Foreign supermarkets find competition tough in China
Foreign supermarket chains are struggling to compete on the mainland and should expand their online sales platforms to boost their revenues, industry insiders say. Against a backdrop of declining sales last year as the mainland economy slowed and shopping habits changed, foreign retailers slowed their previously aggressive expansion. "Sales at physical outlets will continue to drop, and foreign retailers should expand their presence online", said Shi Jun, a senior partner with Beijing-based consulting firm Alliance PKU Management Consultants who specialises in advising clients in the retail sector.
Source: scmp.com
France: Carrefour presents ‘transformation’ plans
French supermarket giant Carrefour has launched a new “transformation” plan to revitalise declining hypermarkets in France. Carrefour has 247 hypermarkets in France, representing business worth €21bln and 52% of the country’s hypermarket share. Yet, it has experienced a decline in the popularity and takings of the large-format stores in recent years. New plans include opening three new types of stores. These will include one “low cost” model, focused on cut-price deals and self-service checkouts; another named “Rebond” will focus on shops that are currently losing money - although further precise details on this have not yet been confirmed. The third will be a concept called “Next”, which Carrefour says will be “more efficient, unique, and multi-channel”.
Source: connexionfrance.com
Australia: Compass points to higher sales
Grocery retailers in the US including Walmart have been using data technology to combat the lost-sales problem for years. Now, Australian supermarkets are starting to see the power behind this data. In April, Woolworths became the first Australian retailer to invest in a free lost-sales monitor, called Compass, which allows suppliers to monitor the performance of their products in each store. Compass draws on historical sales patterns to calculate dynamic daily sales expectations for every product in every store, and alerts suppliers if sales drop below expectations. As a result out-of-stock or merchandising issues can be solved faster.
Source: insidefmcg.com.au
UK: M&S to drop out of FTSE 100 after shares slide
It is the end of an era for Marks and Spencer, which will be relegated from the FTSE 100 index of Britain's biggest listed companies on Wednesday. It will be the first time the retailer has not been a FTSE 100 member since the index was launched in 1984. Based on the closing price of its stock on Tuesday, its market value has fallen below the threshold for inclusion. But the official announcement will not be made until Wednesday night, with the decision implemented on 23 September.
Source: bbc.com
UK: Tesco sells mortgage portfolio to Lloyds Banking Group
Tesco Bank, the financial services arm of retailer Tesco, has confirmed the sale of its mortgage portfolio to Lloyds Banking Group for a cash consideration of around £3.8bln (€4.16bln). The sale follows the May 2019 decision by Tesco to stop new mortgage lending and "explore [its] options" regarding the sale of its mortgage book, according to Gerry Mallon, Tesco Bank chief executive. Tesco Bank has more than 23,000 mortgage customers, and the group's mortgage portfolio generated directly attributable pre-tax profits of £9.1mln in the 2018/19 financial year, it said.
Source: esmmagazine.com
South Africa: Study shows women prefer online shopping
Women prefer shopping online. If you're a woman then this is no surprise at all. According to a report by specialist digital agency Reprise, South Africa’s ecommerce industry, while still in its infancy, is showing strong growth thanks to high mobile penetration, secure payment options and changing spending habits. "Currently only a quarter of South African retailers are spending through digital channels but with more of the population shifting their behaviour and budgets to online shopping, more retailers are making their products and services available online all the time", said Social Media Manager at Reprise South Africa, Natasha Courtney.
Source: iol.co.za
UAE: Carrefour's back to school campaign reveals healthy eating and smart learning to be the most popular consumer trends
Carrefour is collaborating with the Ministry of Health and Prevention and clinical dietician and nutritionist Lama Alnaeli to launch "Healthy Lunchbox". Carrefour is also gearing up students for success with exceptional Back to School offers by offering 50% off on a wide range of products. The in-store educational workshops, held in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Prevention, are led by UAE-based nutritionists who will demonstrate to parents how to prepare healthy lunch boxes for their children. This comes in line with the National Agenda to Combat Childhood Obesity as announced by H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai.
Source: zawya.com
US: Lidl is opening two new Montco grocery stores in Pennsylvania
Lidl is expanding its grocery stores in Pennsylvania this month by opening two new stores in Montgomery County. The first store opened on Wednesday, September 4, at 1831 E. Ridge Pike in Upper Providence - a 15,000-square-foot location. The second store scheduled to open on September 18 is at 2613 Ridge Pike in Lower Providence - a 19,000-square-foot location. Lidl spokesman Chandler Ebeier said: “We are receiving extremely positive feedback from customers in Pennsylvania and we think Lidl will enhance the shopping experience for customers across the state. We look forward to expanding into more communities in the future” .
Source: internationalsupermarketnews.com
US: GIANT Food Stores named 2019 Retailer of the Year
GIANT Food Stores has been named 2019 Retailer of the Year by Supermarket News, a leading retail food industry trade publication. This annual honor recognizes chains for outstanding performance in the grocery category, including growth, competitive performance, innovation and industry leadership. Supermarket News is featuring GIANT as the cover story of its September issue. "Being named the 2019 Retailer of the Year by Supermarket News is a tremendous honor and is a pinnacle moment in our 96-year story", said Nicholas Bertram, president, GIANT Food Stores. "I'd like to congratulate and thank our team of more than 32,000 talented and caring associates, along with our amazing partners across Ahold Delhaize, who support our brand every day by helping us be who we are. Customers are at the heart of everything we do and serving their families remains our inspiration as we look toward the future."
Source: prnewswire.com
Amazon tops off new fulfillment center with 19-acre rooftop solar-power system
Amazon has installed Colorado’s largest single rooftop solar-power array at its 855,000-square-foot robotics fulfillment center in Thornton. The 17,280-panel array spans 19 acres on the roof of the four-story building. The system, with a capacity to generate 6.05 megawatts of power, is expected to begin producing electricity in November. The solar installation can generate nearly 80% of the facility’s annual energy needs.
Source: usanewssite.com
US: Albertsons to bring state-of-the-art pet solution to stores through their partnership with DogSpot
Albertsons customers will be able to use DogSpot - a hi-tech sidewalk sanctuary for dogs-on-the-go. In the shape of a traditional dog house but packed with amenities, the DogSpot offers a safe and comfortable home-away-from-home for shoppers' dogs that might otherwise be left in the car or have to miss out on the extra adventure and time with the family.
Source: prnewswire.com
US: Aldi expands in Florida
Aldi is one retail format that is always in constant expansion mode as it continues to hit its stride here in the U.S. With Florida providing an ideal range of diverse demographics and shopping demands, the grocer is once again expanding its footprint in the Sunshine State, adding to its count of approximately 20 stores in the Tampa Bay area. The grocer has filed plans with the city to build the location near the intersection of Highwoods Preserve Parkway and Bruce. B Downs Boulevard. The design of the store will encompass 20,400 square feet, according to Tampa Bay Times.
Source: delimarketnews.com