Jumbo: cheapest supermarket in Portugal for 3rd consecutive time

Kenya: Uchumi pleads for release of Sh600mln Treasury bailout

Struggling retail chain Uchumi Supermarkets wants the government to release a Sh600mln shareholder bailout loan to help it negotiate the entry of a new investor in the business. The partially State-owned listed retailer told Parliament that the government put the bailout cash on hold making it difficult for the management to pursue pre-financing from a strategic investor. Uchumi was given a Sh700mln Treasury bailout last year out of the Sh1.3bln it had requested from the government. Mohamed Ahmed Mohamed, the Uchumi chief executive officer said the process of bringing on board the investor to inject Sh5bln of fresh capital through issuance of new shares had stalled. The prospective investor had offered to release Sh3.5bln.
Source: nation.co.ke

Spain's retail sales fall unexpectedly in May

Spain's retail sales declined unexpectedly in May, figures from the statistical office INE showed. Retail sales decreased by calendar-adjusted 0.3% annually, offsetting a revised 0.3% rise in April. Economists had forecast sales to grow 0.7%. On an unadjusted basis, retail sales slid 0.4%, in contrast to April's 0.7% increase. Month-on-month, retail sales dropped 0.1% after easing 0.4% in April. This was the second consecutive decrease in sales. Sale of food and non-food products fell 0.1% each in May.
Source: markets.businessinsider.com

Russia: X5 testing voice-assisted self-checkout tills at Pyaterochka stores

Russian retailer X5 Retail Group has announced that it is testing 'Helping Tills', a new self-checkout machine with voice assistance that will help customers. The new self-checkouts will be rolled out in X5’s Pyaterochka supermarket chain. The user interface has been designed to match the retail chain's style and customer experience, making it easy and convenient to use. The interface will also be available in English and in Chinese, for customers who don’t speak Russian. A store employee will be available to assist users of the new tills and to check the IDs of customers buying alcohol and cigarettes.
Source: esmmagazine.com

UK: Lidl expansion to create 300 new jobs in Scotland

Lidl UK has laid out plans to create 300 new jobs as it opens five new stores across Scotland in the next 18 months. The supermarket discounter will open in Paisley, Dumbarton, Giffnock and East Kilbride, and will also open its first Scottish "metropolitan" store in Edinburgh. Each is expected to create up to 40 jobs in their respective communities. Further jobs will be created through a programme of rebuilds, refurbishments and extensions across many of its existing stores north of the Border. Of those, Glasgow, Motherwell, Aberdeen and Ayr will be the first to benefit from bigger stores and more modern facilities.
Source: insider.co.uk

Spanish Grupo IFA: 2017 results boosted by strategic focus

Spain-based buying alliance Grupo IFA said consolidated sales reached €17bln across the Spanish and Portuguese markets. The alliance’s growth comes as it strengthens its international membership and benefits from the sustained strategic vision across its members. IFA noted it established its strategy 50 years ago. It aimed to help members to focus on fresh produce and enabling them to provide shoppers with choice, elements it says remain as important today as then. This settled and long-term strategy has helped it to drive growth in 2017, especially given members’ strength in proximity formats. In Spain, Grupo IFA said consolidated sales rose 4.7% in 2017 to reach €12.35bln. IFA said its share of value sales in the supermarket channel reached 15.8% at the end of the year, having risen by one percentage point over the last five years. IFA said its members’ presence within the proximity format was felt positively across shopper groups, with ‘the lack of time experienced by the younger generations and the demand for convenience of older ones’ supporting growth.
Source: retailanalysis.igd.com

Jumbo once again cheapest supermarket in Portugal: study

Jumbo is the lowest-priced supermarket chain in Portugal for the third consecutive time, a study by consumer association Deco Proteste has revealed. The association looked at 243 products in 591 stores between January and March of this year, producing a basket made up of private-label brands (38%) and manufacturer brands (62%). Two consumer profiles were analysed - those who spend €150 per month and those who spend up to €400. The organisation's conclusion was that shoppers who spend the most are the ones who also save the most, with the greatest savings to be achieved in the city of Santarém.
Source: esmmagazine.com

US: Publix recognized as one of Fortune’s best workplaces for millennials

Publix has once again been recognized by Fortune Magazine as one of the Best Workplaces for Millennials. Millennials, those born between 1981 and 1998, make up about 45% of Publix’s workforce. “Our associates are the heart of our company,” said Publix CEO & President Todd Jones. “We work to create an environment where our associates enjoy coming to work for the opportunities they have and the relationships they form. At Publix, we provide resources for our associates to help them develop throughout their careers.”
Source: businesswire.com

US: Walmart rolls out 3D virtual online shopping

Walmart Inc said it is introducing a 3D virtual shopping tour on its website that would help customers browse and choose items for their homes. The new feature would enable customers to take a virtual shopping tour of a curated apartment showcasing about 70 items from national brands, besides Walmart’s private label offerings. Starting from July, the company said it would allow customers to add a group of items to a cart that will provide a complete look for their apartments and homes.
Source: reuters.com

US: Kroger to locate new digital headquarters in downtown Cincinnati

The Kroger Co. announced it will locate its new Digital HQ in downtown Cincinnati. Kroger's new digital team headquarters in the Atrium Two building located at 221 East Fourth Street will house approximately 600 Kroger digital associates at first. Kroger expects to grow its digital team to more than 1,000 over the next three years. "We decided to locate Kroger's Digital HQ here because we love Cincinnati," said Rodney McMullen, Kroger's chairman and CEO. "We believe growing our digital team here will support Cincinnati becoming a destination for digital and tech talent." Starting in July, Kroger will begin moving about 500 existing digital jobs from Blue Ash, and approximately 100 from its general offices on Vine St., to Atrium Two.
Source: prnewswire.com

Amazon wants to foster small independent delivery fleets

Amazon.com Inc said it would offer incentives to entice entrepreneurs to set up their own small package-delivery businesses as part of Amazon’s latest effort to solve the challenge of getting goods the last mile to customer doorsteps. At a press event in Seattle, Amazon unveiled one of the dark gray Prime-logoed vans that it wants to lease to delivery businesses on what it says are attractive terms. It also said it would provide uniforms, fueling plans and insurance programs for fleet operators and even offer classes on tax, payroll and other small-business challenges. The new program promises more competition for delivery companies like United Parcel Service Inc and FedEx Corp.
Source: reuters.com

US: Kwik Trip rolling out in-store digital displays chainwide

Kwik Trip Inc. is going live with eight to 12 screens of digital messaging in each of its convenience stores. The c-store chain selected Federal Heath to roll out the interior messaging program, which consists of a content management system and hardware. The screens are strategically placed throughout the store, including the roller grill, beer cooler, register and beverage bar.
Source: csnews.com

US: Kroger to tap robotics firm for unmanned delivery

This fall, Kroger will begin experimenting with grocery delivery by unmanned vehicles as a part of what officials called a “game-changing” partnership with the Silicon Valley robotics firm Nuro. Under the plan, customers can place orders through Kroger’s ClickList ordering system and Nuro’s app. The orders will be delivered by Nuro’s fleet of autonomous vehicles. The test will be the first for Nuro's hardware and software; the pilot market will be revealed shortly. “We are incredibly excited about the potential of our innovative partnership with Nuro to bring the future of grocery delivery to customers today,” Yael Cosset, Kroger's chief digital officer, said in a statement.
Source: winsightgrocerybusiness.com

US: Walmart to shutter stores in Arkansas, Illinois and Texas

Walmart confirmed plans to close three U.S. stores next month. A Walmart store in Corning, Arkansas, a town of less than 1,000 people located in the state’s Northeast corner will close July 20, along with locations in Clinton, Illinois, and Edna, Texas. “Our decision to close these stores came after much deliberation and consideration of various business factors. With all the change happening in retail today, it is more important than ever to make sure we are meeting customers’ evolving needs. That includes evaluating the performance of our store locations currently serving customers. At the same time, we are making substantial investments in our existing stores and significant investments in technology and innovation to help us better serve our customers and train our associates,” said Walmart spokeswoman Tiffany Wilson.
Source: talkbusiness.net