Amazon union leader flies in to help UK strikers ‘kick down the door’
The leader of Amazon’s first union has made his first trip outside the United States to support striking workers at the online retail giant’s Coventry warehouse. Chris Smalls, who helped coordinate a successful unionisation drive at an Amazon warehouse in Staten Island, New York, in April 2022, travelled to the UK to provide advice to British workers as they try to gain recognition from the company.
Source: theguardian.com
Holland: Pieter Pot saved by suppliers’ support
Packaging-free online supermarket Pieter Pot says to have turned a corner after reports about a looming bankruptcy. As major suppliers have agreed to drop some outstanding debts, the Dutch e-tailer can look forward to the future.
Source: retaildetail.eu
Italy: Carrefour sees sales up 4.2% to €4.4bln
Carrefour Italia has reported 2022 sales of €4.4bln, with like-for-like sales growing 4.2%. The value of Italian products sold in Carrefour stores worldwide increased by 40%, from €800mln in 2021 to €1.1bln last year, it noted. The most popular Italian products are fruit and vegetables (which sell particularly well in France, Belgium, Poland, Romania and Dubai), as well as wines and products sold under the Terre d'Italia brand.
Source: esmmagazine.com
UK: Ginsters team up with Torpoint farm to show Brits where their food comes from
In collaboration with Ginsters, a farm in Torpoint is helping to show Brits exactly where their food comes from with a new tasty service. New research from Ginsters has revealed that many Brits in fact don’t know their onions, as nearly half (47%) admit to having poor or patchy knowledge of how the veg they eat is grown. A fifth (20%) have never seen a vegetable grow at all, with 79% saying they have never personally grown a vegetable from seed to harvest, and one in ten (11%) having only ever seen their grandparents with green fingers.
Source: cornish-times.co.uk
Denmark's Dagrofa acquires Jutland-based LIVA Stormarked
Danish retailer Dagrofa has announced the acquisition of Jutland-based supermarket business LIVA Stormarked, as it seeks to bolster its 'FremgangSammen' strategy and expansion plan. The LIVA Stormarked business comprises two stores in Kolding of around 2,000 square metres each, and are operated by Vivi Bro Gregersen and Michael Bro Christensen. From 1 May, these stores will trade under Dagrofa's MENY banner.
Source: esmmagazine.com
UK: Lidl to reduce animal-based products as it increases plant-based range
Lidl is looking to cut back on its animal-based products as it focuses on sustainability. The German discounter said vegan alternatives are expected to slowly replace animal-based products.
Source: retailgazette.co.uk
UK: Hat trick for Sainsbury's as it scores three new convenience stores
Three new Sainsbury’s Locals have opened for customers with the launch of Sainsbury’s Waterloo Station Local and Sainsbury’s Shepherds Bush The Broadway Local in London, as well as the relaunch of Sainsbury’s Bramhall Woodford Road Local in Bramhall, Stockport. At Waterloo Station The Sidings, the new 2,452 sq. ft. Sainsbury’s Local will feature the very latest high quality, great value convenience range the retailer has to offer, including fresh food, fruit and veg and a selection of branded and own brand groceries and general merchandise.
Source: about.sainsburys.co.uk
Belgium: Carrefour starts court case over Intermarché’s Mestdagh dealCarrefour Belgium is very displeased with the fact that Intermarché does not have to divest any of the 86 supermarkets of the Mestdagh group it acquired last year. Neither the competition watchdog nor the judge agrees with the claim, however.
Source: retaildetail.eu
LuLu launches campaign to support Saudi farmers
As part of its “Vocal for Local” movement to support local agribusinesses and Saudi farmers, LuLu Hypermarket launched the “From Our Land” initiative at LuLu Hypermarket, Khurais in Riyadh and in Dammam at LuLu Hypermarket, Shati. Under the push for promoting local vegetables and fruits, LuLu entered into an agreement with the Al-Rowia Cooperative Society for Agricultural Marketing to bring Saudi-grown bananas, papayas and mangoes from Jazan to its shoppers.
Source: arabnews.com
Lidl Bulgaria invests 46mln euro in warehouse expansionSupermarket chain Lidl Bulgaria, a unit of German discount store operator Lidl Stiftung & Co, said it expanded its logistics and distribution centre in the village of Ravno Pole near Sofia, an investment worth 90mln levs ($48.85mln/46.02mln euro). The investment project included the construction of 16,000 sq m of space, bringing the total area of the warehouse to 53,000 sq m, Lidl Bulgaria said in a statement.
Source: seenews.com
New Zealand: Funny-shaped fruit and veg finds a home in Misfit Garden boxes
Jen Long and Sofia Dekovic are fighting to get excess and unusual fruit and vegetables onto people’s plates, instead of being ploughed back into paddocks or sent to landfill. Their online store Misfit Garden buys direct from farmers, prioritising surplus and misshapen produce rejected by supermarkets. The fruit and vegetable advocates have been doing the rescue work since 2020, in a bid to reduce food waste.
Source: stuff.co.nz
Belgium: Delhaize on course for 100 unmanned office shops
A year after its launch, Belgian retailer Delhaize has already opened fifty unmanned Shop&Go convenience stores in Belgium. This puts them on track to achieve the ambition of one hundred shops by next year.
Source: retaildetail.eu
US: New York grocer to become 1st to accept Double Up Bucks online
The New York-based Hub on the Hill is set to become the first grocer in the nation to accept Double Up Food Bucks online, due to a partnership between the tech company Grocerist and the nonprofit Field & Fork Network. The Double Up Food Bucks program enables SNAP recipients to double every dollar spent on fruits and vegetables.
Source: winsightgrocerybusiness.com
US: IGA launches retail media network, seeks to rival national chains
The Independent Grocers Alliance (IGA) is partnering with Ideal by Design House to launch a retail media network for independent grocers that the companies say will be the first of its kind. The Ideal RMN aims to combine thousands of stores on a single retail media platform in order to rival the networks of larger, national retailers.
Source: supermarketnews.com
Discount and dollar stores continue to gain customers
Many consumers are flocking to discount and dollar stores as inflation hovers at high rates and as the overall economic outlook remains uncertain. According to a new report from Placer.ai, visits to those outlets are outpacing trips to grocery stores, shopping centers and superstores.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
US: Beyond Meat reports narrow-than-expected quarterly loss despite sinking sales
Beyond Meat reported a narrower-than-expected loss and stronger sales than Wall Street anticipated for its fourth quarter. However, the company’s sales still sank more than 20% and are expected to keep falling in 2023. Beyond is prioritizing becoming cash-flow positive above growing sales of its meat alternatives.
Source: cnbc.com
Mexico: FEMSA posts 28% profit drop, hurt by peso strength
Mexico's FEMSA posted a 28% fall in fourth-quarter net profit to 4.82bln pesos ($247mln) as the dollar-dominated bottler and retailer was hurt by appreciation of the peso. It posted a 23% rise in revenue to 186.47bln pesos, topping the 178.10bln-peso Refinitiv estimate.
Source: reuters.com