UK targets 1bln grocery products a month in inflation overhaul
Britain will gather price data from over 1bln units of grocery sales each month from supermarket scanners when it introduces a new system for measuring inflation in the sector next year, the country's statistics agency said. The Office for National Statistics, which is modernising the way it gets information on the economy, said the move in March 2025 represented the biggest update so far of its inflation data gathering, covering 50% of the grocery market.
Source: reuters.com
Austria: Interspar appoints Christian Brettner as sales director
Interspar Austria has announced the appointment of Christian Brettner as sales director as of August 2024. As national sales director, Brettner will now be responsible for 70 Interspar hypermarkets in Austria and their operational management.
Source: esmmagazine.com
Estonian supermarket chains' online shops still largely lossmaking
The approaches of major grocery stores to selling products online vary widely. Unlike Coop and Barbora, the latter operated by Maxima, Rimi's e-store is becoming profitable for the first time. However, Coop and Grossi do not consider e-commerce to be economically viable. Rimi's e-store is doing well, with a nearly 37% sales growth over the past year. However, online purchases still account for less than 5% of all sales, compared to the U.K. where online sales make up a tenth.
Source: err.ee
COVID-19 ad ban in Germany led to 6% reduction in grocery sales
In spring 2021, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, one of Germany's 16 federal states instituted an ad ban, forcing retailers to stop all print advertising in that state for three weeks. In the process, according to the authors of a new study, the impromptu experiment also led to a 6% reduction in grocery retail sales in that state. The peer-reviewed study published in the INFORMS journal Marketing Science is titled, "The Effect of an Ad Ban on Retailer Sales: Insights from a Natural Experiment".
Source: informs.org
New Zealand: Foodstuffs fined for blocking rivals
The Wellington High Court has penalised Foodstuffs North Island NZD $3.25mln for lodging anti-competitive land covenants with the purpose of blocking competitors.
Source: supermarketnews.co.nz
South Korea: E-commerce company Coupang swings to Q2 net loss
South Korean e-commerce company Coupang Inc swung to a net loss in the second quarter due to operating losses at its luxury online platform subsidiary Farfetch and the estimated costs of a fine imposed by the domestic antitrust watchdog. The New York-listed company, which is backed by Japan's SoftBank Group Corp, posted a net loss of $105mln for the second quarter compared to a net profit of $145mln in the same period last year.
Source: reuters.com
US: Local Amaize™ sweet corn returns to Tops Markets
Tops Friendly Markets reported: "Tops Friendly Markets is pleased to once again offer consumers Amaize™ Sweet Corn, the extremely rare white sweet corn known for its incredible sweetness and perfect crunch, to a store in your community thanks to its local partnerships with Eden Valley Growers in Eden, NY and Reeves Farms in Baldwinsville, NY. Every year Tops receives a phenomenal customer response, so we're proud to bring back this fan favorite to Tops Friendly Markets for a limited time this summer beginning in early August".
Source: webseal.topsmarkets.com
2024 SN Fresh Food Trends Survey
Sales momentum in perimeter fresh categories has slowed as inflation and other economic concerns have been putting pressure on consumer spending, according to the 2024 Supermarket News Fresh Foods Survey. Although nearly half (48%) of retailers and wholesalers said their sales in perimeter categories increased in the past 12 months, that represents a decline from the 60% who reported gains in last year's survey.
Source: supermarketnews.com
GrubMarket acquires Good Eggs, a leading U.S. online grocery company
GrubMarket announced it has completed the acquisition of Oakland, California-based Good Eggs, a leading online grocery service renowned for its steadfast commitment to sustainability, local sourcing, and high-quality food. Operating out of a warehouse facility that spans over 125,000+ square feet in space, the company offers over 7,000 products ranging from fresh produce, dairy products, eggs, meat, seafood, and pantry staples, to prepared meals and artisanal goods.
Source: prnewswire.com
US: Amazon Fresh grocery store to open first location in Northern California
The first Amazon Fresh grocery store in Northern California will soon be home to a Sacramento-area location. "We can confirm we are bringing an Amazon Fresh store to Elk Grove, California", Amazon spokesperson Griffin Buch said in a statement to FOX40.com.
Source: fox40.com
IGA teams with Potatoes USA to help grow baskets
The Independent Grocers Alliance (IGA) and national marketing and promotion board Potatoes USA have joined forces this summer to help indies capitalize on an item accounting for more than 10% of all vegetable sales.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
US: Beyond Meat reports better-than-expected sales despite demand remaining weak
Beyond Meat reported better-than-expected sales in the second quarter despite continuing weak demand for its plant-based burgers, chicken and other products. The El Segundo, California-based company said its revenue fell nearly 9% to $93.2mln for the April-June period. That was better than the $87.8mln Wall Street anticipated, according to analysts polled by FactSet.
Source: apnews.com
US: Popular food brand files unexpected Chapter 11 bankruptcy
New Century Food Corp., which does business as Diet-to-Go, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on August 6 in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. The company reported that it had between $0 and $50,000 in assets, between $1mln and $10mln in debt, and between 50 and 99 creditors.
Source: thestreet.com
Natural Grocers® announces partnership with the Foundation for Fresh Produce to offer "Nutrition 4 the Win" kids' class at select locations, August 19-31, 2024
Natural Grocers® is proud to announce a new partnership with the Foundation for Fresh Produce to present "Nutrition 4 the Win" at participating stores from August 19 - August 31. Kids and parents are invited to join and explore how fruits and vegetables can fuel growing bodies and minds.
Source: prnewswire.com
US: Produce retailers face an education gap
"The industry does not do a good job in educating consumers about produce, period", said Daniel Bell, director of produce for Grocery Outlet, an Emeryville, California-based chain of more than 520 Grocery Outlet and United Grocery Outlet stores in 16 states. He said that retailers often "fail" at explaining why the cost of selections are higher or suggesting the best produce to substitute if specific fruits and vegetables are of inadequate quality. In other news, Grocery Outlet cites Q2 pressures as profits drop 42.8%.
Source: supermarketnews.com