Lidl unveils new global brand campaign: 'Lidl. More to Value.'
Discounter Lidl has launched a new global brand campaign - titled 'Lidl. More to Value.' - which will be rolled out across all 31 of its markets. In its native Germany, the campaign uses the slogan 'Lidl lohnt sich.'
Source: esmmagazine.com
Taste the Difference turns 25! To celebrate, enjoy 25% off over 500 products with Nectar Prices
Sainsbury's reported: "In its 25 years, the most popular product overall is the Taste the Difference Vittoria Cherry Vine Tomatoes which have maintained the top place in customers baskets".
Source: corporate.sainsburys.co.uk
UK: Asda announces renewed AI and Cloud Collaboration with Microsoft
Asda reported: "Asda is announcing the latest collaboration agreement with Microsoft, marking one of the largest technology deals in UK retail. This move will accelerate Asda's transition to a cloud-first operational model, powered by Microsoft's artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies".
Source: corporate.asda.com
Dutch minister grants Picnic and Crisp exemption from "40 % higher labour costs"
The ministry of Social Affairs and Employment maintains the exemption for the employers' association E-commerce Netherlands, to which online supermarkets Crisp, Flink and Picnic, belong. "The business model of online supermarkets is truly different from that of independent retailers or franchisees", minister Mariëlle Paul concludes.
Source: retaildetail.eu
SPAR Slovenia outperforms market average in 2024
SPAR Slovenia operated steadily in 2024 and exceeded its business targets. The company generated €1,174bln in sales, an increase of 6.1% compared to the previous year. Compared to 2023, the number of transactions grew by 1.8%, with a total of 59.6mln transactions recorded in 2024, which means that an average of almost 200,000 customers shopped daily in SPAR stores. At the beginning of 2024, SPAR became the first Slovenian retailer to remove single-use plastic bags in the fruit and vegetable section and added cooking oil recycling bins in all stores.
Source: spar-international.com
UK: The young make prunes fashionable again
Health-conscious young people are boosting sales of old-fashioned fibre-favourites including prunes, according to new data. Research by Ocado Retail indicates strong year-on-year growth in fibre sales, including prunes (up 60%), spelt (up 59%) and fruit and fibre cereals (up 52%). Tinned fruit (up 37%) is also popular, while other wholefoods including oats (up 18%), chickpeas (up 18%), chia seeds (up 15%) are increasingly being incorporated into meals. Charlie Parker, senior nutritionist at Ocado Retail, said: "Fibre has sometimes been overlooked, but the data shows that awareness is growing and more people are looking to increase their intake. What's encouraging is that many are turning to simple, familiar foods like cereals, beans and fruit to do so - products that are easy to include in everyday diets".
Source: talkingretail.com
Cyprus: Fresh vegetable prices surge in August while seafood prices fall
Prices for fresh vegetables and greens skyrocketed in August, rising nearly 50% from the previous month, according to the Consumer Goods Price Observatory released by the Ministry of Energy, Commerce and Industry's Consumer Protection Service.
Source: knews.kathimerini.com.cy
Algolia research: UK grocery retailers risk losing millions of pounds every week to AI shopping tools
Many shoppers would switch from their usual online supermarket to a third-party AI-powered shopping application such as ChatGPT, according to new research from Algolia involving 2,000 Brits.
Source: retailtechinnovationhub.com
Back-to-school shopping shapes Irish spending as lunchbox staples return to shoppers' baskets
Kantar reported: "Over the latest four-week period, shoppers spent an additional €5.3mln on sweet bakery items, fresh fruit, breakfast cereals and porridge, savoury snacks and yoghurt".
Source: kantar.com
Ocado partnership turbulence raises questions over future of grocery technology
The future of automated grocery fulfilment has been thrown into the spotlight as Ocado's partnership with US supermarket giant Kroger comes under review, raising wider questions about the long-term role of robotic warehouses in food retail. For UK observers, the development is significant. As reported by The Telegraph, Ocado has positioned itself not just as a grocery delivery service but as a technology provider capable of reshaping how supermarkets operate. Its robotics, algorithms and software underpin fulfilment centres for retailers including Morrisons in the UK, Casino in France, Sobeys in Canada and Aeon in Japan.
Source: fpcfreshtalkdaily.co.uk
Fresh grocers are winning the battle, Placer.ai report says
Fresh-format grocers are benefiting from an increase in affluent shoppers and a rise in quick shopping trips, according to the latest research from Placer.ai. Overall visits to fresh-format grocery stores, those locations that feature produce and other fresh items, rose 10% year over year in the second quarter, outpacing value grocers (3.6% increase), ethnic grocers (2.5%) and traditional grocers (1.5%), which saw positive growth for the first time since early 2024.
Source: supermarketnews.com
Instacart pushing retailers to match online, in-store prices, CEO says
Keeping costs down for consumers is paramount as the grocery industry ramps up e-commerce, Instacart CEO Chris Rogers said at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia & Technology Conference. "Affordability is probably the biggest unlock to online grocery adoption. We know that it's the No. 1 reason that people churn off of Instacart", Rogers said, noting that affordability will be a "key lever" in retaining more consumers.
Source: grocerydive.com
US Foods Fall Scoop™ product line-up helps operators do more with less
US Foods reported: "US Foods Holding Corp. announced the launch of Fall 2025 Scoop™. Highlights of these versatile profit drivers include - Rykoff Sexton® Diced Dragon Fruit: This tropical ready-to-use product is making a vibrant splash across menus nationwide. Beloved by Gen Z diners for its bold and trendy pink color, the subtly sweet, versatile flavor creates eye-catching breakfast bowls, vivid desserts or striking cocktails and mocktails. Cross Valley Farms® Ribbon Cut Hash Brown Potatoes: These ribbon-cut russet potatoes deliver a back-of-house appearance, while a distinctive size and shape provide versatile uses across the menu from breakfast to dinner. Deep-fry the potatoes to achieve crispy ribbon hash browns that can be used as a traditional breakfast side, burger topping or as the base for an innovative potato waffle recipe".
Source: businesswire.com
US: First Dallas H-E-B is closer to becoming official
The City Plan Commission unanimously approved a zoning request in North Dallas, according to the Dallas Morning News. The Dallas City Council must also approve the request. "We appreciate the thoughtful consideration from city officials, staff, and community members throughout this process", H-E-B said in a statement. "We look forward to continuing our collaboration with the city and neighbors".
Source: supermarketnews.com
US: GrubMarket launches Reporting AI Agent to deliver groundbreaking automated, proactive business insights
GrubMarket announced the release of its latest specialized AI Agent in its GrubAssist AI platform: the Reporting AI Agent. This marks GrubMarket's third AI agent built specifically for the food supply chain industry, following the launches of the AI Orders Agent and Inventory Management AI Agent.
Source: prnewswire.com
US: Ralphs, Teamsters reach last-minute labor agreement
Kroger-owned Ralphs has reached a tentative agreement with warehouse workers and drivers in Southern California just as their contract expired, the Teamsters union said. Voting on the agreement was scheduled to take place on Monday and Tuesday at the offices of Teamsters Local 848 in Long Beach and Teamsters Local 63 in Bloomington, respectively.
Source: supermarketnews.com