sainsbury's

Sainsbury’s boss Simon Roberts has pledged in an interview with the Mail on Sunday to spend £550m to cut prices and take on Aldi. “It is really tough. Customers are watching every penny, every pound,’ he tells the paper at the supermarket’s Richmond store in London.

Burmese workers that produced F+F jeans for Tesco in Thailand report being trapped in effective forced labour, working 99-hour weeks for illegally low pay in appalling conditions, a Guardian investigation has found. Tesco faces a landmark lawsuit in the UK from 130 former workers at VK Garment Factory, who are suing them for alleged negligence and unjust enrichment.

Rishi Sunak is set to extend financial support on energy bills for British businesses by up to a year — but the package could be far less generous (The Sunday Times £).

The Observer examines why shops and shoppers go mad for pigs in blankets. “This year retailers are throwing everything at those little sausages wrapped in bacon that usually sit on the side, in the hope of clawing back some much-needed revenue.”

Christmas chocolates the ‘only thing losing weight’ this festive season, according to The Telegraph. Shrinkflation is rampant but experts say popular brands have gone too far.

The number of shoppers on the high street was down by a third in some areas on what is usually the busiest weekend of the year, and traders were blaming train strikes for a “devastating” drop in sales (The Times £).

Investors with £800bn in assets have called on food retailers and the UK government to eliminate risks of debt bondage and forced labour on UK farms, as concerns build that the country’s immigration system is exposing migrant workers to abuse (The Financial Times £).

The Times (£) takes a look at Guinness’s merger with GrandMet 25 years ago was a launchpad for spectacular growth and created Diageo.

The Guardian follows The Grocer’s analysis of supermarket checkouts with a feature exploring why they have failed to live up to their promise in the US. “The kiosks promised to make life easier for shoppers and stores. Instead, they’ve done the opposite.”

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