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Retail and consumer goods industry news

22 October 2021
Get up to speed about what COP26 is and why it’s important for retailers and suppliers. Subscribers can access our full report on the topic here. What is COP26? COP26 will be attended by countries that signed the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), a treaty agreed in 1994. The 2021 conference will be the 26th meeting, which is why it's called COP26. The UK will...
22 October 2021
As the roll-out of the Asda On The Move convenience format moves up a gear, with the aim of reaching 28 sites by the end of 2021, the conversion of the store on Euro Garages’ Holtspur forecourt near Beaconsfield is the first to showcase a premium variant relevant to more affluent catchments. Using Asda ‘Extra Special’ brand to elevate both store and range Incorporating the identity of Asda’...
22 October 2021
Following trials with over 2,000 colleagues, Asda has announced that it is rolling out its Asda Rewards loyalty app trial to customers at 16 stores in West Yorkshire and the West Midlands. What are Asda Rewards? The Asda Rewards app allows customers to earn rewards when buy selected branded and own label 'star' products or complete an in app 'mission'. Rewards accumulate as a cash pot in th...
22 October 2021
RedMart, operated by Lazada, has been operating in Singapore for 10 years. It recently unveiled its 350,000 sq ft West Fulfilment Centre, built at an estimated cost of SGD74m (US$55m). State-of-the- art systems Source: RedMart There are two advanced automated systems that will strengthen operations and allow for future growth, Goods To Person Picking (GTP) and Pick To Light (PTL). G...
21 October 2021
The 13th annual 11.11 Global Shopping Festival is underway. It kicked off with pre-sales at 8pm on Wednesday 20 October. The entire event will last for 23 days to 11 November. This year’s festival will mark a new chapter for the event. Here is why. The largest Festival to date This year marks the largest Festival to date, with a record 290,000 brands participating, including more than 200 l...
21 October 2021
After Carrefour reported third quarter sales rose 4.0% to €20.5 bn, with like-for-like sales up by 0.8%, we look at five key takeaways from the results announcement. 1. Operations in France continue to gain share In its home market, on a two-year basis, Carrefour’s total sales were up by 3.5% in the third quarter, driven by the performance of its supermarkets, convenience stores and grocery...
21 October 2021
What could happen when you combine on-demand delivery with cashierless technologies. Instacart, the leading on-demand grocery delivery service in North America, has acquired Caper AI, an AI-powered shopping cart and checkout technology platform. We consider what this means for Instacart. 1. Broadening out the services it offers retailers This is an interesting move by Instacart, broadeni...
20 October 2021
In reporting a strong first quarter, with organic sales up 4%, following growth of 9% in the same period last year, the company noted that it expects cost headwinds of over $2bn this year. We look at some of the measures it is taking to offset these. Recovering costs over time Based on current estimates, P&G expects a $2.1bn after-tax commodity headwind and freight and transportation to add...
20 October 2021
Morrisons has confirmed that its shareholders have voted to approve the acquisition of the business by US-based private equity firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice. Over 78% of shareholders voted in favour of the deal which values the UK’s fourth largest retailer at £9.8bn, including more than £3bn of debt. The deal was recommended to shareholders after the CD&R bid narrowly prevailed over a rival bi...
19 October 2021
We review Albertsons’ second quarter performance and the progress it's making against its strategic plan. Q2 key numbers Total revenue increased to 4.7% to $16.5bn Identical store sales increased 1.5%; on a two-year stacked basis identical sales growth was 15.3% Digital sales increased 5%; on a two-year stacked basis digital sales growth was 248% Net income increased 3.8% to $29...