Nearly 100,000 people have signed a petition encouraging Kroger Co. to offer an aisle that is free of plastic packaging, following the launch of such an aisle in Dutch supermarket chain Ekoplaza. The petition, launched by activist organization Care2, which supports animal welfare and other causes, calls on the Cincinnati-based retailer to follow Ekoplaza’s lead and eliminate plastic from one aisle in each of its 2,300-plus locations, citing the environmental impact of plastic waste.Source: supermarketnews.com
US: AWG posts record results
Bolstered by strong sales and widespread membership growth, Associated Wholesale Grocers Inc. (AWG) reported record consolidated net sales of $9.70bln and distributed an unprecedented $203.4mln in year-end patronage at its annual shareholders meeting, which took place March 28. The wholesaler’s cooperative sales grew 10.5% over fiscal 2016 to $8.48bln. Total distribution of cooperative benefits returned to shareholders, including interest, allowances and patronage, came to $576.9mln – another record. Total members’ investment and equity ended the year valued at $550.6mln, an all-time high. Source: progressivegrocer.com
US: Walmart opens first high-tech supermarket in China
Walmart Inc said it has opened its first small-sized high-tech supermarket in China, which will stock products that customers will also be able to buy on the US retailer's store on Chinese online marketplace JD.com. The move comes as "smart retail" gains popularity in China, as retailers and tech giants such as Alibaba Group Holding Ltd and Tencent Holdings Ltd cut deals to integrate shoppers' online and offline experience. Walmart's store, located in the southern city of Shenzhen, will stock more than 8,000 items ranging from stir-fried clams to fresh fruit, 90% of which will also be available online.Source: devdiscourse.com
France: Supermarket retailers Casino & Auchan enter purchasing partnership talks
French supermarkets Casino and Auchan have begun talks on forming a partnership regarding the purchasing of food and non-food items, as competition intensifies within the domestic sector. The companies said they were in talks to jointly negotiate purchases with their main, multi-national food and non-food suppliers.Source: reuters.com
UK: Costcutter’s parent company appoints new CEO
Bibby Line Group, the owner of Costcutter, has appointed John Cresswell as its new Chief Executive Officer. He will join the group on 1 May 2018 and will take over from Sir Michael Bibby during the summer, following a period of transition. Cresswell’s most recent management role was as CEO of UK communications infrastructure company Arqiva, where he led the business to achieve record revenue and profits under his four-year tenure to 2015. Prior to that, he worked for ITV for two decades, including serving as CFO, COO and interim CEO.Source: kamcity.com
Supermarkets soar for Mercadona as Spanish chain will invest €8.5bln
Mercadona is set to invest a staggering €8.5bln over the next six years. The discount supermarket is focusing on refurbishing stores, improving logistics in order to stay on top of the Spanish market and plans to open 11 new stores. It is also looking at increasing digital investment, in a bid to boost online sales.Source: theolivepress.es
Holland: Spar to open first cash-register-free supermarket on Wednesday
Spar will operate the first cash-register-free supermarket in the Netherlands on Wednesday when it launches its ‘Skippen‘ system at its branch on Utrecht’s hbo college campus. Shoppers will walk in, scan their purchases with their telephone, pay with ABN Amro’s payments services Tikkie and walk out without going to a cash register, the Financieele Dagblad said. The aim of a cashless store, the paper says, is not only cost savings but also to get the customer in and out of the store as quickly as possible.Source: dutchnews.nl
France: Workers strike at Carrefour markets over job cuts
Workers at France's Carrefour supermarkets are striking to protest planned job cuts. The FO and CFDT labor unions said the strike on Saturday was causing disruptions at about 300 Carrefour markets across the country. Some of the chain's biggest stores were forced to close. The unions also are protesting a sharp drop in employees' profit-sharing bonuses, from 600 euros per worker ($740) last year to about 50 euros.Source: wlns.com
Singapore: NTUC FairPrice takes online to the next level
Singapore's largest supermarket chain NTUC FairPrice has launched a refreshed ecommerce platform called FairPrice On. The new platform provides an elevated user experience and uses robots to fulfil online orders. The revamped online portal and mobile app will provide a more intuitive experience for shoppers. For example, shoppers will find it easier to find products, choose a delivery slot and make payment. FairPrice On offers over 13,000 products and has over 400,000 subscribers. The platform will use data analytics to send targeted personalised communication based on their profile, interests and shopping habits.Source: retailanalysis.igd.com
Russia's X5 Retail Group plans to add 2,500 new stores in 2018
Russia’s X5 Retail Group plans to open around 2,500 new stores this year, Chief Executive Igor Shekhterman said on a conference call. Shekhterman also said X5 Retail Group, Russia’s biggest food retailer by sales, will not provide any revenue or profitability guidance for 2018.Source: reuters.com
Qatar: Spar’s flagship store opens at Tawar Mall
Spar Hypermarket has opened its flagship store at Tawar Mall, featuring a wide range of food, as well as non-food, items. Spar, a leading voluntary food and household goods retail chain globally, is operated by Al Wataniya International Holding, the licence partner for Qatar. “We opened our first supermarket at B Square Mall at Al Thumama area in November last year and very quickly we opened our second and flagship store at Tawar Mall,” Spar’s human resources director Maher Alhousari told Gulf Times during the inauguration last week.Source: gulf-times.com