Asda overtakes suitor Sainsbury to become UK's No. 2 supermarket: Kantar
Sainsbury has lost its status as Britain’s No. 2 supermarket group by market share to takeover target Asda for the first time in four years, industry data showed. Sainsbury’s sales fell 1.8% over the 12 weeks to March 24, reducing its market share to 15.3% from 15.8% in the same period last year, researcher Kantar said. That meant Asda, the British arm of U.S. retailer Walmart, overtook Sainsbury with a market share of 15.4% as its sales edged up 0.1%, though Sainsbury remained the biggest seller of food and drink of the two. Sainsbury argues that Kantar under-reads its general merchandise market share. This is because since acquiring Argos in 2016, Sainsbury has streamlined general merchandise ranges in its stores in favor of Argos ranges. However, Argos’ sales are not captured by Kantar. Sainsbury’s agreed 7.3bln pound ($9.5bln) takeover of Asda is being considered by Britain’s competition regulator.
Source: reuters.com
Sales of organic products up 20% at Rema 1000 Denmark
Rema 1000 Denmark has recorded a double digit increase in organic food sales at its stores for the 12th consecutive year, with organic sales up 20% in 2018. The retailer posted overall sales growth of 11% for the year, with the group opening 23 new stores in the period to bring its total store count up to 326 outlets. "More and more of our customers are choosing organic products when they have the opportunity", commented Anders Jensen, purchasing and marketing director at Rema 1000. "It is about making them accessible and making the price attractive. We are seeing a general tendency for our customers to be more aware of their purchases, they are more aware of climate and environmental issues. At the same time, when we can keep prices at a reasonable level, more and more people are ready to go the eco-road."
Source: esmmagazine.com
Italy: Carrefour unit signs up for ‘Too Good To Go’ service
Carrefour Italia has become the latest country retailer to join the ‘Too Good To Go’ initiative, which looks to reduce food wastage. The app brings together food retailers and eateries to sell unsold food for a reduced price, via ‘Magic Boxes’ that sell for €2 to €6. The app is currently being used by over 8mln users in nine countries across Europe. Carrefour noted: “The fight against food waste has always been at the center of numerous concrete initiatives, promoted worldwide by Carrefour Group in the Food Transition strategy … The proposal of practical solutions such as the Too Good To Go app makes it possible to accelerate the achievement of the objective of reducing food waste, a requirement that is not only social, but also environmental”.
Source: kamcity.com
Vietnam: Saigon Co.op aims for 1,000 stores in 2019
Saigon Co.op, the leading grocery retailer in Vietnam, targets to grow its stores from 650 to 1,000 by year end. Diep Dung, the group's chairman, said there will be new openings for Co.op Mart supermarket, Co.op Xtra hypermarket, Co.op food stores, Co.op Smiles and Cheers convenience stores. It will also launch a new format targeting wealthy shoppers which includes advanced technology to meet their demands. Last year, the retailer added 160 stores to its network despite challenges in finding appropriate locations. The retailer shared that it hit record sales with VND 1tln (US$ 43mln) per week for eight consecutive weeks last Tet. This was attributed to being well prepared with advanced stocking before the holiday period.
Source: retailanalysis.igd.com
Carrefour franchisee on prowl for acquisitions to grow in Africa
Majid Al Futtaim Holding LLC, an operator of French retailer Carrefour SA outlets, plans to boost its presence in Kenya as it looks to expand into eastern and southern Africa. Growing the franchise in Africa will boost competition for the likes of Shoprite Holdings Ltd., the continent’s biggest grocer, and Walmart Inc.’s Massmart Holdings Ltd. Those companies are looking to develop outside their home markets in South Africa, where stagnant economic growth is curbing consumer spending. The Dubai-based company plans to enter as many as five markets in the next four years, country manager Franck Moreau said in an interview. South Africa, which has the continent’s most developed retail market, is among the 12 African countries where the company may consider buying an existing entity, he said. “We have already visited South Africa”, Moreau said in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi. “If we enter there, it will not be by creation, it might be by acquisition.”
Source: bloomberg.com
Germany's Lidl to open two stores in Serbia next week
German discount supermarket chain Lidl plans to open two stores in Serbia on April 11, further expanding its network, the company said. The new stores will be opened in Paracin, in central Serbia, and in Vrbas, in the country's north, Lidl said in an e-mailed statement. The new openings will take the number of stores operated by Lidl in Serbia to 27.
Source: seenews.com
Vietnam: conglomerate Vingroup acquires Shop&Go stores for $1
VinCommerce, the retail store arm of Vietnamese conglomerate Vingroup, has acquired 87 Shop&Go convenience stores for $1, per an official announcement. Shop&Go had offered to sell its business at that price, VinCommerce said. Established in 2005, Shop&Go currently has 70 stores in Ho Chi Minh City and another 17 in Hanoi. VinCommerce operates the VinMart supermarket chain and Vinmart+ convenience stores, totalling over 2,000 outlets nationwide. “We have invested intensively in Shop&Go but business results have not turned out as we expected. Vietnam’s retail sector is promising but competition is at the same time very much fiercer than we envisioned, so we have decided to withdraw from the market”, a spokesperson for Shop&Go said. VinCommerce said it will upgrade the Shop&Go stores and integrate them into the VinMart+ network. The upgrade exercise is expected to be completed in April.
Source: dealstreetasia.com
SF Express shuts China shops as retail venture fails to deliver
Chinese logistics company SF Express is said to be closing its offline retail stores in some of China’s largest cities amid an economic slowdown and pressured margins in the logistics sector, according to an account in the local press. SF Best, the e-commerce and retail arm of the Shenzhen-based delivery service provider, has closed all of its grocery stores in Shanghai, while the shops in the northwestern Chinese city of Xi’an, the Hubei provincial capital of Wuhan and Qingdao in Shandong province are currently holding clearance sales, the report in Chinese tech industry site EqualOcean said.
Source: mingtiandi.com
Russia: Shares in retailer Lenta rise as steel tycoon buys stake
Shares in Russian food retailer Lenta rose after Russian steel magnate Alexey Mordashov agreed to buy a 42% stake in the company at a premium to the market price. Lenta, the third largest grocery retailer in Russia with a market share of 3.2% and the largest hypermarket operator, may benefit from cooperation with Utkonos, the largest online grocery retailer in Russia, which Mordashov already owns. Using its own funds, Mordashov’s firm Severgroup will buy the stake for $729mln from U.S. private equity fund TPG and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Severgroup said in a statement.
Source: reuters.com
Brazil: Zaitt and Carrefour open first fully automated store
In partnership with Carrefour, Zaitt has opened a 24-hour convenience store in São Paulo, which is fully autonomous, requiring no cashiers or members of staff. This is in line with Carrefour Brazil’s strategy of partnering with startups and growing its digital capabilities in the country. Paula Cardoso, CEO of Carrefour eBusiness Brazil, said: “As we do globally, we will be partnering with companies and startups that bring us new technologies and competencies to accelerate our digital transformation and generate scale for truly innovative services and solutions".
Source: retailanalysis.igd.com
US: Rouses to open new office, warehouse complex
Rouses Markets plans to develop a new complex in Terrebonne Parish, west of New Orleans, to make room for a rising headcount as well as warehousing to meet its growing supply needs. CEO Donny Rouse heralded the move as a return to the company’s roots. “We’re increasing store support services to better serve our stores and customers”, Rouse said. “Terrebonne Parish makes perfect sense. We started here with our very first store in 1960.” The new complex will sit on 32 acres at highways 311 and Highway 90, about 40 miles west of New Orleans. It will include 310,000 square feet of climate-controlled space, and land to add more warehouses, coolers, freezers and eventually a commissary. The location also allows the company greater access to serve all of its markets.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
US: Albertsons expands Open Nature private brand
Albertsons is adding a range of compostable and earth-friendly products to its Open Nature private brand range. The launch of the new products coincides with the beginning of Earth Month. The products align with the Open Nature brand standards of offering high-quality, minimally processed items. They feature environmentally friendly attributes, including tree-free, BPA-free, plastic-free, and made from plant-based materials. The new range includes compostable “eco picnic” items and bamboo products.
Source: retailanalysis.igd.com