Lidl teams up with Media Markt | US supermarket selling produce outside
Lidl is losing battle of the discounters
Spain: Lidl teams up with Media Markt
Metro Group’s Media Markt has teamed up with Lidl in Spain as part of a promotional campaign, esmmagazine.com reports. As reported by Planet Retail, Lidl is featuring in Media Markt’s ‘Folleto Loco’ brochure this week, offering discount coupons: for €50, consumers can buy a Lidl voucher worth €70, which is redeemable in May. Barclays European Food Equity Research commented on the move by saying, “It is rare to see a discounter collaborating with another retailer, but this promotion could be considered a win-win opportunity for both parties.”
CA: Target to return 55 store leases to landlords
The retailer, which went into bankruptcy protection on Jan. 15, has decided to return 55 leases to their landlords, unable to find suitable bidders for them, according to a court filing this week, theglobeandmail.com reports. Target operated 133 stores before shutting them down after just two years in Canada.
US: Roche Bros. sells produce outside
At Roche Bros.’ newly opened Downtown Crossing flagship in Boston, customers can buy produce and flowers from a stand outside the store, the retailer wrote on its Facebook page, supermarketnews.com reports. Purchases can be made with a credit card. There is also street-side seating.
AU: Woolworths ads not so cheap, but Coles ads down
The supermarket wars have pushed two of Australia's big advertisers in different directions, with No. 1 supermarket Woolworths revving up its spending while Coles winds its down, smh.com.au reports. Woolworths is estimated to have spent $18.8m on traditional advertising from January to March this year. This was an 8% increase on its $17.4m supermarket spending in the first three months of last year. By contrast, Coles is estimated to have slashed its ad spend to $13.7m from January to March. This is down 17% from $16.5m in the same period last year.
UK: No compensation for Woolworths staff
Thousands of people made redundant by the closure of Woolworths will not receive compensation, following a European Court of Justice ruling, bbc.com reports. The decision applies to 3,200 people who worked in stores with fewer than 20 employees and also affects 1,200 ex-workers at clothing chain Ethel Austin.
Russia: X5 Retail Group acquires 27 stores.
X5 Retail Group announces the acquisition of 27 stores belonging to the Nash and Gurman retail chains in the Republics of Mari El and Chuvashia. X5 will use the purchased selling space to open new Pyaterochka stores and Perekrestok supermarkets, retail-loyalty.or reports.
German Edeka and Tengelmann to rescue takeover
Edeka and Tengelmann want to save the merger of its supermarket chains despite the ban of the Cartel, panteres.com reports. The companies have submitted applications to the Minister for Economic Affairs Gabriel – he can overrule the veto of the competition watchdog.
Food prices push Kenya's inflation
A spike in Kenyan food prices due to dry weather conditions helped lift inflation to above the consensus expectation, official data showed on Thursday, Reuters reports. The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) said in a statement that inflation rose to 7.08% year-on-year in April from 6.31% in the previous month.The food and non-alcoholic drinks index rose by 3.92% on a monthly basis, driven higher by an increase in the cost of maize flour, potatoes, milk, cabbage, beans and onions.
UK: Tesco moves £90m media account to WPP’s MediaCom
Tesco has switched its media planning and buying account from IPG's Initiative to WPP's Mediacom, according to MediaWeek, invezz.com writes. The trade magazine revealed today that Britain’s largest supermarket group had begun a review of the £90m a year business in March. According to recent figures from market researcher Nielsen, Tesco is the UK’s fifth-biggest spender on advertising.
Ireland: 20 agri-food companies join Tesco Taste Bud programme
Some 20 companies have joined the Tesco Taste Bud supplier development programme, agriland.ie reports. The programme which is also supported by Bord Bia, is in its fourth year and helps Irish companies to secure, grow and maintain a listing with Tesco at home in Ireland and in Tesco markets overseas. The Tesco Taste Bud programme with Bord Bia delivers €30m worth of Irish food and drink sales, Tesco says.
Food prices push Uganda's inflation
Rising food prices pushed Uganda's inflation rate sharply higher in April, the Uganda Bureau of Statistics said on Thursday, retailgazette.co.uk reports. The bureau said inflation jumped to 3.6% year-on-year in April from 1.9% a month earlier, thanks to a 7.9% jump in monthly food inflation. Prices of Irish potatoes, water melon, beans, onions, tomatoes, rice and meat rose in April, the bureau said.
