KP Nuts Redesign

KP Snacks has warned there may be a shortage of some of its popular crisps and nuts following a ransomware attack (The Telegraph).

Fruit Pastilles will be made in the Czech Republic and Toffee Crisp bars in Poland, under proposals by Nestlé to close a factory near Newcastle (The Guardian).

Tesco is to stop selling music and films in its supermarkets by the end of this month as it reacts to changing shopping habits (The Guardian).

No end in sight for attack of the Aldi clones (The Telegraph). “Battle of the caterpillar cakes is not the first time Aldi has found itself in hot water over copycat products, nor will it be the last.”

Pret a Manger is increasing the price of its coffee subscription service by 25% as the cost of milk, coffee beans and staff pay goes up (The Guardian).

The market report in The Times (£) examines Ocado as Credit Suisse upgraded the stock following the unveiling of its new robot technology. “For the past couple of years, Tim Steiner has been trying to convince the City that Ocado is not simply a food retailer but a technology company. Yesterday it looked like he had finally swayed the market.”

Merlin Entertainments announced it is taking over Cadbury World under a 50-year deal that adds the attraction in Bournville to a portfolio that includes Legoland, Sea Life and Madame Tussauds (The Times £).

Consumer prices in the eurozone rose by a record 5.1% in January from a year earlier, keeping inflation higher than expected and increasing the pressure on the European Central Bank to respond with tighter monetary policy (The Financial Times £). Steeper increases in the price of energy and food were only partly offset by slower growth in prices of manufactured goods.

Buyout firms spent a record sum acquiring mid-sized British companies last year, with takeovers defying uncertainty caused by the pandemic to hit the highest level ever (The Times £).