The Grocer

Premier store wipes out alcohol theft with age-verification tech The device sits at the entrance of the 'beer cave' and automatically opens the door for customers who appear over 25

Premier retailer completely wipes out #theft from alcohol section

All since installing an #AI-powered age-verification system

Parliamentary group warns of 32% drop in food production without urgent action The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Science and Technology in Agriculture said domestic food production could decline by 39% per capita

UK at “watershed moment” as domestic food production could fall by 32% by 2050

Lidl swaps products for people in reflective Christmas ad 2025 🎄

Fruit, veg and turkey rather than typical indulgent confectionery reflects a careful approach following the recent #HFSS restrictions

🔗 Watch the full advert here: https://bit.ly/47nfGXd

NEW 🍛 Rice

Merchant Gourmet has teamed up with chef Sabrina Ghayour to launch new rice pouches

Persian Style Rice & Lentils and Turkish Style Bulgur & Rice available in supermarkets from 9 November for rsp: £2.20/250g

🔗 See where to get them here: https://bit.ly/3LcPXIm

M&S Food brings back Dawn French fairy for Christmas advert 2025 🎄

This time set in a Christmas Eve traffic jam with Tom Kerridge

🔗 Watch the full ad here: https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/news/mands-brings-back-dawn-french-fairy-and-tom-kerridge-for-christmas-ad-2025/711437.article

McCain report finds 51% of farmers are considering leaving the industry The report's key findings revealed 51% of farmers have considered leaving the industry due to financial strain, and only 4% believed current government support was adequate

More than seven in 10 farmers are “pessimistic” about the future of #BritishFarming

McCain Food’s inaugural Farmdex report showed only 4% believed current government support was adequate

Kimberly-Clark acquires Listerine owner Kenvue to create $32bn giant Personal care multinational Kimberly-Clark has swooped to acquire consumer health company Kenvue in a deal worth almost $50bn, bringing together brands such as Huggies, Kleenex and Andrex with Johnson...

Personal care multinational Kimberly-Clark has swooped to acquire consumer health company Kenvue in a deal worth almost $50bn

The deal brings together brands such as Huggies, Kleenex and Andrex with Johnson’s, Listerine and Neutrogena

Starbucks launches 2025 festive food and drink menu Starbucks Rewards members will be offered early access to the new Chocolatey Mousse Latte

Starbucks has launched its 2025 Christmas food and beverage lineup with new and returning favourites

Beyond cameras and AI: how smart store design can stop theft before it happens High-tech solutions have been heralded as the answer to soaring shoplifting rates. But might a lo-fi, design-led approach prove even more effective?

High-tech solutions have been heralded as the answer to soaring #shoplifting rates

But might a lo-fi, design-led approach prove even more effective?

NEW 🐝 Honey

Hilltop to launch new hot honey condiments

Smoky Chipotle and Peri-Peri available in supermarkets from November for rsp: £2.75/350g

🔗 See where to get them here: https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/news/hilltop-adds-smoky-chipotle-and-peri-peri-hot-honey-condiments/711373.article

Insider whistleblowers accuse industry of relentless drive towards cheap and processed meat The report claims public heath and the UK's food security have been 'deprioritised' as supermarkets go in pursuit of sales of 'cheaper and more highly processed' meat and dairy products

UK food companies are pressuring #farmers into intensive meat production with lower welfare standards

Shocking new report from industry insiders today claims a race to the bottom on prices is opening the door to a flood of imported cheaper products

Aldi drops 10-second teaser confirming the return of its much-loved Christmas character Kevin the Carrot 🎄🥕

🔗 Watch the teaser Love Actually-inspired Christmas ad here: https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/news/aldi-teases-return-of-kevin-the-carrot-in-love-actually-inspired-christmas-ad-2025/711411.article

Waitrose starts rolling out new 'Little Treats' across its estate The 'Little Treats' initiative allows members of the MyWaitrose loyalty programme to claim up to three benefits each month

Waitrose is rolling out its new Little Treats loyalty rewards nationwide

The rewards can include free products or money-off an overall shop

Asda sells Leon back to co-founder John Vincent The undisclosed deal includes 46 Leon restaurants, 20 UK franchises and three franchise sites in the Netherlands

Co-founder and ex-CEO John Vincent to buy Leon back from Asda

Vincent has vowed to reinvigorate the healthy fastfood chain and return it to its core values

Tesco to increase bag for life price by a third Tesco is expected to raise the price of its cheapest reusable shopping bag to 40p this week

EXCLUSIVE: Tesco is increasing the price of its 🛍️bag for life🛍️ by a third!

The supermarket is expected to raise the price of its cheapest reusable shopping bag to 40p this week.

🔗READ MORE in @thegrocer.bsky.social: www.thegrocer.co.uk/news/tesco-t...

How Co-op is raising the bar with its On The Go offering Co-op's Altrincham outlet is tailored to the local community, with a look and a range offering what locals want. Now it's taking its 'current, edgy and inviting' approach nationwide

Co-op’s Altrincham outlet is tailored to the local community, with a look and a range offering what locals want

Now it’s taking its ‘current, edgy and inviting’ approach nationwide

🚨 BREAKING NEWS 🚨

Sainsbury’s brings back Roald Dahl’s BFG for its 2025 Christmas advert launching today

🔗 Watch the full ad here: https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/news/the-bfg-returns-in-sainsburys-christmas-advert-2025/711371.article

NEW 🍷 Wine

Soho House favourite Lady A has landed a supermarket listing for its red wine

Available now in M&S Foodhalls for rsp: £19/75cl

🔗 Read the full story here: https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/news/lady-a-red-wine-lands-mands-listing/711306.article

🚨 BREAKING NEWS 🚨

Asda is the first supermarket to unveil its Christmas 2025 campaign, with a Dr Seuss-inspired advert

🔗 Watch the full ad here: https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/news/asda-converts-grinch-with-low-prices-in-dr-seuss-inspired-christmas-advert-2025/711359.article

Alleged animal abuse caught on camera at Scottish trout farm Animal Equality UK said it caught footage of trout 'suffocating, haemorrhaging, and suffering from skull fractures'

“Corrective action” will be taken if alleged #animalabuse caught on video proves true, a Scottish trout producer has warned

Animal Equality UK said the footage showed trout ‘suffocating, haemorrhaging, and suffering from skull fractures’

Farm closures key driver of beef prices, consultancy firm says Inverto pointed to the closure of 8.5% of cattle farms since 2020

Cattle farm closures are a key reason behind the eyewatering rise in beef prices, according to a consulting firm

Tesco mystery shop wins battle of 30,000 sq ft supermarkets This week's stores were all as close as possible to a mid-size 30,000 sq ft and the winner hails from the market town of Dorchester, Dorset with a winning score of 85

This week’s #Grocer33 stores were all as close as possible to a mid-size 30,000 sq ft

And the winning Tesco store hails from the market town of Dorchester, Dorset

NEW 🎄 Christmas

Morrisons has launched 340 new products to its Christmas food range for 2025 including new festive sandwiches

🔗 See the full range here: https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/range-previews/tree-bone-steak-and-prawn-coconut-curry-doughnuts-morrisons-christmas-range-2025/711161.article

#TomorrowsPapersToday

Check out The Grocer digital edition now: https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/news/still-like-getting-your-magazine-fix/192031.article

Tesco basket falls 11% as it meets Asda pricing fire with fire Tesco and Sainsbury's baskets both fell 11% month on month to match Asda price war manoeuvres

Tesco has picked up its second victory of the #Grocer33 year

Beating Asda by 54p to be the country's cheapest supermarket of the week

Asda distribution managers approve GMB union recognition in ‘historic’ vote 'Asda's distribution managers told us they were fed up and needed a voice in the workplace,' said GMB national officer Nadine Houghton

The GMB union will now represent Asda distribution managers in any dispute over pay and conditions, after signing a “historic” collective agreement

Turkey prices soar as retailers ‘rein in’ loss leaders According to analysis by The Grocer using Assosia data, more than half of all frozen turkey lines in supermarkets are outpacing general inflation, while preorders of fresh turkeys are seeing double-di...

Turkey prices in the major multiples have risen by up to 30% 🦃

More than half of all frozen turkey lines in supermarkets are outpacing general #inflation, while preorders of fresh turkeys are seeing double-digit #pricehikes

NEW 🍺 Pilsner

Tennent’s has marked its 140th anniversary launching a Bavarian Pilsner

Available from this month in supermarkets for rsp: £6/4x440ml

🔗 See where to get them here: https://www.thegrocer.co.uk/news/tennents-looks-to-tap-premium-lager-trend-with-new-bavarian-pilsner/711216.article

Environment Agency: Drought to run into 2026 without more rain Despite recent rainfall, the National Drought Group warned England must 'prepare for ongoing drought' unless there was significant rainfall at the end of this this year and heading into the next

Drought is likely to continue into 2026, due to record dry weather, the Environment Agency has warned

“We need a lot more rain this winter to fill up our rivers, reservoirs, and groundwater”, said National Drought Group chair Helen Wakeham

World leaders urged to put food waste at centre of COP30 A raft of leading climate and food waste organisations held a webinar yesterday ahead of the event, which starts on 10 November in Belém

Climate change leaders are urging governments to put ending #foodwaste at the heart of the forthcoming #COP30 conference in Brazil

Warning it is “morally indefensible” to waste huge amounts of food while hundreds of millions of people around the world are starving