Alba steals a march on rivals

A BRITISH-OWNED consumer electronics group appears to have stolen a march on its multinational rivals by being the first to launch an integrated digital television with decoder technology embedded in the set, writes Peter Thal Larsen.

Shares in Alba, which makes televisions under the Bush brand, jumped 34p to 299p yesterday as the Essex-based group unveiled plans to sell a series of digital sets, starting at as little as pounds 500 - although buyers will have to sign up to ONdigital for 12 months. The group plans to have 100,000 sets in the shops in the next year.

The move is unusual for Alba, which has a reputation for mass-producing popular consumer goods cheaper than established brands such as Philips and Sony, but rarely leads in terms of innovation. Until now, Bush televisions were best known for their multi-coloured cabinets.

However, consumers who believe they are buying British by buying a Bush TV should be aware that the digital sets on offer will be made in Turkey.

Indeed Alba, which was founded by chairman John Harris in the 1960s and is now managed by his son Daniel, specialises in buying up low-cost consumer electronics goods, especially in the Far East, before selling them in the UK. Apart from Bush televisions, it also sells domestic appliances under the Hinari brand and Power Devil power tools.