US: Woodman's testing app to drive healthier shopping habits
Regional grocer Woodman’s Food Markets is testing a mobile app across its 16-store system that aims to help shoppers find healthier options while earning rewards. Shoppers can earn cash and other perks through in-store purchases and social engagement with the app, according to Progressive Grocer. The app developer, myUpside, partners with other regional retailers and independent grocers. These partnerships allow the program to reach shoppers with a turnkey solution that the company says increases shopper visits, purchase frequency and basket size. Jeff Sampson, CEO of myUpside, said Woodman’s consumer base is “passionate about better-for-you brands.” He told Progressive Grocer that “rather than depend on the transactional approach – think coupons, rebates, temporary price reductions – our community is embracing the language of experiences and personalization."
Source: fooddive.com
US: Amazon Go seen as welcome grocery option
Though Amazon.com Inc. is just getting under way with its Amazon Go stores, a new study finds that U.S. grocery shoppers are open to the cashierless retail concept. Nearly 75% of 1,000 U.S. consumers polled by marketing firm Digital Third Coast for Schorr Packaging Corp. said they would be “extremely likely” or “very likely” to shop at an Amazon Go store if one opened nearby. What’s more, 84% of respondents indicated they would enjoy the Amazon Go customer experience more than conventional grocery shopping.
Source: supermarketnews.com
Regional grocer Woodman’s Food Markets is testing a mobile app across its 16-store system that aims to help shoppers find healthier options while earning rewards. Shoppers can earn cash and other perks through in-store purchases and social engagement with the app, according to Progressive Grocer. The app developer, myUpside, partners with other regional retailers and independent grocers. These partnerships allow the program to reach shoppers with a turnkey solution that the company says increases shopper visits, purchase frequency and basket size. Jeff Sampson, CEO of myUpside, said Woodman’s consumer base is “passionate about better-for-you brands.” He told Progressive Grocer that “rather than depend on the transactional approach – think coupons, rebates, temporary price reductions – our community is embracing the language of experiences and personalization."Source: fooddive.com
US: Amazon Go seen as welcome grocery option
Though Amazon.com Inc. is just getting under way with its Amazon Go stores, a new study finds that U.S. grocery shoppers are open to the cashierless retail concept. Nearly 75% of 1,000 U.S. consumers polled by marketing firm Digital Third Coast for Schorr Packaging Corp. said they would be “extremely likely” or “very likely” to shop at an Amazon Go store if one opened nearby. What’s more, 84% of respondents indicated they would enjoy the Amazon Go customer experience more than conventional grocery shopping.Source: supermarketnews.com
Holland: Plus posts strong H1 2018 figures
Dutch retailer Plus Supermarkt has announced a turnover of over €1.2bln for the first half of 2018, saying that it is growing faster than its competitors in the Netherlands. Plus said that it saw its sales grow by 4.3% in the first half of the year, compared to an overall market average of 2.7%. The group has also increased its market share, albeit marginally, rising to 6.4% of the Dutch market in H1 2018, up from 6.33% a year earlier.Source: esmmagazine.com
Slovakia retail sales growth accelerates in May
Slovakia's retail sales growth improved in May after easing in the previous month, figures from the Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic showed. Retail sales, excluding automobile trade, advanced 3.5% year-over-year in May, faster than the 2.8% rise in April. Sales have been rising since August 2016. Sales of food, beverages and tobacco in specialized stores grew 6.0% annually in May and those of automotive fuel rose by 9.0%. On a monthly basis, retail sales went up 0.7% in May.Source: markets.businessinsider.com
Germany: Rewe Group making progress in developing 'Rewe 2020' format
Germany's Rewe Group has been making progress towards 'Rewe 2020', its future-proof supermarket concept, Linéaires has reported. From an initial seven concept stores launched in early 2017, the company carried on the experimentation into this year, with 45 more stores converted to the new concept in 2018. The new Rewe outlet in Weil am Rhein-Haltingen is a good indicator of the changes made by Rewe to its stores. In order to better fit new habits of consumers, the usual layout of the store, with fresh produce at the entrance, has been eschewed and replaced by a sushi bar and a ready-to-eat corner. The retailer has also altered the architecture of the store themselves, favouring natural light through the introduction of a glass wall entrance. This is something that customers really appreciate, the store's manager Christian Keller told Linéaires. This is in line with the goal to create a 'new experience' for customers, which is the main goal of the Rewe 2020 strategy.Source: esmmagazine.com
Spain: DIA bets on convenience store format for Minipreço
Spanish retailer DIA plans to increase the pace of rollout of its new convenience store concept in Portugal, Minipreço Express, this year. The new format is currently present at about 30 locations Greater Lisbon and Porto areas, and DIA expects the number of Minipreço Express stores to double by the end of 2018. Minipreço Express is oriented to consumers who seek a fast and simple shopping experience. The concept is characterised by an increased focus on take-away, self-service and fast-track payment, with the goal of simplifying the purchasing process, while also keeping prices low.Source: esmmagazine.com
Japan's Seven & i Q1 profit rises on upbeat overseas sales
Japanese retail group Seven & i Holdings Co Ltd said its operating profit rose 2.7% year-on-year in the three months through May, bolstered by strong sales at its overseas convenience stores. Operating profit was 86.4bln yen ($781.2mln) for the first quarter. That was slightly above the average 85bln yen forecast by three analysts polled by Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. The company operates 7-Eleven convenience stores, the Ito-Yokado supermarket chain, as well as department shops. The 7-Eleven chain is Japan’s largest with more than 20,000 stores, and is the key driver for the group’s growth.Source: in.reuters.com
Croatia: Creditors approve Agrokor debt settlement deal
The creditors of Agrokor, Croatia’s indebted food producer and retailer, on Wednesday voted to approve a debt settlement deal that will help to resolve the company’s troubles. Agrokor, the largest private company in the Balkans with 60,000 staff, was put under state-run administration in April 2017, crippled by debts built up during an ambitious expansion drive. Its creditors include local and foreign banks, bondholders and suppliers.Source: reuters.com
Malaysia’s first online-to-offline grocery sale to take place this weekend
Malaysia’s first online-to-offline grocery sale will take place this weekend, organised by mobile payment platform Fave and local online retailer Potboy. The sale will allow customers to shop for their groceries online via Potboy and redeem these later at Jaya One between July 6 and July 8. All payments must be made through Fave and no other method of payment will be accepted for the sale.Source: malaymail.com
UK: Iceland tops supermarket satisfaction list
Iceland has been named the UK's top supermarket for customer satisfaction for the first time. The UK Customer Satisfaction Index surveys 10,000 consumers, is released twice a year, and covers all types of business. Iceland came 10th overall - the highest performing food retailer - while the online giant Amazon came top of the list for the sixth time in a row. Waitrose was 17th while Aldi and M&S Food were joint 23rd. The survey measures more than 30 aspects of customer service, including staff professionalism, the quality and efficiency of the service, trust, and transparency.
Source: bbc.com
Iceland has been named the UK's top supermarket for customer satisfaction for the first time. The UK Customer Satisfaction Index surveys 10,000 consumers, is released twice a year, and covers all types of business. Iceland came 10th overall - the highest performing food retailer - while the online giant Amazon came top of the list for the sixth time in a row. Waitrose was 17th while Aldi and M&S Food were joint 23rd. The survey measures more than 30 aspects of customer service, including staff professionalism, the quality and efficiency of the service, trust, and transparency.Source: bbc.com
Costcutter has grown sales at one of its company-owned stores by up to 70% following its conversion to a Co-op franchise. The unknown location converted to the Co-op franchise model several months ago as a Costcutter Group trial. Costcutter CEO Darcy Willson-Rymer said the trial had been “very successful” and that it plans to convert several other company-owned Costcutter stores to Co-op franchises before rolling out Co-op franchise opportunities to Costcutter retailers, including those that have already expressed an interest in the model. Willson-Rymer said the further trials would make sure the model works well before offering it to its retailers.Source: betterretailing.com