Couche-Tard says it could lift $47bln Seven & i offer if Japanese firm cooperates
Alimentation Couche-Tard could bolster its $47bln offer for Seven & I if the Japanese firm became more cooperative and shared its financial information in greater detail, the founder of the Canadian retailer said.
Source: reuters.com
Amazon restructures its grocery and c-store business
Amazon is restructuring the corporate teams for its grocery and convenience store brands and laying off some employees who work on their Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go chains, the online retailer confirmed.
Source: supermarketnews.com
US: Mercato aims to improve healthy grocery access for NYC SNAP recipients
Mercato, an online platform connecting customers to local and independent grocery stores for e-commerce and delivery, has launched a pilot program that aims to boost access to healthy food for SNAP recipients in underserved communities in New York City.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
US: Shaw's Supermarket is closing 2 stores in Massachusetts and New Hampshire
Shaw's Supermarket is closing two stores in New England - one in Massachusetts and another in New Hampshire. The Massachusetts location that's closing is at 7 Railroad Ave. in Gloucester, and the New Hampshire store is at 20 Fort Eddy Road in Concord. Shaw's did not say exactly when the stores would be shuttered.
Source: cbsnews.com
Mercadona becomes fourth largest retailer in Portugal
Mercadona reported the highest market share growth in 2024 in the Portuguese grocery market to become the fourth-largest retailer. According to Kantar data published by the daily Expansion, the Spanish chain increased its market share by 1.1 points to 7% in 2024, surpassing France's Intermarché, which dropped to the fifth position with a 6.6% share (-0.3%).
Source: esmmagazine.com
Britain's John Lewis to step up investment as profit trebles
British retailer John Lewis Partnership said it would accelerate investment this year as it reported a trebling in annual profit, driven by an improvement in its food business, and forecast more growth as its turnaround plan gains momentum. The UK's largest employee-owned business, which runs John Lewis department stores and the upmarket Waitrose supermarket chain, said it would invest up to 600mln pounds ($777mln) in the business in 2025/26, up from 450mln pounds in its year to January 25. The partnership made a profit before tax and exceptional items of 126mln pounds in 2024/25, up from 42mln pounds in 2023/24. Sales grew 3% to 12.8bln pounds, with Waitrose sales up 4.4% and department store sales flat.
Source: reuters.com
France: How La Fourche, an online organic supermarket, is thriving after q-commerce's bust
La Fourche is just seven years old but it has been quite a rollercoaster for the French startup. When you talk with La Fourche's co-founder and CEO Nathan Labat, he doesn't spend too much time dwelling on Flink, Getir, Gopuff, Gorillas and all the q-commerce startups that swarmed over Europe around 2021. "I break it down into three buying patterns. You have one buying pattern, which is the quick refill - 'what am I going to eat tonight?' - it leads to very low average order values: €20 to €30", Labat explained. "Then, you have a weekly pattern, where you plan more, you go and buy fruit and vegetables, fresh produce, etc.", he went on. "Then you have the stock up opportunity, which is really about filling up your cupboards for a month, a month and a half. These are three very distinct patterns. And we're really clearly identified as a stock-up company".
Source: techcrunch.com
Turkish retail giant Bim to expand File supermarket brand with new subsidiary
Türkiye's leading consumer goods retailer Bim has initiated efforts to establish a new subsidiary to manage operations under its File supermarket brand, the company announced. In a statement submitted to the Public Disclosure Platform, Bim confirmed that it has begun the process of restructuring File as a separate corporate entity within the group.
Source: turkiyetoday.com
DESPAR Italia opens 10 new and refurbished stores to start 2025
Across Italy, DESPAR Italia wholesalers have been opening new and renovated stores, continuing the growth of the SPAR brand nationwide. The new DESPAR Express store in Rome includes a butcher, delicatessen, and fruit and vegetable departments, as well as a vast selection of DESPAR Own Brand products. A new DESPAR Supermarket in Cutro further grew the DESPAR brand presence in the region. The supermarket has specialised departments ranging from fruit and vegetables, to a delicatessen, and an extensive range of DESPAR Own Brand products throughout the grocery assortment.
Source: spar-international.com
France: Les Mousquetaires posts 6.4% turnover growth in FY 2024
French retailer Groupement Les Mousquetaires has reported a 6.4% year-on-year increase in turnover, excluding fuel, to €42.5bln in its financial year 2024. Les Mousquetaires completed the switchover of 273 stores purchased from the Groupe Casino to the Intermarché (211) and Netto (62) brands during the year. Cumulative revenue increased by 7.4% year on year, to €32.7bln, excluding fuel.
Source: esmmagazine.com
JD Logistics expands in Poland with third warehouse to enhance supply chain logistics services
JD Logistics, also known as JINGDONG Logistics, officially launched its third warehouse in Poland, the second such facility in Warsaw. The newly operated nearly 10,000-square-meter warehouse will provide integrated cross-border supply chain solutions for businesses, further optimizing efficiency across logistics operations. Additionally, JD Logistics plays a crucial role in supporting ochama, JD.com's omnichannel retail brand in Europe with its warehouse located near the Polish-German border.
Source: jdcorporateblog.com
European Retail Associations call on European Commission to ensure the timely and adequate enforcement of the Digital Markets Act
Ecommerce Europe, EuroCommerce, and Independent Retail Europe call on the Commission to swiftly advance its ongoing investigations and ensure timely enforcement of the Digital Markets Act (DMA) through balance solutions which preserve the viability of retailers online.
Source: eurocommerce.eu
Carrefour's expansion in Saudi Arabia - Shaping the future of Middle Eastern retail
The French multinational retailer has announced a significant expansion in Saudi Arabia, reinforcing its presence with new hypermarkets and a strengthened online platform. Carrefour, operated by UAE-based retail giant Majid Al Futtaim in the Middle East, has been steadily expanding across the Gulf region.
Source: internationalsupermarketnews.com
One-third of online shoppers faced issues in 2023
A 2023 survey on the use of information and communication technologies reveals that one-third (33.1%) of people in the EU who engaged in online shopping in the past 3 months reported encountering problems while making purchases through a website or an app. Among the EU countries, the highest shares of customers who encountered problems were recorded in Luxembourg (55.5%), the Netherlands (55.2%) and Spain (49.7%).
Source: ec.europa.eu