Western Europe news & analysis

Leading UK convenience retailer Co-op has announced its full-year results for the 52 weeks to 31 December 2022, reporting revenue growth across food and wholesale. Overall, Group revenue reached £11.5bn, 3% higher than last year. Action taken at the start of the financial year has left Co-op in a strong position to face further economic challenges. These include tighter prioritisation of spend...

Having opened a Phase 1 investigation into the acquisition of Co-op’s 132 petrol forecourt sites by Asda in January 2023, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has announced it has found the deal raises competition concerns in 13 locations across the UK. In the 13 locations the CMA believes the businesses currently compete for customers and would not face sufficient competition after the...

The Grocer has reported that independent chain Jempson’s is to become the second Together with Morrisons retailer, with plans to convert its six stores to the dual-branded fascia. Jempson’s will convert its superstore in Peasmarsh to the new fascia later this spring, with the remainder of the estate to follow during 2023. The move will be a blow for Nisa, which has been Jempson’s primary supplier...

Morrisons has opened a new recycling plant in Fife that will reprocess previously ‘hard-to-recycle’ soft plastics. The site is co-owned by Morrisons and was constructed and will be operated by recycling plant specialists Yes Recycling. A number of other organisations, including Nestlé UK & Ireland and Zero Waste Scotland, have also been involved in the development of the facility. The new recy...

Sainsbury's and Tesco have both hit significant milestones in their convenience operations this week.  Sainsbury’s breaches £3 billion in convenience revenues Sainsbury’s has announced that its convenience stores have achieved sales of £3 billion for the first time. The business, which comprises over 800 stores across the UK, grew 10% year-on-year in the financial year to date and are up 7%...

Tesco is poised to expand its partnership with Mexican food-to-go specialist Burrito Kitchen in its London stores. Burrito Kitchen opened a Mexican food kiosk in the Tesco Metro (now an Express) in Cheapside in 2015. Since then, Burrito Kitchen – which operates standalone restaurants in Millbank and the Merry Hill shopping centre – has since gone on to take over the operations of the salad bar...

Asda Stores and Publicis Sapient have announced a partnership to transform Asda’s online grocery business, “enabling the retailer on its journey of independence from former owner Walmart and helping Asda build its digital future.” The programme will see Publicis Sapient take on the overall transformation of Asda’s ecommerce capability, delivering a new digital platform before April 2024. Asd...

Asda has announced changes to its senior leadership team, including the appointment of a new chief customer officer. David Hills will join as chief customer officer later this year from Aldi, where he is currently group director, marketing & communications. Hills joined the discounter in 2007 and held a number of senior commercial roles before taking up his current position in 2013. Asda’s act...

Sainsbury’s is introducing £2 fruit and vegetable boxes. Following a successful trial in January, the boxes are now available in over 200 selected supermarkets. The ‘Taste Me, Don’t Waste Me’ boxes will include a variety of surplus fresh fruit and vegetables and the boxes will be sold for a lower price to help ensure customers have access to affordable, nutritious food amid the cost-of-living cri...

M&S has unveiled a trial premium tier of its Sparks loyalty programme. The Sparks Plus scheme will see shoppers pay an upfront fee of £120 per year in exchange for benefits said to be worth in excess of £200, including a monthly £10 voucher, unlimited next-day delivery and a free monthly hot drink from M&S cafes. Members will also receive a ‘special gift’, invites to in-store events, double chari...