The Grocer’s story that Booths has ditched self-service checkouts to boost customer experience was picked up yesterday. A supermarket has become the first in the UK to go back to fully-staffed checkouts, axing almost all its self-service tills (BBC). Booths is removing self-checkouts from its shops to improve customer service and maintain its “warm northern welcome (Telegraph £).

Prices at the pump are not falling in line with wholesale fuel costs, according to the Competition and Markets Authority, raising concerns that weak forecourt competition is exacerbating the cost of living crisis (Financial Times £). A regulator has outlined concerns about the “intensity of competition” between fuel retailers (Sky News).

Profits at WH Smith have almost doubled in a year as the retailer basks in the return of travellers passing through its airport convenience stores (The Times £).

The UK’s book market is on track for growth this year, according to the boss of WH Smith, one of the country’s biggest booksellers, as Britney Spears’ memoir and Richard Osman’s latest crime novel boost sales ahead of Christmas. (The Guardian)

The FTSE 100 discounter B&M European Value Retail has lifted its annual profit guidance and planned shop openings after a strong first half (The Times £). B&M and WH Smith have become the latest retailers to reveal plans to expand the size of their UK estate over the next year (Daily Mail).

England’s largest winemaker has announced plans to move its share listing to the junior Aim stock market after a record-breaking harvest, tempting private investors with the promise of a third off the price of their wine (The Times £). Chapel Down has unveiled plans to move its share listing to the Alternative Investment Market after enjoying a record harvest this year (Daily Mail).

The UK boss of McDonald’s is to face questions from MPs amid growing claims of abuse and harassment at the fast food chain. (Telegraph £)

Almost two decades after stepping down as president of Russia’s largest brewer, businessman Taimuraz Bolloev is back in charge at Baltika. The saga of Carlsberg’s Baltika is a return to the 1990s in more ways than one: the Kremlin’s moves to reward loyalists with seized western assets could constitute the biggest shift of wealth since the birth of the oligarchy in the early days of Russian capitalism. (Financial Times £)

Consumers worldwide will be paying steep prices for sugar for the next year at least. Blame the El Niño weather phenomenon. This can cause unusual and violent weather patterns. Top producers Brazil, India and Thailand have local issues too. (Financial Times £)

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