Shoppers can pay for goods and groceries at two H-E-B stores in San Antonio without hitting the checkout lane. The retailer is piloting H-E-B Go, a self-checkout mobile app, at its South Flores Market location in downtown San Antonio and its store at De Zavala Road and Interstate 10 on the city’s North Side, company spokeswoman Dya Campos said. The app allows customers to scan items using their mobile device as they place them in their shopping cart and pay using their mobile device when they are ready check out. Shoppers must show their digital receipt to an H-E-B employee when they exit the store.Source: mysanantonio.com
CA: Walmart partners with SPUD for Metro Vancouver grocery delivery
Retail giant Walmart is partnering with Vancouver-based online food-delivery company Sustainable Produce Urban Delivery (SPUD) to offer online grocery delivery throughout Metro Vancouver, the companies announced February 21. The partnership between the world’s largest bricks-and-mortar retailer and SPUD’s Food-X Urban Delivery Inc. subsidiary will involve Walmart storing its food and being an anchor tenant in a 74,000-square-foot warehouse in Burnaby that Food-X plans to move into later this year. Deliveries are expected to launch this summer.Source: biv.com
US: Tops files for bankruptcy
Tops Markets LLC filed for protection under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in order to undertake a balance sheet restructuring and renegotiate contracts including collective bargaining agreements and pension obligations to union workers. The Williamsville, N.Y.-based company, which operates 169 stores under the Tops and Orchard Fresh banners, said its debt holders have provided $125mln in debtor-in-possession financing as well as a $140mln DIP facility from Bank of America. Tops said it would use the new loan from lenders to pay off pre-petition revolving credit, and that the $140mln Bank of America facility would provide liquidity during its stay in Chapter 11.Source: winsightgrocerybusiness.com
Italy: Pam Panorama launches online shopping with Supermercato24
Italian supermarket chain Pam Panorama has teamed up with e-commerce site Supermercato24 to offer grocery home delivery. The new service is available to Pam Panorama customers in the cities of Milan, Bologna and Padua, who can receive their shopping directly at home, with same-day or even one-hour delivery, paying the same prices as in the physical store. The partnership, which is already active, offers more than 5,600 products for delivery, including 400 fresh products, meats and cheeses, various local produce and a large selection of take-away products.Source: esmmagazine.com
AUS: Woolworths launches new marketing campaign
Woolworths in Australia has launched a new marketing campaign ahead of the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, held between 4th - 15th April. The new Grown for Gold campaign aims to promote Australian produce by featuring some of the country's star athletes. Kurt Fearnley, Georgia Sheehan, Adam Gibson, Kelly Cartwright, and others will feature in the campaign in some shape or form. It will be rolled-out across different channels, including TV, digital, radio, catalogues, in stores, on trams, PR and social platforms. Source: retailanalysis.igd.com
Holland: New potato products and packaging by Albert Heijn
Dutch retailer Albert Heijn has introduced a new in-store layout for its potato section, as well as new products, packaging, and information shelf cards, in a bid to promote sales of the vegetable. The retail group says that Dutch consumers eat potatoes three to four times a week, on average, but are always looking for new ways to prepare and cook them. Albert Heijn's potatoes are supplied by Nedato and Leo de Kock, who have helped the retailer to develop new shelving solutions, products, and modified packaging to make the potatoes more attractive for shoppers.Source: esmmagazine.com
Spanish Mercadona: the leader that keeps on growing
The leader of the Spanish food retail has strengthened its position. Mercadona was the supermarket chain that grew the most in 2017, reaching a market share of 24.1%, 1.2 points more than the previous year, according to the report presented by Kantar Worldpanel. Mercadona, together with Lidl, are the only two retailers which have not stopped growing in the last five years in Spain.Source: agroberichtenbuitenland.nl
UK: Tesco the first supermarket to reveal gender pay gap details
Tesco has revealed a gender pay gap of 8.7%, making it the first of the big grocers to report its figures ahead of a government deadline in April. After analysing pay data of more than 225,000 employees in its UK business, the country’s biggest retailer said its median gender pay gap of 8.7% was “significantly” below the Office for National Statistics’ median of 18.4%.Source: retailgazette.co.uk
Kenya: Uchumi half year net loss widens to Sh895mln
Uchumi Supermarkets’ net loss in the half year ended December 2017 widened 63.5% to Sh895.1mln on a sharp sales drop. The retailer made a net loss of Sh547.3mln in the same period the year before, with the performance coming after turnover declined 71.4% to Sh526.9mln. Uchumi has struggled to raise new capital to fund its operations which have been hit by the closure of branches and stock-outs.Source: businessdailyafrica.com
VI Group invests in Vietnamese supermarket chain Kids Plaza
Vietnamese private equity firm Vietnam Investment Group (VI Group) has invested in one of the largest supermarket chains Kids Plaza, becoming a minority shareholder in the mother-and-baby segment focused retailer. A top company executive has confirmed the investment to DealStreetAsia. Its value, however, was not disclosed. Founded in 2009 by CEO Do Van Tuan, Kids Plaza owns 72 supermarkets nationwide and an online retail channel, offering over 10,000 products for mothers and children.Source: dealstreetasia.com
South Africa's Massmart annual profit rises 2%
South African retailer Massmart Holdings posted a 2% rise in annual profit, helped by cost cuts as consumers battling high personal debt levels spent warily. Massmart, majority owned by Walmart Inc, said headline earnings per share for the 53-week period ended December rose to 607.3 cents from 595.5 cents compared to the prior year.Source: reuters.com