Spain: Alcampo and Consum announce leadership changes
Carlos Pedreira Freire has been appointed as the new general manager of Alcampo, the Spanish arm of Auchan Retail. Freire succeeds Américo Ribeiro, who will join the board of Auchan Retail and serve as the president of Zenalco - Auchan's international purchasing centre for fruits and vegetables. Consum is restructuring its board of directors and establishing a new quality and customer service department to address current industry challenges. Lourdes Brugera Moreno, the current director of logistics, will head the new department. Ricardo Marí Sanchis, formerly the director of partner-customer and marketing, will take over as director of logistics. Silvia Lázaro Pérez, currently purchasing executive for Salted Food, will be promoted to director of partner-customer and marketing.
Source: esmmagazine.com
Spanish ecommerce increased 18% in first quarter
In the first quarter of the year, ecommerce in Spain reached more than 25.7bln euros. Compared to the same period in 2024, this was an increase of 18.7%. A majority of online transactions were destined for abroad, meaning that cross-border ecommerce is popular in Spain. This is according to new data from the Spanish CNMCData portal, which is run by the national authority for markets and competition.
Source: ecommercenews.eu
Belgium: Spar Braine-le-Comte opens on 23 October
Colruyt Group reported: "Braine-le-Comte centre is welcoming a brand-new Spar store on the site of the former Match on Rue Charles Mahieu, which briefly operated as a Comarché. As well as a wider range of fruit and vegetables, customers in Braine-le-Comte will be able to enjoy a large choice of fresh products prepared in-store".
Source: press.colruytgroup.com
UK: 24/7 on-demand delivery app Zapp marks fifth anniversary with launch of new subscription service
Zapp, a London-based on-demand delivery app which celebrates its fifth anniversary this year, has launched Zapp+, a new subscription service designed to give loyal customers more value.
Source: retailtechinnovationhub.com
Amazon to invest $1.16bln in Belgium by 2027, L'Echo reports
U.S. tech giant Amazon plans to invest 1bln euros ($1.16bln) in Belgium from 2025 to 2027, newspaper L'Echo reported. The company said it will develop infrastructure and strengthen its partnership with Belgian mail operator Bpost and local small and medium companies, the newspaper reported.
Source: reuters.com
UK-based retail technology and dropshipping specialist Virtualstock bought by US firm Logicbroker
Private equity backed US company Logicbroker has announced the acquisition of UK-based online retail technology firm Virtualstock. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Virtualstock, which is chaired by Moonpig founder Nick Jenkins, was established in 2004. Its dropship and curated marketplace platform powers online commerce for the likes of Aldi, Argos, B&Q, Currys, and John Lewis. It provides retailers with supplier onboarding and product induction.
Source: retailtechinnovationhub.com
7-Eleven bets a Japanese makeover can fix its U.S. stores
7-Eleven's parent company, Japanese-based Seven & i Holdings, launched a major transformation of its U.S. stores, focusing on food in 2025. Canadian rival and Circle K owner Alimentation Couche-Tard withdrew its $47bln bid for the company in July 2025, citing a lack of "sincere or constructive engagement" from Seven & i, which the company denies. Seven & i is tentatively planning to spin off its North American convenience store business, 7-Eleven Inc., into a public company in 2026.
Source: cnbc.com
Ahold Delhaize USA brands announce collaboration with NationsBenefits® to expand access for nutritious foods and wellness items to eligible health plan members
Ahold Delhaize USA has announced a new collaboration with NationsBenefits®, that enables eligible Medicare Advantage and Medicaid members to use the Benefits Mastercard® Prepaid Flex Card to purchase fresh produce, pantry staples and over-the-counter wellness items in store at Ahold Delhaize USA brands - Food Lion, Giant Food, The GIANT Company, Hannaford and Stop & Shop - which operate more than 2,000 retail stores on the East Coast.
Source: globenewswire.com
US: Why Lidl never stops chasing efficiency
"As global as possible, as local as necessary" is the discounter's strategy as it uses its scale and German parent company to keep costs low, U.S. CEO Joel Rampoldt said at Groceryshop.
Source: grocerydive.com
US: New Whole Foods Market in Rockledge, Florida, to open November 6
Whole Foods Market will open a new 37,000-square-foot store, located at 2035 Viera Blvd., Rockledge, Florida, on November 6, 2025. Features of the new Rockledge store include: an array of certified organic, conventional and Sourced for Good produce, plus more than 20 local products, including salsas and dips from Sunset Salsa and fresh sprouts from Fullei Fresh.
Source: media.wholefoodsmarket.com
US: Study highlights grocery stores' expanding role in convenient, affordable dining
FMI - The Food Industry Association released The Power of Foodservice at Retail 2025 report, revealing a significant shift in consumer dining habits: consumers are increasingly choosing deli-prepared foods in place of restaurant meals, with this share more than doubling from 12% in 2017 to 28% in 2025. Many shoppers are also blending the best of both worlds: more than half of Americans (53%) now take a hybrid approach to create meals, combining deli-prepared options with items from their own kitchen.
Source: fmi.org
US: A generational switch powers produce purchasing
Produce spending by Gen Z shoppers (persons born between 1997 and 2012) was up about 38% over the last year, including a 45% increase for fruit and 32% for vegetables, reported Circana, a Chicago-based market research firm. Dollar sales growth for millennials (persons born between 1981 and 1996) rose about 10.5% for total produce, including 13.6% for fruits and 6.9% for vegetables, while spending by Gen X (persons born between 1965 and 1980) was up for total produce (4.5%), fruit (6.5%) and vegetables (2.7%).
Source: supermarketnews.com
