UK: Spar to get new EPoS tech after trial success
Spar retailers across the UK can now update their till systems with Henderson Technology’s EDGEPoS software following a successful rollout in Northern Ireland. The software, which will replace Blakemore’s SPARPoS system in the UK, was launched in Northern Ireland in the middle of 2017. It is now available in 450 Spar stores across the country, and eight sites in the rest of the UK. There is no upfront cost, as retailers pay for the system through a monthly lease. Developed by Henderson Technology, features of the system include the ability to alter product information across multiple stores from one computer. EDGEPoS also enables retailers to update digital shelf- edge labels with promotions. Store owners can also get direct support from Henderson Technology’s head office, while the software supports self-service tills.
Source: betterretailing.com
UK: ORBCOMM to boost Lidl’s supply chain
ORBCOMM, a specialist in smart technologies, has announced that it will provide a temperature monitoring solution to leading food retailer Lidl UK across its network of refrigerated trucks and trailers. The comprehensive cold chain solution, which features high-speed connectivity, device management and seamless data integration, is expected to give Lidl improved visibility over its entire transport network. According to a statement, ORBCOMM’s automatic temperature detection facilities monitor cargo and set tolerances by leveraging a number of temperature sensors, ensuring the quality of refrigerated goods is maintained throughout the cargo’s journey.
Source: porttechnology.org
France: Carrefour extends its “Pedestrian Drives” in Paris
In full expansion in the capital, Carrefour has opened seven new “pedestrian Drives”, bringing their number in Paris to 45. The very first “Pedestrian Drives” appeared in Paris last year, allowing customers to take advantage of this new service. For Carrefour, this is to offer the widest possible choice to Parisians, they prefer to do their shopping themselves, to be delivered or pick up their bags. And to take advantage of this service, consumers must simply order in the day, before 19:00 h, before picking up their shopping - the next morning - in their Carrefour (City or Market) the nearest. Their order is being processed at night, in group premises, located outside Paris.
Source: internationalsupermarketnews.com
Australia: Coles expands Uber Eats offer
Coles has increased the range that it offers for delivery via Uber Eats to include groceries. At the start of the year Coles started offering delivery of hot food in less than 30 minutes at its Pagewood, Sydney store via Uber Eats. Users could have ready-to-eat snacks, sandwiches, salads, pizzas, pies, curries and desserts delivered for a AU$5 delivery fee. The retailer has now increased the offer to include some grocery items such as milk, bread, dairy, fruit, cereals, biscuits and drinks. Coles is offering the new extended service from its Bondi Junction, World Square, Leichhardt and North Sydney stores.
Source: retailanalysis.igd.com
Marks and Spencer announces plans to cut 97 jobs across the Republic of Ireland
British retailer Marks And Spencer has reportedly announced that it is seeking 97 voluntary redundancies in seven stores across the Republic of Ireland. The seven stores where an exit package is being offered are Liffey Valley, Dundrum, Mary Street, Grafton Street, Blackrock, Blanchardstown in Dublin and Patrick Street in Cork, reports the Irish Independent. According to the Irish Independent the closing date for the scheme was 21 March, and staff will find out next week if they have been accepted. The exit package is believed to be worth three weeks' pay per year of service, plus statutory pay.
Source: checkout.ie
Poland: Dino Polska sees like-for-like sales up 11.6% in full-year 2018
Polish retailer Dino Polska has posted like-for-like sales growth of 11.6% in full-year 2018, to PLN 5.8bln. Reported sales grew by 30.8%, driven by investment in new store openings. The group said that its EBITDA rose by 34.8% over the year, while EBITDA margin rose 0.3 percentage points to 9.3%. Dino Polska invested PLN 634mln in its operations in 2018, chiefly on new store openings and a new distribution centre, in Rzeszotary in Lower Silesia. In the coming year, the business has earmarked PLN 850mln for investments. It opened 202 stores over the full year, compared to 147 in full-year 2017, leaving it with a total of 977 outlets as of the end of the year.
Source: esmmagazine.com
Bezos-backed startup partners with Brazil retailer GPA to sell plant-based products
A Chilean startup whose investors include Amazon.com Inc CEO Jeff Bezos is partnering with Brazilian supermarket operator GPA to start selling its plant-based food products in the first step of a regional roll-out, it said. The company, known as NotCo, uses artificial intelligence to recreate food normally made with meat or dairy ingredients solely using vegetable components. Bezos took part in a $30mln fundraising round for the firm earlier this month, led by venture capital group The Craftory. “A big chunk of this investment is going to Brazil ... We are betting Brazil is to become our biggest market within a year”, NotCo’s Chief Executive Officer and Cofounder Matias Muchnick told Reuters in an interview.
Source: reuters.com
US: Seattle’s Central Co-op names new CEO
Central Co-op has named Catherine Willis Cleveland its new CEO. She succeeds interim CEO Garland McQueen, who revealed that he was leaving the Seattle-based cooperative in January. McQueen will stay on for a short transition period to ensure continuity with the co-op’s anticipated store opening in Tacoma, Washington, in the coming months. Cleveland brings to her new role 13 years of experience as a store director and community relations manager at PCC Community Markets, as well as a decade of leadership in nonprofit organizations. She has managed annual budgets of $23mln, overseen staff teams of more than 100 employees, and pursued extensive public relations and community outreach strategies. A seasoned fundraiser, Cleveland has raised millions of dollars, providing a structure for nonprofits to be successful with her focused approach to bringing people together.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
Canada: Couche-Tard posts record third-quarter earnings
Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. is boosting its quarterly dividend by 25% after posting record third-quarter earnings that missed analyst expectations. The Quebec-based convenience store operator says its quarterly payout will increase to 12.5 cents per share from 10 cents per share, payable April 11 to shareholders on record as of March 28. Net profits attributable to shareholders for the period ending February 3 increased 27% to US$612.1mln from US$482.4mln a year earlier.
Source: canadiangrocer.com
US: Walmart ending Savings Catcher program
Walmart Inc. has revealed that it will discontinue its app-based price-matching program, Savings Catcher, on May 14. The program rolled out in 2014. “We designed Savings Catcher as a means to catch occasions when a competitor’s price on a nationally advertised item was found to be lower than what you paid for it at Walmart,” the Bentonville, Arkansas-based mega-retailer explained to customers on its website. “Since the introduction of the program, we’ve worked hard to lower prices on thousands of everyday items across our stores, which has resulted in our prices winning the vast majority of the time when you submit receipts to Savings Catcher.”
Source: progressivegrocer.com
US: UNFI closes Shoppers Food & Pharmacy stores in D.C. area
United Natural Foods Inc. (UNFI) announced it will be closing and selling its Shoppers Food & Pharmacy stores. According to a report by the Washington Business Journal, UNFI has already sold some of Shoppers’ 36 locations in the Greater Washington and Baltimore area to Giant Food. The distributor is now doubling its efforts to sell the remaining stores to other grocery outlets. "We’re making great progress on divesting our retail assets”, said UNFI CEO Steve Spinner in an analyst call earlier this month. “I’d say that we’re well down the path on selling Shoppers, and I’m confident we’ll get that done in the coming months.”
Source: delimarketnews.com