't you find Amazon gift cards, though? Target and Walmart do not carry Amazon gift cards. This makes sense since these are the online superstore's major competitors. Just thought we'd save you the trouble of looking!

So, if you're still wondering, "Where can I buy Amazon gift cards?" keep reading! Whether your preference is to shop in stores or online, these are the places that carry them, so you'll always have a great gift at the ready.

Where can you buy Amazon gift cards in store?

Amazon sells gift cards in stores at many national and regional retailers. They may be available in fixed or custom price denominations, depending on the selection at that particular store.

Check out the list below for an overview or see the complete list of Amazon gift card retailers on Amazon's site.

• AAA Club Alliance
• Apple Campus Stores
• Cumberland Farms
• CVS Pharmacy
• Fairway Market
• Family Dollar
• Harris Teeter
• Office Depot
• P.C. Richard & Son
• Piggly Wiggly
• Price Chopper
• Stew Leonard's
• Whole Foods Market

Where can you buy Amazon gift cards online?

If you prefer going the digital gift route, buying Amazon gift cards online is simple. Head right to Amazon's gift card page and select the type you want: a physical gift card , e-gift card , or print-at-home gift card .

If you'd prefer to pick up a variety of gift cards, Amazon also sells gift cards to other brands in both physical and digital formats, including Apple, Best Buy, Doordash, GAP, Sephora, and Starbucks.

Amazon E-Gift Card

Melanie Yates is the senior service editor of Best Products, where she writes and reports pieces pertaining to the etiquette, dilemmas, and how-tos of gift-giving for different occasions. Previously, she was the site's senior home editor, covering all things decor- and bedding-related since 2015. Her digital byline can also be found on Bustle, House Beautiful , and Elle Decor . A longtime classical-music enthusiast, Melanie spends her off-hours enjoying performances big and small across New York City.

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A remote tribe was given the internet for the first time – here’s how it’s gone

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For the last eight months, a remote Brazilian tribe has been getting high-speed internet for the first time.

The Marubo people live in one of the most isolated spots on the planet and although they have contact with the outside world, the tribe has preserved a traditional way of life for centuries.

They sleep in communal huts along the Ituí River, hunt and grow their own food, talk their own language and until recently have not had access to the internet.

But Elon Musk ’s satellite-internet service, Starlink, which he launched in Brazil in 2022, has changed this.

It reached the 2,000-strong Marubo community nine months ago, after several tribesmen walked for days through the thick rainforest, each with two antennas on their backs.

Recently, The New York Times paid a visit to find out what kind of impact the internet has had on the tribe.

When they arrived the team spotted teenagers scrolling Instagram, a man texting his girlfriend and a group of men crowded around a phone streaming a football match.

It’s a familiar scene around the world – but not deep in the Amazon rainforest.

Asked if the change has been a positive one, villager Tsainama Marubo, 73, said: ‘When it arrived, everyone was happy. But now, things have gotten worse.

‘Young people have gotten lazy because of the internet,’ she explained. ‘They’re learning the ways of the white people.’

Many of the tribespeople did speak of the benefits the internet has brought, including the ability to chat with loved ones living far away, educational opportunities and the possibility of sharing their way of life with others.

It’s also saved lives. Before Starlink, when there was an emergency the Marubo used amateur radio to send a message via several villages, which would eventually reach authorities.

Now if someone has been bitten by a snake, for example, a quick call on a mobile can mean a speedy helicopter rescue.

But many Marubo people acknowledge the internet has brought with it a fair share of problems.

Marubo leader, Enoque Marubo (all Marubo use the same surname), 40, who was instrumental in bringing Starlink to his people, said a big issue in the early days was people not hunting and growing food because they were stuck on their phone.

He said: ‘In the village, if you don’t hunt, fish and plant, you don’t eat.’

This was to some extent solved by ensuring the internet is now only switched on for two hours in the morning, five hours in the evening and all day Sunday.

But other issues have been more difficult to tackle, such as scams, violent video games, graphic pornography, addictive social media scrolling, abusive online strangers and gossiping group chats.

It’s stuff many of us have been dealing with for years, but for most of the world it’s been a relatively gradual change, whereas for the Marubo people and other Amazon tribes who have recently received high-speed internet it’s all come at once.

Alfredo Marubo, leader of a Marubo association of villages, said pornography – especially videos of graphic sex – was a particular worry.

Some leaders had told him they’d already observed more aggressive sexual behaviour from young men.

Despite the problems, however, most tribespeople who spoke to The New York Times had no wish for the internet to be taken away from them.

‘I think the internet will bring us much more benefit than harm,’ Enoque said, ‘at least for now.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected] .

For more stories like this, check our news page .

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Money blog: Cadbury's relaunches popular chocolate bar - 20 years after it vanished from shelves | Money

Cadbury's is relaunching a popular chocolate bar, two decades since it was discontinued. Read this and the rest of today's consumer and personal finance news in the Money blog - and leave your thoughts on anything we cover below.

Friday 14 June 2024 12:30, UK

• Cadbury's relaunches popular chocolate bar - 20 years after it vanished from shelves 
• How five million people are at risk of TV lag spoiling big Euro 2024 moments - and how to avoid it
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• The recent changes to the buy-to-let market - and the best mortgage deals available

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Ask a question or make a comment

House prices are expected to stagnate this year, a well-respected forecaster has said. 

Capital Economics initially predicted property prices to rise by 2%, but believes 0.5% growth is now more likely, according to The Times. 

Its prediction comes amid softer buyer demand due to the rising cost of living and a volatile mortgage market. 

"This softening in demand has come at the same time as the most significant sustained increase in supply since 2013, aside from when the housing market reopened after lockdown," Andrew Wishart, senior UK economist at Capital Economics tells the news outlet.

However, he adds that the market could move to "a state of excess supply" in the coming weeks, which could cause prices to dip.

Last week, Halifax released data that showed house prices in the UK dropped by 0.1% between April and May. 

Analysts had expected a drop of around 0.2%, while last week, rival lender Nationwide said its measure of house prices rose in May after falling in the previous two months.

In the 12 months to May, prices rose by 1.5%, Halifax said - faster than the median forecast in a Reuters news agency poll for an annual increase of 1.2%.

"Market activity remained resilient throughout the spring months, supported by strong nominal wage growth and some evidence of an improvement in confidence about the economic outlook," Halifax's head of mortgages, Amanda Bryden, said.

The stable picture for property prices over the last three months was likely to give more confidence to buyers and sellers, she added. 

Cadbury's is bringing back its Top Deck chocolate bar after it disappeared from supermarket shelves 20 years ago. 

If you don't remember the retro treat, it's a bar that is made up of a layer of white chocolate on top of a milk chocolate base. 

It first launched in 1993, but was removed from the UK market in the early 2000s. 

It had a small resurgence in 2020, when B&M was allowed to sell it exclusively.

Despite chocolate lovers across the country unable to get their hands on it since then, it's remained a permanent fixture in Australia and South Africa. 

Cadbury's teased the relaunch on Facebook, and many fans were excited. 

"Top Deck, how I've missed you," one person commented. 

Another said: "I have waited years to get my hands on Top Deck again, it was my favourite as a kid.

It's set to return this month and will retail for £1.85. 

• Which currently discontinued chocolate bar, crisps, sweets - or any other food product - would you like to see brought back, and why? Let us know in the comment box at the top!

By  Nick Lester , business news reporter 

Shares in Tesco edged up in early trading after the UK's largest supermarket reported a rise in quarterly retail sales, buoyed by easing inflation.

The grocery giant also said its market share was growing at its fastest rate than at any time in the last two years.

With sales trends in line with expectations, Tesco said it expects to deliver an operating profit of at least £2.8bn for the current financial year, holding its targets set in April.

Elsewhere, housebuilder Crest Nicholson has confirmed that it rejected two takeover offers by rival Bellway last month, including one worth £650m.

It said the latest revised unsolicited proposal "significantly undervalued" the group.

Shares in the company jumped 9.3% on the news, while Bellway stocks slid 2.2%.

The bids highlight consolidation attempts among construction firms, as the sector struggles through a period of weak demand due to high mortgage rates.

Earlier this year, Barratt agreed to buy Redrow, while Vistry bought Countryside in 2022.

Meanwhile, the top-flight FTSE 100 was on course for its fifth consecutive week of declines on Friday as investors wrestled with uncertainty around the outlook for interest rates and political turmoil in Europe.

With Euro 2024 due to get underway tonight, it is an all-too familar problem for many.

The football's on, you've got a drink in hand and your team is just about to score. Just before you get to revel in that spontaneous moment of euphoria, a notification pings on your phone telling you what's happened. Sound familiar? 

Well, that's been the situation for almost half of people in the UK due to delays on the stream they are viewing on. 

Comparison and switching service Uswitch has found around five million people are at risk of a TV live-lag spoiling a sporting moment because of delay-prone smart TVs. 

When watching a live broadcast via a smart TV or digital services such as Sky Go, ITVX or All4, programmes are shown as much as 45 seconds later compared with satellite or terrestrial TV. 

If you want to avoid this delay, Uswitch said a simple fix was to watch the games on BBC or ITV via an aerial cable, connected to the wall. 

If you are going to stream, the site suggested disconnecting any unnecessary electronics from the internet, checking your router is working properly and minimising casting to other devices.  

To stream in HD or above, you will generally need a broadband connection offering at least 25mbps download speeds to avoid buffering. 

While no broadcast can ever be truly instant, each option to view has its own slight delay compared with the live event.

You can see how many seconds the lag lasts for each option below... 

To avoid having the game spoiled, it also suggests muting app and chat notifications, not looking on social media and shutting the windows so you can't hear your neighbours' reaction. 

"While there are a number of excellent digital streaming services, even with the fastest broadband connection and a great streaming provider you're still going to be a little bit behind the live action, and susceptible to dreaded live-lag," said Sabrina Hoque, broadband expert at Uswitch. 

"If you're somebody who wants to avoid spoilers at all costs, then using a cable TV connection may be the best option for you, as it will come with the minimum live-lag time. Though at present Virgin Media is the only provider offering this in the UK. "

Every Friday we get an overview of the mortgage market with the help of industry experts. This week finance expert Rachel Springall from  Moneyfactscompare.co.uk  outlines what's been happening in the buy-to-let market...

This week, Santander reduced one of its two-year fixed buy-to-let mortgages by 0.14% and NatWest Intermediary Solutions made selected reductions on fixed and "green" fixed mortgages by up to 0.20%. 

Week on week, there have been minor moves to the overall average fixed buy-to-let rates, with the two and five-year rates rising by 0.01% to 5.55% and 5.57% respectively. 

Overall, it has been a relatively quiet week for rate tweaks in the buy-to-let sector, but landlords have come up in the news. 

The Conservatives launched their manifesto this week ahead of the general election vote, and pledged to eliminate capital gains tax for landlords selling their homes to tenants. 

This week, the lowest two-year fix for buy-to-let customers at 75% loan-to-value comes from Metro Bank, priced at 4.19%.

If you are looking to borrow more, then Suffolk Building Society has the lowest two-year fix for buy-to-let customers at 80% loan-to-value priced at 4.79% for second-time buyers and remortgage customers. 

A five-year fixed buy-to-let mortgage may be more appealing for you to guarantee your monthly repayments for longer. If you are looking to borrow at 75% loan-to-value, HSBC has a deal for remortgage customers priced at 4.33%.

If you are looking to borrow more, then Virgin Money has the lowest five-year fixed buy-to-let deal at 80% loan-to-value priced at 5.29% for second-time buyers and remortgage customers. 

Best Buy alternatives

The lowest buy-to-let rates may carry both a flat product fee and an arrangement fee which is based on a percentage of the mortgage advance, so a Best Buy package may be more suitable if you are looking to save on the upfront cost of any deal. You might also want a deal to cover a valuation or legal fees. A Best Buy buy-to-let mortgage could be the most cost-effective choice in this instance, but it's worth seeking advice before entering any arrangement.

This week, the top package on a two-year fixed buy-to-let deal at 75% loan-to-value comes from HSBC, priced at 4.69%. If you want a loan with a lower upfront fee, then HSBC also has a Best Buy deal priced at 5.08% at 75% loan-to-value.

A five-year fixed buy-to-let mortgage may be more appealing for you to guarantee your monthly repayments for longer. If you looking to borrow at 75% loan-to-value, HSBC has a Best Buy deal priced at 4.39%. If you want a loan with a lower upfront fee, then TSB has a Best Buy deal priced at 4.59% at 75% loan-to-value.

We haven't quite had the summer we were hoping for so far - but there's always hope things will heat up in time for barbecues, picnics in the park and eating outside in the sunshine.

And if you're partial to a glass of rose with your al fresco meal, our regular wine expert has given us his top supermarket picks.

Tom Tryon ( @vinetribe ) is the founder of online wine community Vinetribe, which gives recommendations to make wine more accessible for everyone. 

He spoke to  Money reporter Emily Mee  to give his recommendations... 

Sainsbury's 

Ile de Beaute Rose, Taste the Difference (£10.50) . Elegant and fresh rose with some nice texture, but not overly floral

Discovery Collection Bandol Rose (£16) . Super dry, super minerally, with just a touch of spice

Cupiolo Pinot Grigio Blush (£9) . Delicate and fragrant rose from northern Italy

M&S Found Susumaniello Rose (£9) . Juicy and very slightly sweet. A really good rose for food

Myrtia Moschofilero Assyrtiko Rose (£9) . Fresh red fruit, well-balanced and with a bit of body to it

M&S Rose Pet Nat Brut (£15) . So much fun. Has the little tingle and sourness of a natural wine. It bursts with raspberry

Unearthed Chiaretto di Bardolino Rose (£7.99) . Very decent northern Italian rose with juicy cherry flavours

Specially Selected Rosorange Rose (£9.99) . A fun wine to try. Lots of complexity, golden flavours, orange peel and tropical fruit

Athlon Assyrtiko Syrah Rose (£9.99) . Slightly fuller than a Provence style, but with the same characteristic herbal notes

La Carezza Pinot Nero Veneto (£11.99) . Delicate red fruit - a serious challenger to Provence

The Best Vinho Verde Rose (£8) . Loads of fun, bursting with fruit and Portuguese sunshine

For more personalised recommendations, you can use Tom's  Supermarket Wine Finder  app to see wines in your local store, matched to your tastes and meal plans. 

It can be hard to balance the demands of eating well without spending a lot.

In this series, we try to find the healthiest options in the supermarket for the best value - and have enlisted the help of  Sunna Van Kampen , founder of Tonic Health, who went viral on social media for reviewing food in the search of healthier choices.

In this series we don't try to find the outright healthiest option, but help you get better nutritional value for as little money as possible.

Today we're looking at ice lollies - so you'll be ready for the sunnier days ahead (fingers crossed). 

"While the temptation to grab a lolly is strong, there's a healthier and equally satisfying option you might be overlooking," Sunna says.

Let's start with the top brands, and have a look at how much sugar is in each one:

Del Monte 100% Juice 75ml -  15g of sugar or almost (four teaspoons)

Calippo Orange Mini 80ml -  14g of sugar (3.5 teaspoons)

Rowntree's Fruit Pastilles 65ml -  11.5g of sugar (almost three teaspoons)

Fab 58ml -  10g of sugar (2.5 teaspoons)

Twister Mini 50ml -  8.6g of sugar (just over two teaspoons)

Mini Milk 35ml -  4.1g of sugar (one teaspoon)

Little Jude's 35ml -  2.7g of sugar (under half a teaspoon) 

A note on free sugar

Free sugar is what we call any sugar added to a food or drink.

"You may be surprised to see a 100% juice lolly at the top of the above list, but fruit juice is still classed as a free sugar and acts in the body the same way as an added sugar," Sunna says.

What to consider

Size comes into the different amount of sugar per lolly, but even if you had two Mini Milks or Little Jude's you'd still be eating less sugar than if you have one of the others. 

But there's another important point here: "Portion control matters, and we often find that if it's in front of us, we'll have no problem eating the whole thing, but you'd be surprised how little you need to hit that sweet tooth craving," Sunna says. 

Making the switch from sugary lollies like Calippo or even Del Monte 100% Juice to Mini Milk or Little Jude's might seem small, but it's a big step to healthier habits. 

"It's a win-win situation: you get to enjoy a refreshing treat while slashing your sugar intake," Sunna says. 

For context, if you traded Del Monte for Little Jude's, you'd drop your sugar content by 82%. 

"An 80% drop in your sugar per lolly is huge and to put that into perspective you can cut out over three teaspoons of sugar for each one you have. 

"Assuming you have one lolly a day across - hopefully - 30 days of sunny weather this summer and you'll find yourself saving over 90 teaspoons of sugar from your diet."

How much sugar can we eat?

The NHS daily recommendation for sugar intake is 30g a day for adults, 24g a day for seven to 10-year-olds and 19g a day for four to six-year-olds. 

"If these lollies are for your child, consider that one Calippo will provide 73% of your four to six-year-old's daily sugar intake (or 58% if your child is above seven)."

With only one lolly, you're consuming a significant chunk of your daily sugar allowance, so it's worth considering your choices and choosing a healthier option.

The nutritionist's view - from Nichola Ludlam-Raine, dietitian at  nicsnutrition.com ...

"While it's true that too many ice lollies is not great for physical health, enjoying the odd one from time to time is ok. 

"The sugar in fruit juice does indeed fall under the daily limit for 'free-sugar', but fruit juice also provides key nutrients including vitamin C - an essential antioxidant for immune health. 

"The advice, though, is to prioritise whole fruits where possible and to have no more than 150ml of fruit juice a day (less for children). 

"This is why I like to freeze left-over fruit smoothies (fruit and milk blended), which contain more fibre (and other nutrients), than simply fruit juice alone.

"Looking at nutrition labels can be a great education, and it may help some people to choose healthier options. 

"However, the ingredients list for me is key when choosier more nutritious varieties - milk-based lollies such as Mini Milk and Little Jude provide protein as well as calcium and iodine, but may not be suitable for children with cow's milk protein allergy (CMPA) or lactose intolerance. 

"In this situation a homemade smoothie lolly (using oat milk and fruit), or fruit-based lolly would be better - for example the 100% juice lollies or smaller fruit lollies from Pip Organic."

Read more from this series... 

Malaga has followed other big Spanish cities in halting or limiting new holiday flats.

The decision has been made in a bid to crack down on an excessive number of tourist flats, with the number of tourist lets in Malaga rising from 846 in 2006 to more than 12,000 in 2024, a 14-fold increase.

Plentiful sunshine, bustling bars and restaurants, a series of new art museums and a thriving tech sector have attracted digital nomads to Malaga, making it a rival to cities like Barcelona for younger workers.

That popularity has come at a price, however. The average rental price in the city now stands at €14.32 (£12.10) per square meter, an increase of 3.2% over the last quarter, according to Spanish estate agents Sun Properties.

Many locals have seen their homes turned into lets for holidaymakers because the owners earn more on these short lets, prompting protests around the city.

In response, Malaga's council has banned any more properties being turned into tourist accommodation. 

"We recognise the role [tourist flats] have played and play in the recovery of certain areas of the city, but we do not want them to exceed numbers that could be very high," Francisco de la Torre, the mayor of Malaga, told reporters.

Barcelona, Madrid, Seville and Valencia have also taken similar steps.

Sainsbury's has become the first retailer in the UK to offer an electric vehicle charging loyalty scheme . 

Customers using the Smart Charge service will be able to collect Nectar points for doing so. 

Rolling out today, the system allows customers to gain one Nectar point for every £1 spent on charging their car. 

Smart Charge is an ultra-rapid EV charging network with more than 400 charging bays. 

"With bays in more locations than ever before, and Sainsbury’s stores conveniently placed far and wide, it has never been easier for EV drivers across the UK to access ultra-rapid facilities, and now they can reap the benefit of Nectar points too," said Patrick Dunne, Sainsbury's director of property, procurement & EV ventures. 

London's new DLR trains have been delayed due to "challenges" discovered at the testing stage. 

This could mean the reduced service in place could continue for longer than expected. 

In total, 30 new trains have been built and are in various stages of testing, according to the Transport for London's Commissioner's June report . 

It says work is continuing to prepare the first train, which is now expected to be operational in late 2024 - it was originally due to launch in March. 

Issues were noticed in the "integrated testing and operational proving phase", the reports says. 

"While we have experienced some challenges with this phase, we continue to work collaboratively with our suppliers and operator to mitigate this."

By 2026, the DLR is still on track to have 54 new trains, which will be feature USB ports, air cooling tech and real time operational information. 

Arran Rusling, TfL's head of programme for DLR rolling stock replacement, said: "Our programme of rigorous testing continues of the new DLR fleet to ensure the trains can enter service safely and reliably. 

"As part of this, we encountered some complex challenges, which means we will now start to introduce the new trains into passenger service later this year." 

US interest rates are to be cut just once this year, according to updated forecasts from its central bank.

The cost of US borrowing was kept at a more than 20-year high despite news yesterday that inflation, the rate of price rises, fell to the lowest level in more than three years at 3.4%.

The Federal Reserve published new guidance from its interest rate-setting committee, which expects just one rate cut this year. Just three months ago, three cuts were anticipated.

While the UK's interest rate-setters at the Bank of England don't give rate forecasts like the US, market expectations are for three rate cuts this year, according to Refinitiv market data.

The first of those cuts is expected to be in September. It was previously hoped the first cut in more than four years would happen in May - but interest rates were held at 5.25%.

Whispers of "It's coming home" are starting as the nation gears up for the start of the Euros.

The competition kicks off tomorrow night with Scotland vs Germany and, on Sunday, England will play Serbia. 

The price of England shirts have crept up over the years - and this year a "match" shirt from the official England shop will set you back  £124.99 - though there is a cheaper "stadium" shirt for £84.99. 

So to help anyone with any budget get in the spirit, we've rounded up some cheaper alternatives you can buy on the high street. Here's what we've found: 

Sports Direct 

The sporting goods store is selling a range of shirts on its website, including this one for £11 . 

We should point out though that stock seems to be quite limited. The website showed just large shirts were available. 

It's also offering the option to pre-order this women's top for £9.99 .

JD Sports 

One of Sports Direct's competitors - JD Sports - has got "It's Coming Home" T-shirts on its website for £10 . 

If you fancy spending a little more, you can get a shirt with Jude Bellingham or Harry Kane on for £18. 

Asda had a range of cheap shirts available, with the most expensive costing £14 . 

These were the cheapest though, setting you back £5.60 and £6.25 respectively. 

TU at Sainsbury's has quite a broad range as well - and is selling the same Kane top that we featured above for slightly less at £16 .  

The cheapest we found was this women's England shirt, which costs £6.00 .

For slightly more, you can get a licensed FA shirt for £15 .

We found Aldi had the cheapest shirt available at £4.99 .

The budget supermarket also sells a Scotland version for the same price. 

If a cropped look is more your style, Primark is offering this women's crop top for £5.

There's also this T-shirt for £15 .

A word of warning

One thing to avoid if you're actually going to Germany is buying knock-off replica kits - as they can land you in trouble with the authorities. 

Here's our digital video producer Phoebe Williams to talk you through why... 

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