The My Shop is Your Shop (MSYS) campaign and Landmark Wholesale (see below) are both stepping up initiatives to encourage consumers to shop locally.

The Today's Group has reported sales up 12.8% year-on-year in its second quarter, and a 5.4% increase in volume.

Landmark Wholesale is launching a campaign designed to encourage consumers to change their shopping habits.

Duty fraud on a significant scale has returned to the UK within the past few weeks, robbing wholesalers of business at one of the busiest times of the year.

Booker has launched a 'Quick and Easy' hot food solution to help retailers sell food-on-the-go.

Rochdale Cash & Carry opened new premises last month after an investment of more than £2.5m.

Costco opened its 20th warehouse in the UK and its first in Wales at Cardiff last week.

Premier Foods has awarded its Manager of the Month title to Sarbjit Singh, depot manager at Bestway Cash and Carry's thriving depot serving over 2,500 retailers across Leicester. Sarbjit has worked for Bestway for over 27 years, and has been based at the Leicester depot for 19 years. It is here that he met Premier Foods' business development executive, Graham Goggins.

DBC Foodservice has won a

Southern Comfort has put a special emphasis on the wholesale channel to support its £1.2m 'Suspended moments' campaign on TV and outdoor media over the summer.

Summertime is with us at last and, according to the Gershwin lyric, the living should be easy. Well, from a wholesaler's perspective you would at least expect a significant boost to your beer and wine sales as some hot holiday weather arrived.

Cash prizes and trophies have been awarded to staff at Batleys Cash and Carry who have demonstrated the best approach to their work throughout its 19 depots.

Depot staff and customers are being given the chance to win tickets to the Italian Grand Prix at Monza next month in Peroni's latest cash and carry promotion.

In a new unique community bonding programme, five local independent convenience stores and newsagents took teams of youngsters to Leicester City's training dome for an inter-shop tournament.

Crown Crest (Leicester) plc has made two senior appointments to its £150m turnover delivered wholesale business.

The former general manager at Parfetts Halifax has returned to Parfetts as part of the senior trading team.

Charles Wilson, chief executive of Booker, will be the keynote speaker at the next Arena lunch, on September 24 2008, at the Jumeirah Carlton Hotel, London.

Nestlé Professional presented its Toque d'Or award to Carlisle College.

DANGER. Oh dear ...Government says it wants to give local councils more say in approving planning applications from giant multiples. But councillors can't be trusted, can they?

Trevors Warehouses, a foodservice wholesaler in Blackpool, is investing in the Accord system from Business Computer Projects (BCP).

TM Electronics has launched the ThermoBar Scan.

GRP Group, a refrigerated bodybuilder, has launched a new business operation covering the buying and selling of used refrigerated vehicles.

Is the message of My Shop is Your Shop finally getting through to the political classes ­- members of Parliament and secretaries of state on whose shoulders lie the shaping of our environment, our economy, the future of our children and... the future of the independent convenience store, newsagent and rural shop?

Vinod Patel, owner of D&P Stores in Bradford, has seen his alcohol sales soar thanks to a re-merchandise from the Take Home Blueprint team. Sales have increased across all the off licence category, including a 15% increase in his wines. Since his white and rosé wines were relocated to a large open chiller, sales have gone through the roof.

Christmas comes early in foodservice. For suppliers to the catering industry, like Brakes, it comes even earlier.

Whitstone Stores in Devon has experienced a dramatic boost to its off licence sales following an FWD Take Home Blueprint makeover. This included a Blueprint wine tasting event, which saw 30 cases of wine sold in the one evening.

The effect of climbing food prices is being felt across the world with several different staple foodstuffs reaching record levels and this is having a knock-on effect on consumer prices both in and out of home. These increases and occasional shortage of supply are being caused by a variety of reasons that may not always be clear-cut.

According to our latest consumer research, 84% of Brits think the UK will enter into recession, up from 57% only three months earlier (HIM recession survey, March and June 2008) and unfortunately out-of-home-eating is one key area where consumers are planning to cut back spend in the next 12 months.

Alveston Kitchens, part of Heinz Foodservice, is launching a new range of desserts in time for Christmas.

Délifrance UK has launched a chocolate filled brioche aiming to add French sophistication to caterers' offering.

Schöller has introduced new products into its Mövenpick and Erlenbacher ranges.

The Authentic Food Company has introduced a new addition to its Indian range.

Kohinoor, a Basmati rice brand, is offering its customers the chance to win a TV.

Consumer demand for healthy products has been good news for the juices and waters categories. In juices they get natural ingredients which, in some cases, count towards that healthy Holy Grail - the 'five-a-day' - while in water they get calorie-free rehydration. Yes, juices are full of sugar but often they are naturally-occurring sugars. And yes tap water is cheaper than bottled but it doesn't always taste the same and it's not always easy to access - especially when you are out and about.

Christmas is a key time for confectionery and despite the tightening of belts, this year looks to be no different. The theme is a focus on key lines and brands, while an increasing amount of environmentally friendly packing is also being displayed.

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There are a range of healthier options in the cakes and biscuits market, while they also remain a treat that consumers are happy to indulge in. If they are making the choice to treat themselves less, they want it to be a good treat when they get it.

PepsiCo is asking consumers to invent and choose a new flavour for Walkers Crisps.

Premier Foods has launched Branston Dips.

Procter and Gamble is refreshing Febreze for 2008.

AG Barr has launched a new advert for its Orangina brand.

The Peter Rabbit Organics range of childrens food has been given new packaging and three new products have been added.

Heinz is rolling out its Dreamz Meanz Heinz consumer promotion for the second time.

Unilever has introduced two new variants to its Surf range.

Coca-Cola Enterprises has given its Lilt brand a makeover.

Mars Petfood has launched its Pedigree Joint Care+ Six Week Challenge.

Mars Consumer Drinks is looking to the female market as it is extending its Galaxy drinks range with the launch of a one litre Galaxy drink.

InBev UK is launching price-marked promotional packs on key brands including Stella Artois, Beck's and Tennent's Lager in the wholesale channel.

Two new Hardys products have been launched as part of Constellation's £12m investment in the brand this year.

Drinks manufacturer and distributor Halewood International has teamed up with TV celebrity chef Ed Baines to launch a campaign to find the UK's best Chinese restaurant as part of its support programme for Chinese beer brand Tsingtao.

Consumers who have contacted Merrydown to say how much they enjoyed its ciders are being invited to become "ambassadors" for the brand, arranging cider and food tastings with friends and relatives and giving their feedback to Merrydown.