Retail and consumer goods industry news

AiFi, which supplies retailers globally with autonomous shopping solutions, has opened its 100th store. As it reaches this milestone, we consider what’s next for the sector. Largest deployment in Europe AiFi has emerged as one of the leading companies in this space. It has deployed its solution globally, working with leading retailers including ALDI Sud, Carrefour, Compass Group, Zabka Grou...

In Belgium, Delhaize has opened 50 unmanned stores at workplaces in partnership with Selecta over the last 12 months. Meanwhile, Colruyt has launched a new foodservice format aimed at on-the-go consumption in offices. Delhaize opens 50 unmanned convenience stores A year after the launch of its first Shop&Go store concept, Delhaize has announced future plans for the format. Shop&Go is an unm...

Thailand's Central Retail Group will invest US$1.45 bn in Vietnam over the next five years. The retailer operates Go hypermarkets, Tops supermarkets and various speciality stores such as Nguyen Kim electronics, LookKool gadgets, Supersports and Robins department stores. Vietnam has highest growth in SEA “Vietnam’s economy continues to grow despite uncertainties,” said Olivier Langlet, CEO...

We review Loblaw’s fourth quarter and full year performance, how it’s adapting in a more value-orientated trading environment and its plans to accelerate capital investments. Q4 and full year key numbers Fourth quarter total revenue increased by 9.8% to $14,007m, with retail segment sales up 9.7% to $13,694m Food retail same-store sales growth of 8.4% Drug retail same-store sales u...

Sainsbury’s has announced it is swapping traditional, plastic tray packaging for a new vacuum-packed alternative across its beef mince range, saving 450 tonnes of plastic annually. The new packaging will result in a minimum 55% reduction in plastic per product. The beef mince products will be vacuum-packed for freshness by removing all oxygen which typically causes a product to eventually spoi...

Aldi USA has partnered with last-mile delivery provider DoorDash to provide an on-demand e-commerce solution across the majority of its stores. Who is DoorDash? DoorDash is an American company that operates an online food delivery platform. It was launched in 2020 during the pandemic, initially focusing on food service delivery from restaurants and cafes. Now, DoorDash also offers deliverie...

We recently visited a Kaufland store in Zagreb, to see how the German hypermarket retailer is evolving its offer to appeal to Croatian shoppers. Leading with value Thanks to its economies of scale through being part of the Schwartz group, Kaufland can deliver a strong value proposition to shoppers. This is well showcased throughout the store through overhead and shelf edge signage. The f...

DFI, which entered the Malaysia market 24 years ago, has decided to sell all of its food businesses to Macrovalue Sdn Bhd. What does it entail? DFI has been operating the business in Malaysia through GCH Retail (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd. GCH Retail is 70% owned by DFI and 30% by Syarikat Pesaka Antah Sdn Bhd. It operates a total of 40 Giants, eight Mercatos, two Cold Storages, one TMC and 40 Giant...

With 35 Euro Garages stores converted so far in 2023, Asda has revealed that there are now 100 stores trading under its Asda On the Move forecourt fascia and that it plans to launch a further 100 in 2023. Flexing the format for smaller footprints While most of the stores now trading as Asda On the Move are larger units from the Euro Garages estate, and able to accommodate a significant groc...

Leading independent regional co-op Central has announced plans to open a record number of stores this year. In all the society will launch 17 new stores in 2023 as well as refurbishing some 30 existing units. The new stores will include its first location in North Yorkshire, with the society increasingly looking beyond its traditional trading heartland for optimal development opportunities for it...