Millions forced to skip meals as UK cost of living crisis deepens
As the UK’s cost of living crisis deepened, nearly one in five low-income families experienced food insecurity in September, meaning more people went hungry than during the chaotic first weeks of the Covid lockdown, the Food Foundation charity said. Cash-strapped families were not only buying less food but cutting out healthier produce they deemed unaffordable, according to the foundation’s latest tracker. More than half of those experiencing food insecurity said they had bought less fruit, while just under half had bought fewer vegetables.
Source: theguardian.com
British shoppers stock up on frozen food in bid to save money
British shoppers are adopting a new strategy to try to stretch their weekly groceries: switching to long-lasting goods. Tesco PLC’s customers are buying more frozen vegetables, fish and pizza lately. Some shoppers at the UK’s biggest grocer are also shifting from fresh pasta to dry, and from chilled soup to canned. Rivals from J Sainsbury Plc to Iceland Foods observed a similar trend.
Source: bnnbloomberg.ca
South African president Ramaphosa inaugurates LuLu SA food fest
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa inaugurated the “Proudly South African” food festival at LuLu Hypermarket in Al Rawabi, Jeddah. The “Proudly South African” Festival will run till October 22nd, 2022. It will showcase the range of juicy and wholesome food on the shelves from South Africa - fruits and veg, exotic antipasti condiments made from South African peppers, juices and high-quality canned fruit.
Source: saudigazette.com.sa
Aldi to recruit 1,000 workers in Spain in fourth quarter
German discount supermarket chain Aldi said it is looking to recruit 1,000 workers in Spain during the last quarter of the year, ahead of the festive season. The company said it plans to increase the number of workers hired in the country by 16% to 7,500 following an expansion in stores across different Spanish regions.
Source: reuters.com
Local farmers set up new business to show the power of Northern Ireland veg
Vegetable growers across Northern Ireland have combined in a new business collaboration to persuade more consumers to give priority to locally grown produce for their own health and to benefit the industry here and the planet. The growers have formed Veg NI, a voluntary collective committed to collaboration across the industry in professional customer-focused promotions and public education about the health benefits of local ‘greens’, according to Adrian McGowan, the organisation’s chairman. Veg NI is also a response to Northern Ireland’s position as a UK region with the lowest consumption of fresh vegetables that are now seen as essential for a healthy diet.
Source: newsletter.co.uk
In’s Mercato, Aspiag Service and Esselunga expand Italian footprint
In's Mercato plans to open 29 stores in Tuscany (Florence, Grosseto, Livorno, Lucca, Massa-Carrara, Pisa, Pistoia, and Siena), eight in Marche (Ancona, Fermo, Macerata, and Pesaro), and one in the Umbria region (Città di Castello). Aspiag Service, the SPAR franchisee for Italy’s Triveneto, Emilia-Romagna and Lombard regions, has taken over three stores previously operated under the Winner Supermercati banner. Esselunga is eyeing up the cities of Venice and Rome and the Liguria region for further expansion, according to chief marketing and customer officer, Roberto Selva.
Source: esmmagazine.com
South Africa: Pick N Pay sees pressure from inflation, power cuts
South Africa’s Pick N Pay Stores Ltd said inflation and power cuts in the second half of the year would add to the cost pressures the grocery retailer is already facing. Pick N Pay, South Africa’s second biggest retailer, had emerged strongly from the coronavirus crisis and civil unrest last year, as pent-up customer demand was released. It launched an investment plan earlier this year to better target its stores by customer incomes, modernise their look, and focus on clothing and online, with an investment outlay of 3.5bln rand ($194mln) for the year ending February 2023.
Source: reuters.com
UK: New Aldi store opens in Gypsy Lane in Luton
A new Aldi store in Luton has opened its doors, with ParalympicsGB Swimming hero Louise Fiddes cutting the red ribbon alongside pupils from The Linden Academy Primary School. The ParalympicsGB swimming gold and silver medallist gave complimentary bags of fresh fruit and vegetables to the first 30 customers in the queue, before delivering an inspirational assembly for pupils at The Linden Academy as part of the supermarket’s initiative, Get Set to Eat Fresh - which has already inspired over 2mln school children to learn more about the benefits of cooking fresh, healthy food with their families.
Source: lutontoday.co.uk
From reducing shopping queues to delivery times: How the Shoprite Group innovates using AI
In a South African supermarket first, the Group successfully deployed a powerful end-to-end supply chain software solution to ensure highly accurate orders. This includes fresh produce such as poultry, cheese, eggs, milk and more, resulting in fully stocked shelves and less food waste.
Source: shopriteholdings.co.za
US: New Sendik’s grocery store debuts near Milwaukee
Sendik's Food Markets will open its 18th location, in the Milwaukee suburb of Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, on Wednesday, transforming the former K-Mart into a 60,000-square-foot grocery store that not only features grocery essentials but an in-store garden, the grocer said. The store will feature one of the area’s largest meat and seafood, gourmet cheese, and wine and spirits departments, and the in-store garden will provide fresh leafy greens for the store’s salad bar, the grocer said.
Source: winsightgrocerybusiness.com
US: Online grocery retailer Boxed expands its Boxed Market fast fresh delivery service to Westchester County
Boxed, Inc., the commerce technology company specializing as both an e-commerce retailer and e-commerce enabler, announced it is expanding Boxed Market, its rapid delivery of fresh groceries business. Boxed Market has just opened a new fulfillment center in Elmsford, NY, to serve customers in Westchester County.
Source: globenewswire.com
Canada: Loblaw freezes prices of all No Name products until end of January
Canada’s biggest grocer is freezing prices on all of its No Name products until next year as the cost of grocery items continues to soar across the country. Loblaw Companies Ltd. said the price freeze for more than 1,500 grocery items of its private label brand, well known for its distinctive yellow-and-black packaging, would be in effect until January 31, 2023. Some of the products include apples, potatoes, butter, eggs, cheese, rice, pasta, toilet paper and paper towels.
Source: toronto.citynews.ca
US: Hannaford, PBFA to celebrate ‘Plantsgiving’
Hannaford has joined forces with the Plant Based Foods Association (PBFA) on a Plantsgiving campaign. The first-of-its-kind Thanksgiving initiative will aim to encourage shoppers to explore and purchase the many plant-based options available at Hannaford stores.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
US: HCMC announces the acquisition of Green’s Natural Foods, with 8 stores located in the New York City suburbs and New Jersey
Healthier Choices Management Corp. announced the acquisition of Green’s Natural Foods, an organic and natural health food and vitamin chain with eight store locations in New York and Northern New Jersey. Green’s Natural Foods is a chain of premier natural foods stores, offering organic and all natural products and vitamins from both top national brands as well as locally sourced specialty brands. Green’s Natural Foods offers everything from organic produce, natural groceries, dietary supplements, and freshly prepared food. Green’s Natural Foods sells only USDA certified organic produce.
Source: globenewswire.com