Retail and consumer goods industry news

Saudi Arabia-based Panda, part of the Savola Group, has set out its expansion strategy for 2013, as part of its parent group’s annual conference. Vision is to be ‘leading retailer in the region’ As part of the group meeting, Panda’s chief executive, Muwaffaq Mansour Jamal, discussed the company’s aim to be ‘the number one mass market retailer in the region’. To meet this aspiration, Jamal sai...

La Vie Éco reports that a number of retailers in Morocco are looking to add stores during 2013. Competition to intensify during year As part of the company’s Action Plan for 2012 to 2014, locally-based Marjane has previously stated an aim of investing MAD4.8 billion in the addition of 40 new stores and shopping centres across the country. The plans will build on the company’s presence of 30 h...

FEMSA Comercio, operator of Oxxo convenience stores in Mexico, has reported same store sales up 7.7% for 2012, as it surpassed the milestone of 10,000 stores. Expansion driving sales increase Oxxo opened 1,040 stores in 2012, 434 in the fourth quarter alone, as it reached 10,601 outlets, in line with its 2012 objective.  Customer traffic was up 3.8% for the full year, while the average basket...

This week, Metcash has announced the appointment of Ian Morrice as CEO, and revealed details of a major new supply agreement with Supabarn Supermarkets.  Mr Morrice takes over at end June Mr Morrice will officially take over as chief executive on 30 June 2013, upon the retirement of Andrew Reitzer.  He has been a director of Metcash since June 2012 and before that was group CEO and MD of...

The Russian retailer has reported net profit of RUB 6.3bn for 2012 Strong year for Lenta following slow growth in 2011 The increase of just over RUB 5bn in income is significantly more than growth in 2011, when it only grew from RUB 1.16bn in 2010 to RUB 1.24 in 2011. By the end of the year, the retailer was operating 56 hypermarkets, an increase of nine stores. Expanding in Moscow ...

SPAR UK has introduced a variety of new 'exclusive' label wines to boost its private label presence in the category. ‘To fill gap between SPAR label and branded wine ... The company said that it was adding these exclusive ranges to fill the gap between its established  private label and branded wines. Initially the offer will comprise two labels for Spanish wines (Modesta and Solà) and two f...

Morrisons has added another six sites for conversion to its M local convenience format, with the acquisition of six stores from the failed home entertainment chain HMV.  This brings the number of stores acquired in recent weeks to 62, ensuring that the retailer will easily exceed its target of 70 convenience stores by the end of 2013.  Morrisons already has 13 M local stores open. Locations widely...

Until now vending machines that dispense beauty products have mostly been found in Japan and within American malls.  Innovative range of products However, the trend has now reached the UK with Harvey Nichols debuting a make-up version of the classic treat dispenser in its new BeautyMart boutique cosmetics hall in London. Previously beauty vending machines have been brand specific, fo...

Hungary-based CBA has announced that it has opened an online shopping service in its home market. Launch comes ahead of Tesco’s introduction of similar offer The CBA Webshop makes 3,000 products available to shoppers, with delivery available at a range of times. CBA has introduced an online service in the belief that, following Tesco’s launch of such an offer, shoppers will being expect...

Target’s fourth quarter retail sales, for the three months to February 2, 2013, increased by 6.8% to $22.4bn, with comparable store sales up 0.4%. EBIT increased by 3.2% to $1.7bn. For the full year, total retail sales increased by 5.1% to $72.0bn, with comparable store sales up 2.7%. EBIT increased by 5.3% to $5.0bn. Robust full year performance built around three key initiatives Alth...