The RSPCA reveals the fashion winners of the 2009 Good Business Awards

George at ASDA is celebrating after winning this year’s RSPCA Good Business Award for large fashion company.

Alongside them on the winner’s podium is vegan shoe boutique, Neon Collective who won the small fashion company category for its high fashion heels with an animal welfare conscience and dynamic approach to challenging perceptions of vegan shoes. High street favourite, New Look, and surf brand Finisterre have also been highly commended for their innovation and dedication to ethical sourcing and animal welfare.

In addition, Marks and Spencer was also presented with a commitment award for its uncompromising dedication to animal welfare within its fashion lines.

The awards, presented at an elegant ceremony at One Marylebone in London, were judged by an independent panel of industry experts based on criteria set out by the charity.

“This year’s large company award winner shows that there is a real commitment within the industry to improve animal welfare, and it’s reassuring to see big brands at the forefront of this change,” said Wayne Hemmingway, one of the fashion judges.

• 7.5% year on year increase in discretionary income of average UK household
• Typical UK household has £162 a week discretionary income
• However, the labour market remains weak and the outlook is more challenging

The average UK family is £11 a week better off than in September 2008, the largest year on year rise in the Asda income tracker since June this year. As a result, the average UK household had £162 a week of discretionary income in September 2009, 7.5 per cent higher than the same month last year.

Annual inflation on food and non-alcoholic beverages is now at its lowest since May 2006 whilst the cost of utility bills fell over the year for the first time since comparable records began in 1988. Electricity prices fell by 7.2 per cent over the year to September and gas prices fell by 5.6 per cent.

Despite the drop in energy costs, research from Asda’s Pulse of the Nation survey has revealed that its customers are still concerned about the cost of heating their homes this winter. More than 60 per cent of those surveyed said they were not turning their heating on as much during the day, and more than 40 per cent were saving money by heating fewer rooms.

Asda announces one complete price for glasses whatever your prescription

Asda is launching a new common sense pricing commitment to help customers save money on their specs. From tomorrow, customers will be able to buy single vision specs of any prescription for £50 for standard frames and £70 for designer frames, with no hidden extras.

Whilst high street opticians lure customers with the promise of a bargain, all too often customers are left with an eye-watering bill for ‘add ons’ such as thinner lenses, anti-scratch or anti-reflective coatings and adjustments.

This clear and simple price is announced as new research from Asda shows a shocking 45 per cent of glasses wearers cite cost as the biggest barrier to updating their glasses and prescription, with the average person spending a staggering £150 on their specs.

’The Best a Man Can Get’ at Asda for just £5

Asda has today shaved pounds off the price of Gillette Fusion and Mach3 razor heads to an all time low of just £5, so men no longer need to shell out a small fortune for a clean shave.

With razors coming top of customers’ list of ‘rip off’ products, the move shows the supermarket’s commitment to listen to the needs of customers instead of bowing to the unnecessarily high prices that can be demanded by leading brands.

Razors are one of the most expensive everyday essentials shoppers put in their baskets yet are reported to cost as little as five pence to make, demonstrating just how much profit manufacturers make on every sale.