More than 500 M&S head office roles to be scrapped

M&S Plans to scrap 525 head office roles in savings drive
Marks & Spencer Group Plc plans to scrap about 525 head office jobs as the retailer embarks on its biggest round of job cutting in seven years. The changes should reduce domestic costs by about 1%, or 30m pounds ($40m), a year, the London-based company said Monday. M&S will consult with workers over the downsizing, which would represent about 15% of head-office staff. The proposed cull marks the most drastic staff reduction since the aftermath of the global financial crisis, when M&S announced plans to close 27 stores and eliminate 450 head office roles. (esmmagazine.com)

Dixy to strengthen ties with Russian fresh produce suppliers
Russian supermarket chain Dixy has announced their intentions to strengthen their cooperation with Russian agro suppliers and actively increase the number of direct contracts in order to offer lower prices, ensure quality and improve availability to customers.

German retailer Metro to split without capital hike
German retailer Metro AG is proceeding with plans to separate its wholesale and food business from its consumer electronics chain, predicting both units can achieve an investment grade rating without needing a capital increase. Metro, Europe's fourth-biggest retailer by sales after the likes of Carrefour and Tesco, said a supervisory board meeting on Monday had approved the plan. The consumer electronics business will keep a 10% stake in the new wholesale and food specialist business to strengthen its capital base, Metro said in a statement. (Reuters)

Kroger expands online grocery ordering throughout central Ohio
Kroger has announced it is expanding its online grocery ordering service to eight central Ohio locations. Nationally, Kroger began testing online grocery ordering in late 2014. It is currently available in more than 200 Kroger-owned locations in 25 markets across the country. (10tv.com)

Austria: New Merkur marketing plan focuses on children
Supermarket chain Merkur is well on its way to become Austria's most child-friendly supermarket. Following a survey, carried out for the company by the Austrian Gallup Institute, it has designed a marketing programme to engage children in supermarket-shopping, in a fun way. (esmmagazine.com)

Russia: X5 opens store number 8,500
Despite the difficult trading conditions in the market, X5 Retail has re-affirmed its commitment to continue growing its business in Russia after the opening of an 8,500th outlet. (kamcity.com)

Romania’s retail sales grow by 16.9%
The retail sales registered in July a growth of 4.1% monthly and of 11.7% annually (July compared with July 2015), according to the National Institute of Statistics (INS). Overall, in the first seven months of the year the retail sales expanded by 16.9%, with the biggest gains being registered on food, beverages and tobacco. (business-review.eu)

Sainsbury's to open 30 new in-store Argos outlets
Sainsbury’s is to open mini-Habitat shops and more than double the number of Argos outlets in its supermarkets by Christmas after finalising its £1.4bn takeover of Home Retail Group. The supermarket said it would open 30 new Argos outlets, joining the 20 that have been trading for more than a year, as it kicks off the integration of its new acquisition. (theguardian.com)

Leeds’ Clipper Logistics secures new Marks and Spencer contract
Clipper Logistics plc, the Leeds-based provider of logistics solutions to the retail sector, has signed a new contract with Marks and Spencer (M&S). Clipper is now contracted to process store-returned merchandise for the retailer, ensuring stock flows efficiently back into the M&S fulfilment centre at Castle Donnington, where it will be ready for re-allocation. (bdaily.co.uk)