UK: Amazon Fresh reveals surge in tinned food purchases as consumer budgets tighten
Amazon Fresh has revealed a surge in tinned food and ready meal purchases, as consumer budgets continue to be stretched amid the cost-of-living crisis. In analysis of UK sales and basket size data from Amazon’s global grocery service, tinned meats, fruit and vegetables, saw double digit growth year on year as shoppers become increasingly cost-conscious. Avocados were far more popular in London where they almost made the top ten most ordered items, in comparison to other cities where avocados lagged behind more traditional fruit. Exotic fruit and vegetables such as mangoes and pak choi featured in Birmingham’s most ordered list but didn’t feature at all in Leeds, Liverpool or Manchester’s lists of most ordered items.
Source: grocerygazette.co.uk
Sweden: Per Strömberg elected to ICA Gruppen’s board of directors
Per Strömberg, outgoing CEO of ICA Gruppen, has been elected to ICA Gruppen's board of directors as of 1 January 2023, in connection with an extraordinary general meeting.
Source: icagruppen.se
UK: McDonald’s giving away free ‘reindeer treats’ for Christmas - how to get them, opening times over the holidays
McDonald’s is giving out free “reindeer treats” to children on Christmas Eve. Families will be able to collect a free bag of carrots to leave out for Father Christmas and his reindeer when visiting the fast food chain on December 24.
Source: northamptonchron.co.uk
Loss exceeds turnover for Gorillas acquirer Getir
Rapid growth comes with a hefty price tag for Getir: the Turkish quick commerce player that recently acquired its rival Gorillas posted a loss of more than 500mln euros last year, on sales of not even 440mln.
Source: retaildetail.eu
UK: Waitrose customers prepare for the biggest ever vegan Christmas
Waitrose reported: "The big festive food shop has officially begun and with more customers enjoying a flexitarian diet, we predict many will be adapting this year's Christmas dinner to include more vegan options with searches for ‘Vegan Christmas Food’ on Waitrose.com up 188% compared to the same time last year. Searches for ‘Vegan Roast Potatoes’ have seen an increase of 166% compared to last year, with customers wanting to achieve the perfect crispy spud without using animal fat and the classic festive sweet treat is also high in demand with searches for ‘Vegan Panettone’ seeing an increase of 110% year-on-year."
Source: johnlewispartnership.media
Over half of Brits prefer Christmas leftovers to the main meal - yet 90mln plates are thrown away on average each year
At the most wonderful time of the year, for many the food takes centre stage when it comes to Christmas. Yet whilst we all love a Christmas dinner, leftovers are inevitable and new research from Asda shows that on average 90mln plates of leftover food are thrown away each year after the big day. When it comes to the most disposed of festive food, the ever-divisive Brussels sprouts (20%) top the list for people who have leftovers followed by broccoli (15%), cabbage (15%), and cauliflower (14%).
Source: corporate.asda.com
Sweden: ICA Real Estate sells two warehouse properties to Catena
ICA Real Estate is selling two warehouse properties, Viby 19:106 and Arendal 13:3, to Catena through a sale and leaseback transaction in which ICA Real Estate has signed two seven-year leases with Catena in connection with the sale. The properties have combined area of more than 24,600 square metres.
Source: icagruppen.se
New Zealand: Plenty of produce for the Christmas table
Taste Nature Organic Supermarket owner Clinton Chambers sources produce from around New Zealand. He believes "amazing" organic Central Otago cherries are worthy of a spot on the Christmas Day menu, along with some "beautiful peaches and nectarines." Some larger stores and supermarkets have reported trouble meeting demand this month, due to challenging weather and ongoing staff shortages. But Mr Chambers says smaller suppliers like his have been able to access plenty of top-notch seasonal fare for Dunedin customers to choose from. "Christmas lunch? Asparagus would be my pick", he says. "With some micro greens and some salads. And maybe roast off some beetroot and some new potatoes."
Source: odt.co.nz
UK: Union wins right to challenge Tesco fire and rehire policy at supreme court
The shopworkers union Usdaw has been given the green light by the supreme court to challenge Tesco’s controversial tactic of firing staff then rehiring them on less favourable contracts. The union was granted permission to proceed with a case after the appeal court overturned a high court ruling that banned Tesco from dismissing staff at its warehouses in Daventry and Litchfield and then seeking to re-employ them on lower pay.
Source: theguardian.com
Auchan Retail Portugal launches online bag return service
Auchan Retail Portugal has launched a new e-commerce service that will enable customers to return shopping bags used in online shopping deliveries. By 2025, Auchan commits to achieve the goal of 100% reusable, recyclable or compostable packaging placed on the market and to completely eliminate plastics in the fruit, vegetables and fresh produce sections, whenever feasible.
Source: esmmagazine.com
Canada: Fruit and vegetable growers suffering from high grocery store prices
High grocery store prices for fruits and vegetables are turning off consumers from buying them and that is hurting the country’s growers, says Rebecca Lee, Executive Director of Fruit and Vegetable Growers of Canada (FVGC). Fresh fruit prices were up 9.6% in March 2022 compared with the same month of 2021. Vegetable prices in stores will increase by another 6 to 8% in 2023, she told the Commons agriculture committee.
Source: nationalnewswatch.com
US: Instacart targets SNAP shoppers with discounted memberships
Instacart is now offering discounted memberships to participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Shoppers who have used an electronic benefit transfer (EBT) SNAP card to purchase groceries on Instacart in the past six months can get a discounted Instacart+ membership at $4.99 per month for 12 months, a 50% discount.
Source: supermarketnews.com
Canada: As Metro marks 75 years in business, the retailer’s focus is firmly on the future
Ask Metro president and CEO Eric La Flèche what’s behind his company’s success, he’s quick to respond: “it’s not just one thing”. Indeed, La Flèche rapidly spouts off a long list of things contributing to Metro’s steady growth. For one, a strong financial foundation, which has allowed the retailer to grow through strategic acquisitions; while a “great team” has resulted in operational excellence and strong execution; and a strategy of putting the customer “at the centre of everything we do”, has helped ensure Metro’s offer resonates with its customers in the towns and cities it operates in across Quebec and Ontario.
Source: canadiangrocer.com
US: Is Amazon Fresh losing momentum?After a steady expansion, Amazon Fresh appears to be losing momentum. Seattle-based Amazon, which launched its first Amazon Fresh grocery store in September 2020 and proceeded to open about two new stores each month for two years, hasn’t opened a new outlet since September, according to reporting from The Real Deal, which covers New York real estate.
Source: supermarketnews.com