Nearly a fifth of British retailers are planning to cut the number of people they employ in the next three months as the high street continues to suffer from rising costs and a shift to buying online. The number of people employed in the retail sector, the UK’s biggest employer, has already dropped nearly 3% in the past three months, according to the latest figures from the British Retail Consortium. (The Guardian)

Britain’s belter of a heatwave is helping to boost retail sales, but the outlook for the rest of year remains cooler. According to the latest CBI distributive trades survey, 32 per cent of retailers report sales volumes that were up this month compared with a year ago. (The Times £)

Ian King in The Times (£) writes “Why the merger of Sainsbury’s and Asda should fuel market concerns”. He argues: “The Big Four supermarkets sell more petrol combined than BP, Shell and Esso together. And, should Sainsbury’s and Asda complete their merger, the group that emerges will leapfrog Tesco to become the market leader.” He also notes the crucial role of Asda in the fuel market as being “the main driver of competition” in recent years.

Europe’s top court has ruled that the shape of Nestlé’s KitKat is not protected by trademark, leaving the four-fingered chocolate bar open to imitators after a long-running battle with rival Cadbury (The Financial Times £). European Union judges have refused to give Kit Kat a break, ending Nestlé’s long-running battle to register the chocolate bar’s four-fingered shape as a trademark (The Times £). Decade-long legal fight ends with ruling that chocolate bar should not get protected status (The Guardian).

Coca-Cola beat market expectations for both sales and profits during its second quarter as the company’s revamp of Diet Coke and general shift in its portfolio away from sugary soda takes hold. (The Financial Times £)

The FT’s Lex column writes: “A backlash against sugary beverages has gripped the developed world and now the developing world. The company has been forced to innovate with waters, teas, coffees, and energy drinks A transformation which stuttered for years seems finally to be taking hold.” (The Financial Times £)

Brewery and pub operator Marston’s ‘benefited significantly’ from the World Cup, enjoying a 5.2 per cent sales boost in its first half to 21 July (The Daily Mail). Marston’s share price may be at its lowest level for six years, but the brewing and pubs group has reassured shareholders that its progressive dividend policy is not under threat. (The Times £)

Mondelez reported higher than expected profits in its second quarterly earnings, as the maker of Oreos, Ritz and Cadbury continued to boost sales even in North America where consumer tastes have been shifting away from sugary foods, including cookies and biscuits. (The Financial Times £)

John Menzies, the FTSE-250 logistics group, will finally bow to long-standing pressure from activist‎ shareholders this week when it announces the sale of one of Britain’s biggest newspaper distributors. (Sky News)

City grandee Allan Leighton, 65, has ruled out taking the reins at troubled Stobart Group. The ex-Asda boss was suggested by shareholder M&G as a temporary candidate for the top job amid a major boardroom bust-up. (The Daily Mail)

Outspoken Australian businessman Dick Smith has accused the German owners of the Aldi supermarket chain of failing to allow Australian workers and farmers share the wealth from its successful expansion and being too secretive. (The Guardian)

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