Brazil's largest diversified retailer, GPA SA, reported a fourth-quarter net loss of 29m reais ($9m) on Friday, falling short of forecasts for a first profit in seven quarters. The consolidated net loss for the company narrowed sharply from a loss of 384m reais a year earlier but was well below a Thomson Reuters consensus estimate of a profit of 111m reais. (Reuters)US: Walmart starts new price war
Wal-Mart is running a new price-comparison test in at least 1,200 U.S. stores and squeezing packaged goods suppliers in a bid to close a pricing gap with German-based discount grocery chain Aldi and other US rivals like Kroger Co, according to four sources familiar with the moves. Wal-Mart launched the price test across 11 Midwest and Southeastern states such as Iowa, Illinois and Florida, focusing on price competition in the grocery business that accounts for 56% of the company's revenue, said vendor sources with direct knowledge of the matter who did not wish to be identified for fear of disrupting business relations with Wal-Mart. (Reuters) UK: Waitrose first to launch British all year round salad leaves
Waitrose has made a commitment to growing British salad leaves all year round, as part of their ongoing support for UK farming. The new and innovative growing system is a UK first and has been in development since 2014, Waitrose said in a press release. Lidl boost for UK produce in Europe
Lidl is enjoying its own Brexit boost after exporting £300m worth of British goods across Europe. Top company sources have revealed that 70% of the supermarket’s produce, particularly its meat and vegetables, comes from the UK. Morrisons and the University of Leeds recently revealed that only 52% of the food we eat is grown in this country. (telegraph.co.uk) Fresh produce has won over Kiwi shoppers
Fresh produce has won Kiwi shoppers over in a recent grocery popularity list. Countdown's Annual Trolley Report reveals which items make their way into New Zealanders' trolleys most often. It suggests that processed foods are out and fruit and vegetables are in. Bananas claimed the number one spot in the year to October 2016, pushing 2015's winner Homebrand $1 white bread down to second place. New Zealanders bought an average of 18kg of bananas per person last year, irrespective of a record price spike in August. Avocados also crept into the top five trolley items taking out the fourth spot. Other top sellers included broccoli, sweetcorn, strawberries, cucumber and red capsicum. (stuff.co.nz) Tesco sales fell significantly in picketed stores during strike
Tesco Ireland saw sales across its store network fall significantly after picket lines were placed outside a small number of its shops. The dispute centred around proposed contract changes to about 250 long-serving staff. The Mandate trade union which represents staff employed by the retail giant called off its strike action on Friday night as Tesco agreed to put contract changes on hold to allow a new round of Labour Court talks to take place. (irishtimes.com) US: Raley’s names new president
Raley’s Chief Operating Officer Keith Knopf has been named president of the company. Knopf joined Raley’s nearly two years ago, around the time Raley’s owner and Chief Executive Officer Michael Teel took majority ownership of the company. Please, click here to more. Retailers propose alternatives in push to kill border tax
US retailers are working with lawmakers in the House and Senate to craft alternatives to a proposed tax on imported goods that they say will raise prices for consumers. “We’re in the process of working with the Hill to give a couple of different alternatives to what we think would be a regressive tax,” J.C. Penney Co. CEO Marvin Ellison said Friday in an interview. Ellison was part of a group of retail CEOs that met with President Trump on Feb. 15. “Hopefully some of the recommendations we’re putting forward will make their way toward any future tax reform,” Ellison said. He declined to give details on the alternatives discussed. Please, click here to read more at esmmagazine.com. France: Système U confirms 2016 performance
Système U has announced its 2016 results following a discussion of the retailer’s performance by its chief executive, Serge Papin, earlier in the year. As part of the announcement Système U said total sales including VAT rose 1.5% in 2016 to €19.2 bn. Please, click here to read the article. (igd.com) Italy: Coop Alleanza 3.0 launches EasyCoop online service
Coop Italia member, Coop Alleanza 3.0, has launched the EasyCoop home delivery service, extending its range of ecommerce solutions. Through EasyCoop Coop Alleanza 3.0 enables shoppers to buy from a range of over 10,000 products. The range includes 3,000 fresh items such as fruit and vegetables. (igd/esmmagazine.com)Three grocery chains open stores throughout Spain
Three chains have made moves recently to expand in Spain, FinancialFood.es has reported. International retailer Spar has opened a new supermarket in Los Belones in Murcia, while Spanish proximity retailer Condis has expanded in Sant Boi de Llobregat in Barcelona. Distribution chain Gadisa, which is concentrated in northeastern Spain, has expanded in the Castilla y León region with the opening of the first Gadis supermarket in the province of Ávila. (esmmagazine.com) El Corte Inglés ranked 7th most valuable brand in Spain
Spanish retailer El Corte Inglés has again ended up on Brand Finance's top 100 list of most valuable brands in Spain, moving up two spots to number 7. The London-based consultant firm assessed the chain's brand value at $3.04bn, an increase of 20% from 2016. (esmmagazine.com) UK: Sainsbury's to expand same day delivery trial
Sainsbury's is looking for new sites for its same day delivery trial, following an encouraging response at its initial 30 sites according to reports in The Grocer. (igd.com) Lidl to hire 250 for new South Carolina stores
German discount grocer Lidl has announced it will hire 250 employees for its new stores in South Carolina, including the two being built in Spartanburg, as part of the company's entry into the U.S. market. (goupstate.com)
US: Supervalu announces exit of Cub Foods head
Supervalu Inc has announced that Eric Hymas, President of its Cub Foods division, is leaving the company. Hymas took over the chain, Supervalu’s largest grocery unit, only in January 2016. The group said Chad Ferguson, Supervalu’s VP of marketing and consumer insights, will take charge of Cub Foods on an interim basis. (kamcity.com) US: Remke Markets grocery chain is sold
Remke Markets has been sold to a Findlay-based company, the grocer informed shoppers on Friday. Remke's 10 supermarkets in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky will remain open, but come under the management of Fresh Encounter Inc., which operates four other grocery chains. (cincinnati.com) India-Mumbai: Supermarket chain DMart pilots delivery
Home-grown supermarket chain DMart, which is all set for a ₹1,800-crore IPO next month, is building supply-chain capabilities, to reach its customers faster. According to sources, the company is piloting a project wherein it plans to open multiple delivery centres or pick-up points in catchment areas, where it has a store, for its online customers. (thehindubusinessline.com)