News

Retail and consumer goods industry news

21 February 2013
With this year's official Fairtrade Fortnight beginning on 25th February, we take a look at how retailers are supporting the event, driving an ethical agenda in the face of a highly value orientated market. The Bean Machine The Co-operative has commissioned a car powered entirely powered by waste coffee beans to celebrate ten years of selling 100% Fairtrade coffee. Having broken the Guinn...
21 February 2013
Asda has announced new investment to build George's international reach and revealed that like-for-like sales growth slipped back in the final quarter of 2012 as shoppers kept a tight rein on spending. The retailer said it was proud however of its performance for 2012 as a whole. LFLs slow, as average ticket price falls In Q4 Asda's LFL growth excluding fuel was 0.1% in the 14 weeks to ...
21 February 2013
Safeway’s total fourth quarter sales, for the 16 weeks to December 29, increased by 1.2% to $13.8bn, with identical store sales increasing by 0.8%. Net income attributable to Safeway increased by 13.2% to $244.0m. For the full year, total sales increased by 1.3% to $44.2bn, with identical store sales up 0.5%. Net income attributable to Safeway increased by 15.4% to $596.5m. Just for U prog...
21 February 2013
Following Asda's results presentation, we draw out the five key themes that we believe will drive growth for Asda in 2013. Investing for customers in a tough market: "EDLP is in our DNA" This was one of the core elements of Asda's focus in 2012 and in particular in Q4, and this will remain a key priority in 2013. At the results session, Andy Clarke explained "our customers continue to tell ...
21 February 2013
Despite a competitive market environment and falling shopper spend, Rewe and Profi have announced expansion plans for the Romanian market. Rewe to expand with Penny Rewe has said that it is looking to invest between €10 and €15 miillion during 2013 to add 14 Penny stores in the market. The company’s head of marketing, Ioana Marginean, was quoted by Ziarul Financiar as saying: "In 2013, ...
21 February 2013
After a number of delays, LuLu hypermarket's parent company, the Emke Group, has announced that it will open its first store in India in March. Development to be opened in Kochi, Kerala The LuLu hypermarket is part of a shopping centre that will open in Kerala. Emke has invested Rs16 billion in the development, which will also include an ice rink, cinema and restaurants alongside the hyper...
20 February 2013
Discount retailer Lidl has begun the construction of a new distribution centre in the northern Rhein-Main area. Enhancing supply chain capabilities Lidl is investing "a double-digit million euro sum" in the new centre located at Magna-Park, that is scheduled to go live by the first quarter of 2014, reports Lebensmittel Zeitung. Lidl is also planning to open its fourth non-food distribu...
20 February 2013
Colombia's Grupo Éxito has reported operating revenue growth of 15.7% for 2012, and a 3% increase in the fourth quarter.  Growth driven by aggressive expansion Grupo Éxito opened 86 stores during the year, of which 35 were in Colombia, and entered 15 new mid-sized cities.  It is now present in 82 cities in Colombia. E-commerce operations also revealed strong growth during the year, u...
20 February 2013
Following the announcement Casino was reducing prices on branded goods at its hypermarkets, a trade press report from Olivier Dauvers shows significant reductions have kicked in on 5,000 branded items. Survey shows branded prices down 5-6% According to the report, price position on 5,000 branded goods has decreased by 5-6% at the group's hypermarkets. The move is clearly a response to trading ...
20 February 2013
Brazil's Grupo Pão de Açúcar (GPA) has revealed net profit up 36.4% in Q4 2012, against the same period in 2011, and +60.7% for the full year. Strong sales growth in food division A better sales mix, control of expenses and operational improvements across all formats drove growth in operating income both for the consolidated group and within the food business specifically.  In terms of...