Markets/Africa and Middle East/News

Africa & Middle East news & analysis

19 October 2018
South Africa-based Pick n Pay reports its strongest six-month trading performance for five years. The retailer also extends its partnership with BP to benefit its loyalty programme customers. Positive H1 2018 results… Pick n Pay has reported growth of 19.1% in profit before tax in H1 2018. Profit reached ZAR670.2m (US$46.8m) compared with ZAR562.8m (US$39.3m) in H1 2017. The retailer’s LFL ...
03 October 2018
We round up the latest Majid Al Futtaim news in the Middle East. This includes introducing new technology to improve customer shopping experience, rebranding Retail Arabia stores and opening its second supermarket in Armenia. Dubai trials scan & go Carrefour Dubai is trialling scan & go technology in a bid to improve its shopping experience. The service is available at City Centre Deira and...
03 October 2018
Kenya-based Tusker Mattresses has introduced a new business strategy which focuses on responding to customer demand. The retailer will invest over KES200m (US$2m) in ‘shop in shop’ electronic stores at its hypermarkets in Kisumu, Mombasa and Nairobi. Premium consumer electronic products on sale Tuskys stores offer a variety of premium consumer electronic products including hi-fi’s, OLED dis...
01 October 2018
South African department store chain Woolworths has upgraded its mobile app to enable in-app shopping. Woolworths hopes the new feature will create a fully integrated customer experience and increase sales. Mobile transactions have increased 64% The retailer has invested in its mobile app to meet the growing demand for ecommerce. It has experienced a 64% increase in mobile transactions from...
01 October 2018
Circle K UAE will celebrate its 10 th year operating in the UAE by expanding its convenience store network. The retailer hopes to operate 100 convenience stores by the end of 2019. Target tourist and commercial locations Circle K UAE is planning to expand its network within the next five years. The retailer currently operates 35 convenience stores in the UAE and hopes to reach a total of 1...
01 October 2018
Pick n Pay has helped entrepreneurs, Armien and Yasmina Adams, open Something Nice Market in Blue Downs. This marks the third store in Cape Town to be opened under Pick n Pay’s spaza modernisation programme. The spaza modernisation programme Pick n Pay’s programme helps retail entrepreneurs to meet the growing needs of local communities by modernising their spaza stores. Pick n Pay equips t...
25 September 2018
Carrefour Oman, operated by Majid al Futtaim Retail, has launched a new digital rewards programme called ‘MyCLUB’. A digital loyalty card MyCLUB is a free, cloud-based programme which can be accessed from the Carrefour Oman app. The MyCLUB programme serves as a digital loyalty card with which registered users can collect points from their purchases at Carrefour. Families can also use MyCLUB...
24 September 2018
South Africa-based Pick n Pay has released a trading statement as it finalises its H1 2019 financial year results. The announcement says it has enjoyed turnover growth of 6.4%, while its diluted headline earnings per share for the timeframe would come in between 95.43 and 100.88 cents per share, compared with a restated 54.53 cents per share in 2017. Statement reveals positive performance P...
17 September 2018
Amazon Global Store has launched on Souq in Saudi Arabia. We look at this development in more detail and what it means for Amazon and ecommerce in the Middle East. Developing Souq’s offering Since Amazon acquired Souq in March 2018 their relationship has  evolved further . This has included expanding Souq’s range of goods, adding AmazonBasics private label and improving its delive...
17 September 2018
We look at how Israel-based supermarket Shufersal is investing in technology to develop its ecommerce infrastructure and shopper experience. Improving online delivery Shufersal has partnered with KNAPP to improve its logistical capabilities by automating its distribution. This allows the retailer to expand its range of products and reduce delivery time to the same day. The aim is to support...