  | Global retail industry news |  |
- Metro CEO says consumers can still find deals
Eric La Fleche, president and CEO of Canada's Metro, said that although the prices of some foods are rising, consumers are able to find great deals due to increased competition. "Promotional prices are very, very aggressive because of the competitive situation," La Fleche said. Wal-Mart's presence in Canada has ramped up competition and is expected to continue to do so when it opens supercentres. Google/The Canadian Press (20 Apr.)       - Ben & Jerry's to roll out franchises across Australia
Ben & Jerry's, the US-based ice-cream company, has tweaked the franchise model for the Australian retail environment, according to brand manager Johnny Hammond. The company is striving to avoid the missteps of other large food retailers. "Many US food businesses have come to Australia and failed because they have tried to replicate what they do in their home market here. But we know the Australian market is different and our model caters for its idiosyncrasies," Hammond said. The Sydney Morning Herald (Australia) (21 Apr.)  | Learn about the top insurance risks manufacturers face today with Zurich's Virtual Consulting tool. Sign up for FREE access today! |
 - Tesco acquires majority stake in video-on-demand firm
Tesco, one of the largest retailers in the world, has bought an 80% stake in blinkbox, a video-on-demand company based in the UK. "Whether customers want to own the DVD, download a digital movie, stream a rental or all three, Tesco is committed to giving customers choice," said Tesco UK CEO Richard Brasher. "We want to allow them to decide how they access entertainment content and on which devices, whether it's on PC, TV or tablet." The Guardian (London)/PDA Blog (20 Apr.), Reuters (20 Apr.) - Argos says CEO to leave, plans home shopping channel
Home Retail Group said that Sara Weller will step down as CEO of its subsidiary Argos. Home Retail made the announcement as it reported an annual profit of £254 million, down 13% from the previous year. Argos plans to launch a home shopping TV channel showcasing the retailer's products. The channel also will have product demonstrations and new trial products. Bloomberg (20 Apr.), InternetRetailing.net (20 Apr.)  | The Print Big Save Big Sale. Save up to 55% on all banners. Affordable, custom-made signs, banners, posters and displays from FedEx Office Print & Ship Centers℠. Get your message out in a big way with everything from full-color banners to photo-quality posters, to yard signs, auto magnets and more. Offer ends 5/15. |
 | Retail in Asia |  | | | - Italy's Luxottica tweaks sunglasses for Asian market
Luxottica, the Italian eyewear maker and retailer, is tailoring its sunglasses for the Chinese market. Ray-Ban, Vogue and Oakley, which are Luxottica's own brands, have already launched Asian collections, and three of the brands the company produces -- Prada, Dolce & Gabbana and Burberry -- will soon follow. "We need to really become domestic in these markets," said Luxottica CEO Andrea Guerra. "We are in the process of understanding that in the world there are a number of diversities." The Wall Street Journal (tiered subscription model) (21 Apr.) - Beijing-based Jingkelong ramps up expansion plans
Jingkelon, the supermarket retailer based in Beijing, plans to open 20 convenience stores, eight supermarkets and several hypermarkets this year. Jingkelong reported an 11.2% increase in operating revenue for 2010. Last year, the retailer opened a dozen regular chain stores and nine franchised stores. ChinaRetailNews.com (20 Apr.)  | Are you keeping up with the changing world of employee health care? Get The Basics of Employee Health Care for Small Business: A Guide to Creating a Company Benefit Plan, and find out what you need to know today. There's no obligation. Click to download a FREE whitepaper. |
 | E-commerce Spotlight | | | | | Spotlight on Consumer Electronics | | | | - Harvey Norman reports decline in sales
Harvey Norman, the furniture and electrical retailer, reported AU$4.7 billion in total sales from operations in Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Northern Ireland and Slovenia for the nine months ending in March. Gerry Harvey, executive chairman at the retail giant, said that the downturn in consumer discretionary spending hurt. "If you took the top 500 electrical and computer shops across all brands in Australia, the bigger majority of them would all be down on last year," he said. The Australian (21 Apr.), The Sydney Morning Herald (Australia) (21 Apr.) | NRF News | | | | - Research: The true ROI of mobile and social
Based on the findings of the State of Retailing Online 2011 Marketing report, executives from Moosejaw, OfficeMax and Forrester Research will discuss the latest trends in online marketing during a May 5 webinar. The panel will discuss whether social media is really changing the way retailers interact with their customers and what mobile is actually yielding retailers at this stage. Shop.org members gain free access to all Marketing Month webinars; non-members can register for $495 for the complete four-webinar series. Learn more.
| SmartQuote | | | |  | Material power that is not counterbalanced by adequate spiritual power, that is, by love and wisdom, is a curse."
--Arnold J. Toynbee,
British historian  |
| | This SmartBrief was created for cpgbrokers.data@blogger.com
|
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please comment thoughtfully CPG Brokers, your best resource to optimize your in store self exposure and maximize sku distribution.