METRO get new CEO | Woolworths to slash 800 jobs after Q3 decline
Sainsbury's posts first loss in decade
Sainsbury's reports first loss for 10 years
Sainsbury's has reported its first full-year loss for 10 years as the fierce competition within the UK grocery market continues, bbc.com reports. The UK's third-largest supermarket chain reported a £72m loss in the year to March. The results were hit by a number of one-off costs, including a write down in the value of some of its stores. Excluding the one-off costs, underlying pre-tax profits fell 14.7% to £681m, compared with £798m the year before. Like-for-like sales, excluding fuel, fell 1.9% as the chain faced competition from discount chains such as Lidl and Aldi.
New CEO for METRO Cash & Carry
Following the successful first phase of METRO Cash & Carry's repositioning, the international wholesale group is now getting a new CEO. Olaf Koch, currently CEO of METRO Cash & Carry as well as Chairman of the Management Board of METRO AG, will focus solely on his role as head of the whole group in the future, Metro Group says.
US: Tesco loses two more directors
Ken Hanna and Stuart Chambers, head of audit committee and former Pilkington chief, will step down next month as board shakeup continues, theguardian.com reports.
US survey: Shoppers want grocery, not gas, discount
U.S. grocery shoppers are no longer pumped up about gas rewards, according to survey results released Tuesday by Loyalty One Consulting, supermarketnews.com reports.
US: Costco Wholesale director Carson resigns
Costco Wholesale disclosed the following on Tuesday morning: In light of the obligations of his political pursuits, Benjamin S. Carson, Sr., M.D. submitted to Costco Wholesale Corporation a statement that he is resigning as a member of the Board of Directors. The voluntary resignation is not due to any disagreement with the Company on any matter relating to Company’s operations, policies or practices. The Company and its Board of Directors express their deepest gratitude to Dr. Carson for his nearly sixteen years of dedicated service. (streetinsider.com)
Denmark: Dansk Supermarked: +0.4% in 2014
Danish grocery retailer Dansk Supermarked has revealed its 2014 results, reporting a 0.4% increase in revenue to DKK 57.1bn (€7.7bn), retailanalysis.igd.com reports. Competitors Coop Danmark and Dagrofa have also recently revealed their 2014 results. Market leader Coop Danmark reported slightly stronger results, revealing a 0.7% increase in net turnover. Meanwhile, Dagrofa achieved revenue of €2.6bn, alongside a loss €46.2m, although this loss is an improvement versus 2013.
US: New executive appointments for Associated Wholesale Grocers
Associated Wholesale Grocers on Tuesday announced a slate of new executive appointments including naming Bob Pickerill to the role of SVP and manager of the cooperative wholesaler’s Kansas City division, supermarketnews.com reports.
US: Wal-Mart offers free online grocery ordering, store pickup
Another Wal-Mart store in Madison County is now offering free online grocery ordering and store pickup, according to the big-box retailer, AL.com. The company said shoppers can now order items online and schedule a pick-up time at the Supercenter on Madison Boulevard. The service began yesterday. If another store has a lower price on an item purchased, Wal-Mart will refund the difference. If prices drop between the time an order is placed and picked up, the customer will pay the lower prices. The retail giant said it is testing the program to explore new, convenient ways to shop.
US: Class claims Wal-Mart on juice labels
A class action in Flagler County, Florida claims Wal-Mart is deceptively labelling its Great Value brand Cranberry Pomegranate 100% juice, when in fact, it's not, courthousenews.com reports. "The Product's label prominently displays the words 'Cranberry Pomegranate,' while at the same time down plays the other words in smaller and thinner font that reveal the juice is actually a flavored juice blend from concentrate, primarily consisting of water and cheap white grape juice concentrate, apple juice concentrate, and plum juice concentrate," the complaint says.
Zambia urges retailers to stock local products
Government has intensified measures to ensure that major supermarkets in country stock local products in order to improve the economy, lusakatimes.com reports. Commerce, Trade and Industry Minister Margaret Mwanakatwe, who toured Shoprite, Game Stores, Pick n Pay, Food Lovers basket and Melisa supermarkets in Lusaka, said government was working on empowering local suppliers.
India: Metro Cash-and-Carry to take Carrefour stores
Metro Cash-and-Carry is taking over the remaining three of the five facilities from where Carrefour SA, world's No. 2 retailer, operated its stores in India before it decided to exit the country after failing to crack the market with its wholesale venture, economictimes.indiatimes.com reports. France-based Carrefour entered India in 2010 with its wholesale business hoping to move eventually to the country's $500 billion retail market selling directly to consumers.
NZ: Countdown lifts Q3 sales 5% on increased volumes
Countdown, owned by Australian Woolworths, lifted third-quarter sales by 5% as it eked out bigger volumes in a low-inflation environment, nbr.co.nz reports. Sales rose to $1.5 billion in the 13 weeks ended April 5 from $1.43 billion a year earlier, the Sydney-based parent said in a statement. In Australian dollar terms, sales rose 7.7% to A$1.43 billion as the company benefited from a weaker currency during the period, increasing the value of offshore exported earnings. Year-to-date sales rose 2.4% to $4.55 billion.
Fields purchase by RT-Mart underscores growth in China
The purchase of a 54% stake in Fields Hong Kong by Sun Art Retail Group, the operator of the big RT-Mart hypermarket chain in China, highlights growth in online food sales in the country, forbes.com reports. The purchase aims “to further strengthen” the company’s ecommerce in China, Sun Art said.
Hong Kong shoppers drive 2.9% retail sales slump
Hong Kong's retail sales for March dropped by 2.9% year on year, scmp.com reports. Sales in supermarkets dipped 0.7% for the month, compared to a year-on-year increase of 3.7% for January and February combined. The increase in sales of food, alcohol and tobacco also narrowed to 4% in March from 15.3% in the first two months of this year.
Dutch Coop Supermarkten: positive 2014 results
Coop Supermarkten has announced its full year results for 2014 saying that net sales rose by more than 3% to €859 million, while sales to shoppers rose to more than €1 billion, with the increase mainly driven by the addition of 12 new stores and the updating of 28 existing ones, retailanalysis.igd.com reports. Coop went on to say that the first quarter of 2015 had seen it start the year strongly, with consumer sales rising by 6%. However, the retailer did note that net profits had fallen to €2.6 million due to its investment in its operations and price.
Romania food sales grow in March
Romania's retail sales in stores selling mainly non-food products declined 3.8% in March, while stores selling food products, beverages and tobacco grew by 8.6%, rttnews.com reports.
US: Food Town acquires Houston grocer
Houston-based Lewis Food Town Inc., the parent company of Food Town Grocery Stores, has acquired grocery retail business Gerland's from the Levit family for an undisclosed amount, said Mike Lewis, president of Lewis Food Town, bizjournals.com reported.