Another feather scalp for the boy wizard: this time, that of the world's largest retailer.

Asda has withdrawn a PR statement in which it accused Bloomsbury of 'blatant profiteering' and 'attempting to hold children to ransom by hiking up the rrp on the final Harry Potter'. It has also coughed up nearly £40,000...

Asda said this afternoon that it is keen to talk to Bloomsbury to ensure the final Harry Potter novel is in its stores this Saturday. The past 24 hours have seen an increasingly ferocious war of words between the publisher and the supermarket chain, with Bloomsbury instigating legal action for defamation and cancelling all book orders with the...

Publishers frequently complain that retailers are becoming too powerful, charging them money for promotional slots, discounting their books wilfully and generally commoditising books. But until now, none has taken the ultimate sanction of delisting a retailer.

So full marks to Bloomsbury for having the backbone to stand up to Asda and...

More than half of UK independent bookshops will resort to purchasing copies of the new Harry Potter novel from supermarkets and other discount outlets, a survey has claimed. The poll of 60 indies by web portal Localbookshops.co.uk found that many planned to stock up on Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows from supermarkets and other...