Pre-tax profits at the owner of the Spar franchise in Ireland, the BWG Group, rose by 23% to €29.83mln last year. BWG Unlimited Company and subsidiaries operate a network of stores across Ireland and the UK and revenues at the group increased marginally, from €1.392bln to €1.41bln, in the 12 months to the end of September last. A breakdown of the group's revenues show that 87.5% were generated in the Republic of Ireland, totalling €1.22bln, with the remaining €174.6mln generated in the UK. Numbers employed last year fell from 1,940 to 1,877 with staff costs increasing from €60.9mln to €70.79mln. The group operates the Spar, Spar Express and Eurospar franchise in Ireland and the south-west of England and also operates under the Mace, Londis and XL brands in Ireland. The group also operates Irish and UK distribution centres which supply its affiliated retailers. It also operates 21 cash and carry outlets under the Value Centre brand throughout Ireland which supply the independent retail sector, the licensed trade, foodservice and hospitality sectors.Source: independent.ie
Germany: Lidl launches influencer campaign
Lidl has launched a large-scale influencer campaign and grouped together all influencer activities under the hashtag #LidlStudio. Instead of a brief event, Lidl is betting on long-term collaboration, with 20 influencers supporting campaigns, action weeks and special products. Two projects will complement the ongoing activities. Well-known faces such as Riccardo Simonetti, Valentina Pahde, Shanti Joan Tan, Patrizia Palme and 16 other influencers will be featured on Lidl’s Instagram and other social media accounts. The social media stars were first introduced on Instagram with the hashtag #spottedatlidl. “#LidlStudio initially includes 20 influencers from the areas of family, lifestyle, food and fashion, who will join us over the coming months in the marketing activities,” said Jan Bock, director of purchasing and marketing at Lidl Germany.Source: fashionnetwork.com
Japan July retail sales gain might be too little to spur third-quarter growth
Japan’s retail sales rose for a ninth straight month in July from a year earlier, handily beating economists’ forecasts, in a sign private consumption is supporting the world’s third largest economy. July’s 1.5% annual increase in retail sales topped the Reuters poll median forecast for 1.2%, trade ministry data showed. It followed a 1.7% gain in June. On a seasonally-adjusted basis, retail sales grew just 0.1% in July from the previous month, far below June’s 1.4% increase.Source: reuters.com
China: Fosun is said to be in talks to buy Ceconomy stake in Metro
China’s Fosun International Ltd. is in talks to buy a 426mln-euro ($500mln) holding in beleaguered German wholesaler Metro AG from Ceconomy AG, according to people with knowledge of the matter. Metro’s shares jumped. Other suitors, including private equity firms, may also emerge for the asset, the people said, declining to be identified as the deliberations are in early stages. The talks regarding the 9 percent stake are preliminary and may not result in a deal, the people said. Representatives for Ceconomy, Metro and Fosun declined to comment.Source: bloomberg.com
Australia: Metcash says sales have continued to improve
Metcash chief executive Jeff Adams told investors that sales have continued to improve in the two months since the retailer announced its $149.5mln statutory loss in FY18, due to the $352mln impairment it booked after South Australian Drakes Supermarkets declined to sign on to the its new distribution centre (DC). Adams noted a slow down in the rate of decline of non-tobacco sales so far in FY19, with strong sales in the liquor business, thanks to the addition of new contract customers, and sales growth in the hardware business, albeit at a slower pace to the first half of FY18. Adams said food sales in FY19 will be impacted by IGA’s $10mln investment in growth opportunities, but expects this to deliver earnings benefits beyond this fiscal year. He also said cost savings achieved through the Working Smarter program will help mitigate difficult market conditions that are expected to continue through FY19.Source: insideretail.com.au
7-Eleven Malaysia Q2 net profit up 29.4%
7-Eleven Malaysia Holdings Bhd reported a 29.4% rise in net profit to RM13.13mln for the second quarter ended June 30 compared with RM10.15mln in the previous corresponding period, driven by higher gross profit margin. Its revenue rose marginally by 0.4% to RM557.63mln from RM555.21mln, thanks to growth in new stores and better consumer promotion activity. Gross profit improved by 2.2% or RM4mln to RM183mln compared with the corresponding quarter in the previous year, mainly attributed to the rise in revenue and improvement in gross margin by 0.6% points.Source: retailnews.asia
Spain: DIA Group joins the Horizon International Services alliance with Auchan Retail, Casino Group and Metro
DIA Group has joined the Horizon International Services negotiation platform, with the aim of improving competitiveness with the major manufacturers’ brand suppliers and providing consumers with a better offer in terms of stock and price. This alliance, which is based on principles of balanced and innovative collaboration, was announced in June of this year by Auchan Retail, Casino Group and Metro. Horizon International Services is a platform for negotiating the conditions of international services with the major manufacturers and will not affect own-brand or fresh products. The alliance will become operational once approval has been granted by the competition authorities in the countries that should be notified of the operation. The commercial policy of each company will continue to apply independently.Source: diacorporate.com
Amazon poised to break $1tln barrier after Morgan Stanley upgrade
Amazon.com Inc. shares opened at a record high Wednesday, and could become the second U.S. company after Apple Inc. to break the trillion dollar market value barrier, after Morgan Stanley lifted its price target on the online retailing giant, citing expanding sales margins and its dominant cloud computing business. Both tech giants are holdings in Jim Cramer's Action Alerts PLUS member club. Morgan Stanley analyst Brian Nowak lifted his price target by 35% to $2,500 a share Wednesday, implying a market value of $1.2tln, while keeping his 'overweight' rating on the stock in a client note that included an upgrade for Google parent Alphabet Inc. Nowak said the group's high growth, high-margin revenues - such as web services, advertising and subscriptions - give it room to both invest and generate higher profits for investors over the near term.Source: thestreet.com
US: Walmart installs first vehicle charging station at Breaux Bridge location
A new electric vehicle charging station has been installed at the Walmart Supercenter in Breaux Bridge, according to Walmart. Walmart says that the station is the first to be installed at one of their Louisiana locations and is currently ready for customer use. The system follows what the company calls a “plug-pay-charge-go” sequence that is accessed through a 15-inch touchscreen. Users will plug in their electric vehicles and pay using their credit or debit card. Charging can be monitored through text messaging. The installation of the Electrify America charging station in Breaux Bridge is a part of a larger initiative to expand the service to customers across the country. The company says it plans to install over 1,000 charge stations at hundreds of Walmart and Sam’s Club locations over the next few years. Walmart says the units will feature chargers that can charge an electric vehicle in between 10 to 30 minutes.Source: katc.com
US: Publix Supermarkets to expand organic and natural GreenWise stores across Southeast
Publix, the leading supermarket chain in the Southeast with more than 1,200 stores throughout Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia, and the Carolinas, will move its GreenWise natural grocery sets into more standalone stores, doubling its current roster, the company says. The supermarket chain launched the in-house GreenWise brand in 2003 to meet the growing demand for organic and natural food products–in 2007 it opened its first concept market for the GreenWise brand in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, adding locations in Boca Raton and Tampa in 2008. Now, it’s set to take the markets into several more Florida neighborhoods and one in South Carolina within a year. Like the store’s GreenWise brand, the standalone markets will focus on the growing organic and natural market offerings made popular by Whole Foods Market.Source: organicauthority.com
US: Tops to close 10 underperforming stores as part of restructuring
As it continues its financial restructuring process after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, Tops Markets LLC disclosed that it would close 10 underperforming stores by the end of November. The move follows what the Williamsville, N.Y.-based grocer called “a comprehensive evaluation of its store portfolio.” The company added that it was “taking this action as it continues to focus on strengthening its financial position so it can invest further in its stores, create an even more exceptional shopping experience for customers, and compete more effectively in today’s highly competitive and evolving market.”Source: progressivegrocer.com
US: Kroger to expand Instacart delivery to 75 additional markets
Kroger Co., the country’s largest traditional grocery store chain and No. 86 in the Internet Retailer 2018 Top 1000, says it will expand home delivery of groceries ordered online via Instacart, an app-based home grocery delivery service, to 75 additional markets by late October. The expansion will boost the national footprint of Kroger’s delivery via Instacart by 50%, Kroger says. The initiative makes the service available from more than 1,600 of Kroger’s 2,800 stores, starting today with stores in the Atlanta, Nashville and Memphis areas.Source: digitalcommerce360.com