English news 20 novembre 2007

CARREFOUR boss outlines key drivers for growth

In an interview with The Grocer outlining the aggressive global expansion plans at the heart of Carrefour's strategy, CEO José Luis Duran has said "... | read more

A&P initiates FTC notice period to acquire Pathmark

Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co (A&P) yesterday announced that it had initiated the required two week notice period with the Federal Trade Commission to acquire Pathmark Stores. | read more

AHOLD CZ loss widens in 2006

According to reports in the local press, Ahold's unit in the Czech Republic saw its loss widen to a record high of CZK1.9 billion (USD83.9 millon) in 2006 from CZK890.8 million (USD37.1 million) the previous year. | read more

ALDI UK elaborates on health and environmental issues

In the UK and Ireland, Aldi has stated all of its products will carry Guidance Daily Allowances on labels by the end of 2007. Furthermore, hydrogenated vegetable fats and monosodium glutamate will also be removed from products, as will "all harmful 'e' numbers." To underpin its environmental policy, Aldi also says its "fruit and vegetables are locally sourced wherever possible - we're one of very few retailers in the UK who does this. | read more

ASDA backs small suppliers with Welsh initiative

According to reports in The Grocer, Asda is to boost the presence of Welsh produce in its stores with a range of product launches that could be rolled out across the UK if successful. | read more

ASDA will not extend loose produce trial

According to reports in The Grocer, Asda has acknowledged that removing packaging and selling loose fresh produce has not been a total success. A pilot was launched in Asda's Southport, Merseyside, store last March, then extended to a further four stores during the summer. | read more

AS WATSON Superdrug to roll out fashion oriented look

The chief executive of AS Watson owned Superdrug in the UK, Euan Sutherland, has said that the drugstore chain will introduce a fashion oriented "pink" look to as many as 200 stores. | read more

AXFOOD Narlivs reaches multi year supply contract with Reitan

Swedish group Axfood has announced this morning that its wholesale business Axfood Narlivs has renewed its supply agreement with Reitan Servicehandel. | read more

CARREFOUR boss sees Indian JV partner in Q1

According to reports in the French press, citing the chief executive of Carrefour, Jose Luis Duran, the retailer should choose an Indian retail partner early next year and plans to launch a wholly owned Indian cash & carry business in 2009, . | read more

CHINA RESOURCES ENTERPRISE third quarter net profit rise

China Resources Enterprise has reported a 21% rise in third quarter net profit to HKD765 million (USD98.2 million). The retail division made a net profit contribution of HKD127 million (USD16.3 million), up 337.9% year-on-year on turnover of HKD6.49 billion (USD833.5 million) or a 30% year-on-year increase. | read more

CONSUM launches premium private label

Spanish group Consum has launched the premium private label range Consum Nature for fresh produce. Initially, Consum Nature will sell fresh meat and fish. | read more

EDEKA consolidates Marktkauf logistics

German retail group Edeka will close down one distribution centre of its subsidiary Marktkauf. According to the magazine Lebensmittel Praxis, the warehouse in Laichingen will be shut in March 2008. | read more

EDEKA to extend 24 hour shopping in Germany

According to reports in the German press, Edeka's supermarkets in Halle-an-der-Saale are to remain open 24 hours a day effective immediately. Edeka has already been testing a 24-hour service in its stores in Minden-Hanover and Berlin, which have reportedly since seen turnover growth of one-third compared with last year. | read more

KROGER renews agreement with Western Union

In the USA, Western Union has renewed its agreement with Kroger. The multi-year contract ensures that Western Union Money Orders, Money Transfer and bill-payment services continue to be available to consumers at Kroger stores nationwide, including Kroger, King Soopers, Ralphs, Fry's, Fred Meyer, Smith's, City Market, Gerbes, Dillons and Loaf n' Jug. | read more

LENTA cancels IPO plans

According to unconfirmed reports in the Russian press this morning, hypermarket chain Lenta has cancelled its IPO planned for this month, "Lenta has decided against carrying out the IPO, as it has clearly found other ways to raise funds either via strategic partnership or an investment fund," one of the sources was quoted. | read more

M&S in talks with potential partners over India

According to unconfirmed reports in The Times, Marks & Spencer is in talks with several companies in India about setting up a joint venture in the country. | read more

MEIJER introduces HP Digital Photo Center Solution kiosks

As reported in Progressive Grocer, Meijer has become the first retailer in the USA to introduce Hewlett-Packard's advanced Digital Photo Center Solution kiosks in its photo departments. | read more

MEIJER to use Vitrue for tighter customer relationships

Vitrue, a video-centric social media company, has announced that Meijer will leverage Vitrue's technology platform to enable the company to create tighter, more authentic relationships with its customers. | read more

METRO to extend cash & carry network in India

Speaking at a recent seminar, officials at Metro's local Indian cash & carry unit have said that the retailer will enter Mumbai before the end of the year, "We want to reach out to the players in the hospitality business in Mumbai and be able to explain the benefits of using a cash & carry business model," according to Metro's operations director Alan Clayton. | read more

MODELO CONTINENTE may have to sell 4 Carrefour hypermarkets

According to unconfirmed reports in the Portuguese press, Modelo Continente may be obliged by the country's anti-trust authority, AdC, to sell four of the 12 Carrefour Portugal hypermarkets that it agreed to acqure in July this year. | read more

OBI to enter Bosnia's Serb Republic

According to local media reports, Tengelmann-controlled DIY chain OBI is preparing to open its third outlet in Bosnia and Herzegovina on 6 December 2007, in the Dervisi area of Banja Luka in the Serb Republic. | read more

PANTALOON RETAIL revenue targets

In India, Future Group is planning to expand its retail format outlets to achieve a revenue target of INR30,000 crore (UDS7,430 million approx). The group plans to set up more Fair Price shops, Big Bazaar and Food Bazaar outlets across the country and it is not facing opposition from neighbourhood stores. | read more

PHARMACY CHAIN 36.6 managing director steps down

According to the decision of the board of directors of Russian Pharmacy Chain 36.6, the company's managing director and general director of the network Verofarma Anton Parkansky will leave the company immediately. | read more

PUBLIX launches online event planning website

In the USA, Publix has launched a new online event planning website at www.publix.com/entertaining. The site features four main sections: Party Basics, Plan an Event & Menu, Plan a Menu and Apron's Event Planning. | read more

RELIANCE ambitions for footwear shops

In India, Reliance Retail recently launched its footwear retail format 'Footprint',and the company is now planning to set up small format footwear stores only offering international brands. | read more

SCHNUCKS offers home cooked meal solutions

As reported by Progressive Grocer, in the USA Schnuck Markets has begun rolling out two new culinary make and take meal preparation concepts, Meal Creations and Schnucks Cooks. | read more

SEARS acquires stake in Restoration Hardware

Sears Holdings has acquired a 13.9% stake in Restoration Hardware and is considering a possible takeover, according to a SEC filing. The development comes less than two weeks after Restoration Hardware agreed to be taken private for USD267 million. | read more

SHOPKO opening plans in Midwest

In the USA, Shopko has announced plans to open two new Shopko stores in the Midwest in the fall of 2008. The stores will be located in Sussex, WI, and Northbranch, MN. | read more

SUPERVALU pharmacies to offer diabetes screenings

Pharmacies at select SuperValu banners will begin offering blood glucose screenings to detect pre-diabetes and diabetes. Specially trained pharmacists will offer the screenings by appointment during regular instore pharmacy hours. | read more

TARGET in agreement with Converse

Converse and US discounter Target have reached a partnership agreement to offer One Star vintage inspired sport lifestyle apparel and footwear exclusively at Target stores nationwide beginning in February 2008. | read more

TESCO design boss steps down

As reported in Drapers, Tesco design boss Lee Rees-Oliviere has stepped down from the retailer to launch his own label for spring 2008. Rees-Oliviere was the mastermind behind the 2006 launch of Tesco's premium sub-brand F&F Collection, which carries his name and photograph on its swing tickets. | read more

TESCO focus on animal welfare

According to reports in The Grocer, Tesco has completed its switch to dedicated dairy farms to cover fresh milk requirements. It means all 650 million litres of milk bought by Tesco comes from one of nearly 900 dedicated farms. | read more

WAL-MART certified by TransFair to help Brazilian coffee farmers

TransFair USA, the third-party, independent certifier of Fair Trade Certified products, has united the US government, Wal-Mart and a leading coffee company in a three-year, USD1.9 million public-private agreement to support Brazilian farmers producing Fair Trade Certified coffee and cooperatives with technical training and infrastructure investment. | read more

WILKINSON expands into neighbourhood retailing

In the UK, Wilkinson has expanded into neighbourhood retailing, having recently opened its smallest ever store in Stapleford, Notts. The 130 square metre store is situated at the heart of the town centre, with the intention to provide "busy working parents, the elderly and people rushing home from work, access to the same great Wilkinson product deals, but with the added convenience of being on their doorstep." An additional component of the store's convenient proposition is extended opening hours: the store will trade everyday from 7:00am until 11:00pm. | read more

AMAZON Kindle is launched in New York

The Kindle digital book reader was launched yesterday at the W Union Square hotel in New York. Amazon has spent more than three years on Kindle's design in the hope of creating a product so user-friendly that it will not only compete with printed books but also encourage users to choose it over reading the newspaper on handheld Web-connected devices such as a Blackberry. | read more

BARNES & NOBLE launches annual ''Holiday Gift Catalogue''

Barnes & Noble has launched the Barnes & Noble.com 2007 Holiday Gift Catalogue, offering a selection of the season's best books, CDs, DVDs, calendars, video games, toys and other gift items, discounted by up to 40% off list prices. | read more

FNAC to sell toys in Spain

In Spain, French entertainment and electronics retailer Fnac has begun selling toys through its website fnac.es. The retailer has added around 400 educational toys to its product portfolio of books, CDs and DVDs. | read more

GOME MOBILE releases purchase list of five million mobile phones

Gome Mobile, the newly formed subsidiary of electrical goods giant Gome Electrical Appliance, has announced that it will purchase five million mobile phone handsets from various manufacturers for its 2008 retail business. | read more

HARVEY NORMAN boss says the business is going from strength to strength

Australia-based Harvey Norman expects its half year net profit from continuing operations to grow by between 25% and 35% on the AUD132.9 million (USD112.1 million) result it achieved in the first half of its last financial year. | read more