THE NETHERLANDS: Sara Lee has said it is considering selling its international household and personal care business after receiving expressions of interest. The company, which owns brands including Ambi Pur, Sanex, Radox and Brylcreem, trades with more than 150 countries and the household and personal care business has sales of $2.3bn.

"Our household and body care business has very strong brands, great distribution and a talented leadership team," said Sara Lee Corporation chairman and chief executive Brenda Barnes. "We will carefully evaluate all opportunities and do what is in the best interest of the company and its stakeholders."

USA: A proposal to allow grocers in New York to sell wine has been rejected after opposition from the state's wine retailers. Current laws mean wine and spirits can only be sold in specialist shops. The proposal was designed to help reduce the state's budget deficit by raising an extra $160m in taxes and licenses over the next two years, but prompted a fierce backlash from wine retailers, who claimed it would force 1,000 shops out of business.

CHINA: Lianhua has posted full-year results showing like-for-like sales up 8.3% year-on-year to RMB20.7bn (£2.1bn), despite food price deflation in the Chinese market and poor consumer confidence. Profits rose 19.5% to RMB2.8bn (£0.3bn), indicating a substantial improvement in profit margin, which the management partly attributed to improved product range.

"The group adjusted its product mix, held Chinese food festivals and selectively brought in products to provide customers with better products at lower price," said the company in a statement.

BULGARIA: Carrefour has entered the Bulgarian market, opening its first hyper­market in the city of Burgas on the Black Sea coast last week. The store employs 220 people, stocks 50,000 lines and uses 700 suppliers. Carrefour is reported to be developing eight stores in the country, with the next due to open in the capital, Sofia, next February.