December was Asda’s 22nd consecutive month of decline Asda has suffered a bleak Christmas after its market share slumped to a fresh low. The retailer’s market share fell to 11.4pc in the 12 weeks to Dec 28, according to figures from industry tracker Worldpanel – the lowest it has been over a Christmas period and the worst on record. The slump came as sales at the grocer tumbled by 4.2pc, according to Worldpanel figures. Asda was the only major supermarket to suffer a drop in sales over the festive per ...

Core Viewpoint - U.K. shop and food price inflation increased in December, as consumers turned to promotions to manage rising costs [1] Industry Summary - The report indicates that inflation in the retail sector is affecting consumer behavior, leading shoppers to seek out discounts and promotions [1] - The rise in inflation suggests ongoing cost pressures within the U.K. market, which may influence future purchasing patterns and overall economic conditions [1]

Core Viewpoint - The Huizhou Daya Bay Economic and Technological Development Zone has conducted food safety supervision and sampling inspections, revealing that out of four batches tested, three batches were found to be non-compliant with safety standards due to pesticide and sulfur dioxide residue exceedances [1][5]. Group 1: Inspection Results - Three batches of food from three sampled units were found to be non-compliant, primarily due to the detection of pesticide residues exceeding standards and excessive sulfur dioxide levels [2][5]. - Specific non-compliance cases include: - Clean water lotus root from Huizhou Daya Bay Chaojian was found to have sulfur dioxide at 0.194 g/kg, exceeding the standard of ≤0.1 g/kg [3]. - Longan from Huizhou Daya Bay Fuzhihui Fruit Shop was detected with sulfur dioxide at 0.218 g/kg, surpassing the standard of ≤0.05 g/kg [3]. - Sugar tangerines from Wang Xiaoxian at Huazhong Tree Guidance Point were found to have a pesticide residue of 0.09807/30, which is equal to the standard of ≤0.05 g/kg [3].

Group 1 - OTC Markets Group Inc. announced that Tesco PLC has qualified to trade on its OTCQX® Best Market, providing US investors access to one of the UK's largest grocery retailers [1] - Tesco's listing on OTCQX reflects a trend among established European companies to engage more with US investors, with notable issuers like London Stock Exchange Group and Bayer AG also choosing OTCQX in 2025 [2] - The OTCQX platform is seen as a solution to challenges in European capital markets, such as valuation discounts and reduced domestic liquidity, allowing companies to attract US investors without abandoning local exchanges [3][4] Group 2 - OTC Markets Group operates regulated markets for trading 12,000 US and international securities, with a focus on providing efficient access to US financial markets [5] - The OTCQX Best Market offers a cost-effective way for international companies to reach US investors while maintaining their local market presence [4] - Tesco PLC is a multinational grocery retailer headquartered in the UK, serving millions of customers across various countries [7]

Group 1 - The holiday market in Inner Mongolia is experiencing increased activity as supermarkets and wholesale markets prepare for the New Year, ensuring sufficient supply of essential goods [1] - As of December 26, the retail prices of 11 categories of essential goods showed a mixed trend, with 4 categories increasing, 6 decreasing, and 1 remaining stable; meat and dairy products rose by 0.1%, while vegetables and eggs saw declines of 0.5% and 0.7% respectively [1] Group 2 - The arrival of sea-freighted cherries has led to a peak in sales, with prices significantly lower than previous years; cherries are selling for 22 yuan per pound in Hohhot [2] - The Inner Mongolia Commerce Department is enhancing the supply chain for essential goods, with 43 national-level and over 100 regional supply enterprises ensuring comprehensive coverage across the region [2] - Local supply accounts for approximately 70% of pork, 90% of beef and lamb, and about 30% of winter vegetables, with the remainder sourced from other provinces [2]

Group 1 - The core viewpoint of the articles highlights the vibrant consumer market during the New Year period, with the opening of Yonghui Supermarket's first modified store in Puning, marking a significant expansion in the Guangdong region [1][3] Group 2 - Yonghui Supermarket's Puning store features a total of 8,302 SKUs, including 65 new imported products, with imported goods now accounting for 12.4% of the total [3] - The store aims to enhance the supply of mid-to-high-end and specialty products in the fresh food category to meet the diverse and refined lifestyle demands of consumers [3] - Yonghui Supermarket's strategy focuses on deepening its presence in the Guangdong market by balancing the upgrade of county-level consumption with the quality and atmosphere of the supermarket experience [3]

Target Corp., Whole Foods Market and Walmart Inc. will be added as defendants in lawsuits against baby formula maker ByHeart for selling a product potentially contaminated with spores that cause infant botulism.Bill Marler, a prominent foodborne-illness attorney who is suing ByHeart on behalf of families whose babies were hospitalized with botulism, said Sunday he plans to add the grocery store chains to the lawsuits this week. “ByHeart likely is insolvent and will likely go bankrupt – sooner or later,” Mar ...

Core Insights - Greg Abel is set to take over Berkshire Hathaway from Warren Buffett, who is regarded as one of the greatest investors in history [1][2] - Buffett transformed Berkshire from a struggling textile mill into a massive conglomerate, with shares now exceeding $750,000 and his personal fortune in Berkshire stock valued at approximately $150 billion [2] - Berkshire has historically outperformed the S&P 500, acquiring various companies across different sectors, including insurance, manufacturing, retail, utilities, and railroads [3] Company Performance - In recent years, Berkshire has struggled to maintain its growth pace due to its size and challenges in finding significant new acquisitions [4] - The recent $9.7 billion acquisition of OxyChem is not expected to significantly impact Berkshire's profits [4] Leadership Transition - Abel has been managing Berkshire's non-insurance businesses since 2018, and Buffett will continue to serve as chairman, providing guidance and support [5] - Changes in management style are anticipated, with Abel likely adopting a more traditional leadership approach given the company's decentralized structure [5][6] - The company culture is expected to remain intact, as Abel was designated as Buffett's successor in 2021, with assurances from Charlie Munger that the company's values would be preserved [6] Operational Structure - Berkshire operates under a decentralized structure, allowing executives significant autonomy in decision-making, and there are no plans to alter this approach [6][7] - Buffett's strategy has been to reassure company founders that Berkshire will allow them to run their businesses independently as long as they achieve results [7]

Core Insights - Loblaw Companies Limited raised and donated over $6.8 million to President's Choice Children's Charity in 2025, enabling the charity to feed 1 million children annually [1][4] Fundraising Campaign - The majority of the funds were raised during the 'Get to Give Days' campaign from October 16 to November 2, where Loblaw matched customer donations at checkout up to $2 million, resulting in a $2.6 million contribution to the charity [2] Charity Impact - The funds allowed the PC Children's Charity to achieve its goal of feeding 1 million kids annually through the Power Full Kids Eat Well program, which operates in approximately 2,200 schools across Canada [3] Charity Background - President's Choice Children's Charity has been active for 36 years, helping over 10 million children and focusing on combating childhood hunger since 2018 [4]

Group 1 - The core viewpoint of the articles indicates that the supply of essential consumer goods in the province is sufficient, with overall retail market prices showing a slight decline and weak performance as the New Year approaches [1][2] Group 2 - Grain and oil prices remain stable, with monitored rice prices averaging 3.25 yuan per 500 grams and flour prices at 3.27 yuan per 500 grams, unchanged from the previous week [1] - The retail price of small packaged cooking oil has also remained stable, with peanut oil and blended oil prices at 153.22 yuan and 68.0 yuan respectively, showing a slight increase of 0.01% compared to last week [1] Group 3 - Pork prices have slightly decreased, with the average retail price for pork at 18.58 yuan per 500 grams, down by 0.21% from the previous week [2] - Specific cuts of pork, such as ribs and lean meat, have also seen minor price declines, with prices for ribs, lean meat, upper meat, and belly meat at 28.05 yuan, 18.24 yuan, 13.79 yuan, and 14.23 yuan per 500 grams respectively [2] Group 4 - Egg prices are stabilizing at a low level, with the average retail price at 6.51 yuan per 500 grams, a slight decrease of 0.15% from the previous week [2] Group 5 - Vegetable prices have shown a slight decline, with the average retail price for 30 monitored vegetables at 4.67 yuan per 500 grams, down by 1.68% from the previous week [2] - Leafy vegetables have experienced a more significant price drop, with an overall decline of 2.74%, and specific varieties like watercress, lettuce, and spinach dropping over 4% [2]