TSCO.L - Tesco PLC

Workers at UK's Asda face sack as contract deadline looms

British supermarket group Asda said shop floor workers have just over two weeks to sign-up to new employment contracts, first proposed in April, or face losing their jobs. Of Britain's big four grocers - market leader Tesco , Sainsbury's, Asda and Morrisons -Walmart owned Asda is the last to implement more flexible working contracts as it seeks productivity improvements in a brutally competitive market. Asda's new standardised contracts increase the base rate of pay for over 100,000 retail workers to 9 pounds ($11.58) per hour, plus premiums, while maintaining benefits including an annual bonus, share save scheme and staff discount.

LIVE MARKETS-Brexit: Pound and stocks bouncing up and down!

DAX +0.4% * Tug of war between UK exporters and domestic stocks as last-ditch Brexit talks continue * Roche gains, ASML down after results Welcome to the home for real-time coverage of European equity markets brought to you by Reuters stocks reporters and anchored today by Joice Alves. Reach her on Messenger to share your thoughts on market moves: rm://joice.alves.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net BREXIT: POUND AND STOCKS BOUNCING UP AND DOWN! (1316 GMT) These are complicated moments in the life of financial journalists: prices move so fast that by the time a story has been updated, prices have reversed, making said story irrelevant. Needless to say, European stocks played the same dance and yoyoed away.

Lidl to spend $19 bln over 5 years with British suppliers

German-owned discount supermarket Lidl GB has vowed to spend 15 billion pounds ($19 billion) with British suppliers over the next five years, commiting to increase sales of local meat, poultry and fresh produce. Lidl and rival Aldi have changed the shape of the UK grocery sector, stealing market share from industry leader Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda and Morrisons by offering cut-throat prices in no-frills stores. To deepen its relations with British suppliers, Lidl, part of the Schwarz retail group, said it would introduce longer-term contracts with suppliers to help them invest and expand.

LIVE MARKETS-Trick or treat: How to play Brexit?

* European stocks retreat after hitting one-year highs on Tuesday * STOXX 600 -0.3%, FTSE 100 -0.3%, FTSE 250 -0.8% * Tug of war between UK exporters and domestic stocks as last-ditch Brexit talks continue * Roche gains, ASML down after results Welcome to the home for real-time coverage of European equity markets brought to you by Reuters stocks reporters and anchored today by Joice Alves. Reach her on Messenger to share your thoughts on market moves: rm://joice.alves.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net TRICK OR TREAT: HOW TO PLAY BREXIT? Within domestics, Liberum recommends buying companies with more than 50% exposure to the UK, trades at a significant discount to the last five years and has EPS growth expectations of over 5%.

UPDATE 2-UK consumers not yet stockpiling for Brexit - Kantar

* Brexit concerns have not translated into purchasing * Quarter of UK consumers considering stockpiling * UK grocery sales up 1.3% in 12 weeks to Oct. 6 * Sainsbury's only one of big four to see growth * Aldi and Lidl's combined market share now 14.1% (Adds detail) LONDON, Oct 15 (Reuters) - British consumers have not yet stockpiled groceries ahead of Brexit though they are considering doing so, market researcher Kantar said on Tuesday. It said a quarter of UK shoppers say they are thinking about stockpiling, but they seem to be waiting to see how the coming weeks play out.

Getting lettuce into Britain - Spanish farmers baulk at no-deal Brexit

At this time of year, Juan Colomina is preparing for the start of the harvest of thousands of tonnes of fruit and vegetables grown under plastic in southern Spain and exported to the world. This year he has an added complication - trying to work out which forms are needed to get crops of fresh produce like lettuce and tomatoes through French and British customs in the event that Britain leaves the European Union without a withdrawal agreement.

UPDATE 2-UK market lags global stocks on mounting Brexit fears

Unilever pledges to halve its use of new plastic by 2025

Consumer goods giant Unilever vowed to halve the amount of new plastic it uses over the next five years, by shifting to more recyclable and alternative materials and refillable options to meet consumer demand for less waste. The company, which sells Ben & Jerry's ice cream, Dove soap and Knorr soup, said it would achieve this target by cutting its use of plastic packaging by over 100,000 tonnes and accelerating its use of recycled plastic. The Anglo-Dutch firm currently uses more than 700,000 tonnes of virgin plastic - created using raw materials instead of recycled materials - each year and expects to halve that usage by 2025.

Ex-divs to take 9.5 points off FTSE 100 on Oct 10

Pepco Group appoints Tesco veteran to run PEPCO retail brand

UPDATE 2-Tesco Bank to appoint John Kingman as chairman - source

Tesco's financial arm intends to appoint John Kingman, the businessman who oversaw Britain's bailout of its banks during the financial crisis, as its chairman, a source with knowledge of the matter told Reuters. Tesco Bank on Monday appointed Kingman to its board as a non-executive director, following a Sky News report on Saturday that the retail lender was lining him up to be its chairman.

CORRECTED-Tesco Bank adds John Kingman to its board

Tesco's financial arm confirmed on Monday that it has appointed John Kingman, the businessman who oversaw Britain's bailout of its banks in the financial crisis, to its board as a non-executive director. Kingman was closely involved in the British government's response to the 2008 financial crisis as Second Permanent Secretary to the treasury, and his appointment is effective next month, Tesco Bank said in a statement.

John Kingman to be appointed Tesco Bank chair - Sky News