The Food Standards Agency has been warning consumers not to eat certain peanut butter products from the US, due to a salmonella outbreak. There have so far been 474 reported cases across 43 different states. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a list of recalled products including various cookies and chocolate bars. The list includes Middlesex-based company Lärabar, which has recalled some of its own-brand Peanut Butter Cookie flavoured snack bars (51g) and Peanut Butter Cookie flavoured mini snack bars (21g).

The Financial Times reported that, while upmarket chains like Starbucks were struggling in the US, with consistently falling sales, frugal consumer spending patterns were benefiting the likes of McDonald’s. This led McDonald’s chief executive Jim Skinner to proclaim, "Our model remains recession-resistant." He also highlighted growth in the UK and Europe.

Sainsbury’s has announced that, from 5 February, it is to stop selling eggs from battery hens. The proposal, which comes in time for Pancake Day, will ensure over half a million hens will no longer be kept in battery cages, claims the supermarket. All of Sainsbury’s eggs will be sourced from farms approved by Freedom Food and will feature the British Lion stamp of quality.