Dash for cash means Morrisons plans to sell off some of its stores - CD&R is seeking to sell and lease back five Morrisons supermarkets in what is thought to be the first such deal to be sanctioned in the Bradford-based grocer’s 123-year history. (The Times £)

British retailers and hospitality groups are warning of staffing shortages in the run-up to Christmas as they seek tens of thousands of temporary workers in preparation for the “golden quarter”. (Financial Times £)

Deliveroo gave warning that its sales growth would be at the lower end of previous guidance as rising prices prompt consumers to cut back on takeaways (The Times £). The cost of living crisis has hit order growth at food delivery companies Deliveroo and Just Eat Takeaway, as inflation compounds an industry slowdown after last year’s lockdown restrictions eased. (Financial Times £)

Marks & Spencer’s chief executive, Stuart Machin, plans to turbocharge its Ocado food delivery operation as part of a sharp escalation in its battle with rival grocers. Machin is embarking on a wide-ranging review to improve the service, make the business more efficient and spur growth. (Daily Mail)

Tesco has raised the price for its popular lunchtime meal deal for the first time in more than a decade as costs soar. (Sky News)

Retail sales fell last month, as people cut back on buying groceries and on online shopping, pushing spending to below its pre-pandemic levels (The Times £). Retail sales in Great Britain fell more steeply than expected in September as soaring prices prompted consumers to rein in spending and many stores lost trading on the day of the Queen’s funeral (The Guardian). Retail sales fell more than expected last month with squeezed shoppers now buying less than before the pandemic, new official figures show (Daily Mail)

Government borrowing leaps and retail sales drop by much more than expected. Surging inflation means the cost of servicing government debt hit a record level last month, according to figures from the ONS, which also reported that consumers were now back buying less than they were before the COVID pandemic. (Sky News)

Consumer confidence has fallen to a record low as households cut back on leisure spending to save money amid soaring inflation (The Times £).

Profit warnings from UK companies have hit their highest level since the financial crisis, according to EY. (Daily Mail)

The majority of entrepreneurs believe that the political and economic situation is comparable to or worse than the challenges posed to their businesses at the height of the pandemic, a survey by Goldman Sachs suggests (The Times £). The cost of living surge is inflicting the greatest pain on businesses since the financial crisis after the number of companies warning about their profits jumped to a 14-year high (The Telegraph)

European, US and Asian consumers are returning to “austerity shopping behaviours” common in the 1970s and 1980s as inflation squeezes budgets for food and household goods, research has shown. Data group IRI said households were turning back to measures such as making packed lunches, buying cut-price food that is out of date, curbing their alcohol intake and visiting multiple supermarkets to secure the cheapest deals. (Financial Times £)

Clubbers on a night out are increasingly skipping the early evening visit to the pub and “pre-loading” on cheaper supermarket drink to save money before heading straight to the nightclub. (The Times £)

Health campaigners are attempting to block prominent displays of wine and beer in supermarkets this Christmas after stores were banned from promoting biscuits and advent calendars under new anti-obesity rules. (The Telegraph)

The family behind Ginsters pasties and Soreen malt loaf has received a £15m dividend despite claiming furlough cash from the Government during Covid. (Daily Mail)

Prices for some of Britain’s favourite rich red wines are set to soar, growers and importers have warned, after ministers reversed plans to freeze duty rates ahead of an alcohol duty overhaul that will penalise stronger drinks. (Financial Times £)

Coffee bean prices are falling. Futures for high-end arabica beans, used in espressos, briefly touched $1.88 a pound this week, a one-year low. But that does not mean caffeine addicts will get a break on the cost of their morning brew. Already the price of a premium takeaway coffee in Britain has climbed 7.9 per cent since January alone, according to ONS data. (Financial Times £)

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