Marks & Spencer is withholding a multimillion-pound payment to Ocado Group after their grocery delivery venture missed key performance targets. Under the terms of the 2019 deal, M&S is due to pay Ocado a final instalment of £190.7m by August. (The Times £)
Market braces for another disappointing delivery from Ocado. There is unlikely to be an update on M&S’s multimillion-pound payment due to Ocado under the terms of their partnership, as negotiations are continuing between the two retailers. (The Times £)
Lidl and Aldi cry foul as British supermarkets ‘weaponise’ planning. The German discounters’ ambitious expansion plans have triggered legal and planning rows across the country as Lidl and Aldi muscle in on the market. (The Telegraph £)
Next has approached administrators to The Body Shop about a potential deal to purchase parts of the stricken cosmetics chain. (Sky News)
Hundreds of John Lewis customer service workers are facing redundancy as the retailer cuts back the size of its team at a key outsourcer. (The Telegraph £)
A new survey by Which? has unveiled M&S as the supermarket for a third year running, with shoppers giving top marks for the quality of its own-label and fresh products, customer service and the appearance of their stores. (Sky News)
Dairy alternatives such as I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter and Alpro’s This Is Not M*lk may have to change their names if “draconian” new rules to prevent shoppers confusing plant-based with real dairy products are imposed. (The Guardian)
More than half of UK retailers and exporters have been affected by the disruption to Red Sea trade from Houthi rebel attacks on cargo ships, research by a leading business lobby group suggests. (The Guardian)
British American Tobacco shares have fallen by a quarter over the past year as it grapples with the uncertain long-term future of its traditional cigarette business and investors push for the return of share buybacks. (The Financial Times £)
Shoppers face £1bn ‘toaster tax’ under plans for new set of net zero rules. Defra unveils plans to require larger shops to ‘take back’ used electrical items such as toasters for recycling even if bought elsewhere. (The Telegraph £)
The Italian cricket-breeders putting a positive spin on insect-based food. Cianni brothers aim to change minds with Italy’s first company to produce flour from crickets for human consumption. (The Guardian)
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