more supermarket news & analysis – Page 890

  • News

    United Co-op pours millions into developing new stores

    2007-01-13T00:00:00Z

    United Co-operatives intends to break through the 700-store barrier within three years - thanks to a £150m investment in its food business. Tim Hurrell, general manager for United Co-operatives' Food Group, said the society would use the...

  • News

    Pick rate report to put strain on Asda

    2007-01-13T00:00:00Z

    An independent report raising concerns about pick rates at an Asda depot could have far-reaching implications for the grocery distribution industry. Last year, an independent ergonomics expert accessed Asda's Wigan depot to assess pick...

  • News

    Sacked fag break workers cry foul

    2007-01-13T00:00:00Z

    Three former Morrisons workers sacked for taking a cigarette break are claiming unfair dismissal at an employment tribunal. The trio, employed as night shift workers at Morrisons' Inverurie store, were fired last October after being...

  • News

    Doubt over Essentials' future as store closes

    2007-01-13T00:00:00Z

    The future of Asda's Essentials format was thrown into doubt this week as the company confirmed the first store in the format was to close just 10 months after opening. The closure of the 8,000 sq ft Northampton store, which opened last...

  • News

    Condon takes marketing role at Tesco

    2007-01-13T00:00:00Z

    James Condon, former head of global marketing for George at Asda, has joined Tesco as its new head of brand communications and trade planning. Condon joined Asda in September 2003 to take on the responsibility for marketing Asda's George...

  • News

    Morrisons wraps in biodegradable

    2007-01-13T00:00:00Z

    Morrisons has started packing some of its organic produce in biodegradable and compostable plastics film. It follows Sainsbury's decision to use green packaging for 500 lines including ready meals with the aim of saving 4,000 tonnes of...

  • News

    Sainsbury's traffic lights are rewriting its NPD strategies

    2007-01-13T00:00:00Z

    Traffic-light labelling is having such an impact on its customers' purchasing behaviour that Sainsbury's has changed its new product development strategy to reflect this, the retailer told The Grocer this week. The multiple has decided...

  • News

    Pick a flavour any flavour

    2007-01-13T00:00:00Z

    When Procter & Gamble launched a variant of Pringles for Morrisons late last year it was apparently attempting to tap into the tastes of the northern retailer's consumers. Packs depicted a rural scene of a farmer tilling the land against a...

  • News

    M&S shares fall

    2007-01-10T08:22:00Z

    Shares in Marks and Spencer fell 4% to close on 696p yesterday, despite strong Christmas trading from the retailer.Like-for-like food sales rose 3.6% in the 13 weeks to 30 December and total food sales rose 9.5%. Total like-for-like sales...

  • News

    Waitrose sales rise

    2007-01-09T08:15:00Z

    John Lewis Partnership, the parent company of Waitrose, has reported strong Christmas trading for the supermarket chain.Like-for-like sales rose 5.6% in the five weeks to 6 January, with sales up 11%.“Our sales for Christmas and the...

  • News

    Tesco could sell land bank

    2007-01-08T00:00:00Z

    The Competition Commission's inquiry into the grocery industry could force Tesco to sell its land bank. At least two of the six members on the inquiry's panel are arguing Tesco's property portfolio is preventing rivals from entering local...

  • News

    Better Asda food pulls in 20 million

    2007-01-06T00:00:00Z

    Asda is the first of the big four to declare its Christmas trading performance, claiming it bucked the poor Christmas retail trend with sales above expectations. Customer numbers were up year-on-year by more than one million to 20 million...

  • News

    Co-op Group hails Christmas success

    2007-01-06T00:00:00Z

    It was a bumper Christmas for The Co-operative Group - thanks to better availability and new products. In an exclusive interview with The Grocer, Guy McCracken, chief executive officer of food retail for the society, said total...

  • News

    In Brief: Property venture; Strike is called off; Asda sues Leighton

    2007-01-06T00:00:00Z

    Property venture Tesco has entered into a property joint venture with British Airways Pension Fund to release £445m from its UK property portfolio. The deal includes 16 Tesco stores. Strike is called...

  • News

    JS chairman is knighted

    2007-01-06T00:00:00Z

    Major figures in grocery were recognised in the Queen's New Year's Honours list. Philip Hampton, chairman of Sainsbury's since 2004, was knighted. Sir Philip received the honour for public service. Gavin Neath, general manager of...

  • News

    Top-Up shop

    2007-01-06T00:00:00Z

    Who we visited. Spar Crawley, West Sussex. Londis Cheadle, Stockport. Shell Buckland, Surrey Sainsbury's forecourt West Green, Crawley Tesco Express, Red Kiln Way, Horsham. How they...

  • News

    Availability

    2007-01-06T00:00:00Z

    Asda Ashton-under-Lyne, Manchester. 0 A full basket and impressive levels of customer service made Asda in Ashton-under-Lyne the clear winner of this week's Top Store Award. Our shopper also spotted a variety of tempting special...

  • News

    They've learnt how to do it

    2007-01-06T00:00:00Z

    Asda's 53,000 sq ft Ashton store, the winner of this week's Top Store Award, had just benefited from a festive facelift when our shopper visited on the Friday before New Year's Eve. Work had been carried out to increase space in the store's...

  • News

    Bogof's week

    2007-01-06T00:00:00Z

    This week came news that B&Q made candidates dance, sing and pull funny faces to secure a van driving job. You wouldn't see such frivolity at a supermarket, would you? Well, actually, yes. Suppliers to Asda were asked to dress up in costumes and...

  • News

    Sir Terry Leahy's agenda

    2007-01-06T00:00:00Z

    ?Health and the environment will continue to be at the top of our agenda because they are both becoming increasingly important to our customers. On health we start the new year with our GDA nutritional labelling on more products and very soon we...