Amazon just signed a lease on a huge NYC warehouse used by one-time rival Jet.Com
Amazon is leasing a large warehouse space in the South Bronx that, until recently, had been occupied by its one-time rival Jet.com. The deal is the latest large space Amazon has added in or around the city in recent years as it sought to built a huge logistics network to serve one of its chief e-commerce markets. The lease also highlights the continued demand in the industrial real-estate market, which has remained healthier relative to other property types, such as retail, hotels, and office spaces.
Source: usa-today-news.com
US: How changing shopping trends are playing to Walmart’s strengths
Combining a massive physical footprint, large product assortment and fast-evolving technologies to tackle a surge in online shopping demand in a way few competitors could, Walmart is coming out the COVID-19 crisis as a clear winner in grocery - and positioned to make further share gains. According to new Shopperscape survey data from Kantar Retail, the Bentonville, Arkansas-based mass merchant was an online grocery destination for nearly half of all online grocery shoppers over the past months - easily exceeding rivals for online grocery such as Amazon and Kroger. In an interview with WGB, Lei Duran, SVP of the London-based global research firm, said the figures confirm Walmart’s long-held faith that its combination of physical and digital assets would prove a competitive advantage in omnichannel retail - and that has led to more frequent shops and a larger share of customer’s wallet.
Source: winsightgrocerybusiness.com
Billionaire owner of Western Canadian supermarket chain suggests he’s powerless to stop worker pay cut
Canadian billionaire Jim Pattison, the sixth richest man in Canada and owner of the Save-on-Foods grocery chain, says the buck stops somewhere else when it comes to cutting hazard pay for frontline grocery store workers. “I’m not involved”, Pattison told PressProgress in response questions about his company’s recent decision to cut grocery store workers’ $2 hazard pay in the middle of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. “We own and finance the companies, but we don’t run them,” Pattison explained.
Source: pressprogress.ca
Holland: Just Eat Takeaway wants to take over American rival GrubHub
Both Just Eat Takeaway and Delivery Hero have shown interest in taking over the American competitor GrubHub. In the meantime, the latter also continues talks with Uber Eats. According to American business channel CNBC, there are two new suitors for meal delivery company GrubHub. After the company had previously started talks with Uber Eats, Netherlands-based Just Eat Takeaway and German Delivery Hero have also expressed their interest in a possible merger with GrubHub.
Source: retaildetail.eu
It’s official: Bunnings is Australia’s most trusted brand, with Coles the big mover
Over the 12 months to 30 April 2020, Bunnings, ALDI, Woolworths and Coles were selected by Australians as the country’s most trusted brands - with Coles the big mover. Roy Morgan announced that over the year, including the COVID-19 lockdown, Bunnings emerged as Australia’s most trusted brand. ALDI was the 2nd most trusted brand, with Woolworths 3rd and Coles 4th. The Roy Morgan Risk Monitor reveals that year-on-year Coles lifted three trust rankings. According to Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine: “Coles was the fastest mover over the 12 months ending 30 April, to be neck and neck with Woolworths for the first time. Bunnings is, however, the standout in the results. Bunnings keeps innovating and creating new connections with its customers”, she said.
Source: roymorgan.com
Belgium: SPAR supports potato growers with SOS Patat! campaign
SPAR Belgium has joined a nationwide campaign to support Belgian potato growers by encouraging consumers to eat more frozen potato products. The campaign aims to prevent that some 750,000 tons of Belgian potatoes are wasted. The potatoes, a real national pride, have piled up in chilled warehouses after sales of potato products fell sharply as a result of COVID-19 and the temporary closure of the catering sector.
Source: spar-international.com
South Korea: Lotte Mart to cut single-use plastic packaging by 50% by 2025
Supermarket chain Lotte Mart has revealed plans to halve its single-use plastic packaging by 2025. The commitment is part of the retailer’s larger plan to execute new eco-friendly packaging guidelines for its private brands. It also aims to launch new measures to reach ‘zero plastic bags’ target. The announcement makes Lotte Mart as the first supermarket chain in Asia to make such a commitment.
Source: packaging-gateway.com
Retail turnover sees double digit decline In Hungary
Retail turnover fell by 10.2% in Hungary in April, compared to the same period the previous year, mainly due to the impact of coronavirus, according to data from OKSZ, the Hungarian national trade association. The drop in sales was largely driven by declines in the non-food (-14.8%) and fuel (-26.3%) channels, however the food and grocery channel also posted a marginal decline for the month, of 0.4%.
Source: esmmagazine.com
Germany: Real sale date agreed
On the 25th of June, SCP Group will officially purchase Real from the Metro Group. The sale will include the online platform Real.de, which the SCP Group is already preparing for resale. The SCP Group will also take full control of all Real's business units, with former Lidl board member, Bojan Luncer, heading up the new operation. Along with its real estate partner, specialist food property investor X-Bricks, SCP is managing the planned sale of a number of locations to other retailers in Germany. It is also assumed that SCP will operate around 50 locations for the next two years, as this agreement formed part of the original contract.
Source: retailanalysis.igd.com
Carrefour launches new marketing campaign in France
Carrefour has launched a new marketing campaign focused on spotlighting its prices, the quality it offers through its private label ranges and those products made in France. Carrefour said its new campaign was aimed ‘to support shoppers’ household budgets today… [while] reaffirming its commitments. Its commitment to purchasing power, commitment to the quality of Carrefour branded products, commitment to support France’s economic and industrial recovery’.
Source: retailanalysis.igd.com
Iceland founder Sir Malcolm Walker buys out South African partner for £115mln
Food store Iceland is back in British hands after founder Sir Malcolm Walker bought out his South African partners. Sir Malcolm teamed up with with chief executive Tarsem Dhaliwal to snap up Brait’s shares in the company. The duo will pay £115mln for the 63% stake, bringing Iceland totally under their control. “It is particularly satisfying to turn this new page in Iceland’s history just before the 50th anniversary of the opening of our first shop on November 18 1970”, Sir Malcolm said. “Having started the business in partnership with a friend, I am delighted to have come full circle and own what are now more than 1,000 stores with another good friend in 2020”.
Source: eveningexpress.co.uk
Germany: CEO leaves Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof
The ailing department store chain Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof bids farewell to top executive Stephan Fanderl and will have to find a new CEO to manage the urgent restructuring. According to Reuters news agency, CEO Stephan Fanderl himself offered to leave the company after he had been absent for some time due to illness. "The outbreak of the Corona pandemic fundamentally changed the economic conditions for the merged department store business and for the retail industry as a whole. That's why it's now time for a fresh start", he explains. He says he has proposed an out-of-court settlement to owner Signa.
Source: retaildetail.eu