US: Members of Congress press Biden to flex power on food prices
Elevated inflation, while off its 2022 peak, is proving to be a stubborn issue for grocers, CPGs and consumers - and a lightning rod for politicians. According to a report in TIME Magazine, several members of Congress sent a letter to President Joe Biden on May 13, imploring him to take executive action as their efforts to pass legislative action remain in limbo in the chambers.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
US: Walmart can't stand up to Roundy's
Walmart grocery is being dominated in the Milwaukee area, reports the Milwaukee Business Journal. Data for the region of Milwaukee, Waukesha, Ozaukee, and Washington counties shows Roundy's with an almost insurmountable lead over Walmart in market share - 36% to 21% in 2023. Roundy's cashed in with $2.3bln in annual sales a year ago, while Walmart had $1.3bln.
Source: supermarketnews.com
Union application to represent Amazon warehouse workers in Laval, Quebec certified
A Quebec-based union says its application to represent around 200 Amazon.com Inc. workers has been certified by the province's Administrative Labour Tribunal. It's the first time in Canada that employees have unionized at an Amazon warehouse, said the Confédération des syndicats nationaux in a press release.
Source: thecanadianpressnews.ca
US: HelloFresh to close Georgia distribution center, cut more than 700 jobs
HelloFresh plans to shut down its distribution center in Newnan, Georgia, on July 10 as the German meal kit company grapples with reduced demand for its products, a spokesperson for the company confirmed. The closure of the plant will cost 727 employees their jobs. HelloFresh has seen its fortunes decline as the strong demand it experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic has dissipated, leaving the company with excess capacity in the U.S., which accounts for more than half of its global business.
Source: grocerydive.com
What boycott? Supplier orders hold strong for Loblaws stores
The Loblaws shopper boycott for the month of May is well underway, and the Toronto Star reports that the protest over high food prices has not even made a nick in the retailer's armor. The Star reported that executives at four major food suppliers said Loblaws' sales and orders have not changed over the last couple of weeks. One executive even went as far as to say Loblaws orders with his company increased in May.
Source: supermarketnews.com
Supermarket sale 'could benefit customers'
Jersey Consumer Council has said the sale by Sandpiper CI of most of its supermarket franchises could benefit consumers. WM Morrison Supermarkets Limited wants to take over the Morrisons Daily, Iceland and Checkers Xpress stores in Guernsey and Jersey, and Le Cocq's in Alderney.
Source: bbc.com
UK: Tesco launches new plant-led range
Tesco has launched a new plant-led Root & Soul range, offering meals packed with a variety of vegetables, grains and seeds in a bit to appeal to flexitarian diets.
Source: grocerygazette.co.uk
Spain: Eroski reports sales and profit growth in FY 2023
Eroski Group has reported growth in profit and volumes in its full financial year for 2023, with operating profit increasing by more than a quarter (26.9%), to €259mln, compared to the previous year. Gross sales rose by 6.3%, year on year, to €5.7bln, despite a 1.2-percentage-point reduction in gross margin due to measures implemented by the company to mitigate passing on higher costs to consumers.
Source: esmmagazine.com
UK: Asda workers in Brighton confirm strike dates
Asda workers at the Brighton Hollingbury superstore have confirmed the dates they will strike over what the GMB union describes as a "litany of workplace problems".
Source: grocerygazette.co.uk
UK: Charities attack Tesco rules for evening-only collection of unwanted foodTesco is facing criticism from "shocked" charities who say they are struggling to distribute unwanted food to homeless and hungry people after they claim the retailer brought in rules that mean unwanted food can only be collected in the evening. In a separate email seen by the Guardian, a regional representative from the charity FareShare, which oversees the waste collection process in Tesco stores, said the retailer had made the "estate wide change" after testing different methods at some stores over the last few years. It said the changes had been made so that Tesco could donate chilled food alongside longer-life items such as baked goods, fruit and vegetables and this was not possible with morning collections.
Source: theguardian.com
UK: Sainsbury's bolsters meal kit offer
Sainsbury's is working with leading meal kit brands to support a drive to improve its dine-in offering to appeal to time-pressured consumers and those looking to trade down from restaurants to home-cooked meals to save money.
Source: kamcity.com
UAE: Dubai's Spinneys sees 17% rise in Q1 profit; to open Riyadh store in H1
Dubai supermarket chain operator Spinneys posted a net profit attributable to the owners of the company of AED77.2mln ($21mln) in Q1 2024, up 17% compared with a profit of AED66.2mln in the year-ago period. La Strada, the first Saudi store, is expected to open in Riyadh in H1 2024.
Source: zawya.com
UK: Welsh brand Do Goodly secures Tesco listing for plant-based meal pots
Do Goodly, a plant-based dip brand based in Wales, has secured listings for four of its products at Tesco supermarkets across the UK. The meal pots count as one of the five recommended daily servings of fruits and vegetables, and contain no added sugar.
Source: vegconomist.com