Amazon Connect puts generative AI to work improving end-to-end customer experiences
At AWS re:Invent, Amazon Web Services, Inc. (AWS), an Amazon.com, Inc. company, announced new generative AI enhancements for Amazon Connect, AWS's cloud contact center solution. These new features will further improve customer experiences by enabling more personalized, efficient, and proactive customer service. As a result, organizations can help significantly improve customer satisfaction through faster issue resolution and continuous contact center optimization, while simultaneously reducing operational costs.
Source: businesswire.com
Lidl reaches 700 stores in Spain, relaunches Scan & Go in Belgium
Discounter Lidl has simultaneously opened seven new stores in Spain, bringing its total number of supermarkets in the country to 700. This expansion, involving an investment of €45mln and creating over 160 jobs, has consolidated Lidl's presence in six Spanish autonomous communities, the company noted. The seven new stores are located in Benalmádena (Málaga), Yaiza (Lanzarote), Algemesí (Valencia), Benidorm (Alicante), Gernika (Vizcaya), Cambados (Pontevedra), and León. Meanwhile, Lidl is restarting its self-checkout programme in Belgium after a previous trial highlighted the need for improved technology. Three stores (Couillet, Hamme-Mille, and Lokeren) will launch the new self-checkout system this year, with a broader rollout planned for the coming years.
Source: esmmagazine.com
In which EU regions is online shopping most popular?
In 2023, 58.1% of people aged 16-74 in the EU reported that they had bought or ordered goods or services over the internet in the 3 months preceding the survey. The share was higher than the EU average (58.1%) for every region (at level 2 of the nomenclature of territorial units for statistics (NUTS 2)) of Czechia, Denmark, Ireland, France (except the outermost regions), the Netherlands, Slovakia, Finland, Sweden, Estonia, Luxembourg and Malta.
Source: ec.europa.eu
Belgium: Aldi opens second compact city store in Brussels
Aldi is planning a second store in Brussels that follows its compact city store concept. The opening is part of the discounter's offensive in the "important region" it calls Brussels.
Source: retaildetail.eu
Carrefour the strongest performer in France in October: Kantar
Carrefour outperformed its rivals in the French grocery market in October, according to the latest market share data from Kantar, reporting a 2.4-percentage-point gain, to hold 21.4% of the market. For the P11 period, which ran from 7 October to 3 November, Carrefour gained 759,000 new customers, partly driven by its takeover of the Cora business. Carrefour's online channel also grew, by 0.3 percentage points, while Carrefour Proximité and Carrefour Market gained 0.1 percentage points of share, respectively.
Source: esmmagazine.com
UK: Tesco celebrates 30 years of Express with return to the site of its first-ever store
Tesco has marked the 30th anniversary of Tesco Express by returning to the same street as the supermarket's first-ever store - nearly 100 years on. The Burnt Oak Express store in North London will be the supermarket's 2,882nd UK store and is just feet from where Tesco founder Jack Cohen opened his first ever shop in 1929.
Source: tescoplc.com
Italy: Gruppo VéGé projects 11% turnover growth in 2024
Gruppo VéGé expects turnover to reach €15.28bln in its financial year 2024, representing an 11% increase compared to 2023 (€13.78bln). While slightly lower than the €15.7bln initially forecast in June, this growth reflects a market share of 8.1% and over 3,378 stores across Italy, making Gruppo VéGé the fourth biggest food distributor.
Source: esmmagazine.com
Albert Heijn ends 2024 with 81 Belgian stores
Albert Heijn has opened a new supermarket in Emblem, near Antwerp. It is the 81st Belgian branch for the retailer, who opened just five new supermarkets in the country this year.
Source: retaildetail.eu
Morrisons shows support for British farmers with 25% discount in all its cafés
Morrisons is introducing a 25% discount for farmers in all its Cafés every Tuesday from 3rd December in a show of support for the nation's growers and producers. 'Tractor Tuesdays' aims to bring farmers together with each other as well as make the farming industry more visible to customers shopping in stores for the food they produce.
Source: morrisons-corporate.com
Digitalisation key as REWE Group celebrates opening of 400th PENNY store in dynamic Romanian market
REWE Group reports the opening of the 400th PENNY store in Romania. In a LinkedIn post, Christoph Eltze, Chief Digital and Technology Officer at REWE Group, said: "I was there for the launch and I am impressed: This milestone is an important step in expanding and strengthening our presence in the local market".
Source: retailtechinnovationhub.com
'We reel your pain': Swiggy co-founder responds to Delhi man's viral onion plea with flash sale - Onions for Rs 39
Amid rising onion prices, a Delhi man's viral plea for extra onions with his Swiggy order sparked a fun response from Swiggy's Phani Kishan. He launched a flash sale offering onions at Rs 39 in Delhi NCR, engaging customers and addressing the price hike in an innovative way.
Source: indiatimes.com
Holland: Over 8 in 10 people shop online
In the first half of 2024, 81% of the population aged 12 years or older said they had made online purchases. This was the highest percentage recorded in the past ten years. This is according to the survey on ICT usage by households and individuals, conducted by Statistics Netherlands (CBS).
Source: cbs.nl
It's sustainability success for Sysco GB
Brakes reported: "Sysco GB, Britain's leading foodservice supplier, has scooped a major sustainability award at the Green Apple Awards. The organisation picked up the Retail and Wholesale Waste Management GREEN CHAMPIONS award for the work it has undertaken across its British sites to improve sustainability".
Source: brake.co.uk