May retail sales up 8% on seasonal demand in Korea
Retail sales in South Korea increased in May from a year ago, benefiting from the usual heat ahead of summer season, government data showed. The online and offline revenue by major retailers in South Korea rose 8.0% to 11.43tln won ($9.87bln) in May from a year earlier, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. Sales of online and offline retail businesses gained 18.1% and 1.9%, respectively. Online brokerage services took 30% of the market, followed by large discount outlets (19.8%), department stores (17.7%), convenience stores (17.4%), online retailers (11.3%), and supermarket chains (4.0%).
Source: pulsenews.co.kr
Germany: Edeka increases stake in Picnic
German supermarket chain Edeka has increased its stake in the Dutch online-only supermarket Picnic. The retail company already owned 20% of Picnic in Germany, but now Edeka holds a 35% share. Edeka is quite familiar with Picnic. When the Dutch online-only supermarket launched its shopping service in Germany last year, Edeka Rhein-Ruhr got in with a 20% stake. And now, according to information from Startup Detector, Edeka’s stakes have increased to 35%.
Source: ecommercenews.eu
UK: Tesco turns to cashierless stores as competition with Amazon heats up
Tesco shoppers could soon be buying their groceries in futuristic checkout-less stores as the supermarket chain fights back against growing competition from e-commerce giant Amazon. The British supermarket giant is developing technology that will allow customers to walk around its stores, load up their shopping bags and walk out without putting them through a till. An artificial-intelligence powered camera network and sensors on shelves would detect what people are picking up and putting in their baskets, and automatically charge them for their shopping as they leave. Customers would be prompted to add their payment details to an app, or use screens that show a running bill so that they can pay before they leave the store.
Source: telegraph.co.uk
Brazil: GPA launches B2B ecommerce platform
GPA is enhancing its Aliados Mini Mercado (formerly Aliados CompreBem) wholesale business through the launch of its new B2B ecommerce platform. GPA launched its Aliados CompreBem business model in July 2016, which was re-branded to Aliados Mini Mercado in 2018. The initiative was set up to enable small and midsized independent neighbourhood stores to work in partnership with GPA. Businesses purchase wholesale consumer goods from GPA, also using its delivery network. In return they benefit from operating under GPA’s recognisable CompreBem (now Mini Mercado) brand and from leveraging GPA’s retail expertise in areas such as inventory control, operational efficiency and from point of sale materials. The new digital platform has been used to bolster the currently offline service and will provide a more efficient way for smaller businesses to restock and replenish their inventories.
Source: retailanalysis.igd.com
Canada: Empire Co. Ltd. reports rise in fourth quarter profit
The parent company of Sobeys and Safeway grocery stores plans to focus on innovation as it wraps a multi-year cost-saving initiative that’s exceeded expectations, chief executive Michael Medline says. “This won’t happen overnight”, Medline, the chief executive of Empire Co. Ltd., told a conference call with financial analysts after the company released its latest financial results. Two-thirds of the way through a three-year transformation plan, dubbed Project Sunrise, Medline confirmed the company would exceed the $500mln target after achieving $200mln in savings in the 2019 financial year. Sales grew to $6.22bln compared with $5.89bln. Same-store sales were up 3.2% for the most recent quarter, compared with 0.5% a year ago.
Source: canadiangrocer.com
US: Fairway Market taps forager to source local food
Fairway Market, which has 15 stores in the New York metro area, has begun using the Forager digital procurement system to source local food. “The Fairway Market team is excited about Forager’s potential to help us expand the variety of local food we offer to our millions of customers in the most efficient way possible”, said Jason Bidart, VP - private brand and local programs at New York-based Fairway Group Holdings Corp. “Many of our smaller suppliers - independent farms, for example - have traditionally used phone calls, fax or text messages for the ordering process. The Forager platform is far more efficient yet user-friendly, giving farmers the tools to provide Fairway with seamless ordering of their up-to-date products.”
Source: progressivegrocer.com
US: Tops rolls out grocery pick up service to 22 more stores
Tops Markets LLC is introducing its Grocery Pick Up service in 22 more locations, encompassing stores throughout Rochester and Syracuse, New York. Initially launched in just three locations last October, the service, which complements Tops’ well-established home delivery program, rolled out to 16 additional stores across the chain’s western New York market area just a month ago. This latest expansion brings the total number of stores offering Grocery Pick Up to 41.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
US: Save Mart banners now offer same-day delivery
The Save Mart Cos. now offers same-day home delivery through Instacart at all of its stores in California and Nevada, having just added the service at Save Mart and FoodMaxx stores. The partnership began at Lucky and Lucky California banners earlier this spring. In addition to groceries, California customers can include alcohol in their orders. “We are excited to expand our Instacart online shopping and home delivery services throughout the operating area of our Save Mart, FoodMaxx, Lucky and Lucky California stores”, said Barbara Walker, CMO for The Save Mart Cos. “Instacart’s service allows us an easy point of access to offer online the great values found in our stores, including high quality, locally grown produce, ready-to-eat meal solutions, [and] meat and seafood.”
Source: progressivegrocer.com
US: Raley’s expands expiration-date management software to all stores
Raley’s has deployed Date Check Pro expiration-date management software across all of its stores after a successful pilot program in the Sacramento, California, area last spring. The grocer was after a technology-based solution to support inventory management, having previously improved its operational efforts for out-of-code items to include thorough associate training and auditing processes to best manage the disposal of such items. Date Check Pro, from Madison, Wisconsin-based Pinpoint Software, provides real-time updates and proactive notifications on close-dated inventory that allow Raley’s to provide customers with a fresh, quality experience, and recoup savings on what would have been expired shrink.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
US: Albertsons considers adding more El Paso supermarkets after closing Northeast store
Albertsons Inc., one of the nation's largest supermarket companies, is closing one of its eight stores in El Paso in August, but the company is considering adding other locations in the area, a company spokesperson said. The Albertsons at 9111 Dyer St., and Hondo Pass Drive, in Northeast El Paso, will close in mid-August to "help strengthen operational efficiencies in the El Paso market", Nancy Keane, a spokeswoman at Albertsons Southwest Division in Phoenix, said in an email.
Source: eu.elpasotimes.com
Amazon launches new in-store pickup option with Rite Aid as first partner
Amazon.com has steadily added options for customers to receive their packages including in car trunks, inside home garages and potentially by drone. Amazon added another alternative for U.S. customers: Walk into a nearby retailer and pick up an Amazon package over the counter. The new option, called Counter, will launch with pharmacy Rite Aid Corp offering the service in 100 stores, with an expansion to 1,500 stores by year’s end, the companies said. Amazon is also looking to get other retailers, including small businesses, to join the program as it expands.
Source: reuters.com
Costco opens largest warehouse in Canada
Costco Canada opened its newest store - and its largest warehouse in Canada: in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador on Thursday. According to a press release, the new location created 80 additional jobs and “even more conveniences and savings” than the city’s former Costco location. The 182,000-sq.-ft. location features wider aisles and a larger selection of food offerings than in the past. It’s home to an expanded produce section, an on-site bakery, a large food court, a rotisserie chicken section and a newly-introduced hearing aid centre.
Source: canadiangrocer.com
