Aldi and Lidl have spent years insisting they stock fewer than 3,000 lines each. The CMA has now shown otherwise. Buried in the regulator’s 80-page ruling that the two should face the same planning rules as their supermarket rivals is a more striking revelation: the discounters have been understating the size of their ranges by 40%, having counted multiple product variants as a single line. We’ve dug into the juiciest revelations in the CMA’s decision.
Elsewhere in retail, Asda, which is never far from the headlines at the moment, is outsourcing 3,500 store cleaning roles. It follows a similar move earlier this year that impacted 1,700 security staff. Asda says the decision will improve cleanliness and bring it in line with other supermarkets, but unions are unsurprisingly concerned given “outsourcing companies have a proven track record of slashing pay terms, conditions and even jobs”.
Under pressure
One of the biggest news stories of the moment remains the drought, which, with the UK in the grip of its fifth heatwave of the summer, shows no signs of easing. The FDF has warned that prices rises are “inevitable” as costs rise and shortages mount across the supply chain, while sustainability groups are seizing the moment to call for meat and dairy ad bans.
It’s not just fruit & veg feeling the effects either. Bluetongue is a “serious and growing threat” to the UK livestock sector, with the hot and dry weather creating favourable conditions for the biting midges that spread the disease. And while we may be on track for a bumper honey yield, there are concerns that premature flowering and drought conditions could mean beekeepers struggle to feed their colonies over the winter.
The summer of extremes and the mounting pressure on British farming has led to the NFU calling for a national response that focuses not just on the immediate crisis but on the years ahead. Its deputy president, writing exclusively in The Grocer, says: “As our climate changes, our food system must change with it.”
Health and wellness
Away from the weather, health remains a key focus for the industry and consumers – and one that also requires a national response. Obesity expert Susan Jebb says the next generation of weight-loss pills could be as big as statins – a reminder of how fast this category is moving.
Nichols clearly agrees: its £64m cash purchase of VitHit marks a smart move into the wellness space, giving the soft drinks group behind Vimto an instant, profitable foothold in functional drinks. Meanwhile, M&S is pushing for fibre labelling in “everyday language”, arguing that shoppers respond better to plain language they can identify with.
Elsewhere in M&A, chicken tycoon Ranjit Boparan has swooped on another business in distress with the acquisition of Muscle Food through the Boparan Private Office. It’s a logical strategic move for BPO, which can use the might of its poultry supply chain to fix the challenges faced by Muscle Food in recent months. But it also needs to address the reputational damage at the business after hundreds of customers left scathing one-star reviews on Trustpilot complaining of bad service, missed deliveries and rotting meat.
And in breaking news today, Saputo is selling its UK dairy division, which includes brands such as Cathedral City, Clover and Country Life, to Lactalis for £988m. Saputo has said the sale will let the group “refine our global footprint”, while Lactalis has called the deal a “key milestone” for the business.
People on the move
It was a big week for people news with a raft of senior comings and goings. First up we learned that John Lewis MD Peter Ruis is leaving the John Lewis Partnership next month. He is set to be replaced by Will Kernan, who is currently a non-exec director of JLP.
Shortly after we reported on the continuing exodus of senior leadership at Co-op Group. While the search for a new CEO to replace Shirine Khoury-Haq continues, news broke that chair Debbie White is not seeking another three-year term and is also heading for the exit door.
Speaking of Co-op, there was also news that former Co-op MD for B2B and growth Jerome Saint-Marc will step into the role of Spar MD with current occupant Michael Fletcher another high-profile departure.
NPD round-up
Canned cocktails are a rare bright spot in booze right now, and that’s especially true in tequila. Buoyed by growing interest in the margarita, sales of tequila-based premixed drinks have surged by almost 200% in the past year and are now worth nearly £100m, new data from NIQ shows. From spicy to sparkling, the margarita in its many delicious forms is undoubtedly the drink of the summer.
Waitrose, meanwhile, is betting shoppers will still trade up on quality, adding four upmarket olive oil lines at £16 to £24 a pop, including Gordon Ramsay’s Krude, Ottolenghi and The Gay Farmer.
We’ve also been spoilt with co-branded NPD this week. Higgidy teamed up with Thatchers Cider on a chicken pie, while Little Moons and Candy Kittens responded to fan requests on TikTok with Sour Watermelon mochi bites. And from next month, Ritter Sport will bring out a chocolate bar studded with Haribo Balla Bites.
And in this week’s Focus On, we examined how with Brits are spending so much time inside to survive the weather that they’re worried they’re not getting enough vitamin D – so says online retailer Supplement Hub, which has seen vitamin D sales rocket by 50% since mid-June. Online this week, our Focus On Healthcare report looks more broadly at how sales of vitamins and supplements are booming as Brits take a preventative approach to their health. And it seems as though the preventative approach might be working; after all, value sales of cough, cold & flu medicines are down 3.4% year on year, on volumes down 5.8%, as our report details [NIQ 52 w/e 16 May 2026].
As ever, if you have any thoughts, questions or feedback on what we’re covering, we’d love to hear from you. You can email me at sarah.vizard@thegrocer.co.uk or reach out to any member of the team.
Enjoy the weekend when it comes.
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