US: New Acosta COVID-19 report reveals 75% of shoppers plan to stick to at least some of their new habits post-COVID
Acosta, an integrated sales and marketing services provider in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry, released findings from its most recent COVID-19 shopper insights study. The research found that while the pandemic concern level is finally on the decline, shoppers acknowledge it will be a long time before things return to normal. Shopping and eating behaviors dramatically changed last year, and many shoppers plan to continue those new habits post-COVID-19.
Source: prnewswire.com
US: The Fresh Market taps Invatron fresh-ordering software
The Fresh Market has chosen Invatron’s Systems Corp.’s fresh-ordering software solution, which enables the automated replenishment of fresh food products across the specialty grocer’s 159 stores. All fresh ordering will be automated with a predictive real-time demand-sensing forecast engine that offers visibility into back-room products, the ingredients needed to produce ready-made fresh products, and the items that are in transit to optimize freshness and drive sustainability through shrink reduction.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
US: Personalization tech gains ground in food retail
Personalization and artificial intelligence (AI) are coming together in the food retail space via a new product launched from Stor.ai. The digital commerce service provider for grocers said it has launched the Smart Basket personalization tool. As Stor.ai put it, by harnessing AI to support personalization efforts, the Smart Basket will make online grocery shopping more experiential, seamless and simple.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
US: Seattle pay mandate fuels more Kroger store closings
More Kroger-affiliated food retail stores are closing down because of what the company calls the pressure of pay mandates. Quality Food Centers (QFC) will close two underperforming stores in Seattle, a decision accelerated by a new Seattle City Council mandate that requires certain employers to provide extra pay for some, but not all, city front-line workers, the food retailer said.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
Switzerland: Coop reports ‘stable profit’ in FY 2020
Coop Switzerland has posted a ‘stable profit’ of CHF539mln (€499.2mln) in its financial year 2020 with sales amounting to CHF30.2bln (€28bln). Sales at Coop supermarkets grew by 14.3%, to CHF12.0bln (€11.1bln), and contributed to its performance during the financial year. The company’s total retail sales increased by CHF1.1bln (€1bln) to CHF19.1bln (€17.7bln), up 6.3% year-on-year.
Source: esmmagazine.com
Carrefour employs more Tally robots across its UAE stores
Carrefour is expanding its robotic fleet, adding 11 more Tally Robots across stores in the UAE to assist stock management and control. Carrefour put its first inventory robot into action in 2019, becoming the first retailer in the Middle East to deploy Tally robots.
Source: gulfbusiness.com
Australia: Coles first-half profit jumps nearly 15%
Australia’s Coles Group Ltd reported a 14.5% rise in half-year profit, as coronavirus lockdowns boosted demand for household essentials and drove sales at the country’s second largest supermarket chain. Net profit after tax for the 27 weeks to January 3 was A$560mln ($434.45mln), up from A$489mln a year ago, the company said.
Source: reuters.com
India: Tata Group reaches agreement to buy majority stake in BigBasket
Indian conglomerate Tata Group has reached an agreement to acquire a majority stake in grocery delivery startup BigBasket, 2 sources familiar with the matter told TechCrunch. The salt-to-software giant is buying over 60% stake in BigBasket in a deal that values the Indian startup between $1.8bln to $2bln, sources said, requesting anonymity as the deal is still private. BigBasket has raised more than $750mln prior to the deal with Tata. Chinese internet giant Alibaba, which owns nearly 30% stake in BigBasket, and a handful of other investors including Abraaj Group are getting a near complete exit from the startup as part of the deal with Tata Group, the sources said. New Delhi introduced restrictions last year that made it difficult for Chinese investors to write checks to Indian firms.
Source: techcrunch.com
Belgium: Lidl plans to open 23 new stores by 2022
Lidl Belgium has announced plans to open 23 new stores in the country by the end of February 2022. The initiative is expected to create 500 new jobs in the country. The plan includes, among others, 4 new supermarkets in Mechelen and Sint-Niklaas. Lidl is remodelling existing stores in 9 Belgian cities, including Wallonia and Brussels, and it also plans to relocate 10 older stores.
Source: esmmagazine.com
Amazon documents reveal company’s secret strategy to dodge India’s regulators
Amazon favored big sellers on its India platform - and used them to maneuver around rules meant to protect the country's small retailers from getting crushed by e-commerce giants, internal documents show. As one presentation urged: “Test the Boundaries of what is allowed by law”.
Source: reuters.com
Switzerland first on ecommerce index
Switzerland is the new number 1 on the B2C E-commerce Index of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. It surpasses the Netherlands, which ended first in the previous 2 editions. For a few years now, UNCTAD ranks 152 countries on their readiness to engage in ecommerce. As usual, Europe is by far the most prepared region for online retail, the latest index shows. Aside from Singapore (4th place) and Hong Kong (10th), all countries in the top 10 are from Europe. “The ecommerce divide remains huge”, says Shamika N. Sirimanne, director of UNCTAD’s division that prepares the annual index.
Source: ecommercenews.eu
France: Retailer Carrefour confident for future despite spurned suitor
Europe’s largest retailer Carrefour announced further cost cutting and cash flow targets after achieving a goal of 3bln euros ($3.6bln) in savings by 2020, sending its shares up 3%. The French food retailer, whose possible takeover by Canada’s Alimentation Couche-Tard unravelled last month after opposition from the French government, reported a 16.4% rise in 2020 recurring operating profit to 2.173bln euros and said it scored its best sales performance in 20 years.
Source: reuters.com