Sitting here eating my Cadbury's Dairy Milk, I note the FA is sending box-loads of food to Germany to help keep up our boys' energy and ensure they bring the World Cup back to these shores. Some 24 boxes of Coco-Pops and Rice Krispies, several dozen boxes of Walkers crisps, 200 muffins and 30 bottles of salad cream are among the numerous items on the list. Surely not? After all, according to the esteemed food police at the Food Standards Agency, these are 'bad' foods and certainly not the type of thing healthy young footballers should be eating. Far be it from me to point out that perhaps there is something in this calories in, calories out lark after all.

While on the subject of football - and of course it's impossible to escape at the moment - those kings of publicity over at Asda have scored another goal with their decision not to sell England's World Cup songs in Scottish stores. Of some 12 songs (and I use that word advisedly) vying to be the one fans adopt when deafening terraces and pubs across the land, Asda is stocking only the official Embrace recording north of the border, meaning it will have to run two charts during the Cup. My Scottish colleagues may believe that by the time of our next issue Asda will be back to one chart, but us red-and-white flag fliers want to know how long Asda will be keeping two charts running? For surely sales are bound to soar when we win...

To the other side of the world and India's first western-style supermarket HyperCity is getting much attention from the world's media. Let me at it, is all I can say. For not only does it contain a large Waitrose area, including its lovely Umi beauty range, but for all those veggies out there the store is a real treat. None of that 'freaks over here' signage pointing to a small meat-free area. No, in this store there is a corner display called 'Non Vegetarian'. Now who will be the first over here?

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