US: Inmar Intelligence continues to guide food retailers on the future of the industry with 2021 Future of Food Retailing Report
Inmar Intelligence, a data and tech-enabled services company, released its 2021 Future of Food Retailing Report, which provides a detailed look into the food retailing industry in order to identify and quantify market dynamics, trends and behaviors. In this annual report, Inmar Intelligence recaps the previous year’s activities and provides projections for the next 5 years in terms of dollar share and store count for Traditional Grocery (traditional supermarkets, fresh format, limited assortment, super warehouse and small grocery), Non-Traditional Grocery (wholesale club, supercenter, dollar/extreme value, drug, mass merchandisers and military) and Convenience Stores (with and without gasoline).
Source: globenewswire.com
US: Dollar General to move into Idaho
One of America’s fastest-growing retailers, Dollar General, has revealed plans to expand into its 47th state: Idaho. Construction is underway on North Old Highway 95 in Athol (Kootenai County) for the store, which is currently scheduled to open by spring 2022.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
US: California’s Northgate González Market steps up its e-commerce biz
Northgate González Market, a family-owned Hispanic grocery chain with 42 stores in California, is boosting its e-commerce capabilities by using the NCR Freshop platform. Through this solution from software and services provider NCR Corp., Northgate can implement its own online ordering and curbside pickup services. The Anaheim, California-based retailer previously introduced NCR’s POS solution that unifies technologies used to run the stores.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
US: Shipt debuts 'Dealivery Days'
Taking a cue from Amazon’s wildly successful Prime Days and other e-commerce leaders’ discount occasions, Shipt announced its first “Dealivery Days”, coming up from October 2-October 4. During the online event, Shipt customers who shop at stores owned by Target, The Kroger Co. Costco, Meijer and others can get discounts of 20% to 30% on a variety of items.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
Americans’ confidence in grocery stores, Gov’t hits new low
According to the 8th wave of the dunnhumby Consumer Pulse Survey, part of an 18-month worldwide study of the effect of COVID-19 on customer attitudes and behavior in 24 countries, 64% of U.S. consumers said that grocery stores aren’t doing a good job with COVID-19, compared with February 2021 when 50% of respondents said that grocers were doing a good job. Further, 83% said that the government isn’t doing a good job, either, in the latest wave of the study, marking the lowest point of confidence in the government’s handling of the crisis.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
US: Beyond Meat to launch its meatless chicken tenders in grocery stores next month
Beyond Meat will start selling its meat-free chicken tenders in select grocery stores in October. The company rolled out the chicken alternative in restaurants across Canada and the U.S. in July. In its latest quarter, grocery sales accounted for roughly three-quarters of Beyond’s U.S. revenue.
Source: cnbc.com
US: New Seasons Market to raise hourly wage to $16.25
Next week, West Coast grocer New Seasons Market and its New Leaf Community Markets subsidiary plan lift their hourly starting wage to $16.25. Portland, Oregon-based New Seasons said that the pay hike will kick in on October 6 for hourly staff across its two dozen stores in Oregon, Washington and California. Plans also call for the retailer to adjust wage scales to “recognize the contributions of all hourly store staff”, which the company said will hoist the average pay of current hourly staff to $19.98.
Source: supermarketnews.com
European ecommerce was worth 757bln euros in 2020
In 2020, ecommerce within Europe has kept on growing. The total worth of European ecommerce grew to 757bln euros. This is a 10% growth from 690bln euros in 2019. These findings are stated in the 2021 European Ecommerce Report, published by Ecommerce Europe and EuroCommerce.
Source: ecommercenews.eu
Romania: Carrefour accelerates efforts towards food transition
Carrefour Romania has teamed up with 28 international and local partners to accelerate the transition to a healthier diet. The initiative is part of the retailer’s global Act for Food strategy and marks the second edition of the ‘Food Transition Weeks’ campaign.
Source: esmmagazine.com
China: Autonomous delivery efforts stepped up
Chinese technology companies are strengthening efforts to expand autonomous deliveries as part of a broader drive to enhance logistics efficiency, lower delivery costs and gain an edge in a fiercely competitive market. Dada Group, one of the country's largest local on-demand delivery and retail platforms, is accelerating use of unmanned delivery vehicles. Its affiliated company Dada Now recently started providing unmanned delivery services for Sam's Club, a membership warehouse club owned by Walmart.
Source: global.chinadaily.com.cn
British warehouse worker shortage triggers up to 30% pay spike
Reuters reported: "Warehouses in Britain are having to pay up to 30% more to recruit staff after a chronic shortage of workers exacerbated pressure on already buckling supply chains and threatened to derail the run up to Black Friday and Christmas. The warehouse trade group and a recruitment agency for the sector said they were struggling to replace the European staff who used to arrive for the festive period and work in warehouses and distribution centres. Clare Bottle, CEO of the UK Warehousing Association, said her members had reported having to increase pay by between 20% and 30% to secure workers for entry level jobs."
Source: cyprus-mail.com
Thailand: JD CENTRAL celebrates 3rd anniversary
JD CENTRAL (JDC), JD.com’s e-commerce joint venture in Thailand, celebrated its third anniversary on September 28th. In 2020, JD CENTRAL saw an increase of 170% in terms of GMV (gross merchandise volume) compared with 2019, and in the past year has become the highest rated e-commerce app in Thailand on Google Play.
Source: jdcorporateblog.com
Holland: Jumbo expands chat checkout concept in bid to combat loneliness
Dutch supermarket chain Jumbo has opened a chat checkout in Udenhout. This is a checkout line where slower is better and people are encouraged to have a chinwag with an assistant as they’re paying for their groceries. The first of these was opened in the summer of 2019. According to Jumbo, that was a huge success and now the time is right to expand the concept.
Source: retailtechinnovationhub.com
Belgium: Empty shelves at Carrefour due to strikes in distribution centres
The announced closure of a distribution centre in Nivelles causes strikes in the entire supply chain of Carrefour Belgium: the retailer has to deal with empty shelves in its supermarkets as a result. Franchisees are angry, Walloon politicians increase the pressure.
Source: retaildetail.eu