Diageo customers are drinking less

Punch Taverns, the pub group, rose another 27p to £10.81 on talk that Spirit, its managed pub business, could fetch more than £2 billion if it was sold or demerged - The Times​

Enterprise Inns, benefitted from renewed confidence, closing up 19.5p at 634.5p. SABMiller, the maker of Miller Lite, jumped 45p to £13.26 after strong results from InBev, its Brussels-based rival. Well-received results from Diageo the whisky and Guinness producer, helped it to improve 24p to £10.42 - The Times​

Diageo customers are drinking less. The company's preliminary full-year results showed that volumes and net sales in the UK both declined by 5p per cent. Sales of alcopops and beer fell in the first half, but filled up again in the second - The Telegraph​

Rank, the owner of 103 Mecca bingo clubs, revealed that since the smoking ban came into force in England on July 1, like-for-like sales have dropped 4.4 per cent - The Telegraph​

Bar staff in Horsham, West Sussex, are being given advice on identifying and cheering up potentially suicidal customers. Pubs will put up posters and offer beer mats telling worried people to call the Samaritans - The Guardian​

Britons' appetite for ready meals is the biggest in Europe and is still growing, according to a report out today. Manufacturers have boosted sales by creating "good for you" convenience meals which tap into the healthy eating trend, said market analysts Mintel - The Guardian​

Climate change and an increasing population could trigger a global food crisis in the next half century as countries struggle for fertile land to grow crops and rear animals, scientists warned yesterday - The Guardian​

Text messages and emails warning passers-by they are in an area where rogue sex bars operate are to be sent out under a pioneering new scheme. From today, Westminster City Council will use Bluetooth technology to send a message about the dangers of Soho's notorious clubs to the owners of mobile phones who wander within a 30-metre radius of three venues - The Daily Mail​

Restaurant owners face having to include warning labels on their menus listing the full contents of all their dishes. A new European Union clampdown over labelling will require chefs to flag up foods, such as nuts, which can cause an allergic reaction. Waiters will have to know the exact ingredients in meals, even the type of oil used in the cooking. - The Daily Mail​

In a major snapshot of Wales's health, figures prove a failing to reverse destructive lifestyle choices. Four out of 10 drink more than the daily guidelines on days they drink, with a fifth binge-drinking on at least one day in the past week - The Western Mail​