China's market regulator says e-commerce giant Alibaba has completed three-year 'rectification' period
China's State Administration of Market Regulation issued a statement saying Alibaba Group had completed three years "rectification" following a fine levied in 2021 for monopolistic behaviour.
Source: reuters.com
French consumer spending declined in second quarter: NIQ
Consumer spending in France declined for the first time in two years in the second quarter of 2024, to €57.6bln (down 2.8%), according to the latest data from NIQ. The NielsenIQ Barometer provides a complete view of distribution turnover in France and expenses for consumer products, such as food, drinks, fresh produce and hygiene products, and technical and durable products, including household appliances, audio-video, and DIY-gardening, among others.
Source: esmmagazine.com
Lidl Sverige sells fruit and vegetables grown to classical music
Lidl aims to gain the favor of Swedish consumers through an unusual cooperation with the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. In the next two months the discounter will sell produce grown to classical music.
Source: trademagazin.hu
South Africa: Checkers teams up with healthy eating advocate Jamie Oliver to endorse Discovery Vitality HealthyFood partnership
Checkers has joined forces with world-renowned chef and healthy eating advocate Jamie Olivier to endorse its new partnership with Discovery Vitality's HealthyFood benefit that officially launched on 1 September. Oliver, an outspoken advocate for healthy eating, believes the Checkers HealthyFood benefit is a positive initiative for South African shoppers.
Source: shopriteholdings.co.za
UK: Tesco faces strike ballot as warehouse workers reject a less than 5% pay offer
Tesco is facing potential strikes across its distribution network after warehouse workers at eight of its sites rejected a less than 5% pay offer. Trade union Usdaw has launched a consultative ballot for its members to vote on if they are prepared to take industrial action.
Source: retailgazette.co.uk
Greece: IELKA survey records negative inflation in supermarkets in August
A survey by the Consumer Goods Retail Research Institute (IELKA) recorded negative inflation in supermarkets in August for the fourth consecutive month. The largest price reductions are recorded in the categories: detergents and cleaning products (-6.68%), stationery, cosmetics and personal hygiene products (-5.16%), food and pet products (-4.78%), baby and children's food (-4.28%), fresh fruit and vegetables (-2.84%).
Source: ekathimerini.com
BABA-W's Hema, 22 CN fruit firms set up 'fruit alliance'
BABA-W's Hema set up a "fruit alliance" with 22 domestic fruit enterprises at the China International Fruit Expo held in Shanghai to jointly knock through the "production-supply-marketing" chain in the fruit field, so as to cultivate new varieties according to demand, help domestic fruits to further rise, and help fruit bases to "make good use of raw materials" by combining with its own product R&D capabilities, according to Hema's announcement.
Source: aastocks.com
Artisan Partners urges Seven & i update on takeover bid by September 19
U.S. fund Artisan Partners Asset Management ramped up pressure on Japan's Seven and i Holdings, urging the retailer's board to provide an update on a takeover bid from Canada's Alimentation Couche-Tard by September 19.
Source: reuters.com
Canada: New Metro store opens in Ottawa's ByWard Market
Metro opened the doors to its newest location on August 29. Officially named Metro Rideau, the 32,000-sq.-ft. space in Ottawa's ByWard Market - a hub of outdoor farmers market stalls, boutiques, restaurants, specialty food shops and more - is the grocer's 132nd store in Ontario and creates 125 jobs. The new store offers a wide range of fresh and local produce.
Source: canadiangrocer.com
US: Aldi opens three stores on the East Coast
Aldi opened three new stores on Thursday - two in Pennsylvania and one in New York. The Pennsylvania stores are located in Waynseboro at 1517 East Main St. and Harmony at 236 Perry Highway. The New York store is located in the Bronx borough of New York City at 4720 Third Ave.
Source: supermarketnews.com
Amazon hires Covariant founders and employees and bags non-exclusive license to robotic foundation models
Amazon has hired Covariant's founders Pieter Abbeel, Peter Chen, and Rocky Duan, and is licensing the company's robotic foundation models. In an online post, Amazon says: "Covariant is a Bay Area-based company that builds advanced AI models that enable robots to see, reason, and act on the world around them, supporting a number of different warehouse automation tasks."
Source: retailtechinnovationhub.com