Here are the business stories making the headlines across Scotland and the UK this morning.
Lloyds Banking Group to close another 95 branches
Another 95 branches, including two in the North-east, will be closed by Lloyds Banking Group, as many banks continue to reduce their presence on the High Street.
The group said 53 Lloyds, 31 Halifax and 11 Bank of Scotland sites would shut, external between May this year and March 2027.
Lloyds, the biggest banking group in the UK, said it offered a range of options for people to manage their money.
Hogwarts Express threatened by Muggle money issues
The Hogwarts Express, which brought Harry Potter and his friends to school every term, is in danger of being derailed because of a real-life financial crisis.
For years, travellers young and old have captured the views described in JK Rowling’s novels from the Jacobite Express, a steam locomotive that puffs between Fort William and Mallaig over the Glenfinnan Viaduct.
The train carries about 70,000 passengers annually on two daily round trips on the West Highland Line, often selling out months in advance. However, West Coast Railways (WCR) has said it is “reviewing all options” and is yet to formalise this year’s timetable.
Oatly loses long-running 'milk' battle with dairy lobby
Plant-based drink maker Oatly has lost a long-running legal battle over its use of the word "milk" in its marketing.
The Swedish company tried to trademark the slogan "post-milk generation" in the UK in 2021 but Dairy UK, the representative body for British dairy farmers, objected.
Following rulings in several courts, the UK Supreme Court on Wednesday said Oatly could neither trademark nor use the phrase "post-milk generation".
Heineken to axe 6,000 staff as demand for alcohol weakens
Heineken is shedding up to 6,000 jobs from its global workforce as it grapples with falling demand for beer around the world.
The world’s second-largest brewer, which also makes Birra Moretti and Amstel lagers, is pushing ahead with a productivity drive to unlock savings by reducing its global head count by between 5,000 and 6,000 over the next two years, which is about 7% of its 87,000-strong workforce.
Some of the cuts would be focused on Europe or non-priority markets offering fewer growth prospects, said Harold van den Broek, Heineken’s chief financial officer, and some would also result from previously announced initiatives targeting Heineken’s supply network, head office and regional business units.
MSP defends friendship with sex offender after Labour suspension
MSP Pam Duncan-Glancy has defended her friendship with a sex offender after being suspended by Scottish Labour.
The Glasgow representative is being investigated by her party over her ties to former Moray councillor Sean Morton, who has twice been convicted of possessing indecent images of children.
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said Duncan-Glancy had been suspended after "new information" came to light.
Russia moves to block WhatsApp in messaging app crackdown
Russia has "attempted to fully block" WhatsApp in the country, the company said, as the Kremlin continues to tighten restrictions on messaging apps.
Meta-owned WhatsApp said the move aims to push more than 100 million of its app users in Russia to a "state-owned surveillance app".
This comes after Russian regulators further curbed access to Telegram, citing a lack of security. Telegram is estimated to have as many users as WhatsApp in Russia.
Co-op defends leadership amid claims of a ‘toxic culture’
The Co-op has defended itself against allegations of a “toxic culture” among leadership after reports that some senior managers had raised concerns of sinking morale, abrupt departures and an increase in food waste.
A letter to Co-op board members, seen by the BBC, complains of “fear and alienation” among even senior staff afraid to raise concerns in front of leadership about the trajectory of the business, including the chief executive Shirine Kouhry-Haq.
The fresh allegations follow a bruising year for the 180-year-old mutual after a major cyberattack in April led to empty shelves and the theft of customer data by hackers.