The volcanic ash cloud sitting over northern Europe has forced the organisers of the World Retail Congress to postpone this year's event, which was due to start on Wednesday (21 April). The three-day event, due to take place in Berlin, looks set to be pushed back to October, organisers announced this morning.

The flight restrictions implemented in the UK and northern Europe after last week's eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland meant business leaders could not travel to the German city.