FT: SOF is ending its home shopping business in an attempt to stem heavy losses. This reverses the strategy of the ousted chief exec. David Simons and highlights the heavy costs of developing remote food shopping services through the internet & interactive TV [still - it is the future-IRW]. Most large food retailers offer home shopping services, though few are yet profitable. SOF revealed steep declines in Q4 sales - said to be loosing £1m per month from the 24-7 shopping division which has a presence on OPEN, the interactive TV channel. Insiders reported that its 2 newest depos were taking as few as 15 orders per week in early May.

Tesco and Sainsburys say home shopping could eventually account for 5-10% of the £92bn per year market.

CH4 Teletext: Results, Finals: Pre-tax loss £14.5m (£208.5m profit), Loss per share 3p ( eps 31.8p), Final divi - nil. , Total divi - 8.7p ( 13.2p) So not much cheer there!

Troubled supermarket grp SOF, suffered a dramatic drop off in sales in its latest financial year. Sales comparing similar selling space fell 1.8% and by 14.7% at its Kwik Save chain.

Pre-tax profits before 1 off items fell to £70.7m from £218m previously. A £156.7m write down of store value sent them into the red.

The group warned of difficult times ahead as it said its 1st half performance would worsen before moves to improve trading took hold.

In 1st 9 weeks of new financial yr. group like for like sales were 10.2% down on last years.