Catch up on the latest retail news here on Retail Times and find out what’s happening in the retail sector. Keep up to speed with the latest reports and financials covering the top brands in retail right through to the smaller independents. If retail technology and innovation is your bag then we’ve got it covered be it POS, payments or back-end systems we report on the latest developments. For those who are looking for retail data and analysis check out the data time section for more information. Hear comment from both the supplier and retailer in our opinion sector ‘Why it works’ and ‘In my opinion’. And finally, if you have any retail news you’d like us to consider publishing send it across to the team via the contact page.
Zein Abdalla, CEO Pepsico Europe, revealed the company’s emerging digital marketing strategy at the Consumer Goods Forum’s Global Summit 2010 yesterday. “It’s an area we have still got to learn an awful lot about,” he said. Abdalla told delegates how
The Consumer Goods Forum has elected Muhtar Kent, chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company, and Lars Olofsson, CEO of Carrefour, the world’s second-largest retailer, as its new co-chairs. Jointly, the co-chairs will drive cross-industry collaborative action on sustainability, consumer
Shoppers are reaching for premium ranges such as Tesco Finest and Morrisons’ The Best, according to the latest grocery market figures from Kantar Worldpanel, published today for the 12 weeks ending 13 June 2010. In spite of total grocery market
The Co-operative Group has been named Green Supermarket of the Year at the Grocer Gold Awards in London, beating off competition from Tesco, Ocado and Morrisons. The award was given to the retailer that had done the most in the
Couture Food Hall, an urban farm shop in Woolwich Arsenal, has adapted its high end range to meet local community needs. Fiona Briggs reports
Waitrose has opened its first new smaller format convenience store today in Cambridge. According to Waitrose, the store on Fitzroy Street has been designed with customers in mind. It features easy-to-navigate shelves and a product range, which will enable shoppers
Menus around the US are getting a makeover to comply with the new health care bill, which requires all restaurants, with 20 or more locations, to include calorie counts on menus, menu boards and drive-thrus. The rule will also apply
Sainsbury’s has launched a food and drink channel on MSN UK, Microsoft’s portal. The channel is focused on food ideas and recipes and is said to be the first channel of its kind to be hosted on the sitel. Under
Digdeep, a new steetwear clothing brand for men, has launched its website. Set up on 30 March, digdeep claims to take its inspiration from sporting legends and famous sporting moments. The web site features features digdeep’s collection of t-shirts, sweats,
Spar wholesaler AF Blakemore is investing £1m to reduce the wholesale prices of volume lines including milk, Fosters/Carling cans, granulated sugar and Red Bull. According to Blakemore, the savings are worth on average £5,000 per annum per store and build
Spar UK has won a £150m contract to operate stores on leisure parks owned by Bourne Leisure Group, including Haven Holiday Parks and Butlins. The five-year deal will see 42 Spar-branded stores at all 36 Haven Holiday Parks in
Spar International has launched a website dedicated to football in the run up to the World Cup. The microsite will highlight special offers for consumers and provides tips on food and drink solutions for those watching the World Cup and
Henderson Group, owner of the Spar, Eurospar, Vivo and Vivoxtra retail brands in Northern Ireland, has reported strong sales growth in 2009, despite tough economic conditions. Compared to 2008, sales increased by 11% to £500m last year. Ron Whitten,
Spar International is to open stores in Vietnam, taking its presence to 34 countries worldwide. Spar has teamed up with the wholesale distribution business Phu Thai Group to open 26 large Spar supermarkets and hypermarkets over the next three years.
The Co-operative is running a promotion with iTunes to target Father’s Day gifts. From 7-20 June 2010 inclusive, Co-operative customers will be able to save £5.00 on the purchase of £25 iTunes gift cards in over 500 stores nationwide. According
Hypermarkets and Eurospar stores have fueled growth at Spar International, which has reported worldwide sales up 5.5% to €28.5bn in 2009. Announcing the results at the 55th Annual Spar International Congress in China, Gordon Campbell, managing director of Spar International,
Spar opened a new hypermarket in Mangalore, India, yesterday (3 May); building on the success of previous recent store openings in the country. According to Spar, the Mangalore hypermarket will be one of the leading attractions in the city’s new City
Spar opened 18 Eurospar stores simultaneously in Denmark on 22 April. A further 20 Eurospar stores are planned at the beginning of 2011. According to Spar, the new stores will strengthen independent retailers’ position in Denmark and provide them with
Spar (UK) is spending more than £2m on promotional support to help retailers back the world’s biggest sporting events this summer. Throughout June and July this, Spar retailers across the UK will support the World Cup, European Athletics Championships and
Spar has launched the Change4Life healthy living campaign at its Filton Avenue, Bristol, store. It is the first convenience store in the south west of England promoting the initiative, which is designed to help families achieve and maintain a healthier
Spar has opened an 8,000sq m flagship hypermarket in Bangalore and is targeting 25 hypermarkets in India by the end of 2012. The hypermarket is situated in the new Mantri Mall and is claimed to be the biggest hypermarket in
Coffee company Lavazza has closed a deal to acquire Ercom, a leading Italian manufacturer of hot chocolate beverages and mixes for sorbets and cold creams, marketed under the Eraclea, Dulcimea and Whittington brands. The acquisition is in line with Lavazza’s
Asda is expanding into the convenience market with plans for a range of smaller format stores. The Wal-Mart-owned supermarket, is also developing its non-food, Asda Living store portfolio and its online business to reach more customers. Announcing Asda’s 2009 results,
New crime statistics gathered by ACS (the Association of Convenience Stores) have shown an alarming rise in the number of robberies and burglaries in the UK over the last 12 months. The trade body has called on Government and the
Retailers who play background music in their stores will be able to reclaim up to £20m in overpaid fees after an appeal from the music licensing body PPL (Phonographic Performance Limited) was rejected by the high court. The Copyright Tribunal
