Canada: Metro to allow reusable containers in effort to cut waste
The Metro grocery chain will allow customers across Quebec to bring reusable containers for the purchase of fresh products in what one expert describes as a “game changer” for an industry facing increasing consumer concern about single-use plastics. The grocery and drug store company announced that beginning April 22, customers will be able to use their own packaging at the deli, meat, fish, seafood, pastry and ready-to-eat meal counters. Plastic containers and zipper bags, which must be clean and must not feature a company name, will be filled with product by staff and labelled for checkout. The staff who handle outside containers must wash their hands more frequently and avoid contact between the containers and surfaces used to prepare and serve foods, according to the company’s website.
Source: canadiangrocer.com
US: Kroger acquires 68 acres for new $55mln facility
Kroger is furthering its plan to put as many distribution centers on the map as possible. Last week, The Dayton Business Journal reported that the retailer is building a new facility in Monroe, Ohio, following the purchase of 68 acres. According to Butler County property records, Kroger purchased 68 acres of land on Hamilton-Lebanon Road in Monroe on March 20. This transaction included 62 acres of land for the price of $3.75mln and six neighboring acres for the price of $829,640. The new facility is part of Kroger and Ocado’s plan to build 20 fulfillment centers over the next three years. While Kroger has home-court advantage with its latest facility, the news source also reported that major e-tailer Amazon is also opening a distribution center in the area. Kroger's latest distribution center will cost $55mln and stand tall at 335,000 square feet. The facility is slated to open in 2021 and will create 410 new jobs for the market.
Source: delimarketnews.com
US: Walmart discloses plans to remodel 500 stores
Walmart has revealed plans to remodel 500 stores and open just 20 new locations in more than two dozen states as part of an $11bln cap ex investment, Business Insider reported. Proposed changes include wider aisles, shorter shelving, new signage and flooring, a revamped electronics department featuring interactive displays, new private consultation rooms adjacent to pharmacies, and more self-checkouts, in addition to renovated cosmetics, home, hardware, auto, baby and produce departments. The majority of overhauls will occur in Florida and Texas, where Bentonville, Arkansas-based Walmart will lay out a combined $477 million on 14 new and 82 remodeled stores.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
UK: Ocado to begin deliveries from former Andover site by end of month
Ocado has begun the process of clearing the ruins of its Andover warehouse site and installing temporary refrigeration in a bid to resume deliveries by the end of the month. Retail Week understands that Ocado has started installing some 10,000 sq ft of temporary refrigeration units in Andover, Hampshire with the aim of once again being able to fulfil deliveries from the area by the end of April.
Source: retail-week.com
Spain: Spar launches nutrition app to promote healthy eating
Spar Spain has announced that it has launched a new nutrition app - Spar, saber elegir (Spar, know what to choose) - to help customers make conscious choices about the products they buy. Customers can gain access to nutritional information about products by scanning the barcode on the items. The free-of-charge app provides information about the presence of allergens such as gluten, lactose, egg or peanuts. The app also shares information about the availability of the product in more than 1,000 Spar outlets, specifying the location where customers can make their purchase.
Source: esmmagazine.com
UK: Aldi launches self-service checkouts
Aldi has finally caught up with its competitors with the launch of its first ever self-service checkout tills. Currently being piloted at the discount grocer’s Glascote store in Tamworth, Staffordshire, Aldi said the trial of the new system of automated tills will be evaluated before a decision on further roll outs is made. “As well as providing outstanding quality products at unbeatable prices, we are focused on giving our customers a quick and simple experience in our stores”, Aldi UK communications director Richard Thornton said.
Source: retailgazette.co.uk
New Zealand companies to launch Alibaba's Country Flagship Store
Eighteen New Zealand food and beverage brands have joined forces to launch the first Country Flagship Store on the Tmall Fresh, Alibaba’s fresh produce e-commerce platform. An initial group of nine, including Pic’s, Babich Wines, Vogel’s, Rockit apple, Future Cuisine, Pāmu, Zealong Tea Estate, Fiordland Lobster and Oha Honey, will begin sales tomorrow, the group - New Zealand Food Basket - said in a release. The rest - Zespri, Sanford, Kāpiti, Lewis Road Creamery, Sealord, Pure South, Shott Beverages, New Zealand Wild Catch, and Cherri - will begin sales in June.
Source: scoop.co.nz
France: Auchan announces the closure of “Les Halles” at Meaux
The Auchan group has decided to close its store located in Meaux, La Verrière. A blow to the staff and an incomprehensible decision for Jean-François Copé, the politician and also mayor of Meaux. On Friday, April 12, 2019 some Auchan group delegates announced that the Verrière store will definitely close its doors next September. This decision, which comes from the national management, is justified by the bad results of the store for several years. But for some workers: “this is only the consequence of years of abandonment by the management towards this store, while its direct neighbours, Leclerc and Lidl, have developed and modernized.”
Source: internationalsupermarketnews.com
Ireland: Lidl launches in-store recycling
Lidl Ireland has become the first Irish retailer to offer shoppers in-store recycling stations to reduce packaging waste bought in-store. Shoppers can dispose of unwanted paper and plastic packaging in stations placed at the end of checkouts. This began as a trial in three stores and has been so successful Lidl is rolling it out to all its 160 stores in Ireland.
Source: retailanalysis.igd.com
Australia: Woolworths trials in-store robot
Australian supermarket giant Woolworths is embracing new technologies, introducing a robot to make its stores safer and rolling out new surveillance techniques to crack down on shoplifters. A new Woolworths store in Gregory Hills in Sydney opened last week, featuring an array of cutting-edge technologies that are being tested in-store. Most prominently is a robot that will be going up and down the store’s aisles to look for any potential hazards, alerting staff members if it finds any dangers.
Source: ia.acs.org.au
Philippines: PayMaya expands cashless payments with roving grocery vans
PayMaya Philippines, Inc. has recently forged a partnership with South Emerald Supermarket in order to encourage more Filipinos to go cashless when grocery shopping. The mobile wallet arm of PLDT, Inc. said in a statement that it launched last month its “Ronda Tinda” in Baliwag, Bulacan, where roving vans carrying grocery items travel to remote areas and allow customers to pay through PayMaya.
Source: bworldonline.com