EuroCommerce, the EU trade group representing retailers, has commended a ruling by the European Commission, which concluded that a Polish tax on the retail sector would be in breach of EU state aid rules. Under the proposed tax, companies operating in the retail sector in Poland would pay a monthly tax based on their turnover from sales, which would give companies with a low turnover an advantage over their competitors. (esmmagazine.com)Germany's Aldi to invest €5 billion in stores globally
German discount grocery chain Aldi North is planning to spend more than €5bn ($5.71bn) to revamp its stores around the world, which would be its biggest investment project ever, German weekly Bild am Sonntag reported, citing company sources. Aldi North's sister chain Aldi South announced plans last month to invest $3.4bn to expand its U.S. store base to 2,500 by 2022, raising the stakes for rivals caught in a price war. Bild am Sonntag said on Sunday that Aldi North planned to finance its multi-billion-euro investment from existing cash rather than by taking on debt. (Reuters)Carrefour new snack formula Bon’App contains sliced fruit
Carrefour France is trialing a new convenience store formula for immediate consumption, called Bon’App. The name is derived from its own snack private label and the formula only sells items meant for on-the-road or immediate consumption. Carrefour Bon’App’s product range has about 600 items inlcluding sliced fruit and vegetables. (retaildetail.eu) Foodstuffs to launch new Auckland format with focus on fresh
The North Island branch of New Zealand's leading supermarket co-operative is set to open a new Auckland-focused store concept in August this year. The new stores will be called Fresh Collective by New World and will put a much stronger emphasis on fresh food and food-to-go solutions. (igd.com)JD.Com-backed fund invests in fresh produce chain store Qiandama
Qicheng Venture Capital, an investment fund backed by Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com Inc. has made a strategic investment in brick-and-mortar fresh produce chain store operator Qiandama. The move comes as JD.com, along with several other Chinese online shopping services, continues to expand its offline retail channels to dominate how consumers buy everything from televisions to eggplants. JD.com could deploy its resources in fresh produce supply chain management, logistics capabilities and financial services to help Qiandama scale up and create a seamless online-and-offline shopping experience. (chinamoneynetwork.com) Latvia retail sales growth at 6-month high
Latvia's retail sales increased at the fastest pace in six months in May, figures from the Central Statistical Bureau showed Friday. Retail sales climbed a calendar-adjusted 3.8% year-over-year in May, faster than the 2.9% rise in April. The measure has been rising since June 2011. Moreover, the latest rate of increase was the the sharpest since November last year, when production had grown 5.1%. (RTTNews)Fitch: 7-Eleven Indonesia closure not sign of industry problems
The closure of 7-Eleven convenience stores in Indonesia is not evidence of industry-wide problems, but reflects circumstances peculiar to the franchise, Fitch Ratings says. The agency believes the closure of the stores by its master franchiser PT Modern Internasional Tbk (Modern Internasional) underscores the risk of evolving regulation and the importance of a solid business model for a retailer's credit profile. (Reuters)Aldi UK tops GCA survey
Aldi was the most compliant with the Groceries Supply Code of Practice (GSCoP), with Sainsbury’s ranking the highest of the big four. Tony Baines, managing director of Buying for Aldi, said the company was ‘incredibly proud’. “I am also pleased to report that suppliers are recognising that Tesco is continuing to improve; as is Morrisons, following a step change in its engagement with suppliers,” Groceries Code Adjudicator Christine Tacon said. Please, click here to read more at fginsight.com. Portuguese shoppers buying less in hypermarkets
The FMCG market in Portugal saw a 4.5% drop in volume and 0.5% in value in March 2017, with Portuguese consumers buying less in hypermarkets, reports Jornal de Negocios. The Portuguese brands association, Centromarca, revealed that the decline in purchases in the hypermarket channel is especially notable in terms of volume in the food category (-6%). Fresh products are the most purchased in the food category, followed by dairy products. The ready meals segment was the only one to register growth (+3.4%) compared to 2016. (esmmagazine.com) Aldi Ireland to revamp stores under project fresh
Aldi is set to invest €60m in a ‘reboot’ of its stores in Ireland, where it currently operates 129 outlets, as part of its Project Fresh plan, reports IrishTimes.ie. A large part of the plan will include expanding the discount retailer’s fresh foods offering in Ireland, and increasing chiller space by as much as 40% in its stores. (esmmagazine.com)UK: Nisa looks to positive 2017/18 after sales drop
Major UK wholesale distributor, Nisa, has reported full year sales (to 2 April 2017) down 2.6% to £1,252m. The decline is attributed to deflationary pressures which left like-for-like sales down 1.5% and the loss of sales from the former member My Local which collapsed in June 2016. (igd.com)India: Safal to open fruits and vegetable outlets at petrol pumps
Bhubaneswa - People in the city can now get fresh fruits and vegetables at petrol pumps. Mother Dairy Fruit and Vegetables Limited-Safal, the initiative of National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) will open fresh fruits and vegetables outlets at three petrol pumps in the city on Monday. (indiatimes.com)