UK: Fastest market acceleration since March
Grocery share figures from Kantar Worldpanel, for the 12 weeks ending 14 August 2016, show the market growing at 0.3% as an upturn in the weather spurred consumers into increasing their spend. This is the fastest acceleration for the overall market since March 2016. Only 37.7% of grocery sales were bought on any kind of promotion this period – a significant decrease from highs of over 40% we were seeing in 2015. British consumer confidence increased in July, the month following the Brexit vote, according to the latest Consumer Confidence Tracker by Verdict Retail. Overall views on the UK’s economic outlook strengthened by 10.9 percentage points in July, the study found, however London respondents recorded a more negative view of the economy in July compared to a month earlier. (esmmagazine.com/uk.kantar.com)
Source: Kantar Worldpanel
Report: Amazon plans to open drive-up grocery store
One of the world’s biggest online retailers is planning to open a drive-up grocery store in its hometown. At least, that’s according to a report by GeekWire, which said Amazon plans to renovate the site in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood into a 9,759-sq.-ft. retail space where shoppers can pick up groceries that they ordered online. The report cites permit filings with the city of Seattle, and uncovered by GeekWire. (chainstoreage.com)UK supermarket offers exotic produce from around the world
The newly opened store not only rivals chain groceries in size and scope, it also sets new standards in the Birmingham area as a world market. Specializing in Asian cuisine, Hometown Supermarket also sells fruit and vegetables from India, the Middle East, Mexico and Central America, West Africa, Jamaica and other Caribbean islands, and the United States. Next to common produce like okra, onions, and melon are purple Dragon fruit, several varieties of Chinese greens, fresh bamboo, and ball-shaped green and purple eggplants from India and Thailand. Huge spiky Jackfruit and even the notoriously stinky fruit Durian are regularly available. The store also offers 10 different kinds of fresh mushrooms and a dozen more dried. (al.com) German supermarket adds old varieties to its range
German Organic Supermarket Alnatura has added five heritage vegetable varieties to its range. In an experiment, some increasingly rare varieties of vegetables are now produced for Alnatura. In partnership with the ProSpecieRara foundation, a charity which campaigns for biological diversity, Alnatura has 're-booted' an aubergine, which is violet with white stripes, a blue potato, a round courgette, a purple-skinned turnip and an orange tomato. (esmmagazine.com)Couche-Tard agrees to $4.4B deal with CST Brands
Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. has agreed to buy the gas-station chain CST Brands Inc. in a $4.4bn deal, including debt, expanding its foothold in Texas and eastern Canada with the help of its biggest-ever acquisition. The acquisition, the fourth announced by Couche-Tard this year, is the largest in the company's 36-year history. Couche-Tard, Canada's biggest convenience-store company, operates more than 12,000 locations globally. (dallasnews.com)Africa’s biggest food retailer beats estimates
Shoprite Holdings Ltd. full-year profit rose 17%, beating analyst estimates, as Africa’s largest food retailer benefited from growth outside of its home market of South Africa. Sales gained 12% on a 52-week basis, driven by a 29% increase outside South Africa. The rise elsewhere on the continent was achieved despite weaker local currencies relative to the U.S. dollar and the negative effect of depressed commodity prices, while growth in West African countries has been stifled by a lower oil price and a shortage of foreign currency. Shoprite opened 22 new supermarkets outside South Africa during the year, mostly in Angola, Zambia and Nigeria. (Bloomberg)
Source: Bloomberg
AU: Woolworths overhauls loyalty programme – again
Woolworths Ltd has announced the second overhaul of its customer loyalty programme in 10 months, after complaints over the changes brought in last year. Customers will earn double points on items from essential household categories, including launch deals on fresh fruit and vegetables. (kamcity.com) Swedish retailers more pessimistic about retail sector, study finds
A study by the Swedish Trade Federation has found that retailers in the country are slightly pessimistic about the prospects for the wider retail sector, however are confident of their own business' performance. (esmmagazine.com) 
Leading Russian food retailer, X5 Retail Group has announced the opening of two new distribution centres (DC's) in the Republic of Adygeya (South Russia). The new logistics facilities, Yuzhny and Adygeya, will contribute to the efficiency of X5’s supply chain and are hoped to encourage local business. (esmmagazine.com)US: Baker’s launches online grocery ordering service
Baker’s is joining Hy-Vee and Walmart in offering online grocery ordering in Omaha, starting today at a Bellevue location and expanding in the next two weeks to two west Omaha stores. Shoppers can use the service, called ClickList, to place their grocery order online, then pick it up in a designated pick-up lane outside the store. (omaha.com) 
New Greek supermarket offers comprehensive online shoppingPlease, click here to read the article.
This is what grocery shoppers value the most: fresh produce
Fresh produce comes out on top as the most important feature to customers in their grocery store experience. That’s according to a new report by Acosta, a full-service sales and marketing agency in the CPG Industry, in which fresh produce (89%) ranked as a more important feature than competitive pricing (86%) and product selection (84%).(chainstoreage.com)