Grocer back issues from October 2007:
Opinion.(Brief article)(Column)
Oct 06, 2007; ... Allow me, just this once, an indulgence. Tesco's results, Cadbury job losses, Nisa-Today's conference, food price inflation, VAT on wheatgrass, Ocado's business model, all are potential subjects for this column. I am instead going to talk about sweeties. I should not apologise ....
Welcome, once again, to the joined-up world of food and drink regulation ...(THIS WEEK'S HOT TOPIC)(Innocent Drinks)(Brief article)
Oct 06, 2007; ... We should not be surprised that Innocent Drinks has been bonged to rights by the ASA for suggesting that its Superfoods smoothie (containing pomegranate, blueberry and acai) detoxifies the body. After all, we can't advise consumers to eat an egg a day. We can't use TV to tell ...
Tesco is blasted by Price.(news)
Oct 06, 2007; ... Waitrose chief Mark Price launched a scathing attack on Britain's biggest retailer this week, calling on the Competition Commission to prevent the UK turning into "Tesco Land". Managing director Price was speaking on the eve of the opening of the new John Lewis food hall in ...
Advertising watchdog says smoothie's antioxidant claim was not so Innocent.(news)(Brief article)
Oct 06, 2007 ... Innocent Drinks' bid to push the health benefits of its Superfoods range was dealt a blow this week when it was rapped for an advert describing a smoothie as a detoxification product. The press advert said the pomegranate, blueberry and acai Superfoods smoothie was a "natural ...
Dairy co-op merger set to create giant.(news)(Brief article)
Oct 06, 2007 ... Dairy co-operatives First Milk and Milk Link are close to a merger that will create Britain's largest raw milk producer. The organisations said they expected to join forces within weeks, once due diligence was completed, to form a co-op that will produce three billion litres of ...
Sainsbury's prices rise by almost 5%.(news)
Oct 06, 2007; ... [GRAPHIC OMITTED] Price hikes at Sainsbury's have helped fuel an average 2.2% increase in the cost of groceries in the past month, according to The Grocer Price Index. The index, which is based on a secret list of 100 grocery products, shows that the average price of ...
Teens ignoring health advice says King.(news)(Survey)(Brief article)
Oct 06, 2007 ... Sainsbury's chief executive Justin King is to tell the government that its healthy eating message is failing to get through to teenagers. In a survey commissioned by the retailer 85% of teenagers polled were not eating the recommended five portions of fruit and veg a day, with ...
Forget Leahy jibe--we will make it says Ocado's boss.(news)
Oct 06, 2007; ... Ocado chief executive Tim Steiner has hit back at Tesco boss Sir Terry Leahy following his jibe about the viability of the loss-making online grocer. Sir Terry, announcing Tesco's interim results on Tuesday, said the Ocado model, where groceries are picked from a single ...
Waitrose gets Oxford Street test bed.(news)(Brief article)
Oct 06, 2007 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Waitrose plans to use the new 17,000 sq ft food hall in the basement of John Lewis's Oxford Street stare as a test bed for new products. The food hall, which opened on Wednesday, will include a temperature-controlled cheese room, a patisserie, ...
M&S's green store cuts energy by 25%.(news)(Brief article)
Oct 06, 2007 ... Marks & Spencer opened its first 'green' store in Bournemouth on Thursday--one of four trial stores promised in the retailer's 200m [pounds sterling] five-year Plan A environmental initiative. After undergoing what M&S called an "eco-conversion", the 51,000 sq ft store now uses ...
Majority of Tesco space is now overseas.(news)(Brief article)
Oct 06, 2007 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The ratio of Tesco's selling space in the UK to that abroad has shifted further in favour of the retailer's international operations. International now accounts for 60% of the company's total selling space--up from 57% this time last year--even ...
Own label chocolates pass 'dinner party test'.(news)(Brief article)
Oct 06, 2007; ... Sales of own label confectionery overtook the biggest brand for the first time this year, according to research produced exclusively for The Grocer. The combined value of supermarket branded products squeezed out last year's biggest individual brand, Wrigley, which fell into ...
Westminster urged to stop Scots booze promotion ban.(news)(Brief article)
Oct 06, 2007 ... The alcohol industry has asked Westminster to prevent a bid by the Scottish Executive to ban promotions on booze. The Wine and Spirit Trading Association has written to the Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform on behalf of grocery retailers, off-licences and ...
Meat restart.(Brief article)
Oct 06, 2007 ... Shipments of fresh beef, lamb and pork from parts of Britain will restart on 12 October, after the ...
Food colour talks.(Brief article)
Oct 06, 2007 ... Trade bodies will meet the FSA and consumer groups on 9 October to discuss food colours linked with hyperactivity in children ....
Midcounties up 14%.(Midcounties Co-operative Society)(Brief article)
Oct 06, 2007 ... Midcounties Co-operative Society has reported a 14% increase in trading profit to 5.7m ...
Commodity cost hikes push up snack prices.(news)(Brief article)
Oct 06, 2007; ... Bagged snack and biscuit prices are set to soar by inflation-busting levels over the next month, as another major supplier feels the bite of rising commodity costs. United Biscuits increased trade price rises this week, with snacks such as Hula Hoops increasing by 4%-5%, while ...
Minimum wage slows job creation.(news)(Brief article)
Oct 06, 2007 ... Smaller businesses will struggle to cope with this week's minimum wage increase, it has been claimed. The adult national minimum wage increased from 5.35 [pounds sterling] to 5.52 [pounds sterling] an hour on October. The rate for 18 to 21-year-olds rose from 4.45 [pounds ...
BP Connect to alter Simply Food stores.(news)(Brief article)
Oct 06, 2007 ... BP Connect is to make "subtle changes" to its M&S Simply Food offer to encourage shoppers to spend longer in stores. Speaking at the Future of International Convenience Retailing conference in London, BP UK trading director Andy Davis admitted getting the format right had proved ...
Carrefour praised.
Oct 06, 2007 ... Food from Britain has named Carrefour as international Retailer of the Year in its annual export awards ....
Finsbury acquisition.
Oct 06, 2007 ... Finsbury Foods has acquired Anthony Alan Foods, which ...
Postal strike.(Brief article)
Oct 06, 2007 ... We're sorry if your copy of The Grocer arrived late due to this week's postal strike. When industrial action risks disrupting delivery ...
Payzone merges with ATM supplier.(news)(Brief article)
Oct 06, 2007 ... The company that owns Payzone has said its merger with Cardpoint will allow it to put greater pressure on rival bill payment provider PayPoint. The reverse takeover of Payzone owner Alphyra by AIM-listed ATM supplier Cardpoint last week created a new 400m [pounds sterling] ...
David Sands aims to boost local lines.(news)(David Sands Supermarkets)(Brief article)
Oct 06, 2007 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Scottish c-store chain David Sands has introduced meet-the-buyer events in an effort to boost the number of locally produced lines it sells. About 50 Scottish suppliers attended the first event, held this week in conjunction with Scotland Food ...
No-go zones imposed after attacks on drivers.(news)(Brief article)
Oct 06, 2007; ... A spate of attacks on delivery drivers has led Asda and Tesco to declare some parts of major cities no-go zones after dark. Last month Asda suspended deliveries in the Whitehawk area of Brighton altogether following reports of "abusive behaviour towards staff". After ...
Carbon Trust considers arrow to indicate rising emissions.(news)(Brief article)
Oct 06, 2007 ... The Carbon Trust is considering introducing a new carbon footprint label--with an upward arrow--to signify when emissions generated in making a product have risen. The label currently being piloted by the Trust features an arrow pointing down to show that emissions in making the ...
Call for longer rate relief on empty space.(British Retail Consortium)(Brief article)
Oct 06, 2007 ... The government should extend the period of rate relief on empty commercial property to 18 months to encourage a healthy retail economy, according to the British Retail Consortium. Empty property is currently rate-free for the first three months, after which half rates are due. ...
Consumers 'dissatisfied with choice'.(news)(Survey)(Brief article)
Oct 06, 2007 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Supermarkets are failing to meet the needs of social groups representing a third of the UK's adult population, according to the British Brands Group's latest submission to the Competition Commission's groceries market inquiry. A survey of 633 ...
Nisa-Today's to recruit 300 more members.(news)
Oct 06, 2007; ... Nisa-Today's aims to recruit 30o new retail members in the next year, according to chief executive Neff Turton. Turton, addressing members at this week's Nisa-Today's annual conference in Sorrento, Italy, said the organisation had recruited 70 new members, representing a total ...
Tonic Attack challenges VAT ruling on wheatgrass juice.(Value-added Tax)(Brief article)
Oct 06, 2007 ... A wheatgrass juice supplier is the latest company to challenge tax officials over the classification of its product as a beverage, which means it is subject to VAT. Tonic Attack, which sells its products online, has appealed to the VAT Tribunal claiming the juice is not designed ...
Asda rolls out Collect & Save to fifth store.(news)(ASDA Group Ltd.)(Brief article)
Oct 06, 2007 ... Asda's Collect & Save scheme is being rolled out to a fifth store, in Highbridge, Somerset, next month. The scheme encourages consumers to shop at smaller retailers when a new Asda store opens in a town. Shoppers receive a voucher redeemable against George clothing when they ...
Agency to probe high prices in Irish Republic.(news)(Brief article)
Oct 06, 2007; ... Ireland's National Consumer Agency is to investigate why supermarket shoppers in the Republic are paying more for theft groceries than their counterparts in Britain and Northern Ireland. The statutory body will compare the prices charged by major chains in three areas, with the ...
Shoppers support axing free carriers.(news)(Survey)(Brief article)
Oct 06, 2007 ... Nearly two-thirds of adults 61%--support the idea of supermarkets stopping the issue of free plastic bags as a measure to cut down waste, new research indicates. The survey by the British Market Research Bureau found that just 13% of people thought supermarkets had a duty to ...
Former Nestle execs create direct service.(news)(Brief article)
Oct 06, 2007 ... Three former Nestle executives have established a service that will enable Irish independent and symbol group retailers to source products directly from suppliers. Retail Connections, co-founded by Paul Kelly, Ken Allen and Tony Bateman, aims to achieve sales of 1.6m [euro] by ...
Thai group in bid to rival Tesco.(WORLD NEWS)(Charoen Pokphand Group)(Brief article)
Oct 06, 2007 ... BANGKOK, THAILAND: Thai conglomerate Charoen Pokphand Group is launching a new retail venture in a bid to challenge Tesco's Lotus Express format in the country. The stores, which will operate under the 999 fascia, will be around 3,000 sq ff and sell fresh and ambient foods, according to ...
Wal-Mart concentrates on detergent.(WORLD NEWS)(Wal-Mart Stores Inc.)(Brief article)
Oct 06, 2007 ... BENTONVILLE, ARKANSAS: Wal-Mart has pledged to sell only concentrated liquid laundry detergents in its US Wal-Mart and Sam's Clubs stores by early May 2008. The initiative would save more than 400 million gallons of water, 95 million pounds of plastic resin and 125 million pounds of ...
Lidl takes first steps outside Europe.(WORLD NEWS)(Brief article)
Oct 06, 2007 ... NECKARSULM, GERMANY: Lidl has opened its first store based outside Europe, in the Spanish enclave of North Africa's Ceuta, which is near the Straits of Gibraltar. The store, which carries the standard Lidl food ...
Publix unveils organic supermarket.(WORLD NEWS)(Brief article)
Oct 06, 2007 ... LAKELAND, FLORIDA: Supermarket chain Publix has opened its first organic store in a bid to compete with Whole Foods Market. GreenWise Market, located in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, is a 39,000 sq ft natural and organic store ...
Whole Foods' international offer.(WORLD NEWS)(Whole Foods Market Inc.)(Brief article)
Oct 06, 2007 ... OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA: Whole Foods Market has unveiled a new-look Market Hall store in Oakland, California, inspired by world food halls. It includes e dine-in Market Bistro, an Asian Express Island offering hot teriyaki noodle ...
New MD for Serious.(appointment of Vince Price at Serious Food Company)(Brief article)
Oct 06, 2007 ... Vince Price has been promoted to managing director of The Serious Food Company following the resignation of Andrew Lord after 14 years with the company. "We have experienced rapid growth over the past five years ....
Second Birds Eye exit.(Birds Eye Wall's Ltd.)(Caroline Drummond)(Andy Beattie)(Brief article)
Oct 06, 2007 ... Caroline Drummond, marketing manager of communications at Birds Eye Iglo, has left the company. Drummond's departure ...
Hershey CEO retires.(Richard Lenny )(Brief article)
Oct 06, 2007 ... Richard Lenny is to retire as chairman, president and CEO of US confectionery giant The Hershey Company ...
Double elections.(appointments of Barry, Henry Chevallier Guild in Aspall)(Brief article)
Oct 06, 2007 ... Barry and Henry Chevallier Guild, directors of cider company Aspall, have been appointed top positions in cider and vinegar associations. Henry has been elected vice chair of the ...
Radberg promotion.(Mr Bagels)(Mark Radberg)(Brief article)
Oct 06, 2007 ... Bagel producer Mr Bagels has strengthened its management team with the internal appointment of Mark Radberg as director ....
New lobbyist Milne to pursue policies for BRC.(movers & shakers)(British Retail Consortium)(Jane Milne)(Brief article)
Oct 06, 2007; ... British Retail Consortium director general Kevin Hawkins has said the government must do more to help UK retailers thrive and has taken on Jane Milne to lead its lobbying and policy work. In the new role of director of business environment, Milne, who starts in November, will ...
Health boss Rillet goes to Danone UK.(movers & shakers)(appointment of Francois Rillet in Danone Group)(Brief article)
Oct 06, 2007 ... Danone UK has appointed Francois Rillet, former head of health at Danone France, as the new marketing director following the departure of Martin Theiss last month. With a marketing budget of about 25m [pounds sterling], Rillet will now be responsible for promoting Danone's dairy ...
Davidson replaces Rose at Landmark.(mover & shakers)(Landmark UK)(Ian Davidson)(Chris Rose)(Brief article)
Oct 06, 2007 ... Landmark Wholesale has appointed Ian Davidson as its new marketing director to take over from Chris Rose who is retiring next May. Davidson will join the buying group from Whyte & Mackay, where he is cash & carry/wholesale channel manager. He has previously worked for ...
Dunsmore is chief at S&N.(movers & shakers)(Scottish & Newcastle Breweries PLC)(John Dunsmore)(Tony Froggatt)(Brief article)
Oct 06, 2007 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] John Dunsmore is to replace Tony Froggatt as the new CEO of Scottish & Newcastle. Dunsmore is currently S&N's MD for Western Europe and will take up his new role on 1 November. He started at the brewer in 1980 as a graduate trainee before ...
Cadbury to axe 700 jobs in restructure.(movers & shakers)(Brief article)
Oct 06, 2007 ... Cadbury has announced it will be shedding 700 jobs in the UK as part of an ongoing restructuring plan. Cadbury's historic plant at Keynsham near Bristol, which opened in 1919 and makes Fry's Chocolate Cream, Turkirsh Delight, Crunchie and Double Decker bars, is to close and 500 ...
Van Holstein heads Sara Lee Household.(movers & shakers)(Sara Lee Household and Body Care)(Nick van Holstein)(Brief article)
Oct 06, 2007 ... Former Kaobrands MD Nick van Holstein has joined Sanex and Brylcreem manufacturer Sara Lee Household and Body Care UK as president/managing director. Over the next 12 months, van Holstein will be leading the continuing development of the company's Ambi Pur 3volution range of ...
Sainsbury's duo take on new sections.(movers & shakers)(Sainsbury's Supermarkets Ltd.)(Brief article)
Oct 06, 2007 ... Sainsbury's has appointed category managers for its newly created categories 'food on the move' and 'take home counters'. Felicity Hodkinson takes on 'food on the move', which includes sandwiches and food to go. She started at Sainsbury's in category marketing in 1992 before ...
We work together.(movers & shakers)(interviwing Henry and David )
Oct 06, 2007 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Henry on David It is exactly 20 years since David joined our business and his arrival was quite humorous. It was late summer and our sales director had just retired so we advertised for o replacement in The Grocer. Over a 48-hour ...
Sainsbury's loyal supporters: the team at Sainsbury's Christchurch branch, Dorset, thrive on challenges and having five major rivals at its door is one of them. But shoppers stick with what they know works best.(Sainsbury's Supermarkets Ltd.)
Oct 06, 2007; ... With a new store manager who has been at the helm for less than nine months, and a refit scheduled for 2008 to more than double the store's square footage, it is amazing the staff at Sainsbury's in Christchurch, Dorset, have been able to devote so much time to their shoppers. ...
This week a year ago the winner was ...(the grocer 33)(Morrisons)(Brief article)
Oct 06, 2007 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Morrisons in Bristol won our Top Store award this time last year after our mystery shopper reported top-notch customer service and impressive store presentation. Last year, store manager Nell Barber (left) dedicated the store's success to the ...
Price survey.(the grocer 33)(ASDA Group Ltd.)(Survey)
Oct 06, 2007; ... Morrisons and Asda have been vying for the top spot over the past few weeks. This week Asda came out on top--but it was Tesco that ran it closer this time. Asda won by the narrowest margin with a 38.07[pounds sterling] basket just 2p cheaper than Tesco's total. ...
Availability.(the grocer 33)
Oct 06, 2007 ... * ASDA Harfield, Hertfordshire 1 OUT OF STOCK Our shopper was impressed by the friendly stuff at this Asda. One assistant took her to a product she couldn't find and the checkout staff were courteous and helped pack her bags without asking. However, the milk was out ...
Top-up shop.(reports of grocery stores)(Statistical table)
Oct 06, 2007 ... Every week The Grocer's mystery shoppers also visit convenience stores to check out the price of 10 commonly bought fast-moving food items across all grocery categories <Pre>CO-OPCO-OP PRODUCTSCWS LOCAL ...
Mars delights shoppers with a variety of offers: Mars may have taken over the shelves last weekend with 54% of activity, but it is yet to sneak ahead of Cadbury in the 2007 chart.(Mars UK Ltd.)
Oct 06, 2007; ... Mars stole the show last weekend in confectionery aisles in the major retailers, taking 54% of featured promotional activity in the top five confectionery chart. All five retailers allocated featured space to Mars brands, favouring the x-for-y mechanic but using others on only a ...
Share of space: weekend 30/09/2007.(promotrack)(Statistical table)(Brief article)
Oct 06, 2007 ... <Pre> Share of space Weekend 30/09/2007 * TOP FIVE CONFECTIONERY--WEEKEND Mars 54% Nestle 25% Kraft 8% Cadbury 7% Ferrero Rocher ...
We must work together to protect staff from violence: shopworkers and retailers need to be involved in tackling crime at work. Partnerships with the police and government offer a solution.(British Retail Consortium)
Oct 06, 2007; ... The latest figures from the British Retail Consortium's Annual Crime Survey make for depressing reading. Violent acts against staff are up 50% and threats of violence against staff have doubled, while the number of incidents of verbal abuse, threats of violence and physical abuse has ...
Daily Mail.(WHAT THE PAPERS SAID)(Survey)(Brief article)
Oct 06, 2007 ... While other papers treated Ocado's latest figures us a sign that it would soon deliver a profit, The Doily Moil questioned whether the internet grocery business could continue us a going concern ....
FT.(WHAT THE PAPERS SAID)(Financial Times)(Brief article)
Oct 06, 2007 ... Tare & Lyle's fall in value by almost a third made big news in all of the papers with the FT reporting that rising commodity prices had hit the company harder than expected. Shares in the sugar business plummeted 28% to a ...
The Times.(WHAT THE PAPERS SAID)
Oct 06, 2007 ... Mums are eschewing ready meals for home-cooked food, according to research from parenting website Raisingkids. The study, based on a poll of more than 2,500 ...
News of the World.(taxation on alcolohic beverages)(Brief article)
Oct 06, 2007 ... Big tax increases are to be put on alcohol to curb teenage binge drinking. Ministers were considering a blanket rise in tax on all alcohol and would use next year's Budget to ...
The Sunday Times.(Sainsbury's Supermarkets Ltd.)(Brief article)
Oct 06, 2007 ... Muslim staff at Sainsbury's are being allowed to opt out of handling alcohol on religious grounds, according to The Sunday Times. Workers can instead raise their hands ...