Carrefour Italia announced the launch of “Quality Line”, a new brand featuring the products of 4,700 Carrefour suppliers operating according to the principles of sustainability. The products in Carrefour Italia’s Quality Line are made to the highest standards by producers who operate according to the principles of ecologically-sustainable farming. (finchannel.com) Idea opens first three organic stores in Serbia
Serbian grocery retailer Idea has opened the first 'Idea Organic' supermarkets, which are dedicated to organic and healthy food. Three new stores were opened this week, and all are located in downtown Belgrade. The Idea Organic stores feature over 1,500 organic and healthy food products, including a wide-range of gluten-free, dietetic, macrobiotic and fasting products. (esmmagazine.com) UK: Booths products on Amazon Fresh
Booths' private label products are now available to customers in the south of England through a new partnership with Amazon Fresh. The Lancashire-based supermarket operates 28 stores in the north of England, so joining forces with Amazon Fresh greatly extends Booths' reach, in terms of the number of shoppers, geographic regions, and entering a new shopping channel: online. “We know customers love high quality ready meals, delicatessen and produce, and with Booths’ rich history and well-deserved reputation for providing the very best food, we think people across London and the South East will love what Booths has to offer,” said Ajay Kavan, Vice President, AmazonFresh International. (igd.com)China: Walmart to open more hypermarkets
Walmart, the world's largest retailer, is planning to open more compact hypermarkets in China with upgraded facilities, as it seeks to cater to the increasingly high-end and diversified demands of younger consumers. Earlier this week, the company said in Beijing that it would open 30 to 40 hypermarkets in the country every year, including in major cities and smaller cities, and more compact hypermarkets. Most of the compact hypermarkets are nearly 40 percent smaller than the usual. (chinadaily.com.cn) Auchan retail Ukraine sells 20% of shares in Furshet retail chain
Auchan Retail Ukraine, part of France’s Auchan Group managing the Auchan hypermarket chain in Ukraine, has sold a 20 percent stake in the Furshet supermarket chain in Ukraine to VI2-Partners Investment Company. “The decision is in line with the global strategy of Auchan Retail Ukraine, envisaging the development of the multi-formats under the unified brand. The recent purchase of Karavan stores that would gradually switch to the Auchan brand, is direct proof of this,” the press service of Auchan Retail Ukraine said on Oct. 12. The cost of the deal was not disclosed. (kyivpost.com) X5 Retail Group sees sales rise 24.9% in Q3
Russia's X5 Retail Group has posted a 24.9% increase in sales for the third quarter of the year, with sales totalling RUB 317,131 million. The group experienced a 4.6% increase in like-for-like sales, while 20.3% sales growth contribution came from an increase in selling space compared to the same period last year. In Q3, X5's like-for-like traffic growth increased to 2.5% year-on-year, from 2% year-on-year in the second quarter. (esmmagazine.com) US: FMI calls for tax relief to aid grocers
The Food Marketing Institute has called for lower taxes on grocery stores, according to a press release. Currently, the industry pays $153 billion in taxes each year, or $32,000 for each employee. Slim profit margins make it difficult for retailers to stay profitable under current tax rates, FMI noted. The group also notes that supermarkets produced more than $363 billion last year. (fooddive.com) Study: Amazon’s grocery sales rising steadily
According to new research from One Click Retail, Amazon’s sales are rising steadily across grocery, thanks to the company’s Amazon Fresh category, which generated $90 million in sales in the U.S. It’s also consistently growing at an average of 3% per week during the quarter. Half of fresh sales were split between dairy products and produce, followed by meat (including deli meats and seafood) with 18% of sales. (chainstoreage.com) Trump agricultural chief Perdue backs food stamp changes
The Trump administration wants cuts made to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, better known as food stamps. Speaking at the WSJ Global Food Forum on Tuesday, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue criticized the distribution of food stamps to people who are able to work, according to The Wall Street Journal. Congress will make some decisions about the program next year under the reauthorization of the Farm Bill. (fooddive.com)