SPAR Slovenia encourages sustainable shoppingIn July, SPAR Slovenia joins the International Plastic-Free Month celebrations. SPAR Slovenia sells over 65% of its fruit and vegetables without packaging and further reduces plastic packaging by using more eco-friendly and recycled materials.
Source: spar-international.com
Spain: Consum to invest €220mln for expansion in CataloniaSpanish supermarket chain Consum plans to expand its business in Catalonia with an investment of €220mln over the next three years. The 2025-2027 plan foresees the opening of 60 new stores, including 18 large Consum supermarkets annually and 15-18 Charter convenience stores each year. Consum is upgrading its Zona Franca logistics platform, which handles fruit, meat, fish, and non-food items, to support its expanding store network.
Source: esmmagazine.com
UK: Crisp packets, bread bags and yoghurt tops to get a new life as fruit & veg planters for schoolsTesco reported: Hundreds of thousands of pieces of soft plastics, such as bread bags and crisp packets, dropped off by customers at Tesco stores are helping green fingered kids learn about fruit and veg. As part of the supermarket's Stronger Starts programme, around 400 schools across the country, that already receive support from Tesco's Fruit & Veg for Schools initiative, are receiving fruit & veg planters made from recycled plastic, that pupils can use to try out growing their own produce. To help them get growing straight away, Tesco and its horticulture supplier Westland are also providing the pupils with compost as well as strawberry, cucumber and tomato seeds. Tesco Fruit & Veg for Schools supports pupils in schools where there is a higher-than-average free school meal ratio, and in total aims to provide around 16mln pieces of fruit and vegetables. Since the launch of the programme, pupils in the schools taking part have enjoyed almost 590,000 kilos of fruit and veg! The five most popular items of fruit were apples, bananas, oranges, kiwi and melons, and most popular veg were potatoes and carrots".
Source: tescoplc.com
South Korea: Emart 24 launches unmanned fruit refrigerator 'Pinkkio' to meet consumer demandEmart 24 announced that it will introduce the unmanned fruit refrigerator 'Pinkkio' in collaboration with the domestic unmanned fruit franchise Orot. Emart 24's decision to implement the unmanned fruit refrigerator is due to the increasing number of single-person households and the rising consumer trend that values convenience, leading to higher demand for smaller fruit portions. 'Pinkkio' can be seen as a small fruit convenience store, mainly providing seasonal small-sized fruits. Typical offerings include watermelon, melon, pineapple, and apple cut into pieces of around 200 to 400 grams.
Source: biz.chosun.com
China: JD.com purchases local supermarket chain Kai Bo Food for $4bln, report saysHong Kong supermarket chain Kai Bo Food Supermarket has reportedly been acquired by JD.com for around HK$4bln, according to a local media report. Following the acquisition, a new company is expected to be established on August 1 to manage daily operations under the joint direction of JD.com and the supermarket firm.
Source: thestandard.com.hk
M&S shoppers go wild for bizarre fruit that's leaving them completely dividedM&S shoppers are going wild for a bizarre hybrid fruit that's leaving them divided. The posh retailer has brought back its Limelon, shaped and tasting like a melon with a hint of lime. But customers and foodies have been left divided over the £3 buy, which was launched for the first time in 2020.
Source: thesun.co.uk
UK: Retail Insight announces WasteInsight AI grocery retail platform expansion including food safety warningsRetail Insight, an AI powered analytics platform for grocery retailers, has announced enhancements to its WasteInsight platform with several new capabilities: Stock Exit Management, Intelligent Donation Enablement, and Food Safety Warnings. "Food waste has moved from a backroom operational headache to a boardroom level priority for UK grocers", says Alex Considine Tong, Chief Product Officer at Retail Insight.
Source: retailtechinnovationhub.com
UK: Kent berry grower celebrates record year with AldiThanks to the great weather in recent months, WB Chambers has grown bigger berries than ever, contributing to a 34% increase in British berry sales at Aldi compared with 2024. The business has been supplying British berries to Aldi for over 10 years and in 2024, delivered nearly 44mln punnets - its largest volume to stores nationwide to date. WB Chambers supplies a wide range of quality fruit to the UK's fourth largest supermarket such as strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, plums and cherries.
Source: nationalworld.com
UK: Kids Eat Free scheme returns to Tesco Cafés for summer holidaysTesco reported: "Tesco is bringing back its Kids Eat Free scheme to its 328 Cafés and Coffee Shops across the UK over the summer holidays (excluding weekends). The Kids Pick 'n' Mix includes a sandwich, a drink, two snacks and a piece of fresh fruit, so there's something healthy and satisfying to feed hungry children from breakfast until dinner".
Source: tescoplc.com
US: Safeway workers poised to strike in CaliforniaUnionized Safeway workers in Northern California are set to go on strike on July 26 if they fail to reach an agreement on contract negotiations, according to a statement from United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) locals 5, 8, and 648.
Source: supermarketnews.com
US: Zupan's Markets celebrates 50 years as a family-owned staple in PortlandOregon's Zupan's Markets is celebrating 50 years as Portland's locally owned grocer. Zupan's Markets' story began in 1975, when John Zupan, a grocery industry veteran with a deep passion for fresh produce, opened his first store. Over the years, Zupan's Markets has expanded and evolved, shifting from traditional grocery formats to small markets that prioritize high-quality perishables, artisan goods and local flavors.
Source: progressivegrocer.com
Costa Rica: Compre Bien inaugurates a new and unique way of shopping in NicoyaCompre Bien opened its doors in Nicoya with dozens of people waiting to discover the wide variety of products offered by the supermarket chain. This new supermarket is committed to convenience for its customers and offers them products that they cannot find in the canton, such as an exclusive selection of meats, cold cuts, cheeses, and organic vegetables.
Source: vozdeguanacaste.com
Lowes Foods is the Supermarket News 2025 Retailer of the YearSupermarket News, the premier publication serving the grocery and retail industries, announced that it has named Lowes Foods as its 2025 Retailer of the Year. The Retailer of the Year honor is awarded each year to one grocery company that continuously innovates while also preserving its legacy.
Source: supermarketnews.com