Supermarkets are selling their stores to raise quick cash. Asda and Morrisons – which both have large debt piles – led the way with deals to offload their shops and warehouses last year. These sale and leasebacks accounted for close to half of property deals in 2023 – compared with just 1% in 2022 – according to data from research group Colliers. (Daily Mail). It is a story that was reported last month by The Grocer.

Getir, one of the world’s largest grocery delivery platforms, is in talks about a radical restructuring just two years after it was valued at nearly $12bn (£9.6bn). (Sky News)

The former JD Sports Fashion boss who presided over its soaring stock market valuation is taking a stake in Applied Nutrition, the fast-growing sports supplement maker, as it steps up preparations for a bumper flotation. (Sky News)

Global coffee prices are soaring as hot, dry weather in major producing countries in south-east Asia spurs fears of shortages. (Financial Times £)

Ministers’ decision to impose Brexit import checks on 30 April will lead to shortages of some foods, flowers and herbs, industry leaders have warned. (The Guardian)

The challenges facing Tesco veteran Jason Tarry at John Lewis: Tarry joins at a time when John Lewis is under pressure to compete with rival Marks and Spencer, which GlobalData forecasts will continue to gradually increase its market share in the UK clothing and footwear sector between now and 2027, while John Lewis’s share is expected to stagnate. (Financial Times £)

‘It’s too wet’: UK food security at risk because of record rain, farmers warn. Last year’s wet harvest forced some potato growers to leave crops in the ground, and much of the produce brought up from the soaked soil was not of sufficient quality, resulting in short supply and high prices. (Financial Times £)

The Body Shop is seeking approval for a plan to reduce its tax bill when it returns to profitability to provide extra cash to creditors nursing losses after its collapse. (The Times £)

The French parent company of Jus-Rol has refused to put its newly acquired British pastry maker up for sale and is preparing to go to the Supreme Court to challenge an order to unwind the deal. (The Times £)

Annual inflation is set to fall to 3.1% in March, the lowest rate since August 2021, raising hopes of imminent interest rate cuts this summer. (The Times £)

The government might be celebrating falling inflation, but higher prices for goods and services are here to stay. Two years ago, a two-litre bottle of supermarket olive oil cost about £7. Step into your local branch today and that same bottle will set you back more than £16. Grab a packet of pasta, or some broccoli, and you will pay 95% and 50% more, respectively, than in 2022. (The Guardian).

Marks and Spencer chairman Archie Norman has become the latest boss to sound the alarm over Labour’s plans to reform workers’ rights. (Daily Mail)

A growing number of health-conscious consumers rejecting beer, wine and spirits represents “a big opportunity”, said the chief executive of Japan’s biggest brewer Asahi, who forecast zero- and low-alcohol drinks would generate half of the company’s beverage sales by as early as 2040. (Financial Times £)

Climate crisis brings boomtime for British wine. UK vineyards are thriving as far north as Yorkshire and Scotland as investors cash in on tax breaks and hotter summers. (The Guardian)

The Telegraph looks at how Amazon “wasted a decade” trying to reinvent the supermarket. The retailer has failed to break new ground in physical stores despite many attempts. (Telegraph £)

Pret A Manger is under pressure to offer compensation to all of its subscribers as consumer experts have warned it could be breaking the law (Telegraph £). Pret A Manger customers say they have abandoned their subscriptions as the offer cannot be used in service stations or abroad and is “no longer worth it” (Telegraph £).

FT sister publication Investors’ Chronicle looks at Tesco shares writing: “The sale of the company’s banking operations (credit cards, loans and savings) to Barclays, announced in February, should help improve the value of the rest of the business… We remain bullish, with the company’s relatively low non-food exposure leaving it well-positioned among the grocers.” (Financial Times £)

Currency crisis pushes consumer groups from Nigeria. Economic problems have overshadowed promise of Africa’s most populous country for big brands. (Financial Times £)

The music manager on a mission to shake up sparkling wine. After 20 years working with stars including Tinie Tempah and flying around the world, Dumi Oburota was ready for a fresh start with his wine brand Severan. (The Times £)

Co-founder Camilla Barnard’s Rude Health was ahead of the game when it launched dairy-free alternatives in 2013 to complement its organic cereals. Now the firm is dining out. (The Times £)

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