Revamped produce departments at 180 Walmart stores have helped reduce food waste, improved efficiency and received positive feedback from customers, according to a blog post on the retailer’s website. The approach, called “Fresh Angle,” positions fresh, loose produce at the front of the store, Travis Moore, store manager at a Walmart Supercenter in Rogers, Ark., wrote in the blog post. Fixtures are lower, so that customers can see the whole department, and contain fewer pieces of fruit and vegetables, with the goal of maintaining produce freshness in store and once customers take the items home. (supermarketnews.com)Amazon’s sales surge at fastest rate in 4 years
Amazon reported strong sales and record profits during the second quarter, as revenue growth accelerated to its fastest rate in more than four years. A surprise net income of $857m, compared to analysts’ expectations of $540m, marked Amazon’s third consecutive quarter of record-setting profits, in a year in which it has seen vigorous demand from retail consumers around the world. (ft.com) Amazon boss Bezos becomes world's third richest
Strong earnings from Amazon and a boost to the company's stock have made its founder, Jeff Bezos, the world's third richest person, according to Forbes. (BBC)
UK: Co-op vouchers 'boost fruit and veg sales'
Co-op confirmed that it has taken direct action on the back of the NFU’s report, the company says in a press release. NFU’s Fit for the Future initiative identifies practical options for industry and government to increase consumption of fruit, veg and potatoes. To complement a number of other initiatives that offer consumers a healthier choice, Co-op is encouraging greater sales of fruit and veg by issuing ‘smart coupons’ at the till, providing money off fruit and vegetables as an incentive to increase purchasing. The coupons, which offer 50 pence off fresh fruit and veg, have been running throughout July with great success. Alongside this, Co-op’s ‘Fresh, Quality, Always’ strategy has also resonated with consumers and resulted in volumes up over 15% across fresh produce in the past year, with prepared produce up 19% in the same period.Amazon Dash launches in the UK for AmazonFresh customers
AmazonFresh customers in 128 London postcodes can now use the Amazon Dash device to create their grocery order on Amazon.co.uk through barcode scanning and voice recognition. Amazon has today announced the introduction of Amazon Dash, following the launch of AmazonFresh last month for customers in select London postcodes. Dash is a quick and easy way to place a grocery order on Amazon.co.uk. Customers can scan a product barcode or say the name of a product to add items automatically into their Amazon.co.uk basket. These items are then ready for purchase the next time the customer visits the Amazon.co.uk website or mobile app. (igd.com)Dutch supermarkets promise fewer pesticides in fruits and vegetables
Albert Heijn and Jumbo are standing up for the reduction of pesticides in the cultivation of potatoes, vegetables and fruit in the Netherlands. They have made agreements, Jumbo with Greenpeace and Albert Heijn with Nature and Environment, the four organizations reported Thursday. There will also be more organically grown fruits and vegetables on the shelves at Albert Heijn, it was mentioned in the agreement. (nu.nl)
Tesco's latest salvo in grocery war - free fruit for kids
Tesco on Friday unveiled its latest weapon in a drive to improve its image and win share in the cut-throat British grocery market - free fruit for children while their parents shop. Hammered by changing shopping habits, the rise of German discounters Aldi and Lidl and an accounting scandal, Tesco has been fighting back under Chief Executive Dave Lewis who took charge in Sept. 2014. Britain's biggest retailer said the free fruit initiative, being launched in over 800 stores, will see it provide apples, soft citrus and bananas to under sixteens. Children accompanied by an adult can pick one free piece from a stand at the front of the store. (Reuters)Groupe Casino profit leaps on Asian chain sales
Groupe Casino's profit skyrocketed in the first half of the year as the French retailer booked a massive capital gain from the sale of supermarket chains in Asia. The company, which operates supermarkets in France and abroad, reported that net profit jumped more than 30-fold to €2.58bn ($2.86bn) in the first six months of 2016, up from €79m in the same period last year. Elsewhere, the company's profits in the first half fell in Latin America, dragged down by the weak economic growth in Brazil. Two weeks ago, Casino reported a 7% drop in second-quarter revenue to €9.97bn, citing weak currencies in Latin America. (marketwatch.com) Jerónimo Martins sees net profit increase 15% in first half
Portugal's Jerónimo Martins has posted a net profit increase of 15% to €172m in the first half of the year, the company has reported. The group said that its consolidated sales grew 5% to €7bn in the period, while EBITDA amounted to €388m, a 7% rise. The group made an investment of €180m in new store developments and refurbishments in the period, of which 43% was allocated to its Polish retailer Biedronka. "In Poland, the reinforced competitiveness of Biedronka is allowing the banner to maximize the benefits from a stimulant consumer demand. In Portugal, Pingo Doce and Recheio continued to increase market shares in a highly competitive landscape and a consumption slowdown," the retailer's CEO said. The company added that its Ara business in Colombia performed 'according to plan, and is now preparing to enter its third operating region while speeding up expansion in the market'. (esmmagazine.com)India: Amazon starts Amazon Pantry to push sales of grocery
Amazon India has started a pilot project of its global variant - Amazon Pantry - in India, primarily to push sales of bulk packs of monthly and weekly grocery and household essentials, replicating an online supermarket that will aggressively compete with modern retail chains such as Big Bazaar and Spencer's. (economictimes.indiatimes.com)3Q sales stabilize at Natural Grocers
Sales at Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage bounced back in the fiscal third quarter, with comps of 1.8% exceeding Wall Street estimates. The Lakewood, Colo.-based natural foods retailer, coming off a second quarter that badly underperformed expectations, also met its earnings guidance as internal cost reductions and the sales lift delivered $2.7m in earnings on $179.3m in sales. Analysts had been expecting 0.5% comps and $178.9m in revenue. (supermarketnews.com)Intermarché outlines Portuguese plans
Intermarché plans to open 10 new stores in Portugal in 2016. This year's expansion forms part of a bigger plan running up to 2020. The retailer will reportedly invest €200m to open 63 Intermarché stores and 90 forecourts as it seeks to grow its market share in the country and strengthen ahead of the entry of Mercadona in 2019. Intermarché relaunched its online store in Portugal earlier this year, simultaneously extending the reach to new areas of the country, and adding Drive and home delivery services in new areas. (igd.com)UK: Argos shareholders approve Sainsbury's takeover
At Home Retail Group’s annual general meeting yesterday, 99.95% of shareholders agreed to the deal, which had also been given the green light by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) last week. (retailgazette.co.uk)Retail trade turnover in Ukraine increased 2.3%
In Ukraine (excluding the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, Sevastopol, and part of the occupied warzone in the Donbas area), retail trade turnover in the January to June period of 2016 amounted to 527.451bn hryvnia, which is 2.3% more than in the corresponding period of 2015, reports golos.ua, from the state statistics service. The volume for businesses involved in retail trade amounted to 250.328bn hryvnia, which is 3.2% more than for the same period last year. The volume of retail trade turnover in June amounted to 43.132bn hryvnia which is 5% more than in June 2015. At the same time, the turnover for wholesale trade businesses in January-June 2016 amounted to 635.525bn hryvnia, which is 3.6% more than the same period last year. In January-May 2016 retail trade grew by 1.8%. (1 Ukrainian Hryvnia=0.040 USD)
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