Like-for-like sales rise marginally for Sainsbury’s -
UK retailer Sainsbury’s has seen its like-for-like sales rise marginally (+0.1%) in the 15 weeks to 7 January. Total retail sales at Sainsbury’s (excluding fuel) were up 0.8% for the period, while the retailer’s Argos operation saw like-for-like sales up 4.0% (total sales up 4.1%). (esmmagazine.com) Wal-Mart plans to cut hundreds of jobs this month
Wal-Mart Stores plans to cut hundreds of jobs before the end of January, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the situation. The Bentonville, Arkansas-based retailer plans to eliminate jobs at its headquarters and regional personnel that support stores, according to the report. Many of the eliminations will affect Wal-Mart's human resources department, a large team that some senior executives believe should be more efficient or whose duties could be handled by outside consultants, the newspaper reported. Other departments could be affected as well, the report said. (Reuters)
Ahold to enhance supplier diversity
Ahold USA, parent company of Stop & Shop New England, Stop & Shop New York Metro, Giant Landover, Giant Carlisle and online grocery Peapod, announced today it has partnered with RangeMe, the online platform that streamlines new product discovery between retailers and product suppliers. As Ahold USA continues leading the charge for supplier diversity in retail, this new technology adoption allows the company to discover and source more women-owned and minority-owned businesses with innovative and quality products for their division stores. (prnewswire.com) (drugstorenews.com)
Alibaba looks to Bricks and Mortar
Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba is making a play for a department store and mall operator in China. The company made a $2.6bn bid for Intime Retail, with a plan to take it private, reported the New York Times. Alibaba already owns a 28% stake in the company, which operates 29 department stores and 17 shopping malls in China, mainly in first- and second-tier cities. Similar to Amazon, Alibaba believes that physical retailers will remain relevant and can be improved with technology, the report said. (chainstoreage.com)
Thailand: Tesco, Big C report no impact of floods on supply lines
Major retailers in Phuket are reporting only minimal effects on deliveries of fresh produce and products to the island in the wake of the deadly floods that have wreaked havoc throughout Southern Thailand. (thephuketnews.com)
Russian retailer Magnit misses 2016 sales forecast
Russia's biggest food retailer Magnit reported on Tuesday a 12.8% increase in 2016 sales, missing its 14-16% growth forecast. The low-cost retailer has seen revenue growth slow as competition increased among stores seeking to tap into the pool of cash-strapped consumers who have cut back on spending as the rouble weakened and inflation ran high. (Reuters)
Spar warns of slowdown in convenience shopping
Spar has warned that growth in the convenience sector is slowing despite beating the wider UK grocery market with a rise in sales. "Investment in the sector by the multiples has slowed as it becomes harder to find good quality sites,” Spar said in its accounts. Please, click here to read more at telegraph.co.uk.
Frozen food retailer picard eyes expansion in Switzerland
French frozen food chain Picard has seen its first Geneva store secure a daily customer base of more than 150 shoppers, resulting in speculation that the company will open a second outlet in the Swiss city, TribunedeGenève.ch reports. Without revealing the exact location, Picard has said that it envisions the opening of another store in Geneva ’over the course of 2018.’ (esmmagazine.com)
Asian supermarket goes to UK nationwide
Mr Mango Delivery is now available to deliver the highest quality authentic Asian goods across the UK. In the short period of two years, Mr Mango Delivery has rapidly developed from a local grocery delivery service to a national organisation. (military-technologies.net)
US: Trader Joe's moving closer to Connecticut DC
Trader Joe’s is looking to extend the popularity of its goods even further than its current reach. As the retailer scopes for a new home for a prospective $78.5mn distribution center, government officials in Bloomfield, Connecticut, have approved the chain for a property tax abatement. (andnowuknow.com)
Norway: Rema 1000 to reduce number of suppliers
The Norwegian Rema 1000 owners will decrease the number of suppliers in the near future. A number of suppliers are frustrated with Rema 1000's announcement, saying that is will be devastating for Norwegian competition and called for political action. (fodevarewatch.dk)
An online supermarket called Hyperka.com was launched at the end of 2016, according to local internet news agency Webna this week. HyperKa is attempting to enter the increasingly busy online shopping market, believed to be valued at $70bn annually. (financialtribune.com)
Sweden’s ICA sees sales rise 1.6% in December 2016
Swedish retailer ICA has said that sales in its domestic stores rose by 1.6% in December 2016, compared to the previous year. Like-for-like sales were up 1.1%. Growth was reported right across the group’s store portfolio, with its ICA Nära operation posting the highest like-for-like increase, of 1.8%. (esmmagazine.com)