UK: Ocado Retail's relationship with M&S is strong, says CEO
British online supermarket Ocado Retail's relationship with shareholder Marks & Spencer is strong, its boss said. "We are working really strongly with M&S and have continued to do so over the course of the last year", Ocado Retail CEO Hannah Gibson told reporters after the JV updated on Christmas trading.
Source: reuters.com
UK: One Stop launches educational campaign: 'Fruities & Veggies'
One Stop has launched a fundraising and educational initiative supporting UK food redistribution charity FareShare, in partnership with Louis Kennedy - the agency behind Partnerships with Purpose. Targeted at families and the younger generation of customers at One Stop stores, The Fruities & Veggies project has been developed to create more awareness around healthier eating habits and the specific benefits of eating a variety of fruit and vegetables.
Source: talkingretail.com
Belgium: Delfood sale causes concerns among Cora employees
As the louis delhaize group continues its dismantling with the sale of Delfood, the future of the remaining seven Cora hypermarkets and their staff becomes increasingly uncertain. According to trade union SetCa, the louis delhaize management has been reticent about the chain's future. "Through informal channels, we hear that the group intends to divest the hypermarkets, either wholly or partially", the union told Belgian news outlet La Libre.
Source: retaildetail.eu
UK: GCA's 2025 annual survey now live
The Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) has launched its annual groceries sector survey and wants to hear from as many suppliers as possible about how they have been treated by the 14 large retailers. The survey, run by the independent polling company YouGov, is one of the most important ways for suppliers to confidentially tell the GCA about their experiences supplying the large retailers.
Source: gov.uk
UK: Booths hails record Christmas as 'Waitrose of the North' sees biggest ever single day sales
Northern supermarket giant Booths saw its biggest ever single sales day as it reported record Christmas week sales. The upmarket family-owned chain, known as the "Waitrose of the North", said like-for-like retail sales rose 9.3% in the key three-week trading period ending January 4 - compared to an 8.3% uplift in 2023. Meanwhile, on December 23 it "recorded the biggest ever single day sales at Booths". The Lancashire group said like-for-like sales at its butchers counters grew by 16% in December, while both fruit and veg sales were up more than 10%.
Source: business-live.co.uk
Carrefour and Just Eat look to reign in Spain as they bring rapid delivery service to the European country
Carrefour and Just Eat have expanded their home delivery services partnership to Spain. Customers in the country can now access over 4,500 Carrefour products, including fresh, refrigerated, and frozen items, as well as beauty, personal care, cleaning supplies, pet food and more - with deliveries within 30 minutes.
Source: retailtechinnovationhub.com
UK: Six key trends set to shape the future of grocery retail
As retailers in the UK and across Europe look ahead to 2025, a new report from IGD outlines six key trends that are set to shape the future of the grocery sector: 1. Optimising Retail Fundamentals for Success; 2. Exploring New Revenue Streams; 3. Evolving Store Formats for Greater Flexibility; 4. Seamless Connected Commerce; 5. Health and Wellness Products Lead the Charge; 6. Accelerating Sustainability Commitments.
Source: kamcity.com
'Supermarkets are part of the problem' - wonky veg box service calls out 'broken system'
As part of their 'Not as odd' campaign, Oddbox is looking to highlight the silliness of supermarkets' aesthetic standards. "The food system is broken, and supermarkets are part of the problem", said Gastón Tourn, Chief Growth Officer at Oddbox. "With this campaign, we're showing that wonky produce isn't odd - what's truly odd is a system that values perfection over sustainability and which leaves hardworking growers out of pocket".
Source: mirror.co.uk
EG On The Move acquires 98 sites from Applegreen
EG On The Move is to acquire Irish service station giant Applegreen's 98 UK petrol filling station business for an as yet undisclosed fee. The vast majority of 1,142 staff employed by Applegreen's UK are expected to transfer to the new owners as part of the transaction.
Source: talkingretail.com
UK: Asda kicks off £2mln investment upgrade at Greater Manchester store
Asda has commenced a £2mln renewal of its Pilsworth store in Bury. The upgrades include: Showcasing value and quality: Stronger consolidation of the food hall and investment into quality enhancing kit such as new low-level fridges within Produce, and a new Wines & Spirits zone.
In other news: Asda strengthens leadership team.
Source: corporate.asda.com
Finland: SPAR International sign licence agreement with Tokmanni Oy
Tokmanni Oy entered into an agreement with SPAR International. Tokmanni will focus on refining the SPAR concept to fit the Finnish market and offering customers a wide assortment of SPAR products. The company will brand its fresh food business under the SPAR brand and concept. The aim is to have all Tokmanni's current 20 fresh food departments operating in line with the SPAR concept in the coming years.
Source: spar-international.com
US: Online grocery sales see 19% YOY growth spurt in December
The U.S. online grocery market ended December 2024 with $9.6bln in monthly sales, an 18.7% increase over last year as all three fulfillment methods posted year-over-year (YOY) sales gains according to the Brick Meets Click/Mercatus Grocery Shopper Survey fielded December 30-31, 2024.
Source: supermarketnews.com
US: Wegmans plans first Pittsburgh grocery store
Wegmans is heading to the Pittsburgh area for the first time. The Rochester, New York-based regional grocer said it plans to build a supermarket in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania, about 20 miles north of Pittsburgh. There's no timeline set yet for the store's construction or opening.
Source: supermarketnews.com
US: Walmart's logo got its first facelift in nearly 20 years
Walmart is giving its logo the first facelift in nearly two decades, rolling out a new identity that is a subtle nod to its past. The 61-year-old company unveiled a refresh of its brand identity featuring a redesigned logo the company says is inspired by founder Sam Walton's old trucker hat.
Source: edition.cnn.com
US: Build the perfect bowl with fresh ingredients at Kroger
The Kroger Co. shared its simple guide to building the perfect bowl recipe, including extra veggies and a variety of proteins and grains for easy, hearty winter meal solutions.
Source: prnewswire.com
AWS launches infrastructure region in Mexico
Amazon Web Services (AWS), an Amazon.com, Inc. company, announced the launch of the AWS Mexico (Central) Region. As part of its long-term commitment, AWS is planning to invest more than $5bln in Mexico over 15 years.
Source: businesswire.com
US: ReposiTrak and Upshop announce strategic partnership to enable grocery retail traceability
ReposiTrak and Upshop announced a global partnership to integrate their technology platforms, connecting traceability data from the supply chain to the retail store, creating a true, end-to-end traceability solution.
Source: businesswire.com