UK: Sainsbury's CEO among business leaders recognised in new year honours
Simon Roberts, who has been chief executive of the UK's second largest supermarket since 2020, has been made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to the retail industry.
Source: theguardian.com
M&S Food offers new Nutrient-Dense meals - Helping people to consume the right amount of fibre, vitamins and minerals
M&S reported: "M&S Food has launched Nutrient Dense - a new range of salads, snacks and meals that are packed with fibre, vitamins and minerals. Made with wholefoods and store cupboard ingredients, these 20 products have been developed with M&S nutritionists to make it easier for customers to meet their daily recommended amounts of fibre, vitamins and minerals, even if they are monitoring their calorie intake due to lifestyle, age or weight loss medication".
Source: corporate.marksandspencer.com
Italy: Supercentro forges retail alliance with CRAI
Southern Italian food distribution company Supercentro has announced it will join Italian cooperative Gruppo CRAI, effective from 1 January 2026. Its network includes supermarkets, convenience stores, and six cash & carry outlets, as well as a distribution platform.
Source: esmmagazine.com
Belgium: Colruyt Group donates more than 10,000 tonnes of food per year through local Food-aid Organisations
Colruyt Group reported: "Colruyt Group donates all wholesome, edible products that can no longer be sold, such as fruits and vegetables, fresh products with a remaining shelf life of 3 to 4 days, items with minor packaging damage, incorrect deliveries and surplus products from internal quality sampling".
Source: press.colruytgroup.com
Belgium: All Okay stores open on Sundays from 2026
Colruyt Group reported: "Starting this Sunday, 4 January, customers will also be able to visit all Okay neighbourhood supermarkets on Sunday mornings for their groceries, pastries and bread rolls. This makes Okay the first fully integrated supermarket chain in Belgium to open its doors on Sundays".
Source: press.colruytgroup.com
PAI Partners agrees sale of shareholding in Spain's Uvesco
Private-equity firm PAI Partners has announced that it has agreed to sell its entire shareholding in Uvesco, a Spanish food distribution business that operates the BM Supermercados and Super Amara brands.
Source: esmmagazine.com
Aldi unveils its top selling products of the year
Aldi Scotland has peeled back the curtain on its top-selling products of 2025, with the humble banana crowned Scotland's most-sold item of the year. More than 15mln bananas were snapped up across Aldi's 112 Scottish stores proving its growing a-peel to fruit-loving Scots.
Source: retailtimes.co.uk
Billa Slovakia added 34 stores to its network in 2025
As of the end of 2025, Billa Slovakia will have added 34 stores to its portfolio, including 10 new supermarkets and 24 renovated stores, bringing its total to 252 outlets.
Source: esmmagazine.com
Retailer Lidl GB reports 10% rise in Christmas sales
Lidl GB reported a 10% year-on-year rise in Christmas sales, with its turnover exceeding 1.1bln pounds ($1.48bln) for the four weeks to December 24. The retailer, currently Britain's sixth-biggest grocer, said nearly 51mln customers came through its doors in the period, up 8% year-on-year. Best-selling products included cheese truckles, hand-cooked crisps in flavours such as baked camembert and hot honey, and seasonal fruit and vegetables, it said.
Source: reuters.com
UK: Less to pay for your five-a-day with Tesco in 2026
Tesco reported: 'Tesco is continuing its mission to help families across the nation eat more fruit and vegetables and get off to a healthy start for 2026 with its "Less to pay for 5-a-day" campaign. For two weeks, from 30th December 2025 to 13th January 2026, children shopping with their families will once again be able to pick up free apples at checkouts in over 800 large Tesco stores, showcasing the value in Tesco fresh produce. Click & Collect customers will also be given free apples for their children in 119 of Tesco's large stores. The apples provided will be British-grown from six suppliers across the UK, helping children to access more of the fruit'.
Source: tescoplc.com
Casino exits BAO Cash & Carry business in Cameroon
French retailer Casino has ended direct operations of its wholesale distribution business in Cameroon, the company said. Casino has sold its subsidiary 3C Cameroun, operator of the BAO Cash & Carry network, to 2S Retail. The transaction, effective December 31, covers seven stores: five company-owned outlets in Douala and two franchised locations in Nkongsamba and Limbe.
Source: businessincameroon.com
Holland: Retail turnover up by almost 4% in November
Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reports that retail turnover was 3.9% higher in November 2025, year on year. Turnover in supermarkets was up by 4.2%, and turnover in specialty shops was up by 2.9%.
Source: cbs.nl
Aldi's record £1.65bln Christmas as shoppers seek unbeatable pricesAldi reported: "Aldi has recorded its best-ever Christmas, with sales of £1.65bln (+3% vs. 2024) in the four weeks to Christmas Eve. Aldi also saw strong demand for home-grown produce, with sales of British-sourced meat and vegetables up as customers supported British during their Christmas shop at Aldi. As a result, shoppers bought 56mln potatoes, 37mln carrots, and half a million turkeys - all sourced from Aldi's long-standing British supplier partners".
Source: aldipresscentre.co.uk
Amazon halts plans for drone delivery in Italy
Amazon said it has decided not to pursue plans to deliver goods by drone in Italy, saying that while it had made good progress with aerospace regulators, broader business regulatory issues did not support the project.
Source: reuters.com
Ocado Group update on exclusivity with international partners
Ocado Group reported: "Ocado Group has announced that mutual exclusivity has now ended with retailers in the majority of markets where Ocado's technology is currently live, including the USA with Kroger".
Source: ocadogroup.com
US: Kroger rolls out verified savings program with produce discounts for SNAP, WIC shoppers
Kroger has launched a new discount program aimed at making fresh food and grocery delivery more affordable for customers who rely on government assistance like SNAP, WIC and Medicaid. The new Verification Savings Program offers eligible shoppers 20% off fruits and vegetables, as well as reduced pricing on Boost, Kroger's paid membership program.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
US: Harris Teeter introduces Happier, Healthier with Harris Teeter initiative to support healthier living
Harris Teeter announced the launch of its 'Happier, Healthier with Harris Teeter' initiative, a comprehensive, storewide approach to help customers achieve their health and wellness goals. The Happier, Healthier initiative spans every aisle, from pharmacy expertise and nutrition coaching to fresh high-quality produce, a new line of protein-packed items and a wide selection of products made without unwanted ingredients.
Source: prnewswire.com
US: Sweetgreen completes sale of Spyce to Wonder
Sweetgreen, Inc. announced it has completed its previously announced sale of Spyce, the business unit responsible for developing and launching the Infinite Kitchen technology, to Wonder Group, Inc., consisting of $100mln in cash and shares of Series C Preferred Stock of Wonder with an implied value of $86.4mln based on the price per share at which shares were issued by Wonder to cash investors in its most recent preferred equity financing.
Source: businesswire.com
