All articles by Planet Retail – Page 59
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News
South Korea parliament considers limits on supermarket business
The country’s parliament is considering two bills that would impose restrictions on the opening and business of large supermarkets. Under one bill, currently passing through parliament, opening an urban supermarket with an area of between 10,760 sq ft and 32,290 sq ft would require permission from the local government. ...
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Costco annual sales hit £47.78bn
Grocery retailer Costco has reported net sales hit $76.25bn (£47.78bn) for the full year ended August 29, up 9% on the previous year. Like-for-like sales rose 4%, with the US up 2% and international up 8%. Costco currently operates 573 warehouse clubs, including 417 in the US and Puerto Rico, ...
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99¢ Only Stores Q2 sales increase 2.7%
Discount chain 99¢ Only Stores recorded a 2.7% increase in sales during its second quarter to $334m (£209m). Like-for-like sales grew by 0.6%. During the second quarter the company opened four stores and closed one. CEO Eric Schiffer commented: “We believe that we will have a strong holiday season, and, ...
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Target considers entering Canada
US general merchandise retailer Target is considering entering Canada with as many as 200 stores, in the company’s first move beyond US borders. The discount retailer gave the clearest indication of its intention so far when its representatives spent the past few days meeting with Canadian developers at a shopping ...
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Amazon acquires Spanish ecommerce company BuyVIP for £61.4m
Amazon has announced it has completed the acquisition of the Spanish ecommerce company BuyVIP for about €70m (£61.4m). BuyVip offers overstock items from brands such as Dolce & Gabbana, Louis Vuitton and Levi’s at steep discounts. The company doesn’t buy the stock itself but acts as a broker between fashion ...
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dm-drogerie markt tops £3.5bn in sales
Drugstore retailer dm-drogerie markt topped the €4bn (£3.5bn) sales mark in Germany in the financial year ended September 30, a sales increase of at least 7% on 2008/09. Although a reduction compared with the double-digit growth rate it achieved over the past couple of years, the company said the sales ...
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Pandora raises £1.3bn through IPO
Jewellery manufacturer and retailer Pandora had a successful IPO raising $2.1bn (£1.3bn). Demand was high as the company continues to grow sales in Europe and the US, where its charm bracelets are becoming increasingly popular.
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Saturn opens its first store in Russia
Metro Group-owned consumer electronics retailer Saturn has opened its first store in the country. The 5,060 sq ft store is located in Moscow’s Vegas Mall, the country’s largest shopping centre. A second Saturn store is scheduled for Voronezh in late 2010 and several other stores are being planned. Metro Group’s ...
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H&M Q3 sales rise 20%
H&M reported a 20% rise in third-quarter profit with strong August sales offset by rising costs that ate into gross margins. In the quarter ended August 31, profit after tax was Skr4.24bn (£367m),a jump of 23%. Sales including VAT for the quarter were Skr31.47bn (£2.7bn), an increase of 14%. Group ...
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Ahold appoints Europe COO Dick Boer as CEO
Ahold has appointed Dick Boer as chief executive of the company, with effect from March 2011. He will succeed John Rishton, who is leaving to become chief executive of Rolls-Royce.Boer, who has been with the company since 1998, is chief operating officer of Ahold’s European division and member of the ...
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Couche-Tard drops pursuit of Casey's General Stores
Canada-based convenience store operator Couche-Tard has dropped its almost six-month-long pursuit of US convenience chain Casey’s General Stores. Couche-Tard said it had allowed its offer of $38.50 (£24.30) per share to expire - none of Casey’s common stock was purchased and all tendered shares will be returned promptly.“We have decided ...
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Kmart to expand own-brand portfolio with the introduction of new range
Sears-owned mass merchandiser Kmart has announced the expansion of its own-brand portfolio with the introduction of the Smart Sense line. The new private label includes a wide range of items from snacks and beverages to oral care, household cleaners and over-the-counter medications.According to the retailer, the Smart Sense line is ...
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Eroski posts decrease in turnover to £3.1bn
Eroski has posted a 1.05% decrease in turnover to €3.7bn (£3.1bn) for the first half ended July 31. Pre-tax loss for the period decreased 50% to €34m (£28m).The supermarket chain managed to cut its debts to €265m (£220m) and to keep its competitive position in the market via a reduction ...
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Lidl to acquire competitor Tengelmann's Plus discount stores in Bulgaria
Lidl has been given the regulatory go-ahead to acquire competitor Tengelmann’s Plus discount stores in Bulgaria.Following an investigation by the country’s competition commission, the authority concluded that the deal would not hinder competition in the retail market. Plus Bulgaria has been running 23 stores since October 2009, with a staff ...
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Hornbach records rise of 3.6% in sales for H1
Home improvement group Hornbach has reported a rise of 3.6% in sales to e1.66bn (£1.4bn) for the first half ended on August 31. Sales for the second quarter were up 6.5%.On a like-for-like basis, sales rose 0.8% in the first half and were up 3.7% in the second quarter. EBIT ...
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Amazon launches first ecommerce storefront on Facebook for Pampers
Amazon has launched its first ecommerce storefront on Facebook, for nappy manufacturer Pampers. Under a ‘Shop Now’ tab on the Pampers Facebook page, people can buy nappies as well as other products from parent company Procter & Gamble (including Tide, Olay and Pantene products) through Amazon.Customers on the Pampers Facebook ...
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Makro Cash & Carry appoints Antoine Peleyras as CEO
Metro Group-owned Makro Cash & Carry has appointed Antoine Peleyras as its new chief executive officer.Until 2005 he held the position of supply chain and merchandise director at Carrefour Marinopoulos in Greece and then the position of merchandise director in the Carrefour hypermarket division in France.More recently, he was managing ...
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Mall opening a first for Aldi in US
German hard discounter Aldi Süd has announced the opening of its first store located in an enclosed shopping mall in the US. The 20,000 sq ft store will open in May, 2011 at Westfield Chicago Ridge, Illinois.“We are pleased to partner with Westfield on this fresh new approach to shopping ...