Here are the business stories making the headlines across Scotland and the UK this morning.
River Island at risk of collapse within weeks
River Island faces collapse within weeks unless landlords and creditors approve a radical rescue plan, The Telegraph can reveal.
The retailer has put forward a proposal to hand the keys back on 33 stores, slash the rents on a further 71 shops and write off a series of debts to stave off a severe liquidity crisis.
The plan will be put before the High Court next week.
Click here to read more.
Aberdeen landmark sells for £5m in 80% price drop
St Magnus House, a landmark office building in the heart of Aberdeen, has been sold for £5million – a dramatic fall from the £23.7m it fetched during the market boom in 2007.
The near 80% drop in value reflects a sharp correction in Aberdeen’s commercial property market, where some prime city-centre assets are now trading at deep discounts – but also attracting renewed investor interest.
Located on Guild Street, beside Union Square, the seven-storey building offers 80,495 sq ft of office space with harbour views and 124 on-site parking spaces.
Read the full story in the P&J.
UK vehicle making hits lowest level since 1953
British car and van production in the first half of this year has hit its lowest level since 1953, excluding the industry shutdown during Covid.
Car output fell 7.3% in the six months to June while the closure of Vauxhall's Luton van plant helped drive van production down 45%, data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) shows.
Uncertainty over tariffs in the US – the UK industry's second biggest market – meant some firms slowed or stopped production in the first half of this year.
BBC to air new MasterChef series with Gregg Wallace and John Torode
The BBC has decided to air a series of MasterChef that was filmed before allegations about Gregg Wallace and John Torode became public.
The broadcaster has opted to air the amateur version of the show from August 6, ending speculation after complaints led to both hosts being told that their contracts would not be renewed.
The BBC will decide whether to air the spin-off celebrity series and a Christmas special featuring Wallace and Torode later this year.
South Park to stream on Paramount+ after bidding war
The creators of South Park - Trey Parker and Matt Stone - have struck a deal for the long-running satirical cartoon to stream on Paramount+.
Under the five-year deal, Paramount+ will show all 26 previous seasons of the cartoon and debut 50 new episodes starting this week.
The move comes after a months-long bidding war a between major streaming platforms. The deal is worth $1.5billion (£1.1bn), according to the Los Angeles Times.
Over 65% of cosmetics sold on online marketplaces are fake
Unwitting consumers are buying fake cosmetics on popular online marketplaces where a majority of beauty products are likely to be counterfeit, new research has found.
More than two thirds (67%) of products bought from online marketplaces such as Amazon, eBay, TikTok Shop and Vinted were likely to be imitations of the advertised brands, according to consumer rights company Which?
By purchasing popular labels such as Charlotte Tilbury, La Roche-Posay, Maybelline, The Ordinary and Mac, researchers performed visual checks on the products’ packaging and contents.