Germany news 

Aldi Sud has appointed a third managing director, Erik Döbele, at its central purchasing team. As reported by Lebensmittel Zeitung, Erik Döbele will take over a part of the purchasing team from August 1, whilst Simon Gelzer, another director, will focus on the coordination of purchasing activities with Aldi Nord. Accelerating coordination with Aldi Nord The new appointment aims to accelerat...

We bring you the latest news from Germany. Edeka Südwest improving fresh department Edeka Südwest set a goal of increasing its fruit and vegetable sales by 10% in 2019 which it was successfully able to do. It has developed and rolled out new concepts to aid with this and other departments that have seen impressive returns include bakery and meat. The coronavirus pandemic has also boosted sa...

The price war between Aldi and Lidl in Germany is escalating quickly, with the two discounters pushing prices down further. Most retailers are focusing their advertising and communication on low prices, following the VAT rate cut implemented by the government. VAT cut to help population and consumption Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the German government has implemented a temporary VAT ra...

We bring you the latest news from Edeka in Germany. Structural reorganisation There are a number of changes occurring within the Edeka management board. Purchasing will be distributed amongst fewer heads of departments, with two managers, Dirk E ßmann and Florian Decker now responsible for more purchasing areas. This includes international purchasing, which has become more important for E...

Penny, Rewe’s discount banner, has rolled out its Scan and Go app at 100 stores on 29 June. This is part of the retailer’s recent strategy to enhance its model and enable a more frictionless, in-store customer journey. Improving shopping experience and stores’ efficiency The new solution aims at easing and accelerating the payment process, usually a point of friction at discounters. Penny i...

We look at the German discounter’s most recent acquisitions and what it could mean for its future digital developments, including the idea of launching a marketplace. Acquisition of German marketplace real.de Schwarz Group, Lidl’s and Kaufland’s parent company, has acquired in June 2020 one of the largest marketplaces in Germany: real.de. The marketplace, which offers both grocery and non-g...

Following an agreement to sell Real earlier this year, the wholesaler has completed the sale to the SCP Group. The sale allows Metro Group to focus on its wholesale business. Deal signed The deal was agreed earlier in 2020, however it was awaiting approval from the supervisory and antitrust authorities which has now occured. The inflow of funds will be €300m. The SCP Group will take full...

The Giant Company has partnered with Flashfood, as it looks to reduce food waste at four supermarkets in Pennsylvania. Meanwhile, Apeel Sciences has revealed it raised US$250m to continue supporting supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Separately, the Schwarz Group has signed the United Nation Global Compact to focus on sustainability initiatives. The Giant Company partners with Flashfood to...

On the 25th of June, SCP Group will officially purchase Real from the Metro Group. SCP Group getting ready The sale will include the online platform Real.de, which the SCP Group is already preparing for resale. The SCP Group will also take full control of all Real's business units, with former Lidl board member, Bojan Luncer, heading up the new operation. Along with its real estate partner,...

The drugstore chain partners with Bioland to produce high-quality organic products, introduced a new marketing strategy using Tiktok and reported strong sales growth across its operations. Rossmann partners with Bioland to develop own brand, enerBiO Rossmann has entered a new partnership with Germany’s key organic food association, Bioland. It is seeking to develop its own brand of organic ...