John Lewis and Waitrose have added "& Partners" to their names, a move designed to highlight the structure and culture that differentiates them from competitors. A handful of branches unveiled new logos including John Lewis Oxford Street and Waitrose Edgware Road. Full roll-out to the estate including all vans and lorries will be phased over several years. Rob Collins, Waitrose & Partners Managing Director said: “This moment is far more significant than simply adding words and changing the design. It symbolises something bigger, expressing what’s different about our business and signalling our intent to make that difference count for even more.” Waitrose announced the private label packaging programme of change will begin in October. The first ranges to showcase the changes will be Waitrose's Christmas products, and its free-from range.Source: retailanalysis.igd.com
Russia: O'key Group financial results for 1H 2018
The Group revenue decline in 1H 2018 by 8.5% was primarily triggered by the supermarket business sale. Adjusted Group revenue decreased by 1.4% YoY in 1H 2018, on the back of increasing competition and negative macroeconomic trends. Despite 4.9% decrease YoY in EBITDA, the margin increased by 17 bps YoY, driven by improved purchasing conditions and the increased efficiency of operations across the Company. Net loss decreased almost 3x driven by net gain from the sale of supermarket business and increased operational efficiency.Source: okeyinvestors.ru
UAE: Noon launches grocery service
The ever-expanding online platform Noon has announced it will now deliver groceries. The retailer is looking to sell a wide range of products focusing on premium options, including organics. All food will come from the local community. The launch reflects the moves of other online global players into the grocery business such as Amazon purchasing Whole Foods and Alibaba launching Hema. Noon’s main competitor Souq also offers food across six categories. The retailer is considering additional convenience services related to food and drink for future development. This includes convenience stores and meal deliveries. Details of this have not yet been announced.Source: retailanalysis.igd.com
Latvia retail sales growth slows for second month
Latvia’s retail sales growth eased for the second straight month in July, figures from the Central Statistical Bureau showed. Retail sales climbed 4.3% year-over-year in July, slower than the 5.5% increase in June. Turnover of retail trade in food products grew 5.1% annually in July and those of non-food products advanced by 3.0%. On a monthly basis, retail sales edged down 0.1% from June, when it fell by 1.0%.
Source: forextv.com
Latvia’s retail sales growth eased for the second straight month in July, figures from the Central Statistical Bureau showed. Retail sales climbed 4.3% year-over-year in July, slower than the 5.5% increase in June. Turnover of retail trade in food products grew 5.1% annually in July and those of non-food products advanced by 3.0%. On a monthly basis, retail sales edged down 0.1% from June, when it fell by 1.0%.Source: forextv.com
Although the retailer said that costs generated by its on-going restructuring costs had hit profits, Auchan noted the positives in its first half results. It noted the establishment of the Horizon buying alliance, its expansion of its convenience format, the on-going reinvention of its customer experience and the digitisation of its operations more widely. After several years of falling sales, Auchan reported its revenue was stable, at €25.1bln, in the first half of 2018 at constant exchange rates. At current exchange rates it said sales fell by 3.2%. In relation to Auchan Holding, which includes non-retailing activities, at constant exchange rates, revenue fell by 0.8% in France and by 2.3% in Eastern Europe. It increased by 0.3% in Western Europe (excluding France), due to ‘strong performances in Portugal and Spain’, and by 0.3% in Asia. However, profitability was affected by its on-going investment in its operations. It said its EBITDA fell by 22.8% to €619mln, with the operations where it was making the largest investments or facing on-going headwinds - France, Italy and Russia - seeing the strongest falls.Source: retailanalysis.igd.com
Spar Hungary to introduce compostable bags
In a move to step up sustainability efforts, Spar Hungary has announced that it will introduce degradable and compostable bags. The company will also invest in environment friendly bags made of recycled pet plastic. Apart from plastic shopping bags, customers at Spar Hungary also have access to paper bags, paper cooler bags, and non-woven multipurpose eco-friendly bags.Source: esmmagazine.com
Costcutter Supermarkets Group has unveiled Merchandising Principles, a new library of category guides to help independent retailers drive sales through improved understanding of merchandising best practice. Merchandising Principles provide retailers with the theory behind the planograms. Each guide is a companion to the category planogram which explains the range-specific high level category best practice and product placement principles. The information is designed to help retailers make informed decisions about where they can flex and tailor their range at a local level to include the products their shoppers expect to find in store. Each Merchandising Principles guide also features promotional guidelines for merchandising gondola ends, wine towers and floor stacks to help retailers get more from their promotional package.Source: talkingretail.com
Carrefour Qatar revamps mobile app for customers
Leading hypermarket and supermarket chain Carrefour has announced the release of the new version of its mobile application in Qatar. The application now has additional features that 'improve the look, feel and overall user experience in line with Carrefour's commitment to constantly innovate its customer service offering, the company has said in a press statement. The app now provides Digital Receipts, allowing customers to keep track of their latest purchases, and also features the digital MyCLUB Card directly on the landing page to ease the checkout process. Source: menafn.com
CommonSense Robotics to provide robot systems for Israeli supermarket chain
Rami Levy, Israel’s third-largest supermarket chain, signed a deal with Tel Aviv-based startup CommonSense Robotics, to establish 12 distribution sites throughout Israel powered by robot systems for use in storing and packing online grocery orders, CTech by Calcalist reported this week based on the company’s filing at the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange Thursday. The first two sites will operate by the end of 2019, with 10 more to be established in the second period and the rest available by July 2021, the supermarket said, according to the report.Source: nocamels.com
South Africa: Steinhoff agrees sale of POCO to Seifert for $312mln
South African retailer Steinhoff said its subsidiary has agreed to sell a 50% stake and related properties in German furniture chain POCO to Andreas Seifert for 270.68mln euros ($312.93mln). In February, a Dutch court ordered Steinhoff International to amend its 2016 accounts, handing victory to former business partner Seifert in a dispute over the ownership of discount furniture store chain. “Closing of the POCO sale shall bring the German litigation proceedings with the Seifert entities to an end,” the company said in a statement. The POCO business will retain debt of approximately 140mln euros, with no recourse to the group, it added.Source: uk.reuters.com
Vietnam: Revenue of retail sales and services up 11.2% in eight months
Vietnam’s total revenue from retail sales and services had strong growth in the first eight months of this year due to the strong increase in purchasing power of the domestic market, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO). The total revenue from retail sales and services reached VNĐ2.86 qdn (US$124.3 bln) in the first eight months, a year-on-year increase of 11.2%. The office said revenue from retail goods accounted for three fourths of total revenue from retail sales and services to reach VNĐ2.15 quadrillion in the first eight months of this year, a year-on-year increase of 11.7%. Of which, several products recorded strong increases, including food and foodstuffs (12.8%), garments (12.3%) and home appliances (11.6%).Source: vietnamnews.vn
DIA to buy 12 Walmart stores in Argentina
Walmart has announced the sale of 12 of its local, small-format stores to DIA. They have an average area of 400 sq m, and are likely to be from Walmart’s Changomas Express banner. DIA, whose Argentinian network is nearly 10 times as large as Walmart’s, could absorb the stores into its proximity DIA Market banner. No financial details were given.Source: retailanalysis.igd.com
US: Stater Bros. moves ahead with store upgrades
Continuing a flurry of store remodels, Stater Bros. tomorrow plans to hold grand reopenings at four locations. The Southern California supermarket chain said it will reopen renovated stores in Santa Ana (2360 North Tustin Ave.), Calimesa (1155 Calimesa Blvd.), West Covina (375 North Azusa Ave.) and Rancho Cucamonga (9750 Nineteenth St.) on September 5. Along with an enhanced layout, the remodeled stores feature interior upgrades such as new flooring and energy-efficient LED lighting. Customers also will see a wider selection of premium wines and an expanded section for freshly prepared, grab-and-go food items.
Source: supermarketnews.com
Continuing a flurry of store remodels, Stater Bros. tomorrow plans to hold grand reopenings at four locations. The Southern California supermarket chain said it will reopen renovated stores in Santa Ana (2360 North Tustin Ave.), Calimesa (1155 Calimesa Blvd.), West Covina (375 North Azusa Ave.) and Rancho Cucamonga (9750 Nineteenth St.) on September 5. Along with an enhanced layout, the remodeled stores feature interior upgrades such as new flooring and energy-efficient LED lighting. Customers also will see a wider selection of premium wines and an expanded section for freshly prepared, grab-and-go food items.Source: supermarketnews.com
H-E-B now has three of its upscale Central Market stores in the Dallas/Fort Worth area with plans to add at least two more. The grocer is not planning to add any of its flagship H-E-B stores in the market during the near-term, but longer range plans call for the San Antonio-based chain to add more supermarkets in the region.Source: retailwire.com