UAE: Safestway supermarket brand sold
The supermarket chain Safestway has been sold to rival brand West Zone, the retailer’s parent company The Giant Group said. Employing over 700 people, Safestway describes itself as an importer and distributor of consumer goods, food and grocery products. It also claims to be the “largest importer of specialised Filipino foodstuffs in the Gulf region.” Explaining its decision to divest Safestway from its portfolio, a spokesperson for The Giant Group said that it was shifting its focus away from retail to concentrate on distribution.
Source: gulfnews.com
Mercadona supermarkets in Portugal will open on Sunday
The supermarkets that Mercadona will inaugurate in Portugal will be open on Sunday, unlike what happens in the 1,600 spaces of the retailer in ‘neighbour’ Spain, advances the “Jornal de Negócios”. At stake is the fact that Sunday is the second most profitable week for this sector in the country. However, in Spain, opening the doors all weekend meant “losing money”, according to Mercadona. “Let’s open on Sunday because that is what the customer asks us in Portugal. Mercadona intends to offer its ‘bosses’ the best products and the best shopping experience”, he told the company’s official source.
Source: internationalsupermarketnews.com
South Africa: Shoprite to appeal $1.4mln competition fine
South Africa’s Shoprite said it would appeal against a 20mln rand ($1.4mln) fine handed to its ticket-selling subsidiary by the country’s Competition Tribunal, which found agreements signed by the firm had hit competition. The judgment was announced ahead of a similar case that is currently before the tribunal, which relates to a later time period and is more serious because the company is included as a respondent and it carries a recommended fine of 10% of the turnover of Shoprite’s retail unit.
Source: af.reuters.com
France: Supermarket retailer Casino to sell 26 stores worth 501mln euros
French supermarket retailer Casino, which is in the process of divesting assets to cut debts, said it would sell 26 stores worth 501mln euros ($567mln) in the first half of 2019. Casino said it would sell 13 ‘Géant Casino’ hypermarkets, three other hypermarkets and 10 Casino supermarkets to Fortress Investment Group.
Source: uk.reuters.com
Coop Sverige: KF appoints new CEO
The Swedish Cooperative Association (KF), majority owner of Coop Sverige, has appointed Marie Nygren as its new CEO. She will replace Anders Dahlquist-Sjöberg, who has been acting CEO since former CEO Tommy Ohlström became Chairman in July 2018. Nygren will take office later this year. Commenting on her appointment, Nygren said: “It feels incredibly exciting and stimulating to come back. My task now is to implement the strategy that has been put in place and create the conditions for better results”.
Source: retailanalysis.igd.com
Auchan Romania launches a biometric payment system
The retailer is working with Oney Bank to launch a new mobile app, Well.com. The app enables payment with biometric (fingerprint) authentication or by scanning a QR code from a smartphone. Biometric authentication is secure and fast and eliminates the need for a card or smartphone. The app is currently available to customers in Auchan Militari and Auchan Drumul Taberei stores. It will be extended to Auchan Cotroceni's customers soon. It is compatible with Android and iOS users using any Mastercard, VISA debit or credit card. It can be downloaded from the App Store or the Google Play Store.
Source: retailanalysis.igd.com
Carrefour Poland partners with shopping website Szopi.pl
Carrefour has partnered with the Polish shopping website Szopi.pl. As part of the partnership, thousands of Carrefour products are listed on the site with identical prices and promotions to those available instore. Customers can purchase Carrefour’s products and request home delivery via the Szopi.pl website. Orders are picked in the nearest store and then delivered to the recipient’s home within two hours. The service is currently only available in Warsaw. However, the companies hope to extend the agreement to new locations soon. Michal Sacha, marketing, digital, IT, ecommerce and financial services director at Carrefour Polska, commented: “Carrefour's ambition is to offer innovative services that respond to the real needs, expectations and lifestyles of modern customers. Cooperation with Szopi.pl is another step in the dynamics of the network's offer…”.
Source: retailanalysis.igd.com
Germany: Kaufland to acquire around 100 Real stores
For several months, it is already known that the retailer Metro wants to separate from the retail giant Real. Due to changes in the corporate structure, there was apparently no room left for Real’s portfolio in the Metro AG portfolio, which is why the company was betting on a quick sell on Reals. According to Kaufland’s head Patrick Kaudewitz, the company is interested in the acquisition of Real stores. The company plans to take over some 80-100 locations of the self-service markets, which are usually located in larger halls. A consulting firm has already been contacted and should deal with the transaction. About the acquisition says the trade manager: “It was a historic opportunity for the Kaufland Group to acquire such large areas, which probably would not exist in the mold so fast anymore.” This deal is expected to give the retail a boost in the in-store sales and raise by that the supermarket’s market share. It would also be conceivable that Kaufland could benefit from a complete takeover of the e-food market. So far, Kaufland had shown little ambitions in terms of online marketplace.
Source: internationalsupermarketnews.com
South Africa: Woolworths reports 1.9% sales growth
South Africa-based Woolworths has reported a slower growth in sales for the 26 weeks ending 23 December 2018. Sales increased by 1.9% compared with a 2.5% increase in the same period in 2017. The company said its growth was impacted by the absence of a pre-Christmas trading day, which helped sales in 2017. However, Woolworths Food sales increased by 6.3%, with volume growth said to be driven by low levels of inflation, higher levels of promotions and price investment. Comparable store sales also increased by 4.2%, with a net retail area growth of 1.4%.
Source: retailanalysis.igd.com
Canada: Dollarama launches online store
Canada’s leading dollar store chain, Dollarama, has launched a new online store, offering products in case quantities. The national launch of the store follows on from a five-week pilot in Quebec. The store offers around 1,000 products across consumable and general merchandise departments for purchase in full cases. Product categories include cleaning, clothing, electronics, food, hardware, health and beauty, home, kitchen, office, party, pets and toys. The retailer offers just under 150 products within the food category, including beverages, confectionery and snacks.
Source: retailanalysis.igd.com
US: Tops beefs up computer-generated ordering & direct store delivery
Northeastern grocer Tops Markets LLC will deploy the Itasca Magic computer-generated ordering, inventory optimization and state-of-the-art direct store delivery (DSD) receiving solution at all of its locations. “Itasca has proven itself capable of managing and automating replenishment in complex business environments,” noted Ron Ferri, EVP of operations for Williamsville, New York-based Tops. “We’ve found that Itasca has the most comprehensive solution to address our current needs and to be the foundation for future endeavors. Their real-time perpetual-inventory capability will allow us to ensure our customers have the same experience online as they do in stores, which is important to any retailer’s digital presence.”
Source: progressivegrocer.com