Tesco gets provisional approval for its takeover of wholesaler Booker

Woolworths 1st to commit to Australasian Recycling Label
Australian Woolworths is adopting the new Australasian Recycling Label (ARL) across its entire Own Brand product range. It will now be easier for shoppers to understand what parts of packaging can be recycled. In a partnership with leading environmental organisation Planet Ark, Woolworths, through its membership with the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO), is the first Australian supermarket to commit to adopting the ARL across its Own Brand range. (internationalsupermarketnews.com)

France: Carrefour plays down report of delay in revival plan
French retail giant Carrefour sought to reassure investors that its plan to turn around its business was on track following a report of a delay. Shares in the world’s second-biggest retailer fell nearly 2% after BFM Business radio said new CEO Alexandre Bompard was unlikely to unveil his revival plan before early 2018 instead of before end-2017 as previously announced. The company is working on what is expected to be a far-reaching restructuring plan that some analysts estimate could involve 1bln euros of cost cuts. (Reuters)

UK: Sainsbury’s happy about first half of 2017
British supermarket chain Sainsbury’s is happy with its first six months’ result: turnover grew 17% but its profit dropped 10%. Subsidiary chain Argos generated most of the additional turnover. Sainsbury’s’ turnover grew to 16.3bln pounds (18.4bln euro) in the first six months of 2017. The company says its focus on quality, low prices and innovations have led to this faster-than-average growth. However, its like-for-like turnover growth was only 1.6%, because the majority comes from the 112 new Argos stores. The company did experience a 7.2% online growth. (retaildetail.eu)

OK Zimbabwe H1 results driven by inflation
OK Zimbabwe has reported strong half year results, with an increase in revenue of +23% to US$268mln. The performance is mainly attributed to Zimbabwe’s inflationary environment. However, the retailer has also reported improvements in product availability due to a successful agricultural season. Increased promotional activity has also led to sales growth. (igd)

Italy: Bologna gets first Interspar superstore
Despar/Aspiag Service has opened its first Interspar superstore in Bologna, located in the San Donato neighbourhood. It features an assortment of about 30,000 references - with particular attention to fresh products. Although there are self-service departments, staff are on hand in the gastronomy, fishmongers, butchers and bread departments. The new store has a particular focus on sustainability, as the retailer has sought in-store solutions that ensure energy-saving and lower environmental impact. (esmmagazine.com)

Tesco wins UK regulator's provisional approval for Booker takeover
Tesco won provisional approval for its 3.7bln pound ($4.9bln) takeover of wholesaler Booker from the UK competition regulator, moving Britain’s biggest retailer closer to securing a new avenue of growth. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said it had conducted an in-depth review and provisionally concluded that Tesco’s purchase of Booker does not raise competition concerns. The provisional unconditional clearance will come as a major relief to Tesco. Most analysts had expected that Tesco would have to agree store disposals to gain clearance. Both Tesco and Booker, the country’s biggest grocery wholesaler, welcomed the CMA announcement. Tesco said it expected to complete the deal, which also requires shareholder approvals, in early 2018. (Reuters)

Amazon close to launching in Australia
Amazon has shown further indications that they are close to entering Australia. Last month, Amazon confirmed that they will offer local products from over 500 Australian businesses at launch. Now, Amazon Australia's country manager, Rocco Braeuniger, said they were 'getting really, really, really close' to launching in the country. Already thousands of third-party sellers have reportedly registered, paying a monthly fee of AUD9.95 and a referral fee of 6%-15% of each transaction. No specific date for when they will go live has been revealed. (igd)

US: Raley’s expands grocery delivery with eCart
Raley’s has launched the second phase of its grocery delivery service through its e-commerce platform, eCart. First launched in August 2017 in Alameda, Calif., the service is now available to select zip codes in the Sacramento, Calif. region. The regional retailer said its expanded delivery service is a step toward its commitment to delivering a personalized, time-saving digital shopping experience alongside its continued investments in e-commerce to make grocery shopping more convenient. (groceryheadquarters.com)