Ocado outperforms its rivals during Christmas and sees sales rise 15pc January 14, 2015 ONLINE grocer Ocado yesterday announced that it had outperformed its traditional supermarket rivals over Christmas, adding it was confident about prospects in 2015 despite an escalating price war. The firm, whose range includes products supplied by upmarket grocer Waitrose, said sales growth in December continued at the rate it achieved in the final quarter of [...]
It’s high time supermarkets had a radical lesson in supply chain management February 10, 2015 Every year, the supermarkets hire substantial batches of high-flying graduates to work in their buying departments. The urban mythology is that these expensively-educated young people are paid to shout down the phone, browbeating suppliers to offer yet more discounts. This hectoring seems to be at the heart of the recent decision of the Groceries Code [...]
The Bottle Opener: Winemaking in the middle east March 5, 2015 Among the many wonderful things about wine are the extraordinary people who make it. Part artist, part scientist, they are always passionate, hopefully commercially minded, and never dull. Of all of them, Serge Hochar of Lebanon’s Chateau Musar was one of the most magnificent. It was his passion that created one of the world’s finest [...]
Thames Water releases updated 12 Days of Christmas video as an “anti-fatberg” message December 15, 2014 If you're the sort of person for whom jolly Christmas songs can all get a bit sickly then Thames Water might just have the festive message for you. The utilities company – which has spent much of the year battling fatbergs in the city's sewers – has recorded a reworked version of the 12 [...]
Nightmare on high street: How discounters stole Tesco’s market share December 19, 2014 Although at first glance any shift in the share of the grocery market seems slim, the changes that have taken place over the last two years tell an interesting story. It shows the gradual increase of smaller companies such as Aldi, Lidl and Waitrose at the expense of larger chains such as Tesco, Sainsbury’s [...]
Blackstone mulls £1.5bn takeover of drinks bottler December 7, 2014 US PRIVATE equity giant Blackstone Group is considering a £1.5bn takeover bid for Refresco Gerber, Europe’s largest soft drinks bottler, it emerged yesterday. The US investment specialist is among several interested parties weighing up bids for the Anglo-Dutch company. Blackstone’s private equity rival KKR and CVC Partners are also rumoured to be circling, with bids [...]
Lidl’s Lidl Surprises Christmas advert helps to keep discounter ahead of the game – Brand Index December 9, 2014 Budget supermarkets, and specifically Aldi and Lidl, have taken the British high street by storm, with consumers warmly embracing the German retailers’ “low price but high quality” message. All supermarkets have ramped up their advertising efforts in time for Christmas. However, Lidl’s Lidl Surprises displays a confidence that they can challenge the big brands not [...]
David vs Goliath? Why Tesco’s “Every Little Helps” is losing the battle for supermarket supremacy October 3, 2014 Like most of us, I’ve been watching the differing fortunes of Tesco and Aldi play out over the past few days. And it’s compulsive viewing, not least of all because we love the underdog. Plucky little Aldi with just 500 stores, takes on the might of Tesco and gives the goliath a bloody nose. Great [...]
German food discounters Aldi and Lidl enjoy premium branding buzz – Brand Index January 13, 2015 In another blow to traditional British grocers in the ongoing supermarket price war, budget food retailers Aldi and Lidl are the highest performing brands in YouGov’s BrandIndex Buzz score rankings for 2014. But there is still good news for some more of Britain’s most loved retailers, such as John Lewis and Marks & Spencer. The [...]
Waitrose and Tesco to set up Tube collection January 29, 2014 TESCO and Waitrose are opening six click-and-collect points each in the London Underground this year, as part of TfL’s efforts to get more retailers using the Tube. The supermarkets will follow Asda, which is running a six-month trial in car parks near Tube stations, with plans to open more outlets this year. Tesco will launch [...]