Scores of jobs could be lost in the grocery wholesaling sector next year as wage increases exceed sales rises and paper thin margins are squeezed, according to a report from analysts Plimsoll. Plimsoll senior analyst David Pattison warned: "The cost of salaries has increased 25%, yet sales have only risen 13% in the last three years." The report predicts three quarters of UK grocery wholesalers will have to shed jobs in the next year to remain competitive. Federation of Wholesale Distributors director general Alan Toft said the report should serve as a wake-up call for the industry: "It could act as a detonator for wholesalers to concentrate on making margins from cigarettes and alcohol, particularly over the next few weeks." {{NEWS }}