News

Retail and consumer goods industry news

20 January 2014
Bargain Booze owner, Conviviality Retail plc has announced pre tax profits excluding exceptional items rose 13.6% to £2.2 million in its half year results for the 26 weeks to 27 October 2013. Sales down in H1 Over the half year, retail sales at the group were £261.9m, a decline of 5.2% on a year ago, which reflects a managed reduction in store numbers, down from 616 to 592. Retail sales at the...
20 January 2014
A number of US retailers have seen a shake up in management at the beginning of 2014, including A&P, Schnucks Market Inc. and Family Dollar.  A&P seek new leader Sam Martin, CEO of A&P, has left the company after three years. Gregory Mays, temporarily holds the position until a new Chief Executive is identified. Martin joined at a challenging time for the company as bankruptcy was filed lat...
20 January 2014
Italian retailer Esselunga has redesigned its e-commerce site, according to local press reports. Redesign covers functionality as well as look and feel The site, Esselunga a Casa , has been completely redesigned to include larger images for clarity, a navigation bar, and new checkout system. The virtual shopping trolley can be organised by category, e.g. dairy produce, fruit, meat, and ...
20 January 2014
Leading Swiss discounter Denner, part of Migros, has reported the fourth consecutive period of growth, with full year 2013 sales up 1.5%. Online sales outperform stores Real sales growth, after taking into account price cuts of around 0.4%, came in at 1.9%. Turnover for Denner stores was up 1.1%, while that for the Denner Satellite and Denner Express stores was up 2.7%. Online outperform...
20 January 2014
Amazon is to introduce Sunday deliveries to seven areas across the UK, following a successful pilot over the Christmas period. Increased convenience The service will be available in  London, Birmingham, Milton Keynes, Oxford, Nottingham, Manchester and Leeds and will be provided by Amazon Logistics, which operates a number of delivery hubs. It follows a trial in the capital during December. A...
20 January 2014
Amazon has patented a method to begin shipping packages to customers before they know they want them, a concept it calls "anticipatory shipping". Anticipating demand Amazon's patent aims to use big data to anticipate items that customers may wish to buy and then shipping these closer to them, The Wall Street Journal  reports. This could involve packages waiting at shippers' hubs or on delivery...
20 January 2014
Coles has marked the start of its centenary year with the recreation of its original store. From one store to over 2,300 in 100 years The first Coles store and Australia's first variety store opened on 9 April 1914, meaning that this year the retailer celebrates its 100th Birthday. Today the business has grown into Australia's second largest supermarket chain with over 2,300 stores, but the ...
17 January 2014
RT Mart, the hypermarket chain of the leading retailer Sun Art Retail Group, launched its online supermarket, www.feiniu.com, on January 16th. It currently carries more than 100,000 items in 17 categories and delivers to Shanghai, Zhejiang and Jiangsu. The company plans to introduce more than one million products online in 2014. Leveraging its advantages in traditional retail The online su...
16 January 2014
Following the success of Lidl's pop-up restaurant in Sweden last year, entrepreneur Ad Sedubun is launching an adapted concept in the Netherlands.  Meal for five euros Inspired by the popular pop-up restaurant that was entirely supplied with ingredients from discounter Lidl, Ad Sedubun has taken the concept to the Netherlands where his restaurant will open on 1st February. The restaurant ...
16 January 2014
Carrefour has reported 2013 sales of €84.3bn, an organic growth rate of +2.5% (excluding petrol and calendar effect), with continued momentum internationally and rebounding growth in France. 'Resilient' sales in Europe Carrefour reported a second consecutive quarter of sales growth in France, +1.7% organic growth, with a good performance in all formats. Hypermarket sales were up, exclu...