more supermarket news & analysis – Page 837

  • News

    "Confusion reigns at Asda. It is offering suppliers payment up front, but on what terms?"

    2008-05-12T00:00:00Z

    It's 4.30pm, I am going to press in 30 minutes and until two minutes ago we thought we had what looked like a sensational story. Asda, we had learnt, had written to its suppliers to tell them it was launching an optional 'Pay Me Early'...

  • News

    Waitrose strikes fear into heart of specialists

    2008-05-12T00:00:00Z

    Waitrose has long been the darling of British farmers and foodies - but could its crown be about to slip with its latest move into smaller format stores? Next week, it opens the first of three trial Market Town stores in St Neots, Cambridgeshire. At...

  • News

    Chaos over Asda terms

    2008-05-12T00:00:00Z

    Asda has sparked panic among suppliers by sending out a letter that appeared to say it would pay them straight away, in exchange for them knocking 12% off the bill. However the letter failed to clearly explain that it was referring to the rate of...

  • News

    Asda won't say if it was whistleblower

    2008-05-12T00:00:00Z

    Asda has refused to confirm or deny speculation it sparked the latest investigation by the OFT into potential price-fixing of food and household products.Press reports surfaced last weekend that Asda was the whistleblower that prompted...

  • News

    Asda increases its African sourcing

    2008-05-12T00:00:00Z

    Asda has outlined plans to source an extra £30m of fresh produce from Africa over the next five years.The supermarket will source 20% more flowers from Kenya by the end of the year and will also buy more bananas, citrus, mangoes and...

  • News

    Waitrose gets the big eggs in

    2008-05-12T00:00:00Z

    Waitrose has begun stocking a new line of ostrich eggs.The giant eggs, which weigh about 2kg each and are equivalent to 24 large hen eggs, went on sale two weeks ago in selected stores and will be available until August.The eggs...

  • News

    Waitrose Market Town will go head-to-head with indies

    2008-05-12T00:00:00Z

    Waitrose is risking its position as the friendly face of supermarket retailing with its new smaller store format, experts have warned.The company is offering fresh meat and fish alongside bakery and deli counters in its new 10,000 sq ft...

  • News

    Ajinomoto to sue Asda over aspartame

    2008-05-12T00:00:00Z

    The world's largest artificial sweetener producer has issued legal proceedings against Asda for defamation after the supermarket labelled aspartame a 'nasty'.Ajinomoto Sweeteners, which had a £5.5bn turnover in the year to March 2007,...

  • News

    Tesco's bully-boy tactics are bad PR

    2008-05-12T00:00:00Z

    As Tesco pursues libel claims against two Thai journalists, a former Thai MP and The Guardian, it should reflect on McLibelMy mum comes back from Thailand with a front page news cutting from the Pattaya Mail headlined 'Protests against...

  • News

    Innocent and Asda vow to keep fighting on VAT

    2008-05-12T00:00:00Z

    Innocent and Asda have vowed to continue their campaigns to persuade the government to slash VAT on smoothies and fruit juices.This week, the government delivered a major blow to the two camps when it announced it had no plans to reduce...

  • News

    Price Survey - 10th May 2008

    2008-05-12T00:00:00Z

    Asda undercut the competition on a host of items to retain the cheapest retailer title this week, but Tesco was only a whisper behind. Nine of the items on the list were cheapest at Asda, which provided a £49.16 basket - just 29p less than Tesco's....

  • News

    Asda loses supplier of a third of its potatoes

    2008-05-10T00:00:00Z

    Scottish potato specialist Taypack has ended a £32m-a-year contract with Asda after a decade supplying the retailer in the hope of brokering better terms and a more sustainable price for its produce.The company, which supplied the...

  • News

    Top-Up shop

    2008-05-10T00:00:00Z

    Who we visited costcutter Eastbourne, East Sussexlondis Coten End, Warwickone stop Highbridge, Somersetpremier Kirkintilloch, East Dunbartonshiretesco express Kenton, Newcastle upon...

  • News

    Availability

    2008-05-10T00:00:00Z

    Asda Weston-super-Mare0The aisles were packed with shoppers at this Asda branch and staff were busily restocking shelves to keep up with demand. There were a few packing trolleys in various aisles but they were being unloaded...

  • News

    Top-Up shop

    2008-05-10T00:00:00Z

    Who we visited budgens Teddington, Middlesexco-operative late shop Aston-cum-Aughton, South Yorkshireco-op welcome Banchory, Aberdeenshirefelpham bazaar Felpham, West Sussextesco express...

  • News

    Top-Up shop

    2008-05-10T00:00:00Z

    Who we visited budgens Teddington, Middlesexco-operative late shop Aston-cum-Aughton, South Yorkshireco-op welcome Banchory, Aberdeenshirefelpham bazaar Felpham, West Sussextesco express...

  • News

    this week a year ago The winner was...

    2008-05-10T00:00:00Z

    South Yorkshire also claimed the Top Store prize this time last year, when Asda Handsworth in Sheffield dazzled our shopper with excellent customer service.Last year's scorching early spring prompted a shortage of stock of garden...

  • News

    Tesco steps up to summer

    2008-05-10T00:00:00Z

    Blazing sunshine is hardly typical Yorkshire weather, but one of the region's biggest outlets, Tesco Wath, has scooped this week's Top Store award for being well-prepared for the summer rush.Shoppers crammed the aisles of the 80,000 sq...

  • News

    Price Survey

    2008-05-10T00:00:00Z

    Morrisons has scuppered Asda's plans to record a fourth week as cheapest retailer, but only 49p separated the pair and the contest was settled on just one key item.Morrisons made no price hikes or cuts that affected this week's list, but...

  • News

    Price Survey

    2008-05-10T00:00:00Z

    Another batch of unbeatable prices has widened the gap between Asda and its rivals as it marks its third consecutive week as cheapest retailer.Once again Tesco came closest to matching its total - but Asda's winning basket was a...