Italy: Crai introduces new business model focusing on proximity, sustainability
Speaking on the occasion of the presentation of the company's first Sustainability Report, CEO Giangiacomo Ibba announced that Crai is focusing on the proximity format because time has become a precious commodity for consumers, according to a report in the daily Corriere della Sera.
Source: esmmagazine.com
Croatia: SPAR opens state-of-the-art logistics center
SPAR Croatia opened its new logistics center in Donja Zdenčina, located in the municipality of Klinča Sela near Zagreb. The center spans 75,000m2 and marks a major advancement in supplying 140 SPAR and INTERSPAR stores across 55 cities in Croatia.
Source: spar-international.com
UK: Inside Sainsbury's Lab store - creating a 'next level' shopping experience
Sainsbury's store in Cobham, Surrey is one of the retailer's 'labs' for its test and learn approach, where over 100 "experiments" have been trialled. More space in the Cobham store has been given to food, with a "quite different" look to a traditional Sainsbury's supermarket, according to CEO Simon Roberts. It now offers more fruit, vegetables, meat, fish and poultry.
Source: grocerygazette.co.uk
Romania's annual inflation rate falls to 4.6% in September
Romania's annual inflation rate fell sharply to 4.6% in September from 5.1% in August, according to the official report released by the statistics institute INS. Among foods, the biggest year-over-year price increases were recorded for vegetables and canned vegetables - 13.79%, canned fruits - 9.8%, wine - 8.25%, and citrus fruits - 7.73%.
Source: romania-insider.com
UK: Pangbourne Co-op (West Berkshire) re-launches following major makeover
Co-op relaunched its Pangbourne store following a six-week programme of works and improvements to transform the store. Pangbourne's Co-op serves-up an in-store bakery and Costa Coffee Express alongside an enhanced focus on fresh, healthy and chilled produce.
Source: co-operative.coop
Jumbo Belgium lures customers away from discounters
Jumbo's Belgian supermarkets attract their customers mainly from discounters such as Aldi, Colruyt and Lidl, as well as from Dutch rival Albert Heijn – which in Belgium is perceived as a low-cost chain as well.
Source: retaildetail.eu
Hong Kong supermarket chain Uselect winds down operations amid relentless retail slump
Supermarket chain Uselect has become the latest business to wind down its operations in Hong Kong amid a relentless retail slump, even as some residents said they preferred smaller stores and continued to seek out local shops against prevailing trends.
Source: scmp.com
US: Stop & Shop cuts prices on thousands of products in Rhode Island
Stop & Shop has reduced regular prices on thousands of private label and national brand products in all of its stores in Rhode Island, the supermarket chain announced. For example, the retailer said it is lowering the cost of a value pack of chicken breasts from $3.99 to $2.79 per pound, a reduction of 30%, and cutting what it charges for a Hass avocado by a quarter, to $1.25.
Source: grocerydive.com
US: UNFI lays off close to 300 workers as it zeroes in on three-year plan
United Natural Foods Inc. has laid off billing, invoice, and payroll personnel at its Phoenix, Arizona office. The wholesale distributor of natural, organic, and specialty foods confirmed the layoffs to Supermarket News via email. UNFI, based in Providence, Rhode Island, would not confirm the exact number of layoffs, but a source told Supermarket News it was 277 workers.
Source: supermarketnews.com
US: Consumer Price Index - September 2024
The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.2% on a seasonally adjusted basis, the same increase as in August and July, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. The fruits and vegetables index increased 0.9% over the month, following a 0.2% decline in August.
Source: bls.gov
7-Eleven closing hundreds of stores, as parent company restructures business
7-Eleven, Inc. is shuttering 444 underperforming stores across North America. Parent company Seven & i Holdings disclosed the closings in its latest earnings report, citing lower traffic and sales and a downturn in what had been a once-steady cigarette business. Traffic has been down for six consecutive months.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
US: Texas supermarket chain H-E-B to open new Dallas-area store in Forney
Texas supermarket chain H-E-B is opening another store in the Dallas area: Continuing its expansion in the DFW Metroplex, H-E-B is excited to announce that construction is set to begin this month on H-E-B Forney. The nearly 140,000-square-foot store will be located at U.S. 80 and Gateway Blvd. According to a release, it'll open in early 2026.
Source: dallas.culturemap.com
US: Automated-checkout company Grabango shuts down
Grabango, a checkout-free technology company whose software was piloted in several U.S. convenience store chains, has permanently ceased operations, a company spokesperson confirmed.
Source: grocerydive.com