Innovative marketing campaign for Lidl Sweden
Lidl Sweden has launched a brand new marketing campaign involving its shoppers. Existing customers will become brand ambassadors and help Lidl promote its products to their friends and families who do not shop at the discounter. The retailer takes a fun and cheeky approach by asking its shoppers to help convince friends and families that thanks to Lidl: “food in Sweden can taste more than it costs!”. Interested shoppers can participate by filling out a form on the retailer’s website. The form includes questions about their knowledge of Lidl and why they would like to participate. The retailer will then select the most motivated shoppers and liaise with them on the next steps of the campaign, which will involve cooking for friends and family members.
Source: retailanalysis.igd.com
Czech investor takes stake in Casino after failed Metro bid
Czech businessman Daniel Kretinsky and Slovak partner Patrik Tkac have bought a 4.63% stake in debt-laden French retailer Casino, a month after failing to take over Germany’s Metro AG. The duo, who bought the stake via their Vesa Equity Investment company, become Casino’s second-largest shareholder at a time CEO and controlling shareholder Jean-Charles Naouri is hunting for ways to ease the company’s debts - and those of parent company Rallye - in part through asset sales. Kretinsky and Tkac said they backed Naouri’s plans, a show of support that helped push Casino’s shares up 5%.
Source: reuters.com
UK: Sainsbury’s opens new Canterbury High Street Local store
Sainsbury’s is pleased to announce that its new Local store on Canterbury High Street officially opened its doors at 9am on Thursday 5th September, offering local residents and shoppers a convenient choice of quality food for fantastic value. The new store offers an excellent range of fresh fruit and vegetables, dairy products, an in-store bakery, food to go including drinks, sandwiches and snacks and other convenience products. The store will trade from 7am-11pm Monday to Sunday. Steve Bruce, Sainsbury’s Canterbury High Street Local Store Manager said: “We are delighted to be opening a brand new Local store in Canterbury, providing residents and shoppers with a convenient place to pick up their favourite grocery products at great value."
Source: about.sainsburys.co.uk
Jumbo to drop lowest price guarantee in Belgium?
Rumour has it supermarket chain Jumbo will not carry its lowest price guarantee in Belgium when it expands south, even though that is its claim to fame in the Netherlands. The Dutch newcomer wants to avoid a price war with Belgian market leader Colruyt. Several sources say that Jumbo Belgium will opt for a different price strategy than its Dutch counterparts, specialist website Distrifood has learnt. That is remarkable as its lowest price guarantee is the cornerstone of the 'seven certainties' with which the chain has conquered the Netherlands. However, in Belgium the situation is different as the market leader also carries such a guarantee - and that is a confrontation that Jumbo seems to want to avoid.
Source: retaildetail.eu
Retail sales in Romania accelerate growth rate in July
Romania’s retail sales volume index increased by 8.3% year-on-year in July, accelerating from 5.0% annual growth in June and 5.4% average growth in the second quarter of the year, according to data from the National Statistics Institute (INS). Notably, the sales of non-food goods rose above average by 9.6% year-on-year, indicating robust consumer confidence. Food sales goods rose by 5.9% and the sales of car fuels by 9.6%. Year-to-date period (January-July), the retail sales volume advanced by 7.1% compared to the same period last year, an annual growth rate that is stronger compared to the 5.5% growth in 2018 but not as high as the double-digit increase seen in 2016-2017.
Source: romania-insider.com
Carrefour to open two Supeco discount stores in France
Carrefour is launching two Supeco stores in northern France this month, Europe’s largest food retailer said. Supeco was launched by Carrefour in Spain in 2012 when Pascal Clouzard headed the Spanish business. Clouzard became Carrefour France boss in 2017. Carrefour currently operates 23 Supeco stores in Spain, 15 in Romania, two in Poland, and one in Italy. The first French store opened in Valenciennes on Wednesday and a second will open on September 25 in Onnaing, it said.
Source: reuters.com
DoorDash picks Australia for its first move outside North America
DoorDash, America's biggest food delivery service, is heading to the other side of the globe. The six-year-old startup added its first city outside North America, launching in Melbourne and announcing plans to grow its business in Australia over the next year. "We are excited by the opportunity to extend our vision to a brand new continent for the first time", Thomas Stephens, the company's acting general manager for Australia, said in a blog post. He added in a statement to CNN Business that the company chose Melbourne because of its "strong restaurant density and geographic reach into the suburbs which was being underserved by delivery options."
Source: edition.cnn.com
German group Metro reaches 1,000 convenience stores in Romania
The LaDoiPasi convenience store network, developed by German group Metro Cash & Carry, reached 1,000 units in September 2019. Over 200 new units have been opened in the last six months alone. The retailer plans to continue the fast development of its network and double the number of shops in the LaDoiPasi network by 2023. The shops have a sales area of 60 to 200 sqm and sell up to 6,000 products.
Source: romania-insider.com
Tiny shop, big technology in Holland: Albert Heijn tests digital store
Albert Heijn is piloting a fully digital, 14 m² (150 sq. ft.) AH to go store, packed with technological innovations that make it possible for customers to buy something as if they were taking it out of their refrigerators, with no checkout or self-scan. The store is located in front of the support office in Zaandam and will be tested with associates in the coming two months. Under the roof of the small AH to go is an enormous amount of technology. This is how it works: the door opens automatically with a debit or credit card. In the store, customers grab the products they want. Cameras determine the position of customers (without facial recognition) and associate product items to their virtual baskets. In addition, in-store sensors keep track of products that are taken off or put back on the shelves. When the shopping is done, customers walk to the exit where the payment takes place automatically and the door opens. Customers do not have to register in advance or download an app, which makes the payment system innovative and very accessible. The store has been developed together with AiFi, a U.S.-based start-up. Dutch bank ING has developed the payment solution and takes care of payment processing.
Source: aholddelhaize.com
US: How grocers can leverage the $13bln foodservice opportunity
A new report from the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) looks at the challenges and opportunities for grocers when it comes the $13bln category of foodservice. According to FMI’s fourth annual Power of Foodservice at Retail report, foodservice is growing annually at 8.2% and can be a primary strategy for food retailers to differentiate and appeal to convenience-seeking consumers. The report also finds that 63% of consumers continue to incorporate time-saving solutions in the form of semi- and fully-prepared items for dinner, but opportunities exist for grocers to garner greater visibility as the primary dinner solution. Survey participants offered feedback for their stores to focus on faster service; more cuisine variety; healthier dishes as well as healthier alternatives to current options; competitive prices; more information; freshness; knowledgeable and available staff; and various operational improvements such as cleanliness and in-stock performance.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
US: Target to put burden of tariffs on suppliers
Target's plan to curtail the effects of tariffs on its sales apparently includes higher costs for suppliers. According to The Wall Street Journal, days before new tariffs went into effect on September 1, Target sent a letter to suppliers saying that it “will not accept any new cost increases related to tariffs on goods imported from China”, according to a memo signed by Mark Tritton, the retailer’s chief merchandising officer.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
US: Natural Grocers marks Organic Harvest Month
Natural Grocers, which calls itself America’s Organic Headquarters, is promoting its more than 30-year history of selling only 100% organically grown produce with a series of events throughout September in observance of Organic Harvest Month. The September 7 launch will feature a one-day-only free bag giveaway with any purchase, and an {N}power loyalty program “bounce-back” offer of $5 off any purchase of $55 or more, along with samplings of 100% USDA Certified Organic produce every Saturday, No-Bake Apple Cookie tastings and Saturday afternoon Natural Grocers brand product tastings.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
US: Walmart eyeing revamp of produce merchandising
Walmart is planning to amp up its fresh food merchandising under a new initiative officials are calling “Produce 2.0.” Although specific details remain scarce, Steve Bratspies, Walmart’s U.S. chief merchandising officer, said the retailer plans to inform its store managers about the initiative at a meeting in Indianapolis later this month. Speaking in an interview this week at Barclays Global Consumer Conference in New York, Bratspies said the new produce sets would build on previous improvements the company had made in sourcing, assortment and receiving that have helped to raise the quality and freshness of produce items at Walmart stores.
Source: winsightgrocerybusiness.com
US: Barriers to online grocery 'coming down,' report says
A majority of global online grocery sales will come from omnichannel retail formats by 2024, according to a new analysis from Edge by Ascential. Target, Walmart and Kroger will be the primary drivers of omnichannel sales, the report said, with the ability to leverage their physical stores and click-and-collect offerings. For the next five years, online edible grocery sales will experience a compound annual growth rate of 13%, reaching $162bln in total sales by the end of the period. Just 3% of edible grocery sales currently occur online. The report predicts that Amazon and Walmart will continue to lead food e-commerce sales, with Amazon reaching $15bln in online food sales by 2024 and Walmart reaching $14bln.
Source: grocerydive.com