UK: Tesco faces scrutiny over 'Amazon-style' fee for online suppliers
Tesco is under scrutiny from the UK's supermarket regulator, which is closely monitoring its implementation of an "Amazon-style" fulfillment fee for online suppliers. The Grocery Code Adjudicator has been monitoring the UK grocery giant and put in place "assurance" processes after it said it would start charging suppliers extra to sell online last year. According to The Times, Tesco faced criticism from brands and suppliers who expressed concerns that the fee, which covers order processing, product picking, shipping, and returns management, could potentially put them out of business.
Source: retailgazette.co.uk
Germany: METRO LOGISTICS takes over central warehouse function for flaschenpost
The METRO LOGISTICS sites in Marl and Groß-Gerau serve as storage and handling centers for the more than 30 national flaschenpost hubs. flaschenpost's food segment covers almost all product ranges, including ultra-fresh, fresh produce, fruit and vegetables, and dry goods.
Source: newsroom.metroag.de
Co-op first to announce move to 100% British strawberries
Co-op is the first UK retailer to announce it is moving to 100% British Strawberries across its entire own brand range - hitting shelves two weeks ahead of last year and just in time for St George's Day. From 23rd April, the leading convenience retailer will exclusively offer only British strawberries for the summer season across its 2,400 UK stores and online as part of its commitment to back British farmers and growers.
Source: retailtimes.co.uk
France: Casino goes all-in on convenience in transformation plan
Groupe Casino has announced details of a new 'transformation plan', which will see it focus more on the convenience channel, cut jobs, and sell underperforming stores.
Source: esmmagazine.com
UK: Store trials show key levers to encourage healthier shopping baskets
IGD has published a report summarising the findings to date from a study into nudging healthier consumer choices in food stores. The research showed that in 2022, when a variety of promoted fruit and vegetables were priced at 60p in a major retailer, there was a 78% increase in sales of portions of promoted fruit and vegetables. However, three weeks into the four-week intervention period, sales of the promoted fruit and vegetables declined, suggesting the effectiveness of the intervention decreased with time.
Source: kamcity.com
UK: Pupils take 'pocket-money idea' to the high street
Two pupils from Somerset have opened up their own family-run farm shop in Shepton Mallet to help reinvigorate the high street. Sisters Laurel, 10, and Rosie, seven, are the first to take part in an "incubator scheme" in the market town. Their fresh produce business will occupy a space rent-free in the newly refurbished Market Place for nine months to see whether it is viable. Local charity Interim Spaces has transformed the area thanks to an injection of a quarter of a million pounds. Laurel and Rosie are hoping to make a success of The Little Farm Shed. Laurel claims to be the brains behind the business and Rosie crafted the fruit and veg boxes for delivery.
Source: bbc.com
UK: New trial launches to explore environmentally sustainable shopping choices
A new research project by a partnership including the University of Warwick will explore how shoppers can be encouraged to make more sustainable food choices while they do their online shopping. The online shopping project is part of the SALIENT food trials, a consortium of eight universities and two research institutes looking at ways to support healthier eating and reduce the impact of food on the planet, funded by the UK government through the ESRC.
Source: warwick.ac.uk
Lidl announces further €15mln investment in pay rises in 2024, making it the highest-paying supermarket on the island
Lidl has announced a further €15mln investment in pay increases for its existing workforce in the Republic of Ireland, with a further £3mln being invested in the retailers' operations in Northern Ireland.
Source: corporate.lidl.ie
UK: Asparagus paraded through train by 7ft vegetable
A bundle of the first 100 asparagus grown this season in the West of England has been paraded through a train as part of an eccentric English tradition to mark the launch of the British Asparagus Festival. Passengers were delighted to see the javelin-shaped vegetables carried by a man dressed in a 7ft (2.1m) tall asparagus costume, accompanied by another man dressed as England's patron saint, St George.
Source: bbc.com
PepsiCo turnover rises despite volume drop
PepsiCo has performed better than expected last quarter: although its food volume sold fell by 0.5%, partly due to a major recall, revenue rose 2.3%. The Quaker, Lay's, and Pepsi producer saw its net sales rise 2.3% to 18.25bln dollars (17.1bln euros) last quarter. On an organic basis, sales were even up 2.7%. Meanwhile, net profit climbed from 1.93 to 2.04bln dollars (1.9bln euros).
Source: retaildetail.eu
Amazon introduces low-cost grocery delivery
Amazon has introduced a new grocery delivery subscription benefit that is available to Prime members and EBT customers in more than 3,500 cities and towns across the United States. At $9.99 per month for Prime members, the subscription offers unlimited grocery delivery on orders over $35 from Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, and a variety of local grocery and specialty retailers on Amazon.com.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
US: Dom's, Foxtrot cease operations
Dom's Kitchen & Market and Foxtrot Market ceased operations, Dom's posted on its website. The closure impacts 33 Foxtrot locations across the Chicago, Austin, Texas, Dallas, and Washington, D.C., metropolitan areas, as well as two Dom's locations in Chicago. It comes a few months after the grocer and convenience store chains announced their merger.
Source: grocerydive.com
US: Wakefern banners will now have DoorDash
Retailer-owned cooperative Wakefern Food Corporation will now offer DoorDash on its banners. The cooperative members own and operate 365 supermarkets under the ShopRite, Price Rite Marketplace, The Fresh Grocer, Fairway Market, Gourmet Garage, and Dearborn Market banners. Shoppers can now order groceries and daily essentials on DoorDash from all Wakefern retail locations.
Source: supermarketnews.com
Carrefour Brasil's gross sales were up 2.5% in the first quarter
Brazilian retailer Carrefour Brasil reported a 2.5% year-on-year increase in its first-quarter gross sales, which totaled 27.8bln reais ($5.42bln) in the period. The company controlled by French retail giant Carrefour said in a securities filing that gross sales of its hybrid wholesale unit Atacadao, which accounts for nearly 70% of group activity, rose 6.6% to 19.3bln reais.
Source: reuters.com