Supermarket/Grocery

Commentary: Is a Target, Walmart Price War About to Break Out?
In light of Target shares dropping 15% after their latest earnings announcement, Target CEO Brian Cornell said executives would be detailing moves for greater pricing aggressiveness and increased merchandise differentiation, both tactics that Target has been known for historically. Cornell’s pricing reference led to speculation about a price war with Walmart, which many experts surmise Target simply can’t win. Speculation aside, is a price war poised to erupt between these two mega-retailers?
Croatian grocer enhances supplier collaboration
A growing supermarket retailer in the Adriatic region has deployed a solution to better manage its disparate inventory levels. Konzum, part of the 2,000-store Agrokor group with 2,000 stores in the Adriatic region, has been expanding its footprint through accelerated acquisitions have accelerated Konzum’s growth. But the strategy has created a diversified store network, each with different store layouts and inventories. These issues also force the grocery chain to manage disparate inventory files, and deal with order exceptions.

Report: Traffic declines at Whole Foods Market 'staggering'

The nation’s largest supermarket retailer is stealing customers from Whole Foods Market. That’s according to a report by Cincinnati Business Courier, which cites a new study by Barclays investment analyst Karen Short. Whole Foods has lost up to 14 million customers during the past six quarters, according Short.
Amazon debuts grocery pick-up concept
Supermarket giant’s new website tells employee ‘stories’

Kroger Co. wants to give its employees a voice — and now they have one. Eager to highlight the accomplishments, milestones, and personal connections made by its associates, Kroger Co. introduced Krogersteries.com, a website dedicated to its employees’ contributions, and the impact they make on the company.
Study: Restaurants deliver halo effect for retail centers

For the first time ever in 2016, U.S. restaurant sales eclipsed grocery store sales — and that’s good news for retail centers The amount of space dedicated to food in retail centers has grown from 5% in 2007 to 15% today. And the trend is expected to increase to 20% by 2025, according to a study, “The Successful Integration of Food & Beverage within Retail Real Estate,” from the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC).
Walmart debuts updated Neighborhood Market format

Walmart is going on the offense as German grocery giant Lidl prepares to enter the United States this summer. The discounter has rolled out a new prototype for its Neighborhood Market grocery-store concept in a handful of markets nationwide.
Supermarket retailer taps 24-year-company veteran to head real estate

A Publix Super Markets associate who started his career with the company as a part-time meat cutter has been named VP of real estate strategy. Publix promoted Bob Balcerak to the top real estate post, effective April 3, 2017. As VP, he will oversee the selection of new sites and management of leased properties for Publix stores.
Report: Amazon could upend retail with new brick-and-mortar formats

Amazon is keeping all its options open when it comes to exploring new concepts. The online giant is exploring an array of brick-and-mortar ideas, from electronics stores to stores that sell furniture and appliance, that would use technology in ways and have a dramatic impact on how other stores operate, reported The New York Times.
Supreme Court decision a win for large retailers

The way has been cleared for retailers to challenge swipe fees in the coming years. The Supreme Court on Monday declined to reinstate a class-action lawsuit settlement that would have blocked merchants from challenging Visa and MasterCard over credit card swipe fees.
Report: In-store electronic pricing helps bottom line

Electronic shelf labels are poised to gain momentum. That’s according to a new report by ABI Research, which said that several big-box retail deployments of the technology will trigger a domino effect in market growth over the next two years. The company predicted that the electronic shelf label (ESL) market will grow tenfold by 2022, hitting more than $4 billion in global revenues.
Tech Bytes: ‘Transfiguration’ take-aways from Oracle Industry Connect

Shoppers want their favorite brands to know who they are, feature their preferred merchandise, and overall, offer an “experience” that appeals to them — and only them. This point was driven home at Oracle Industry Connect, held in Orlando, Florida, March 20-22. During the conference, industry observers defined how retail is undergoing a “transfiguration,” or a shift to providing an elevated customer experience. What’s at the core of this change? In a word: personalization.