Discount Retail Chain Aldi UK (German family owned) have officially bid to add their 'Specialbuys' to the Oxford Dictionary to cement it's cult-like status among shoppers. The product range has gained cult-like status and the supermarket wants to make it official. Everyone knows that Aldi's middle aisle is the place to be. You can enter the supermarket with good intentions of just getting some groceries, but you know you'll end up leaving with something like a fire pit or an egg chair. Known as the Middle Aisle of Aldi, the range of products has become so popular with shoppers that the supermarket wants to make it's status official by petitioning for 'Specialbuys' to be added to the dictionary. The supermarket-giant has officially launched a bid to get the term added to the Oxford English Dictionary, due to the middle aisle's cult-like status among UK shoppers. Since it was first introduced back in 2008, the middle aisle has gained notoriety among shoppers for it's eclectic range of "when they're gone, they're gone" products that are both top quality and affordable. It's so popular that it has even earned it's own army of 'Specialbuy superfans' who will happily set their alarms for 4am to check out the updates on Sundays for any new must-haves. The range of quirky products only grows more popular and over the past 12 months, ‘Specialbuys’ has been mentioned 53.8K times on social media sites, resulting in it being seen by users a whopping 9.4 billion times on Twitter alone. As the popularity of the middle aisle grows, Aldi believes it is now the perfect time for it to be added to the dictionary, and they have even released sales figures as part of the bid. Latest figures have revealed that some of the UK's best selling 'Specialbuy' products include anything from an inflatable pool spa to a gym equipment. Julie Ashfield, Managing Director of Buying at Aldi UK, said: “Specialbuys have taken on a life of their own over the last 13 years, they’re beloved by shoppers and even have pages dedicated to them on social media! “From garden furniture to pet gear, and kayaks to spa pools, the Specialbuys concept of amazing value products that you didn’t know you needed until you came across them has struck a chord with the British public. Being able to buy them online has also helped to boost their must-have status. The term Specialbuys is now part of the UK retail landscape, and we think it deserves official recognition in the Oxford English Dictionary.” See here for more: https://www-dailyrecord-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.dailyrecord.co.uk/lifestyle/food-drink/aldi-bids-iconic-superbuys-middle-25405249.amp

Discount Retail Chain Dealz Ireland (owned by Pep&Co) is opening its first distribution centre in Ireland, at Clonee in Co Meath, creating 60 new jobs and providing a direct route to market for Irish suppliers. The new facility at THE HUB, Logistics Park, which represents a €4.4m a year investment, will also become the base for Ireland’s leadership team who are responsible for both the Republic of Ireland and Poundland stores in Northern Ireland. Dealz is confident the new facility will provide additional opportunities for it to expand its Irish supply chain, working in partnership with 3PL and Primeline. The announcement comes as the company celebrates a "Decade of Dealz" after opening its first Irish stores in 2011 at Blanchardstown and Portlaoise. It now has a portfolio of 79 stores across the country. For the first time, Dealz also plans to open stand-alone clothing and home stores in 2022. Poundland & Dealz managing director, Barry Williams, said the new Clonee distribution centre and investment in Dealz is further evidence of the company's commitment to the Irish retail market and a vote of confidence for the future of the sector. "Our Dealz brand was born in Ireland and has gone from strength-to-strength over the past 10 years," Mr Williams said. "It’s a reflection of that growing importance that we’re now able to invest further in our Irish operations in support of the customers and communities that have supported us over the past decade," he added. Earlier this year, Dealz unveiled a €20m (US$ 22mn) Irish investment fund for store expansion and transformation which will create around 500 jobs over the next three years. In the last number of months alone, the retailer has hired over 120 staff including in new or refurbished stores in Carrickmines, Ballymun and Mullingar, with Tipperary set to open in November. Through a €20m investment fund, the group is actively exploring opportunities across Ireland, particularly within smaller, regional areas including Galway, Donegal, Mayo, Wicklow, Leitrim, Meath, Kildare, Kerry, Clare, Louth, Sligo, Limerick and Waterford, as well as suburbs of Dublin. As Dealz enters its second decade in Ireland, the investment will support the country’s recovery from the pandemic. The company continues to focus on people development including apprenticeship and degree programmes working with Skillsnet Ireland. Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail, Damien English said, "It’s great to see Dealz mark its tenth year in business with the news of a new distribution centre opening in Ireland and I’m especially pleased to see that it will be located, along with 60 new jobs, in Co Meath. "This is an important next step for Dealz as it builds deeper relationships with Irish suppliers, customers and communities. "The company’s investment in careers within the retail sector and people development is great to see, with many of their passionate and talented workforce enrolled in programmes supported by Skillnet Ireland," Mr English said. "It has never been more important for retailers to build supportive environments for people to flourish and the announcement of even more jobs at Dealz today is very encouraging for the sector," he added. See here for more: https://amp-rte-ie.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/amp.rte.ie/amp/1260088/

DIscount Retail Chain Poundland UK (owned by Pep&Co) will launch its first-ever national TV advertising campaign following a significant revamp of its 800-plus stores to bring new ranges to customers. The campaign will put the spotlight on the discount retailer’s top-to-bottom transformation after undergoing the biggest transformation on its 30-plus years’ history. With the theme “This is Your Land”, the ads feature actor and comedian Alan Devally and will showcase a mix of seasonal items and essentials over the initial two-month campaign. The ad can be viewed at www.poundland.co.uk/thisisyourland. The commercials, allow Poundland to reach out to regular customers and those who may not have seen the huge changes, from store makeovers to new openings and extensive changes to ranges from groceries to stationery and entertainment to health and beauty. The scale of the transformation over the past two years has been dramatic. More than 400 Poundland stores now have PEP&CO shop-in-shops, offering clothing for all the family. All 800-plus stores feature contemporary PEP&CO homeware, while over a quarter of its stores now also offer chilled and frozen food. In addition to major new launches, across the store, every category has been revamped with new products that deliver amazing value on a much broader range of customer favourites. And today, it can be revealed that Poundland is behind the exciting new electronics brand Viido, which launched quietly with its own website www.viido.tech last month with a collection of 60-plus high quality, sleek and stylish items, including three already approved by the Good Housekeeping Institute. Viido will cause a stir with a range including wireless earbuds for just £10 (US$ 10.4), fast-charging cables for £2.50 (US$3.4), ultra-slim keyboards for £12.00 (US$16.1) as well as headphones, smart watches, fitness trackers, and kids’ gadgets. The website was updated to reveal that Viido would be the new electronics brand for Poundland in the UK and sister company Dealz in Ireland, Spain and Poland. Poundland managing director, Barry Williams, said: “It’s time to tell customers, old and new, that Poundland is changing and it’s time to come and take another look.” “Our regular customers can already see the store makeovers, but we know there’s millions of people who need to be told what we’ve become. “But as much as we’re changing to bring new ranges to customers, our promise to deliver amazing value is still as strong today as it was thirty years ago. “And across the UK, our proud colleagues are ready to show customers new and old what we’ve now got in store.” Poundland’s investment in a TV campaign marks the next stage in its transformation programme which will see continued investment in new stores, refurbishment and relocations in support of UK retailing. See here for more: https://www.poundland.co.uk/great-ideas/press-release/poundland-to-launch-first-ever-national-tv-campaign/

Discount Retail Chain Action (owned by 3i Group) have sold 4.8 billion euros (US$5.8Bn) worth of stuff in the first nine months of this year, parent company 3i reported on Wednesday. Sales were thus a quarter higher than in the same period last year. The figures show that Action is very popular and growing fast in Europe. “Action continues to exceed expectations,” concludes 3i. The budget chain says it is on track to open 270 stores this year. Action recently opened the first stores in the Czech Republic and the company is also experimenting with stores in Italy. The chain now has a total of about 1,900 stores. This growth is reflected in the figures: Action managed to sell 4.8 billion euros (US$5.8Bn) worth of items from January to September, a quarter more than in the same period last year. If those new stores are not included, turnover increased by about 13 percent. The operating result in the period October 2020 to September 2021 amounted to 765 million euros (US$918mn). The further growth of Action will be led by Hajir Hajji from the new year. Hajji, who in the past worked as a stock filler and cashier at Action, will succeed Sander van der Laan as CEO on 1 January. See here for more: https://www.nu.nl/economie/6167205/action-winkels-verkopen-in-negen-maanden-voor-bijna-5-miljard-aan-spulletjes.html

Discount Retail Chain Lidl Switzerland (owned by the German Schwarz Group) inaugurates the new logistics building right next to the existing logistics center in Weinfelden. After almost a year of construction and CHF 35 million (US$38 million) investments in the location, the new warehouse was officially opened. Lidl Switzerland has more than arrived in Switzerland and opens around 10-12 stores every year. Due to this growth, Lidl Switzerland needs new storage space and is now opening a new warehouse right next to the existing goods distribution center in Weinfelden. The Corona situation in particular has shown how important functioning logistics and sufficient capacities are for supplying the Swiss population with food. The new building is mainly used for the handling of fruits and vegetables as well as the storage of seasonal non-food items and is an extension of the existing goods distribution center, which is located directly next to the new building. On a gross floor area of ​​almost 23,000m2, around 10,000 pallet spaces will be created in the two-storey, modular building. The building has 17 loading ramps and was realized in cooperation with over 70 companies. Over 95 percent of the construction and real estate investments at Lidl Switzerland flow to regional service providers from Switzerland. The new warehouse will employ over 50 new employees. Lidl Switzerland already employs over 660 people at the Weinfelden location and over 4,500 nationwide. Fruit ripening The highlight of the project is its own fruit ripening facility, which enables the ripening process to be integrated into its own value chain. In this integrated ripening facility, the still green bananas are fully ripened and then brought to the branches. In addition to bananas, exotic fruits such as mangoes or avocados could also be ripened on site in the future. In the new ripening facility in Weinfelden, bananas are now ripened for all 157 Lidl stores nationwide. Sustainable construction When designing the building, careful attention was paid to sustainable construction. The building will be built according to the Minergie standard, modern and spacious ancillary / break rooms will be designed and only natural refrigerants will be used in later operation. Lidl Switzerland is also planning to build a PVA on the roof of the new building. Lidl Switzerland recently installed a photovoltaic system with an area of ​​over 20,000 m2 on the roof of the existing goods distribution center in Weinfelden. This plant is the largest in the canton of Thurgau and produces over 4 million kWh of electricity annually. This could supply around 1,500 households for a whole year. See here for more: https://www.fruchtportal.de/artikel/lidl-schweiz-frchte-und-gemselager-wird-eingeweiht/051930?i=aa17e008

Discount Retail Chain Fix Price introduces new price levels for the sale of goods, 59 rubles (US$0.83) and 79 rubles (US$1.11), while another current level, 55 rubles (US$0.78), remains, according to the company's quarterly reports. Company representatives said that the upcoming changes in pricing policy are associated with a general rise in prices for goods in the country amid inflation. The new minimum price will be introduced gradually from November 1. New prices are being introduced in all stores of the chain. “We kept the minimum prices to the last by working with suppliers,” said a representative of the chain. Today Fix Price has eight types of fixed prices from 50 (US$ 0.70) to 299 rubles (US$4.22). With the introduction of positions at 59 (US$0.83) and 79 rubles (US$1.11), the number of fixed prices will become 10. These measures will increase gross profitability and increase sales, according to the company. The correction is taking place against the backdrop of rising consumer prices and inflation in the country. See here for more: https://www.retail.ru/news/fix-price-podnimet-tseny-na-tovary-po-vsey-rossii-28-oktyabrya-2021-210589/

Discount Retail Chain Biedronka (owned by Jeronimo Martins) achieved sales of EUR 10.6 billion (US$12.7Bn). In PLN, sales increased by 10.3 percent year-on-year, and LfL increased by 7.8 percent. This year, the chain wants to open a total of 100 net stores. Biedronka with subsequent growth From January to September, Biedronka in the local currency increased sales by 10.3%, including LFL by 7.8%. Converted into euro, sales amounted to EUR 10.6 billion (US$12.7Bn) and were 7.3% higher than in the previous year. In the third quarter, sales in local currency increased by 11.2%, while LFL sales increased by 8.1%. In Euro terms, sales were € 3.6 billion (US$4.3Bn), an increase of 8.1% over the third quarter of 2020. Biedronka's EBITDA reached EUR 972 million (US$Bn1.2), an increase of 6.4% year-on-year (+ 9.4% at a constant exchange rate). The EBITDA margin was 9.1% compared to 9.2% in the 9-month period of 2021. Good LFL sales results, effective margin management and operational efficiency allowed Biedronka to ease the pressure of the retail tax introduced in January 2021 assesses the network in the report. Biedronka: We are successfully resisting inflation Biedronka reminds that food price inflation in Poland gradually increased from 0.6% in the first quarter and 1.6% in the second quarter to 3.8% in the third quarter, reflecting an increase in sales of prices in several food categories. Biedronka maintained the position of the price leader and the intense promotional dynamics, which resulted in a consistently lower basket inflation than the average food inflation in the country for the entire 9-month period. The chain has implemented a strong commercial program, including promotions and innovative in & out campaigns, while continuing to improve its core offer and chain of stores, the report reads. New stores During the first 9 months of 2021, Biedronka opened 75 stores (59 net connections) and rebuilt 232 locations. To protect profitability, the Company counts on strong sales dynamics, ongoing efficiency projects and creativity in the continuous improvement of its offer. Biedronka's presence on the market will be strengthened in 2021 by approx. 100 new net stores and approx. 300 renovated locations, the report reads. At the end of September, the Biedronka chain consisted of 3,174 stores. CAPEX for the entire year 2021 will amount to approx. EUR 650 million (US$780Mn), of which approx. 60% will be allocated to Biedronka. See here for more: https://www.dlahandlu.pl/wiadomosci/,102908.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email

Discount Retail Chain Aldi Nord (German family owned) has unveiled a new 'Technology Hub' in Kraków, Poland, as it seeks to further its digitalisation initiatives. The new facility opened this month, and by next year some 250 IT specialists are expected to be working at the facility. A 'Top Priority' For Aldi Nord “Digitalisation is a top priority for Aldi Nord. We are pleased to be able to significantly strengthen our Technology Organisation with the Technology Hub in Kraków,” said Sinanudin Omerhodzic, chief technology officer at Aldi Einkauf SE & Co. oHG. “The Technology Hub is an important step in bringing our core business to the next level of digital development and fostering innovation.” The Technology Hub will act as a coworking space for both internal and external IT specialists, and work on specific IT projects and solutions for Aldi Nord. With the opening of the new facility, the discounter said that it is 'breaking new ground' to optimally support and actively drive its transformation process. Poland As An IT Hub “We are happy that Aldi Nord chose Kraków as the location for the Technology Hub," added Sinanudin Omerhodzic, chief technology officer at Aldi Einkauf SE & Co. oHG. "This step once again makes it clear that Poland offers new opportunities in the IT market as well as being an attractive market for discount retailing." In addition to the new Kraków opening, Aldi Nord said that it is also expanding its technological capabilities at its Essen headquarters. Aldi Nord recently announced that it is testing a new 'checkout-free' store concept in Utrecht. See here for more: https://www.esmmagazine.com/technology/aldi-nord-unveils-technology-hub-krakow-150925

Discount Retail Chain Lidl Sweden (owned by the German Schwarz Group) gets into the ten-in-top list, fire index, over Sweden's strongest brands over trade. It is the research company Yougov who examined which retail chains that Swedish consumers appreciate the most. Yougov BrandIndex measures daily consumer perception of thousands of brands around the world. The list is based an index based on how consumers perceive, including quality, value, satisfaction and reputation over the past twelve months. The top 10 strongest brand position in trade is a proof of our successful journey, where we work on developing our range, our stores and our communication. It is confirmed every day in our stores when more and more consumers are regularly dealing with us. As marked clearly in recent years increasing sales where we increase faster than the other industry. Our ambition is to become the obvious choice for more customers, says Bella Goldman, brand, CSR and communications director. Lidl Sweden currently has over 200 stores around the country and is growing faster than the other industry. Last fiscal year 2020/21 grew LIDL by 12.8 percent when other retail trading grew by 4.1 percent. See here for more: https://via.tt.se/pressmeddelande/lidl-in-pa-tio-i-topp-over-starkaste-varumarken-inom-handeln?publisherId=2265114&releaseId=3309640

Discount Retail Chain Lidl Netherlands (owned by the German Schwarz Group) has once again been awarded as the best supermarket in fruit and vegetables by GfK. It is the tenth time that the discounter has won the most coveted cup. The secret behind Lidl's success is explained in a new 360 degree campaign that will start. Lidl highest share in fresh In addition to the number 1 position in fruit and vegetables, Lidl also has the largest fair share in the total fresh category, which also includes fresh bread and meat. However, the fruit and vegetable award is traditionally the most popular in supermarkets, simply because this product group is consumed by consumers day in and day out. But also because it is not so easy to acquire a strong position in this area. With a brand new campaign, Lidl is explaining how it manages to prolong this top position year after year. The campaign Jorieke de Vries-Goosen, Head of Marketing Lidl: 'Everyone now knows that Lidl is the number 1 in fruit and vegetables. But if you ask someone why that is, the answer often remains unclear. That is why in this campaign we explain how it is that we are always allowed to receive that cup. With our way of working, we can get our fruit and vegetables into the shops faster, fresher and therefore cheaper. That's where the success lies behind our formula.' The campaign can be seen and heard on TV, radio, online, print and social channels. The commercial was developed in collaboration with Joe Public.' 10 years is no coincidence' It is no coincidence that Lidl has been the best for 10 years. There is a complete strategy behind this, a way of working that is anchored throughout the company. Where other supermarkets get their fruit and vegetables from the auction or wholesale, Lidl has intensive collaborations with farmers and growers throughout the Netherlands. Lidl therefore gets everything directly from the farm, without the intervention of third parties. Then there are strict, systematic checks in their distribution center, from where it goes directly to the stores. So it may just be that something that was harvested yesterday is already on the customer's plate today. And no one can imitate Lidl. Lidl Netherlands 'Lidl is one of the largest supermarket chains in the Netherlands with 440 stores and a web shop for non-food. Under the motto 'the highest quality for the lowest price', Lidl offers a wide range of food and non-food items.' (source: Lidl) See here for more: https://www.marketingtribune.nl/food-en-retail/nieuws/2021/10/lidl-onthult-geheim-achter-goede-groente-en-fruitaanbod/index.xml

Discount Retail Chain Aldi UK is launching its own line of merchandise called Aldimania. The loungewear collection includes hoodies, pajama sets, underpants and socks, as Aldi UK announced on Thursday. For the Aldimania collection, Aldi was inspired by other brands and really got the hang of it. The supermarket presented the campaign on a large billboard in Leicester Square, London. Image: Aldi UKThe words “Aldi's just done it” can be read on the poster, which is based on the “Just do it.” Slogan of the US sporting goods company Nike. In addition, Aldi UK has started its own Tiktok account. The three videos that the account has published so far currently have between 9,420 and 310,000 views. Aldi has been offering its customers branded clothing for a long time, from summer to winter clothing, but now the company is venturing into the field of own-label loungewear for the first time, according to the announcement. The collection is online available and in Aldi stores in Great Britain. Socks cost 1.49 pounds sterling (1.72 euros) and pajamas cost 12.99 pounds sterling (14.96 euros) in the online shop. Aldi Süd in Germany is not planning a comparable collection, as a spokeswoman confirmed at FashionUnited's request. Aldi Nord, on the other hand, already presented its own collection in September, which followed Lidl's Logomania collection. See here for more: https://fashionunited.de/nachrichten/mode/aldi-starte-aldimania-kollektion-in-grossbritannien/2021042340646

Discount Retail Chain Aldi Ireland (German family owned) customers are to become the first to enjoy their hot cuppas sustainably as Aldi introduces new fully biodegradable teabags made from plant-based materials across all its own-label ranges. The switch, which is a first in Irish supermarkets, means each of the 286 million Aldi teabags sold every year will be biodegradable. From mid-October, customers will start to see the new 100% biodegradable teabags across all of Aldi’s 148 Irish stores, with the full range landing in stores by December. Customers will be able to easily dispose of their teabags by placing them in their compost heap at home or putting them in their brown compost bin. Tea drinkers can rest assured their favourite hot drinks will taste as good as ever. The new fully compostable teabags are made from renewable, plant-based resources derived from raw materials such as vegetable fats and oils, cellulose (such as in plant cells) and corn starch, as an alternative to traditional single use plastic. The switch is part of Aldi's long-term plastic and packaging reduction programme, which sees the supermarket working to reduce plastic packaging by 50% by 2025. Together with its dedicated suppliers, including long-term Irish supplier Bewley’s, Aldi has been working for over a year to introduce the new teabags across its award-winning own-label tea ranges, including McGrath’s blends. Aldi’s fruit and herb blends and its premium Specially Selected Infusion teas will also be made 100% biodegradable in the coming months. To inform customers they are purchasing products made from renewable materials, Aldi has introduced a new logo, enabling customers to make more informed choices in shopping sustainably. Over the past year, the dedicated team at Bewley’s has been working hard to develop the biodegradable, plant-based teabags, investing in specialist bespoke machinery and undertaking rigorous testing to ensure the best quality and flavour of Aldi’s teas. Click here to see more on DRC's Private Label Brand development services Aldi also announced today that its Kilkeely Gold Spread, Original Spread and Lighter Spread tubs are now all 100% recyclable, meaning customers can now simply place them in their recycling bins after use. This move will contribute to the removal of nine tonnes of packaging from stores annually. Commenting on the initiative, John Curtin, Aldi Group Buying Director, said: “Introducing the new, fully biodegradable teabags across all our own-label McGrath’s tea ranges is testament to the innovative approach taken by our suppliers. We know that Ireland is a nation of tea drinkers and we’re proud to say that our customers will be drinking more sustainably from now on.” “Whether customers are relaxing with a hot cuppa or chatting with friends, the quality and flavour of our award-winning teas are as wonderful as ever. Best of all, customers can now easily and sustainably dispose of their teabags by placing them in their brown bins to be composted.” Sheila Dowling, Commercial Director, Bewley’s Ireland, said: “Private label manufacturing is an important part of our overall business, and we are delighted to be working with Aldi to bring a biodegradable tea bag offering to market.” Over the past year, Aldi has made huge progress towards achieving its targets to reduce and remove the amount of packaging used across its stores and was recently voted the most sustainable supermarket in Ireland according to the Ireland Sustainability RepTrak Index 2021. Successes include: Becoming the first supermarket in Ireland to fully remove single-use plastic straws, replacing them with recyclable paper straws, cutting more than 4.5 million plastic straws annually; Becoming the first retailer to introduce 100% recyclable packaging across own-brand White Family Pan and 100% Wholemeal Sliced Pan, removing over 18 tonnes of plastic; Becoming the first retailer to introduce 100% recycled PET water bottles to its own-label water ranges, removing more than 30 million non-recyclable water bottles each year; Becoming the first retailer in Ireland to fully remove all black plastic from its core food ranges. See here for more: https://www.retailnews.ie/news-and-views/stick-the-kettle-on--286-million-aldi-private-label-teabags-now-fully-biodegradable/