UK: Iceland to axe Swift convenience store chain

Iceland, the UK frozen food retailer, has announced plans to close its five-strong Swift convenience store chain, according to an article in Retail Gazette. The Swift convenience store model was launched in November 2021 on a trial basis in Newcastle upon Tyne, before expanding to London in March 2022. Unlike its larger format stores, Iceland’s […]
France: Carrefour to acquire Cora and Match banners from Louis Delhaize

Global retail giant Carrefour has entered into an agreement to acquire the Cora and Match banners in France from Louis Delhaize. Cora and Match operate 60 hypermarkets and 115 supermarkets and have a workforce of around 24,000. Carrefour said the acquired stores would complement it geographically, especially in eastern and northern France, where it currently […]
USA: Walgreens Boots Alliance to close 450 branches across UK and US

Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA), a global leader in retail pharmacy, has announced the closure of 300 Boots stores in the UK and a further 150 Walgreens branches in the US, according to BBC and Financial Times reports. Speaking in a conference call to announce its financial results for the third quarter of fiscal 2023, the […]
France: Auchan expands retail footprint to Algeria

French retailer Auchan has announced the opening of it first store in Algeria, with doors expected to open in Q4 of this year. In a press release, Auchan said the expansion to Algeria, which is the third country that the group has entered in Africa after Senegal and Cote d’Ivoire, has been made possible through […]
Netherlands: Spar enters Latin America

Dutch convenience retailer Spar has announced its first foray into the Latin American market with the opening of an outlet located in Paraguaian city of Luque. In a statement, Spar said the new store, which opened on 5th May, is operated by Amiria Group, which has been granted a license to operate the brand in the […]
USA: Coborn’s to acquire Sullivan’s Foods stores

US retailer Coborn’s has announced it has signed an agreement to acquire Sullivan’s Foods grocery stores and other retail units in Illinois, expanding its operations to a new state. According a report in Progressive Grocer, the deal includes 11 grocery stores, one convenience store and fuel centre, three hardware stores, one central office and a […]
Germany: Tegut to take over organic supermarket chain Basic

German retailer Tegut has announced the acquisition of organic supermarket chain Basic after the latter reportedly ran into financial difficulties. Headquarted in Munich, Basic has a network of 19 outlets and headcount of 500. Commenting on the deal, Basic CEO Christoph Eich said: “We are very pleased to now be a part of the Tegut […]
Australia: Uber Eats expands grocery delivery footprint with Coles tie-up

Uber Eats, the food courier company, is partnering with retailer Coles to establish a grocery delivery service across Australia, according to a report in the Sydney Morning Herald. The new service, which has already launched with 40 stores in Melbourne, is set to cover 500 outlets nationwide, and will reportedly offer groceries delivered on the Uber […]
France: Carrefour planning up to 18 stores under Potager City banner

Carrefour, the leading French supermarket chain, is planning to open up to 18 local stores under the Potager City banner by the end of the autumn, according to a report in LSA. An addition to the firm’s Carrefour Proximite portfolio of convenience stores, Potager City aims to cater to the essential food needs of city-dwellers with […]
UK: Sainsbury’s launches laundry detergent in cartons

Sainsbury’s, the UK grocery retailer, has announced what it claims is a UK first, with the launch of a new line of laundry detergents in cartons, replacing its existing 750ml plastic bottles. The supermarket chain said the switch from plastic to cardboard would halve carbon emissions associated with the range, as well as taking 13 lorries […]