Europe news & analysis

At IGD we keep a close eye on innovation and developments in our  industry.  Here are our latest top picks from around the world.  McCain multi-sensory bus stop ads When McCain launched its new Ready Baked Jackets, it created 3D bus stop adverts containing heating elements. As people activated them, they released  the smell of slow-baked jacket potatoes. The posters were located at bus  shel...

We look at the strategic priorities for leading European retailers - Carrefour, Lidl & Schwarz (Schwarz Group), Tesco, Auchan and Aldi - in 2013's difficult economic environment, and how they are driving growth.   Carrefour: will 2013 be a year of stabilisation? Carrefour’s new management team has launched initiatives to turn around its performance, including selectively exiting internati...

According to reports on portalspozywczy.pl, Poland-based convenience chain Zabka is trialling a new ranging strategy in 20 stores. Company set to increase visibility of private labels The report quotes Zabka’s president, Jacek Roszyk, as saying that the retailer is looking to increase its range of private label products to about 600, which would see them account for about 40% of the retaile...

Morrisons is taking action to sharpen its appeal to customers with a couponing scheme that offers money off to loyal shoppers and a new campaign to communicate its fresh food specialist strengths. The new tactics are the first major initiatives to emerge since Nick Collard was appointed as Morrisons new group marketing and customer director last month. Payday Bonus helps stretch monthly budget...

Alliance Boots has announced 100% ownership of shares in ANZAG, one of Germany’s largest pharmaceutical wholesalers. Germany a key market ANZAG operates the majority of its distribution centres in Germany, Europe’s largest pharmaceutical market, where it serves approximately 8000 customers. The wholesaler also has businesses in Romania and Lithuania and an associate in Croatia. Alliance...

According to reports in Levensmiddelenkrant, Ahold is set to establish AH to Go in the Netherlands as a separate division within the company in order to enable the concept to ‘better meet the needs’ of its customers. Separation to give AH to Go ability to focus on its own offer Commenting on the reports a spokesperson for Ahold , Anoesjka Aspeslagh, said: “ Albert Heijn to Go distinguishes i...

From requests for promotions with real depth, through to the growing demand for discounters and evolving shopping patterns, our ShopperVista service reveals three shopper trends that should be top of mind if you want to stay ahead of the competition in the coming months. 1. Real Deal In response to the 'blizzard' of promotions, more shoppers are calling for depth over breadth of promotions in...

The Dutch supermarket chain is to invest around $100m in developing stores in Russia, with a focus on Moscow, according to Russian press reports. Reconstruction and store openings With Russia being a long-term priority market, SPAR’s local partner is investing $30m in reconstructing a...

As Tesco creates a new position for a Managing Director to oversee its operations in London, what does this mean for its strategy in the capital in terms of how its business develops going forward? Getting serious about the London opportunity Andrew Yaxley was moved from his position as UK Commercial Director for Fresh Food last October and will now take on the responsibility for all for...

Against a backdrop of Eurostat revealing that the volume of retail trade fell by 3.3% in Romania in December 2012, when compared to the same month in 2011, retailers have announced a number of initiatives for the market. Delhaize trials store design in Bucharest Delhaize , under the Mega Image banner, has opened a ‘concept store’ in Bucharest. The new outlet is larger than the company’s stan...