US: Sprouts Sinclair talks private label, store growth
Store Brands' 2024 Retailer of the Year, the company has maintained its focus on giving shoppers an assortment of products that allow them to make healthier choices, be they fruits and vegetables or personal care products. During the 2025 PLMA Leadership Conference in Scottsdale, Arizona, Sprouts CEO Jack Sinclair was the headliner of the two-day annual event that attracted retailers and suppliers alike.
Source: storebrands.com
US: Get hopping to Kroger for Easter meal essentials under $6 per person
The Kroger Co. announced it is making Easter more affordable with a holiday meal that includes all the staples for less than $6 per person: Kroger® Brand Spiral Ham; Private Selection Wisconsin 5 Cheese Blend Macaroni & Cheese; Kroger® Brand Classic Garden Salad; Kroger® Brand Traditional Favorites Frozen Broccoli Cuts; Kroger® Brand Russet Potatoes - 5lb bag; Del Monte® Golden Sweet Canned Cream Corn; Rhodes Dinner Rolls; Bakery Fresh Fruit Pies in several varieties.
Source: prnewswire.com
US: Kroger plans to build 3 new stores in Ohio and KentuckyKroger intends to construct three supermarkets and renovate 16 others in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana as part of a plan to invest $130mln in its Cincinnati/Dayton division in 2025, the grocer announced.
Source: grocerydive.com
Target serves up Easter meal at last year's price
Target announced it is bringing back the same prices as last year for its basket of Easter meal items. Target's 2025 Easter meal bundle features a mix of store brand and national brand items with the latter including a box of Stove Top turkey stuffing mix, a 12-ounce jar of Heinz gravy, a 14.5-ounce can of Del Monte cut green beans, a 20-ounce can of Del Monte pineapple slices and a 10.5-ounce can of Campbell's cream of mushroom soup. The store brand items include the Market Pantry ham, French fried onions, 5 pounds of russet potatoes under the Good & Gather brand, and Favorite Day take-and-bake baguettes.
Source: grocerydive.com
Japan's Seven & i seen booking 24% fall in Q4 profit, adding to takeover pressure
Japanese retailer Seven & i Holdings is set to record a 24% drop in quarterly profit on Wednesday as underperformance of its convenience store business hampers its ability to fend off a takeover attempt by Canada's Alimentation Couche-Tard.
Source: reuters.com
Tobacco ban? Delhaize Belgium says 'Let them eat spinach!'
Delhaize Belgium's new campaign features health-focused statements to draw attention to the benefits of nutritious foods. Examples of the messaging include: 'Eating apples increases the chance of a healthy lifestyle'; 'Spinach may optimise muscle function'; 'Children whose parents eat tomatoes are more likely to eat them too'.
Source: esmmagazine.com
Auchan Portugal launches sustainable ice cream from ripe bananas
Auchan Portugal, in partnership with Portuguese brand O Gelado, has introduced a new vegan banana-coconut ice cream SKU that addresses food waste. By using ripe bananas that would otherwise be discarded, Auchan estimates the initiative will initially save around 6,500 bananas.
Source: esmmagazine.com
UK: Food supply chain modernisation programme - New Bristol depot
Marks & Spencer has announced plans to open a new 390k square foot distribution centre at Avonmouth in Bristol as part of its plan to develop a modern logistics network with additional capacity for growth. The new depot will process stock and serve stores in the Midlands, South-west England and South Wales.
Source: corporate.marksandspencer.com
Holland: More plant-based products in supermarkets, but consumption lags behind
The availability of plant-based protein products in supermarkets is rapidly increasing. In 2024, 38% of the online supermarket assortment consisted of plant-based protein products, compared to just 32% in 2023. However, in 2024, the Dutch population consumed only one percentage point more plant-based protein than the year before. This is according to the Protein Monitor 2024, an annual study conducted by Wageningen Social & Economic Research on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature.
Source: wur.nl
UK: Snappy Shopper and Gander partnership achieves success in reducing food waste
Snappy Shopper, a UK local convenience grocery delivery app, reports a 14% uplift in average basket value across participating stores through its partnership with Gander. First launched in 2023, the collaboration enables retailers to offer reduced to clear items through the Snappy Shopper app, making in-store discounts accessible online for the first time.
Source: retailtechinnovationhub.com
Beating holiday hunger: Morrisons rolls out free Kellogg's breakfasts in all its cafés
Morrisons reported: "Morrisons is partnering with Kellogg's to launch "breakfast clubs" over the Easter school holidays, providing free bowls of Kellogg's cereal across its 396 Cafés nationwide. Diners will also be able to pick up a free portion of fruit in addition to their cereal, where they can choose from bananas, apples and oranges, which are all available from the counters in Cafés".
Source: morrisons-corporate.com
UK retailer Southern Co-op taps Retail Insight AI powered solution in bid to reduce food waste
Southern Co-op is leveraging WasteInsight from Retail Insight. Southern Co-op is a regional co-operative with 195 stores in the South of England. It identified the need to optimise markdown processes to cut the volume of food going to landfill while also improving sell-through rates (STRs) on reduced to clear (RTC) produce.
Source: retailtechinnovationhub.com
"Time to end Territorial Supply Constraints once and for all", say EU retailers and wholesalers
EuroCommerce and Independent Retail Europe, representing European retailers and wholesalers, asked to end Territorial Supply Constraints (TSCs) once and for all at a stakeholder dialogue organised by the European Commission. TSCs increase prices and limit product choice for consumers in Europe, according to the associations.
Source: eurocommerce.eu
Tiberiu Dănețiu, Auchan: 100% of our chicken products come from Romania. For vegetables and fruit, the percentage can go up to 100% in season
Mr. Tiberiu Dănețiu, PhD, Board Member & Director of Corporate Affairs & Retail Media at Auchan Romania: "But if we look at things only from an agri-food point of view, for example at vegetables and fruits, we are somewhere in between 95 and 100% products from Romania".
Source: business-review.eu
UK: RIVR partners with Evri to deploy autonomous robots for parcel delivery
© Rogier Peterse | FreshPlaza.comRIVR reported: "We are excited to announce a strategic partnership with Evri, the UK's largest dedicated parcel delivery company, delivering more than 800mln parcels a year. Through this collaboration, Evri will deploy RIVR's cutting-edge wheeled-legged robot for last-100-yard parcel deliveries, beginning in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, England".Source: rivr.ai