Shoppers expect to spend an average of £105 more on Christmas this year as boxes of chocolates, tins of biscuits, mince pies and cheeses rise in price — despite getting smaller (The Times £).
Growth in UK retail sales was lower than inflation last month, according to sector data published on Tuesday that suggests households continued to cut purchases in the run-up to Christmas (The Financial Times £).
Retailers are banking on a last-minute festive spending spree after hard-pressed households held back on spending in November (The Times £).
High streets risk further “casualties” amid disappointing early Christmas sales, retailers warn (The Telegraph £).
UK retailers are on course for a budget Christmas after shoppers cut back on the purchase of non-essential items in November to cope with rising food prices (The Guardian).
Consumers have been warned not to buy or eat fake branded Wonka or Prime chocolate bars over fears they could be unsafe (The Guardian).
Lidl has been forced to rebrand one of its loaves following a row over whether the bread was actually sourdough. The German supermarket has rebranded one of its crusty bloomers after campaigners claimed it was “sourfaux” (The Telegraph £).
Shoppers at upmarket British retailers are eschewing the traditional Christmas pudding in favour of panettone for a lighter festive dessert this year (The Guardian).
Minger, dubbed the world’s smelliest cheese, is set to add a pungent pong to cheeseboards this festive season and will be available at 54 of Asda’s Scottish stores (The Times £).
The Tempus shares column in The Times (£) said “Coca-Cola has more fizz than the market thinks”. The paper rates the drinks giant as a ‘buy’ and says the shares are undervalued.
The board of the business lobby group CBI has warned that there is a “material uncertainty” hanging over its future after it was hit with a “considerable level of financial stress” following a workplace misconduct scandal this year (The Times £).
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