Retail news round-up: Tesco investors against the Booker merger; Fairtrade boss accuses Sainsbury’s of replacing it; and Leesa to launch new model in the UK.

Investor warns Tesco-Booker deal will damage retailer’s turnaround

Tesco’s investor Daniel O'Keefe, along with asset management company Schroders, have warned that the Tesco-Booker deal will damage the retailer’s turnaround, The Telegraph reported.

Artisan’s managing director Daniel O'Keefe said: “I have spoken to shareholders, I would say I haven’t spoken to anybody that likes the deal.

“My sense is that you have shareholders who are wavering between indifference and outright distaste for the deal, yet most of whom are unwilling to speak up.”

Tesco declined to comment.

Fairtrade boss accuses Sainsbury’s of replacing it

Fairtrade Foundation’s chief executive Michael Gidney has accused Sainsbury’s of replacing it by launching its own ethical label, This is Money reported.

He said that the supermarket should have come up with an additional scheme instead of replacing it and leaving farmers in the lurch.

Sainsbury’s said it will pass more money to the farmers instead of giving it to Fairtrade to use its logo.

Leesa set to launch new hybrid model in the UK

Leesa, the American mattress-in-a-box online retailer, is planning to launch a pocket spring memory foam hybrid model in the UK, the Daily Express reported.

The firm has recently launched the Sapira model in the US.

Leesa’s founder and chief executive David Wolfe said: “I have plans to bring Sapira to the UK, but it will involve a different manufacturing process.

“We need to get its positioning right in the US before we can bring it to the UK.”

Amazon Fresh to extend its food delivery map

Amazon Fresh is planning to deliver food to more postcodes in the south east of England, The Times reported.

Members of Amazon Prime, from Watford and St Albans to Berkhamsted and Luton, will be able to order weekly shopping items.