Sir Terry Leahy et al are facing their biggest challenge over the growth of their empires - God. The Diocese of Exeter has made a submission to the Competition Commission asking the watchdog to look more deeply into issues concerning supermarket monopolies. It describes the battle in the West Country between independent stores and the big four as a David and Goliath fight, but one in which David is losing this time.



Judging by the recent Lidl adverts that have appeared in the national papers you'd have thought the retailer was an outward bound specialist rather than an inner city discount chain. It is advertising equestrian essentials, including head collars and grooming kits as well as a range of golfing equipment. It looks like it's in a two-horse race with Tesco.com to see which can offer the cheapest kit. Fancy a bet anyone?



Poor old Coca-Cola. Not only is it now outlawed in primary school vending machines, but even older consumers no longer want it. Students at Manchester University have banned the drink in protest of the company's alleged abuses of human rights and the environment. The drink has the dubious honour of joining the likes of rapper Eminem and The Daily Mail - both of which have been banned by universities in the past.



Scientists claim that drinking cocoa could cut the risk of heart disease, cancer and diabetes to less than 10%. How on earth do they know this? Apparently the Kuna Indians of Panama have survived for centuries with up to 40 cups of cocoa a week and are neither obese or diabetic. That's all very well, but one also assumes the Kuna Indians don't stuff their faces with takeaway pizzas and spend most of their waking hours in front of the television or computer either, so just how reliable these findings are remains to be seen.

bogofs.week@william-reed.co.uk

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