Sainsbury’s to join price match battle October 9, 2011 SAINSBURY’S will turn up the heat this week in the price war between the UK’s leading supermarkets with a pledge to match thousands of prices at rivals Tesco and Asda. The supermarket announced yesterday that it will start its “brand match” campaign this Wednesday, just two weeks after Tesco launched a £500m “Big Price Drop” [...]
Early xmas deals boost retail sector November 17, 2011 Early pre-Christmas promotions gave a surprise lift to British retail sales in October, driving up volumes at their fastest pace since June, official data showed on Thursday. The Office for National Statistics said sales volumes including automotive fuel rose 0.6 per cent last month after a 0.5 per cent rise in September and confounding forecasts [...]
Asda’s bid for Iceland warms up with Barcap September 25, 2011 ASDA appears to have moved closer to a bid for frozen food chain Iceland by lining up backing from Barclays Capital. It comes after Asda, Britain’s second-largest supermarket, brought on board advisers from Lazard in June to help it put together an offer. Iceland’s current owner, the resolution committee of collapsed bank Landsbanki, needs to [...]
Morrisons sales at top end of forecasts November 10, 2011 Wm Morrison confirmed its position as the fastest-growing of Britain’s top four supermarket groups on Thursday with a rise in third-quarter sales driven by a focus on fresh foods and low prices. The fourth-biggest grocer behind J Sainsbury, Wal-Mart’s Asda and market leader Tesco said sales at stores open a year rose 2.4 per cent [...]
Five bidders circle Iceland October 20, 2011 AT LEAST five private equity firms were poised to submit first-round non-binding offers for a 77 per cent stake in frozen food retailer Iceland Foods by yesterday’s deadline, four people familiar with the matter said. Iceland Foods’ chief executive and key investor Malcolm Walker is thinking about bidding for the company later in the process, [...]
Five bidders circle Iceland October 20, 2011 AT LEAST five private equity firms were poised to submit first-round non-binding offers for a 77 per cent stake in frozen food retailer Iceland Foods by yesterday’s deadline, four people familiar with the matter said. Iceland Foods’ chief executive and key investor Malcolm Walker is thinking about bidding for the company later in the process, [...]
Brit heads up new Walmart arm September 28, 2011 American supermarket behemoth Walmart has shaken up its top team, and has chosen British exec David Cheesewright to head a new division encompassing the UK, Canada and Sub-Saharan Africa. Cheesewright, the former chief operating officer of Walmart-owned Asda, was most recently chief exec of Canadian operations.
Sainsbury’s sales edge up October 5, 2011 Sainsbury’s posted an expected rise in second-quarter underlying sales as store extensions and growth in convenience stores, online and non-food ranges helped it to overcome tough trading conditions. The group, which trails Wal-Mart’s Asda and market leader Tesco by annual sales, said on Wednesday sales at stores open over a year rose 1.9 per cent [...]
Sales surge at Morrisons September 8, 2011 MORRISONS marked its forecast-beating first half results with a renewed effort to finally enter the online delivery market – more than a decade after its rivals launched their services. The supermarket saw an 8.9 per cent rise in first-half profits to £449m, as a focus on fresh foods, low prices and promotions helped it chip [...]
Sales surge at Morrisons September 8, 2011 MORRISONS marked its forecast-beating first half results with a renewed effort to finally enter the online delivery market – more than a decade after its rivals launched their services. The supermarket saw an 8.9 per cent rise in first-half profits to £449m, as a focus on fresh foods, low prices and promotions helped it chip [...]