UK: Sainsbury's pins sales growth slowdown on price cuts, not Asda deal
Sainsbury’s, Britain’s second biggest supermarket group, said sales growth slowed over the past three months because it pushed through price cuts, denying it had been distracted by its deal to take over rival Asda. Although Sainsbury’s food trading performance is lagging rivals, its shares are by up over a third this year on the back of April’s agreed 7.3bln pounds takeover of Walmart owned Asda. The combination, which would overtake Tesco as Britain’s biggest supermarket chain, is being looked at by Britain’s regulator, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). The CMA’s probe is expected to be lengthy and Sainsbury’s does not anticipate the deal being concluded until the second half of 2019.
Source: uk.reuters.com
Sainsbury’s, Britain’s second biggest supermarket group, said sales growth slowed over the past three months because it pushed through price cuts, denying it had been distracted by its deal to take over rival Asda. Although Sainsbury’s food trading performance is lagging rivals, its shares are by up over a third this year on the back of April’s agreed 7.3bln pounds takeover of Walmart owned Asda. The combination, which would overtake Tesco as Britain’s biggest supermarket chain, is being looked at by Britain’s regulator, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). The CMA’s probe is expected to be lengthy and Sainsbury’s does not anticipate the deal being concluded until the second half of 2019.Source: uk.reuters.com
UK: Grocery delivery startup Home Run raises over £470K
The London based startup Home Run has raised over £470k in the past few weeks from 201 investors across 21 countries. Home Run is running a crowdfunding campaign with Seedrs. The campaign will remain open for ‘a few more weeks,’ the company announced in an official statement. Home Run is a real-time online grocery fulfillment service helping retailers reach more customers faster and cheaper. Customers can log in to Home Run’s website or mobile app, fill up their basket from their favorite supermarket and have their order delivered to their door in as little as 60 minutes. Home Run is already working with a number of supermarket chains, including Tesco, Marks & Spencer, Waitrose, and Whole Foods.Source: bizztor.com
Russia: X5 launches academy to develop homegrown talents for Pyaterochka
X5 Retail Group has announced the launch of its first educational project. The Russian group wants to ensure that it has enough new management to sustain its rapid growth, with both its revenue and store number doubling over the past three years. To support its growth, X5 wants to enrol 800 employees from its commercial divisions to take part in various programmes with the aim of 'nurturing a category management culture across the Company'.Source: esmmagazine.com
China: JD.com introduces hydrogen energy delivery trucks
China’s second-largest retailer JD.com has introduced a fleet of hydrogen energy delivery trucks, which emit only purified water, in Shanghai. JD said the new fleet is the first sizeable commercial deployment of hydrogen-powered vehicles for logistics in China. It said it has put dozens of new delivery trucks to use with hydrogen tanks that take only three minutes to refill and can travel for 300 kilometers per tank while carrying up to 3.5 tons of cargo. “These first forays into the world of renewable energy are the beginning of what will be a complete overhaul of the way we deliver goods to JD’s customers across the country on a daily basis. It’s a very exciting time," said Hui Wang, vice president of JD.com, head of the delivery department at JD Logistics.Source: chinamoneynetwork.com
Australian retail sales are making a comeback
For the first time in a long time, Australian retail sales have beaten expectations for two months in row. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), sales rose by 0.4% to $26.67bln after seasonal adjustments, topping forecasts for an increase of 0.3%. April’s increase, originally reported at 0.4%, was also revised higher to show a gain of 0.5%. “Department stores (3.9%) led the rises,” said Ben James, director of Quarterly Economy Wide Surveys at the ABS.Source: businessinsider.com.au
UK: Morrisons rolls-out grocery delivery service to 2mln more homes
Morrisons has extended its home delivery service in the south east, delivering to a further 2mln homes in South London, Surrey and Kent. The retailer claims that the expansion of the service, which is run in partnership with Ocado, will enable it to reach 70% of UK households. “Our aim is to make and provide affordable food for more and more people so we are delighted to expand our delivery service to more homes in the south east of England,” said Matt Kelleher, online and digital director at Morrisons.Source: kamcity.com
Aldi puts solar panels on Hungarian stores
Retail chain Aldi has installed the first in a series of residential solar panels on its unit in Sopron, the company said in a statement. The system has 50 kWp output capacity. Aldi will use the solar energy to decrease electricity consumption in its stores, expecting to save two to three months' worth of power annually. Customers entering the store will be greeted by a screen displaying the amount of power generated and the amount of carbon-dioxide emission saved. Source: portfolio.hu
China: Walmart to open 30 to 40 more stores in 5 years in Chengdu
Walmart plans to open 30 to 40 more stores in the next five years in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan Province, the company has said. A strategic cooperation memorandum was signed between Walmart China and the Municipal Government of Chengdu. The new stores will include Sam's Club, Walmart Hypermarket and Walmart Supermarket.Source: xinhuanet.com
US: 1st ShopRite in the Bronx opens in Bruckner Plaza
The first ShopRite in the Bronx has opened on Bruckner Boulevard. The new supermarket carries an abundance of fresh meat sourced from nearby farms, as well as seafood, produce and organic and natural products. It also features a community room for events and classes, as well as a hiring center. The store has already employed 200 members of the community. Source: bronx.news12.com
US: Kroger's digital shelves stock up on sustainability benefits
Kroger’s Edge digital shelf display technology offers sustainability benefits in addition to a personalized, interactive shopping experience, according to a marketing post from partner Microsoft. The technology will require fewer printed price tags, run on renewable energy and allow stores to turn down their overhead lights. According to Microsoft, Edge is designed to use a low-voltage, direct current that meets standards set by the Emerge Alliance, an association that promotes efficient power usage in commercial buildings. The technology also illuminates shelf prices with its digital displays, meaning stores won't require the same intensity of overhead lighting typically used to highlight paper tags, according to Brett Bonner, Kroger's vice president of research and development. Edge coincides with Kroger’s sustainability goals, which include cutting its cumulative electricity consumption by 40% across its entire system. The Edge system is currently in 16 stores located near the company's Cincinnati headquarters. It will expand to 120 by the end of this year, Microsoft said.Source: fooddive.com
While the announcement was made back in January, Safeway officially closes 8 Metro Vancouver stores this week. The owner of Safeway, Empire Co., stated that it planned to close stores that were “consistently underperforming.” In a competitive market with a plethora of discount brands, as well as increased labour costs, it had trouble integrating the brand. The corporation had originally slated the closures for early May; however, union disputes pushed the transition back by two months. The closures affect nearly 1,000 employees, and many will lose their jobs as a result of the closures.Source: 604now.com