Asda is facing potential disruption to supermarket deliveries after thousands of lorry drivers, warehouse staff and clerical workers voted to reject a pay offer (The Guardian).
The government has shown a “total lack of understanding of how food production works”, introduced “completely contradictory policies” on farming, and risks “repeatedly running into crises” through the lack of a post-Brexit plan for UK farming, the leading representative of British farmers will say today (The Guardian).
Hundreds of thousands of tonnes of surplus food that could be going to hungry families is going to waste as supermarkets restrict who their suppliers can give it to, according to food distribution charities (The Guardian).
Finsbury Food Group, the speciality baker behind Mary Berry’s cake range, has hailed ‘record’ sales in the last six months, but its profits have fallen due to rising costs and the firm has warned that prices for customers will have to go up (The Mail).
Jeremy Paxman has invested in what is thought to be Scotland’s first organic whisky distillery: Nc’nean Distillery, a “green” Scotch producer on the Morvern peninsula in the west Highlands (The Guardian).
Activist investor Carl Icahn has launched a highly unusual board fight at McDonald’s to demand changes to the way its suppliers treat pigs (The Financial Times £).
The Lex column in The Financial Times (£) says the animal rights fight shows activism is evolving. “Investors are pressing companies over matters where blunt profit maximisation is not the issue.”
Marks & Spencer has unveiled a partnership with Clinique, one of the world’s biggest skincare and make-up brands, to sell products both in-store and online (The Mail).
PepsiCo squares up to supply chain emissions challenge (The Financial Times £). The drinks and snacks group needs farmers and commodity traders to get with its climate goals.
The Questor shares column in The Telegraph maintains its ‘hold’ rating on PZ Cussons. “PZ Cussons’ first-half results hardly smell of roses, but we will stick with the soap maker.”
Petrol supplies could be at risk in April if workers at Britain’s largest refinery vote for strike action, Unite has claimed (The Times £).
Businesses must beware of becoming too ‘woke’ at the expense of their financial performance, a leading conservative think-tank has warned (The Mail). Firms such as Unilever have drawn criticism for putting too much emphasis on their social ‘purpose’.
The American rival that has made a £942.6m takeover approach for Clipper Logistics says it is committed to protecting the company’s “entrepreneurial approach”, despite doubts about the future role of its founder (The Times £).
The Lex column in The Financial Times (£) explores the GXO/Clipper logistics deal.
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