US: BJ's expands deli ordering via mobile app
BJ’s Wholesale Club has expanded its mobile deli-ordering pilot to locations in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, where members now can place and track deli orders via mobile app. The program offers premium deli meats and cheeses, sliced to desired thickness, via select BJ's club stores through mobile ordering. Members can select from brands such as Dietz & Watson, Land O’Lakes, and BJ's Wellsley Farms line, and all orders will be ready within 20 minutes and held until the store closes for the day.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
Walmart U.S. posts first-quarter revenue, comp-store gains
Walmart saw revenue edge up in its fiscal 2019 first quarter, including increased U.S. same-store sales, as the company topped Wall Street’s earnings forecast. For the quarter ended April 30, Walmart totaled sales of $122.7bln, up 4.4% from $117.5bln a year earlier. Excluding currency fluctuations, revenue was up 2.7% to $120.7bln, the Bentonville, Arkansas-based company said.
Source: supermarketnews.com
BJ’s Wholesale Club has expanded its mobile deli-ordering pilot to locations in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, where members now can place and track deli orders via mobile app. The program offers premium deli meats and cheeses, sliced to desired thickness, via select BJ's club stores through mobile ordering. Members can select from brands such as Dietz & Watson, Land O’Lakes, and BJ's Wellsley Farms line, and all orders will be ready within 20 minutes and held until the store closes for the day.Source: progressivegrocer.com
Walmart U.S. posts first-quarter revenue, comp-store gains
Walmart saw revenue edge up in its fiscal 2019 first quarter, including increased U.S. same-store sales, as the company topped Wall Street’s earnings forecast. For the quarter ended April 30, Walmart totaled sales of $122.7bln, up 4.4% from $117.5bln a year earlier. Excluding currency fluctuations, revenue was up 2.7% to $120.7bln, the Bentonville, Arkansas-based company said.Source: supermarketnews.com
Metcash partners with JD.Com to sell groceries in China
Australian grocery wholesaler Metcash has expanded its online presence in China, opening an online store for its convenience brand, Fresh Pantry. The new store on JD Worldwide marks Fresh Pantry’s first entry into China. The brand currently has two physical Fresh Pantry stores in Australia with 10 scheduled to open later this year. Metcash, which supplies IGA supermarkets, also operates a store on Alibaba’s Tmall Global platform.Source: which-50.com
UK competition regulator seeks views on Sainsbury's/Asda deal
Britain’s competition regulator has invited all interested parties to submit their views on a proposed 7.3bln pound deal to combine Sainsbury’s with Walmart’s Asda supermarket chain. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said the preliminary “invitation to comment” was the first part of its information-gathering process, in advance of a formal investigation starting. Interested parties have until June 4 to respond.Source: uk.reuters.com
AUS: Woolworths reports big increase in demand for vegan foods
Supermarket giant Woolworths has reported a significant increase in the sale of vegan foods over the last year, resulting in dozens of new products being added to its shelves. And the emerging food category is being tipped to expand further in the coming years as more and more Australians look for healthier alternatives. “We’ve seen a strong increase in demand for vegan products in the past year, and we’re working to create even more choice and variety for our customers,” a Woolworths spokesperson told Canstar Blue.Source: canstarblue.com.au
UK: Marks & Spencer to reveal dozens of store closures
The M&S chief executive, Steve Rowe, is shutting 100 of its large clothing and food shops amid falling sales and profits. It has already closed 20, affecting about 900 jobs, but staff are braced for the axe to fall on another tranche of stores before the announcement of its annual results. The closures are part of a plan announced 18 months ago to slash the amount of shopfloor space devoted to its ailing clothing ranges. Initially, just 30 out of a group of 105 underperforming stores were to shut but Rowe has decided on a more aggressive closure plan as sales move online.Source: theguardian.com
UK: Online retail goes from strength to strength in April
Despite it reportedly being another difficult month for sales and footfall on the high street, UK online retail sales went from strength to strength in April, up +18.8% year-on-year (YoY) according to the latest figures from the IMRG Capgemini e-Retail Sales Index. This was the highest YoY increase since November 2016 and came in despite Easter falling in March this year. There was a fall in the overall market conversion rate (down 4.15% from 4.3% YoY) marking the fifth consecutive decline this year. This is likely to be due to the increasing penetration of sales made through smartphones, which have lower conversion rates generally. Meanwhile average basket values (ABV) increased – jumping 14 pounds (month on month) to £117.12 for Multichannel retailers, and by 3.5 pounds to £87.16 for online-only.Source: internationalsupermarketnews.com
UK: Iceland installs reverse vending machine in store
Iceland has become the first UK supermarket to be trialling a reverse vending machine in store, in support of the Government’s recently announced intention to introduce a Deposit Return Scheme in England, it is reported. The retailer will be trialling the machine in its Fulham, London, store initially for six months. The trial aims to understand consumer perceptions and appetite for the technology and comes ahead of the launch of the Government’s Deposit Return Scheme, providing insights which will allow Iceland to maximise the positive environmental impact of the national initiative.Source: qualityfoodawards.com
UAE's Landmark Group: 2018 expansion plans
The Landmark Group has opened four new supermarkets in H1 2018. It plans to open a further 10 by the end of the year. Stores will stock around 1,200 products, 80% of which will be imported from Europe. The aim is to create stores with highly competitive prices. With the strong value message compensating for the smaller range than its competitors.Source: retailanalysis.igd.com