Retail, wholesale sectors need ‘major investment’ in digital, sustainability: EuroCommerce
Significant investment in the retail and wholesale sectors is needed to help businesses embrace both the digital and sustainability transition, EuroCommerce director general Christel Delberghe has told the EU Industry Days event in Brussels.
Source: esmmagazine.com
Sweden: ICA Gruppen sees strong performance in a volatile year
Retailer ICA Gruppen has reported strong performance in full-year 2021 – a period marked by continued volatility in the market. Net sales for January-December 2021 grew 1.3%, to SEK127.96bln (€12.29bln), while EBITDA increased by 2.4% to SEK11.4bln (€1.1bln). Operating profit, excluding items affecting comparability, dropped 0.1% to SEK5.8bln (€560mln).
Source: esmmagazine.com
Amazon must adhere to UK supplier rules after grocery turnover tops 1 bln pounds
Amazon’s food retail business in Britain faces increased regulation after the competition watchdog said rules setting out how grocers should treat their suppliers will now apply to the U.S. giant. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said that due to Amazon’s increasing activity in the UK grocery sector it must now comply with the Groceries Supply Code of Practice. The code applies to retailers with an annual turnover of more than 1bln pounds ($1.4bln) in grocery sales.
Source: reuters.com
Missfresh doubles sales during 2022 Chinese New Year holiday week
Missfresh Limited (“Missfresh” or the “Company”), a pioneer in China’s neighborhood retail industry, announced the explosive growth of its on-demand retail sales during the recent Chinese New Year (CNY) holiday celebrating the Year of the Tiger. Compared with pre-holiday sales levels, the gross merchandise value generated on the Missfresh platform doubled during the week-long festival.
Source: prnewswire.com
UK: Aldi to create 200 apprenticeship roles
Aldi is looking to recruit 200 new apprentices across the UK in 2022. Applications are now open for the UK’s 5th-largest supermarket’s apprenticeship scheme, with opportunities across store, logistics and HGV driver roles. Store Apprentices at Aldi can earn £198 per week in year 1, rising to £295 per week in year 3. Meanwhile, those in logistics and driver roles can earn £196 and £328 per week respectively. The apprenticeship push forms part of Aldi’s nationwide expansion drive, with the supermarket expected to create a further 2,000 permanent roles across the UK this year.
Source: aldipresscentre.co.uk
Norwegian grocery delivery challenger arrives in Finland
The Norwegian delivery company Oda quietly entered the Finnish market, starting off with operations in some parts of Helsinki. The firm has plans to expand to other parts of the capital area and later, elsewhere in southern Finland. Unlike its Finnish counterparts, Oda does not sell goods from brick-and-mortar stores. Customers will need to use a smartphone app to order items that are delivered from a central logistics centre in Vantaa near Helsinki Airport, where the products are collected for delivery.
Source: yle.fi
Aldi, Lidl see strongest growth in French market in January: Kantar
Discounters Aldi and Lidl posted the strongest growth in the French grocery market in the period from 27 December to 23 January, new data from Kantar has shown. Kantar data for the so-called ‘P1 2022’ period showed that Aldi saw a 0.4 percentage point increase, to hold 2.9% market share. Lidl, which holds 7.1% of the market, also reported a 0.4 percentage point increase, by both recruiting new customers and retaining old ones, Kantar said.
Source: esmmagazine.com
Holland: Albert Heijn Home Shop Center moves to Utrecht
Dutch retailer Albert Heijn is set to move its Home Shop Center (HSC) in De Meern to Utrecht as it looks to expand its delivery capabilities. The new location spans across more than 21,000 square metres and offers more room for growth and meets the sustainability requirements that the retailer sets for HSCs.
Source: esmmagazine.com
Norway: NorgesGruppen acquires majority stake in Dollarstore
NorgesGruppen has acquired 51% of Dollarstore to become the majority owner of the business, with founders Gudmundur As Birgisson and Sigurbjørg Sigurbjørnsdottir owning the rest. Established in 2019, Dollarstore is a new discount chain that offers a wide range of products in the Norwegian market.
Source: esmmagazine.com
US: Peapod Digital Labs taps Ian Prisuta to lead private labels
Ian Prisuta has joined Ahold Delhaize USA’s Peapod Digital Lab as senior vice president of private brands. Chicago-based Peapod said that Prisuta, most recently a senior adviser at Boston Consulting Group, will oversee the own-brands team, encompassing services from new product development and innovation, product packaging and design to quality, product integrity and sustainability for Ahold Delhaize USA’s supermarket banners.
Source: supermarketnews.com
US: Online grocer Weee! enlists RELEX Solutions for supply chain project
Weee!, a California-based grocery delivery platform providing Asian and Hispanic products, is partnering with RELEX Solutions to drive improvements throughout its core supply chain operations. RELEX will provide Weee!’s distribution centres with demand forecasting and automated replenishment, as well as promotional forecasting, markdown optimisation, and the ability to share forecasts with its network of suppliers.
Source: retailtechinnovationhub.com
US: SNAP Customers in Boston can use EBT cards to order groceries online
Consumers in the Boston area who participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) can now use their Electronic Benefits Transfer (ETB) cards to buy groceries online through the nonprofit grocer Daily Table. The Mayor’s Office of Food Access allocated $93,000 in funds from the American Rescue Plan to support the effort.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
US: GrubMarket acquires supply chain software provider Nova Libra
GrubMarket announced it has completed the acquisition of Chicago-based Nova Libra, a highly reputable enterprise software-as-a-service (SaaS) provider which specializes in eCommerce and supply chain software solutions.
Source: prnewswire.com
US: Despite inflation, fresh items make up nearly half of shoppers’ baskets
Symphony RetailAI, a leading global provider of integrated AI-powered marketing, merchandising and supply chain solutions for FMCG retailers and manufacturers, announced new insights from in-depth analysis of consumer shopping data, finding that across departments, price inflation is more common in fresh grocery categories. With inflation significantly higher in fresh compared to frozen and ambient or shelf-stable categories, price-sensitive shoppers are buying less in meat, poultry and dairy, while still prioritizing purchases of fresh produce.
Source: businesswire.com
