Wordwide retail news overview
Aldi US aims to get big
UK: Aldi and Waitrose named 'fastest-growing retailers'
Discounter Aldi and Waitrose have been named the fastest-growing major retailers in Britain in a study by consultants OC&C, managementtoday.co.uk reports. Aldi's sales have grown by an average of 38% per year since 2011, while Waitrose was a distant second with average annual growth of 7.2%, it said.
US: Wal-Mart to improve food
Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the world’s largest retailer, is reshuffling its food executives as the company tries to improve the quality of groceries and entice more customers into stores, bloomberg.com reports. The changes follow a December announcement that the company was creating new senior leadership posts to focus on produce and meat. The company pledged in October to make fresh groceries a big focus for Wal-Mart, stepping up competition with supermarket chains. The retailer said it’s working to boost both the quality and consistency of its produce.
One in three Aldi and Lidl shoppers is 'upper or middle class'
A research, published in The Grocer magazine, found 31 per cent of Aldi and Lidl shoppers were from the "AB" demographic. This section of society is described as upper middle class (A) or middle class (B), and comprises "higher or intermediate managerial, administrative or professional" people. A further 28 per cent were from the C1 category, which is loosely considered to be lower middle class for marketing purposes.
Canada: Naturally imperfect potatoes at Maxi
Maxi stores in Quebec have introduced the Naturally Imperfect line of fruit and vegetables starting by selling naturally imperfect potatoes 30 percent cheaper according to cjad.com. Although misshaped or discoloured, Maxi spokesperson Joanne Heron says the quality is the same as regular produce. The roll-out starts with potatoes and if it goes well they'll introduce other less-than-perfect fruits and vegetables to the line.
US: Hy-Vee's Edeker named CEO of the year.
Hy-Vee, Inc. Chairman of the Board, CEO and President Randy Edeker has been named CEO of the Year by Retail Leader magazine, pharmacytimes.com reports. Edeker is recognized for his outstanding outreach, which includes initiatives to improve and expand food service offerings and in-store customer outreach; emphasis on sustainability; and participation in community and trade organizations. Supervalu Inc. CEO Sam Duncan was also recognized in the January/February issue of Retail Leader.
Finnish Kesko's sales in February 2015
Kesko Group`s sales, excluding VAT, in February 2015 totalled €648.8 million, down 1.6% finance.yahoo.com reports. In Kesko`s grocery trade, sales in February were €346.2 million, which was at the same level as in the previous year.
AU: Coles set for supermarket price war with Woolworths
Coles boss John Durkan says the supermarket giant is unfazed as larger rival Woolworths fires the starting gun on the latest price war. Mr Durkan said Coles remained focused on its existing low-price strategy, regardless of moves in the sector. It comes a week after Woolworths announced it would invest $500 million in lowering prices “We love competition,” Mr Durkan told BusinessDaily. “We don’t fear that at all. We are not changing our strategy. For five years, we’ve been lowering prices and that isn’t changing. This is a long-term effort for us.”
UK Supermarket sales volumes continue to rise – Nielsen
According to latest figures from global information and insights company Nielsen, volume sales at the leading supermarkets increased year-on-year for the third consecutive month in February. Sales volumes rose 1% during the four weeks to 28 February compared with the previous year. Sales value was down 0.7% on the previous year, while food deflation stands at 0.4%. In the 12 weeks to 28 February, Morrisons was the only one of the big four supermarkets not to see year-on-year sales decline. Asda sales fell 2.2%, Sainsbury’s were down 1.4%, while Tesco sales declined 1.1% over the last 12 weeks, despite Tesco attracting more shoppers. Aldi and Lidl both saw year-on-year sales increases, up 16.1% and 13.3% respectively.
US: Roundy's makes board appointments
Roundy’s announced the appointment of Kimberly L. Feil to its board of directors on Friday and said Gregory P. Josefowicz has been appointed lead director according to supermarketnews.com. Feil currently serves as CEO of bizHive. She has proven retail marketing experience and a keen understanding of consumer insights, marketing strategy and change management, Roundy's said.
US: Price Chopper is adding five stores in Des Moines
The Price Chopper grocery store brand is expanding to the Des Moines area, kansascity.com reports. Five stores that were part of the Dahl’s Foods chain are to be converted into Price Choppers at the end of March. Those stores were acquired by Associated Wholesale Grocers in January in a bankruptcy reorganization proceeding.
UK Morrisons drops Ant and Dec from ads
Morrisons has axed Ant and Dec from its advertising, ending the TV presenting duo's two years with the supermarket, and is preparing to launch a new TV campaign starring a host of other celebrities.
US: Digital coupons key at Walmart
Walmart’s digital coupon events on its website soared in the double digits last year versus 2013, according to Marx, a Kantar Media solution, supermarketnews.com reports. The retailer had an 18% increase in digital coupon events on Walmart.com. Meanwhile, the retailer’s FSI pages increased 16%. In contrast, Target’s digital coupon events on Target.com slipped 37%, while its FSI pages slid 11%.
Agrokor planning takeover of small retailers in Serbia
Croatian food-to-retail company Agrokor is planning to takeover smaller retail chains and open new stores in Serbia, esmmagazine.com reports. In an interview for regional news channel N1, Agrokor's Supervisory Board member, said that the Serbian market is the most fragmented in the region, but that there is large space for growth. Agrokor is one of the ten most powerful companies in Southeast Europe. Since merging last year with Slovenian retailer Mercator, it covers a market worth more than €7 billion. In Serbia it is one of the two biggest players on the retail market, alongside Belgium's Delhaize.
Hofer, Vero win best buy awards in Slovenia
Discount retailer Aldi Süd's Hofer has won the coveted 'Best Buy Award' for the second time in Slovenia. Slovenian consumers awarded Hofer three awards: best value for money (the main category), best retail chain and best international retail chain, according to esmmagazine.com. Hofer has been present in Slovenia since 2005 where it has over 70 stores.
Makro lays off 229 workers, downsizes 10 Stores in Portugal
Makro Portugal, a Portuguese subsidiary of Germany’s Metro Group, has announced it will dismiss 229 of the 1179 workers it currently employs, esmmagainze.com reports. According to Tanya Kopps, director of Makro Portugal, “this adaptation of the business in Portugal is inevitable in order to measure up to the present scenario of demand and be competitive in the market”. She added that the Metro Group will continue to invest in the Portuguese market by ensuring the future sustainability of the company.
Sainsbury's sales set to slide for fifth consecutive quarter
Sainsbury’s is set for more pain as the supermarket price war takes its toll on Britain’s third largest grocer, which is expected to post a fifth successive quarter of falling sales, thisismoney.co.uk reports. Three months ago CEO Mike Coupe said the fourth quarter underlying sales were likely to be in line with the 2.1 per cent fall seen in the first half. This is worse than the 1.7 per cent fall seen over the last quarter which covered the Christmas trading period.
