The Co-op news and analysis – Page 80

  • News

    Two more societies sign up for The Co-operative fascia

    2008-02-11T00:00:00Z

    The drive to unify the co-op movement under a single brand received a boost this week when two more societies agreed to adopt 'The Co-operative' fascia.The Lothian Borders & Angus and Chelmsford Star co-ops will between them rebrand more...

  • News

    Milk merger collapse sparks dismay at 'lost opportunity'

    2008-02-11T00:00:00Z

    The proposed merger between dairy co-ops Milk Link and First Milk collapsed this week after the two parties failed to agree on a valuation for the businesses.The merger would have created a business with a turnover in excess of £1bn that...

  • News

    Sales of Cava up as drinkers spend less

    2008-02-11T00:00:00Z

    Marques de Monistrol has sealed a new UK supermarket listing with its latest launch, the Grand Tradicion Vintage Cava Rose 2005.The Spanish sparkling wine will be stocked in 330 Co-op stores from the end of March, retailing at...

  • News

    Waitrose/Co-op in Somerfield bid

    2008-02-04T00:00:00Z

    Waitrose and The Co-operative Group have teamed up to launch a joint bid for the Somerfield grocery chain, The Grocer has learnt. The two retailers will go head-to-head with Asda - currently the favourite to buy the retailer - and four or...

  • News

    The constructive approach - Q&A and Availability

    2008-02-04T00:00:00Z

    Deciding the winner of the Top Store award has been a tough call this week with all the retailers except Somerfield providing full baskets - but staff at Sainsbury's branch in Winchester, Hampshire, clinched it with an excellent display of customer...

  • News

    Top-Up shop

    2008-01-26T00:00:00Z

    Who we visited East of england co-op Stowmarket, Suffolkcostcutter Blackburn, West Lothianone stop Highbridge, Burnham-on-Seapremier Kirkintilloch, East Dunbartonshiretesco express Sutton, South...

  • News

    Commission must act to stop consolidation

    2008-01-26T00:00:00Z

    Sir; The sale of Somerfield is the latest major step in the consolidation of the grocery market ('Asda tipped to buy Somerfield for £2bn', The Grocer, 19 January, p4).Speculation suggests that bidders are three of the existing big four...

  • News

    Opinion - "Who will buy Somerfield? Asda's Andy Bond dismissed smaller format stores but he is reviewing the situation"

    2008-01-21T00:00:00Z

    It's no longer a question of if or when, now the cat's out the bag, the only question seems who. Assuming it can't be carved up (very hard to do), who would buy Somerfield, with its £4.6bn sales and its 908-strong portfolio of c-stores, forecourts...

  • News

    Asda tipped to buy Somerfield for £2bn

    2008-01-21T00:00:00Z

    Asda has emerged as the frontrunner in the race to buy high-street grocery chain Somerfield, The Grocer has learnt. Somerfield hired the bank Citigroup this week after receiving "some unsolicited approaches", according to a source close...

  • News

    East of England pulls out of milk processing

    2008-01-14T00:00:00Z

    The East of England Co-op is pulling out of the dairy processing sector, blaming tough market conditions. The co-op this week confirmed it is in discussions with Dairy Crest for a sale of its dairy distribution business in February that...

  • News

    Briddon to oversee north-west co-ops

    2008-01-14T00:00:00Z

    John Briddon has been appointed chief officer of The Co-operative Group's new north-west region, covering 553 food stores. The region, which stretches from Newcastle to Sheffield and from Rhyl to Hull, was the former trading area of...

  • News

    Supermarkets to stop selling battery eggs

    2008-01-07T08:14:00Z

    The Co-operative Group and Morrisons have pledged to stop selling eggs from caged birds.The Co-op Group said that it was planning to withdraw the sale of eggs from caged birds in the near future, while Morrisons said it would stop selling...

  • News

    Co-op Group consolidates distribution

    2008-01-07T00:00:00Z

    The Co-operative Group is set to close two food distribution sites in the north east of England to make way for a new 270,000 sq ft RDC. The £12m site will be built next to the Co-op Group's existing RDC in Birtley, Tyne & Wear, and is...

  • News

    Milk co-ops welcome OFT merger approval

    2008-01-07T00:00:00Z

    First Milk and Milk Link have welcomed the Office of Fair Trading's decision not to refer their merger plans to competition authorities - effectively giving it the green light. Having looked at territorial, milk supply, cheese production...

  • News

    Court slaps alcohol marking order on Somerfield store

    2007-12-17T00:00:00Z

    A Somerfield store must have all of its alcohol products marked by police so they can be traced back to the store if they are found in the possession of minors.The condition was imposed this week by a licensing panel at Brighton and Hove...

  • News

    In Brief: Tesco deal passed; Carluccio's on a roll; Honey helps coughs

    2007-12-10T00:00:00Z

    Tesco deal passed  The OFT has cleared the acquisition by Tesco of five former Somerfield stores in Thurso, Bedlington, Little Lever, Ramsbottom and North Hykeham.  Carluccio's on a roll  Italian restaurant and deli chain Carluccio's recorded a 66%...

  • News

    Price Survey - 8th December 2007

    2007-12-10T00:00:00Z

    For the first time in more than two months, Somerfield has replaced Waitrose as the UK's most expensive retailer, while Asda reached a 10th week as the cheapest. Somerfield's £49.43 basket reflected a 49p increase in the price of Cadbury Dairy Milk...

  • News

    OFT clears Tesco's acquisition of five Somerfield stores

    2007-12-05T08:33:00Z

    The OFT has cleared the acquisition by Tesco of five former Somerfield stores.The competition watchdog said it had decided not to refer the merger to the Competition Commission based on the information currently available to it.The...

  • News

    Dairylea determined to stay the big cheese

    2007-12-03T00:00:00Z

    Kraft's Dairylea accounted for 36% of featured space activity among the top five brands last weekend, 15 points ahead of second-placed Boursin. Asda and Somerfield allocated featured space chilled ends to the Dairylea range using save, x-for-y...

  • News

    Commission orders Tesco to sell store

    2007-11-29T08:35:00Z

    The Competition Commission will force Tesco to sell a controversial former Co-op store in Slough after concluding it had reduced competition in the area.Tesco also owns a 100,000sq ft superstore in the area, which is less than a mile away...