'Superlijst Gezond' is the first ranking executed in the Netherlands that compares, what Dutch grocery supermarkets are doing to help their shoppers choose healthy food and drinks. The research shows that there are large differences between the grocery supermarket chains, regardless of their formula or market share. Discounter Lidl, Soft discounter Dirk, Coop and Ekoplaza lead the way; market leader Albert Heijn, EDLP supermarket Jumbo, Discounter Aldi and Plus are not so far. The general picture is that grocery supermarkets do not discourage unhealthy choices enough: on average 82% of the offers in advertising brochures are unhealthy; candy and chocolate are there for the taking at almost all checkouts; supermarkets have not set themselves a clear goal of selling less unhealthy products. The report also indicates what is going well at grocery supermarkets. There is, for example, discounter Lidl that no longer offers unhealthy food at the checkouts and discounter Aldi that uses Disney characters to make 'Eat well plate' more products attractive to children. In general, it appears that every supermarket could learn something from others. These conclusions emerge from the study published that was initiated and carried out by the research foundation Questionmark, in collaboration with the Diabetes Fund, Heart Foundation, Maag Liver Darm Foundation and Kidney Foundation, united in the Alliance Nutrition for the Healthy Generation. Grocers have a major influence on diet After smoking, an unhealthy diet is currently the second most preventable cause of death and healthy years of life lost. Questionmark and the Nutrition Alliance for the Healthy Generation want healthy nutrition to become the norm. Charlotte Linnebank, Director of Questionmark: “It is crucial that people are better helped to eat healthily. 70% of our daily food comes from the grocery supermarket, so they have a major influence on the choices people make. They can use that influence to help customers eat healthily. Supermarkets do not keep their agreements In the Prevention Agreement on Overweight (agreed in 2018), supermarkets made commitments on the 'Eat well plate', but 'Superlijst Gezond' shows that supermarkets do too little to get their customers to eat more healthily. Real pain points, such as children's marketing of unhealthy products, are not vigorously addressed. In some product groups, for example for rice and pasta, few healthy variants can be found regardless of the supermarket. Carolien Martens, spokeswoman on behalf of the Alliance: “In order to be able to make annual adjustments and possibly take additional measures, we lay great value to monitoring based on measurable data and related goals. We see the 'Superlijst gezond' as a baseline measurement that makes it clear that there are enormous opportunities for every grocer to actually become a healthy supermarket. ” The Alliance is calling on all grocers to take more action and keep their promises. Martens: "There is a great opportunity for the entire sector to make a greater contribution to food according to the 'Eat well plate' in the short term, so that a healthy generation of children and young people can grow up in a society in which healthy food is actually the norm." Ranking A ranking of supermarkets has been compiled on the basis of the research findings and a predetermined weighting. The ranking shows which supermarkets are among the forerunners, middle and laggards in the extent to which they help their customers choose healthy. Click here for more: https://www.thequestionmark.org/pagina/persbericht-superlijst-gezondheid-2020

Discount Retail Chain Biedronka (owned by Portuguese Jeronimo Martins) opened its latest store concept in Łódź. What is new in the store concept? Ecology The discount store is designed according to the Biedronka 2.0 concept. Biedronka modernizes its stores in Poland one by one. Using advanced, ecological technical solutions, for example: LED lighting and cooling devices that use environmentally friendly gases, such as natural CO2 ("clean technology"), and in the case of refrigerators, freezers and freezing chambers on propane gas, glass doors in front of the refrigerators cases reducing energy consumption significantly. Convenience and security There is a car park at the store with 40 parking spaces and 2 disabled parking spaces. The line of checkouts is not resembled and shows a standard discount organization as known for many years. Here shoppers will be served by 4 traditional checkouts and 3 self-service checkouts, which allows a more efficient and safer product registration and payment process. Promotions Special in&out offers are waiting for the shoppers: from opening day until stocks run out, selected non-food items and textiles, including toys and many others, can be obtained 50% cheaper when buying two items on one receipt. In addition to the aforementioned, shoppers will also find additional promotions on the shelves within the regular assortment. The store management assures that there will be ongoing attractive opening discounts. Opening hours of the store are, in line with the most common Biedronka store opening times, from 6:00 am to 11:30 pm (Monday to Saturday), and on every trading Sunday from 8:00 am to 9:00 pm. Click here for more: https://dzienniklodzki.pl/nowa-biedronka-przy-brzezinskiej/ar/c15-15204154

German Hard Discount Retail Chain NORMA, with 1,450 stores in Germany, Austria, France and the Czech Republic, again summarizes what was achieved in the past financial year in its sustainability report. From the basic strategy and the management of the food discounter to the raw materials used, the supply chains and the strict quality standards to the environmentally friendly structuring of the individual locations, all facets of NORMA are thematized and processed in depth. A separate chapter has also been devoted to employees. In summary, it can be said that the Nuremberg company achieved a lot in 2019 as well: All business areas were able to be further developed in terms of sustainability. The fight against plastic waste was intensified, the range of organically produced products was expanded and the rearing of farm animals in compliance with even stricter animal welfare standards could be promoted. In addition, there are numerous other successes that were achieved in the past year and are reported in detail by NORMA. "Looking back, it becomes clear how much the entire NORMA team has achieved in the past year. For example, our species protection project 'Save the bees' was successfully started and has now been rolled out nationwide. The employees' workwear has also been reissued and now bears the state label 'Green button', which shows exacting ecological and social standards for textiles", explains Christian Sitzmann, member of the NORMA management and responsible for corporate responsibility. The many awards, seals and certificates for NORMA products and various participations in environmental and sustainability initiatives are presented in the report and show that NORMA management is aware of its social responsibility and has been using the sustainability report for years as an opportunity to become even more ambitious Set goals. "Receiving the 'Green Brand Germany 2019'-Award for NORMA's own Private Label brand 'BIO SONNE' makes it proud and confirms that NORMA is on the right path. A path that will be continue in the coming years." Sustainability as a core philosophy Striving for more environmental awareness within the workforce in all business areas has long been an integral part of NORMA's corporate philosophy and is therefore indispensable. The first sustainability report was published in 2015. In the following years, too, there was an extensive conclusion that can also be viewed online by everyone. This continuity - paired with transparency - underlines once again that the Nuremberg family owned food discounter has contributed to an environmentally conscious society so far and will continue to do so in the future. The NORMA Sustainability Report 2019 appears in printed form and can also be accessed online see https://www.norma-online.de/de/unternehmen/responsibility/nachhaltigkeitsbericht

Discount Retail Chain Lidl (owned by German Schwarz Gruppe) has opened its biggest ever store in Scotland today as shoppers flocked to get cut-price deals. The mega-store, on Edinburgh's Granton Road, has undergone an enormous extension after originally opening in 1995 in a bid to meet growing shopper demand. During the first week of opening, shoppers will be treated to exclusive deals and offers on everything from bargain TVs to hoovers. The Daily Record has been given an exclusive first look inside the brand new discount supermarket ahead of its opening today. Dozens of eager shoppers queued around the store as it opened at 8am today in order to bag the best offers. Staff made the finishing touches to the giant store, which is a whopping 1,438m² - making it the largest Lidl in Scotland. The supermarket will include all Lidl customer favourites such as the in-store bakery and middle aisle. Shoppers can also get their hands on exclusive first deals during the first week of opening. This includes a Vileda vacuum cleaning robot for £49.99 (US$65), a Toshiba 43 inch full HD smart TV at £129.00 (US$168) and a Silvercrest stand mixer for the bargain price of £19.99 (US$26). The store will also be the regional pilot for new display features in the chilled food sections, with giant fridges and an expanded range, including double the chilled fruit and vegetable choice. This new merchandising will then be rolled out to remaining Edinburgh stores throughout 2021. Lidl UK’s Regional Head of Property, Gordon Rafferty, commented: “Today is a significant milestone for us here at Lidl. "Opening the doors after an extension, to showcase our largest store in Scotland represents our commitment to continuing to invest and expand across the country. “The store will bring even more great products and fantastic offers to Edinburgh residents as well as showcasing some of the incredible Scottish produce we stock throughout the year.” Lidl UK now has more than 100 stores in Scotland. Click here for more: https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/lifestyle/scotland-biggest-lidl-edinburgh-opens-22808451

Discount Retail Chain Aldi Nord is planning to boost its position in the Portuguese market, with the opening of a new distribution centre as well as a number of new outlets. The discounter is investing €60 million (US$71 million) in a new logistics area in Moita with 50,000 square metres of space, with work due to be completed in early 2022, reports Jornal de Negocios. At the same time, Aldi Portugal is looking for a location for another warehouse in the north of the country, to supply the more than 100 shops it plans to open in this part of Portugal by the end of 2025. The planned investment on this centre is approximately €45 million (US$ 53 million). Discount Store Count The opening of 25 new stores in the next year will take the group's store count in Portugal to more than 100, since it entering the market in Portugal 2006. In 2020, Aldi opened new supermarkets in Almeirim, Bobadela, Figueira da Foz, Altura, Laranjeiro-Almada, Braga-Lamaçães and Pedrouços (Maia). Aldi Portugal’s growth plan foresees establishing a foothold in new areas of the country and rolling out new store formats, including in urban centres, which will be tailored to the population areas in which they are developed. Click here for more: https://www.esmmagazine.com/retail/aldi-open-100-new-stores-portugal-2025-110515?utm_source=ESM+-+www.esmmagazine.com&utm_campaign=39d85339c7-ESM_NEWSLETTER_08_October_2020_08_10_2020&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_39f7b468d5-39d85339c7-169204192

Discount Retail Chain Biedronka reacts to the changing situation in the country with COVID-19. The chain decided to extend the working hours of its stores. From the next Saturday, more than 40 store will even operate around the clock throughout Poland, and approx. 650 stores until 11.30 pm. This is a return to Action 24, which made shopping safer during the first phase of the pandemic. Biedronka decided to extend the opening hours of facilities throughout the country. Already from this weekend, almost 2,600 Biedronka stores will be open at least until 11pm, and in the coming days, the extension of hours will apply to other facilities, the network of which has over 3,000 throughout the country. Extending the opening hours of the store will affect a smaller number of customers at one time, which will increase the security of purchases for both shoppers and employees. Biedronka first introduced Action 24 on April 1 this year. As Polish market leader, we feel responsible for offering good and safe shopper solutions. Shoppers appreciated this solution earlier this year, Biedronka believes that it will be the same now, said Paweł Stolecki, operational director at the Biedronka. Click here for more: https://www.dlahandlu.pl/detal-hurt/wiadomosci/biedronka-wydluza-godziny-pracy-sklepow,91736.html?utm_source=gravitec&utm_medium=push&utm_campaign=

Discount Non-Food Retail Chain Dollar General (NYSE: DG) proudly announces its newest retail store concept popshelf. This new store aims to engage customers with a fun, affordable and stress-free shopping experience where they can find on-trend seasonal and home decor, health and beauty must-haves, home cleaning supplies, party goods, entertaining needs and much more, with approximately 95% of items priced at $5 or less! The stores are around 9,000 square feet and operate with a team of about 15, according to Dollar General, which emphasizes their differentiation from the company's main banner. They grew out of the retailer's "non-consumables initiative," which Dollar General even gives its own acronym (NCI). That initiative is meant to capture more dollars from what the retailer's executives describe as their "trade-down customer," i.e., those of higher incomes that may seek out value from a deep discounter like Dollar General. "It's been working fabulous so far and the great thing is we've been able to take the learnings from those thousands of stores that we've already done and apply them back into the mother-ship if you will or our nearly 17,000 stores," CEO Todd Vasos said of the non-consumables initiative in a September analyst call, according to a Seeking Alpha transcript. CFO John Garratt also noted that Dollar General's non-consumables mix also comes with higher margins for the retailer. Chief merchant Emily Taylor said of the new concept store, "At popshelf, customers will find a differentiated retail concept that seeks to bring joy to their shopping experiences, with surprising deals in targeted non-consumable product categories." Dollar General has been in steady expansion mode for years as much of the retail world has struggled to find growth. The COVID-19 pandemic has not slowed the retailer down. Instead, it has accelerated growth. The retailer said in August that "consumer behavior driven by COVID-19 had a significant positive effect" on its business. The second quarter brought net sales growth of 24.4% and comparable sales growth of 18.8%. Wells Fargo analysts said at the time of Dollar General's Q2 report that the performance showed "just how well positioned the company is to take advantage of the current environment." Click here for more: https://newscenter.dollargeneral.com/popshelf/dollar-general-unveils-exciting-new-and-differentiated-retail-store-meet-popshelf.htm

Discount Retail Chain ALDI Poland cares about the environment and created first anti-smog mural in Bielsko-Biała (in the South of Poland and close to Katowice). For more than 10 years, it will reduce air pollution, equal to a forest with an area of ​​over 100 sqm and several thousand trees. The air-purifying mural is the result of cooperation between ALDI and Klub Gaja. The painter is Ewa Ciepielewska from the LUXUS Group. The mural shows a fragment of a forest illuminated by the spring sun. Special anti-smog paints by Airlite were used to make it, which use a process similar to photosynthesis - with the difference that the paints contain titanium dioxide producing reactive particles that neutralize air pollution into inert compounds. Thanks to this, the forest painted on the mural will reduce air pollution in the same way as a planted forest with several thousand trees would do in the city of Bielsko-Biała. The event accompanying the unveiling of the mural will be a planting a bunch of extra trees at Primary School No. 27 in Bielsko-Biała. Here representatives of Klub Gaja, students and ALDI employees plant, among others, hawthorn, hazel, chokeberry and perennial. Further there will also be a workshop to build nesting boxes for squirrels, birds, bats and butterflies. Since last year, almost 6,000 trees have been planted together with Klub Gaja and ALDI. The German discount store chain was also involved in setting-up a polysensory garden at the Special School Complex in Sosnowiec. Click here for more: https://www.dlahandlu.pl/wiadomosci/,91704.html

Discount Retail Chain Aldi UK & Ireland has increased the range of products available for home delivery through its partnership with Deliveroo, doubling it to more than 330 products, anticipating on positive customer reactions and the rapid increasing of COVID cases. The on-demand grocery service was launched in June with two stores taking part in Ireland. At the same time Aldi also expanded the number of products available for home Delivery in the UK from 150 to 200, but positive customer feedback across both markets suggests this could also soon be further significantly expanded. With orders picked and packed by Aldi staff for delivery by Deliveroo’s network of delivery riders within 30 minutes. The service in Ireland has now expanded to include all of south Dublin, Cork City, Galway City and Meath, with nine stores now offering Deliveroo as an option for deliveries of staple items such as pasta, rice, flour, fruit and veg, along with cleaning products. “Increasing the number of products available through the app will make it easier for people to get much-needed groceries delivered right to their doors quickly and safely,” said Niall O’Connor, Aldi group managing director UK & Ireland. “This is an exciting new venture for Aldi, and we look forward to continuing our strong partnership with Deliveroo into the future.” Among the top items purchased through the app are fresh milk, orange juice, bananas, mixed peppers and avocados. Customer satisfaction “At Deliveroo, we are pleased to be working with Aldi to offer more products to those people who need them,” said Ajay Lakhwani, vice president of new business at Deliveroo. “It is great to see that customer satisfaction with the service is very high, and we look forward to working with Aldi in the future to ensure that people are getting the food they need and want during this difficult time.” Discounter rival Lidl has a partnership with Buymie for online grocery delivery. Initially available only in Dublin, the service found new traction during the pandemic, as people were unable or unwilling to risk shopping in person. Available throughout Dublin, the service is also offered to large commuter towns such as Greystones, Maynooth and Howth, and recently expanded to Cork. Click here for more: https://www.irishtimes.com/business/retail-and-services/aldi-doubles-number-of-products-available-for-home-delivery-1.4374798

Discount Retail Chain T-MARKET (owned by Lithuanian Maxima Grupė UAB) opened its first store in Elhovo. This is the 86th store for the fast-growing discount chain, which is already present in 42 cities in Bulgaria. The new T-MARKET was opened by Petar Pavlov, General Director of Maxima Bulgaria, who cut the ribbon together with Jivka Kafedzhieva, Deputy. Mayor of Elhovo Municipality. The new T-MARKET has a convenience counter, which offers traditional warm Bulgarian dishes and grilled products, as well as a bread bar with pasta baked on site. The residents of Elhovo will also have the opportunity to enjoy 100% fresh Bulgarian meat. The variety of products is complemented by a wide selection of ready-made fresh salads on display, a fruit and vegetable area, an organic and organic food sector, a pastry stand and a non-food area. T-MARKET opened 22 jobs in the city. Thus, the company's team already numbers over 2,000 people. In parallel with the opening of the T-MARKET, the non-food discounter PEPCO store opened its doors, which is located next to the T-MARKET. PEPCO store (owned by South-African Steinhoff International Holdings) specializes in the sale of clothing for the whole family and household products. Click here for more: https://elhovo.news/?p=125102

Hard Discount Retail Chain NORMA (owned by German Family Roth) can officially name itself "Germany's Best Discounter" for the second time in a row. The "Germany's Best" brand ranking by German business magazine Focus Money showed that the Nuremberg food retailer is again at the forefront in terms of popularity among customers this year. In 2019, NORMA received the title for the first time and has now successfully defended it. In the overall ranking, NORMA achieved the top score of 100 and thus left all competitors well behind. The top position confirms the food discounter's strategy of offering its customers maximum transparency and the best product quality at affordable prices. A total of 24,000 brands from 216 industries were examined in the "Germany's Best" brand ranking. Millions of positive customer votes for NORMA In this year's Focus Money brand ranking, a total of 438 million online sources were evaluated - including German-language news sites, social media channels, websites, blogs, forums and press releases. With the help of artificial intelligence, it was examined how often a brand was mentioned in it. In the next step, the experts evaluated whether the respective brands were positively or negatively assigned and thus calculated the so-called tonality balance. So it shows which brand is most often spoken about positively. This is exactly where NORMA was able to score. The award proves one thing above all: NORMA customers appreciate the transparency and quality of the Nuremberg grocery discounter with particularly positive reviews in the online media. The close alignment of the range to customer requirements is also rewarded: In recent years NORMA has further diversified its product range and, for example, is even better able to meet the growing demand for vegan, lactose and gluten-free products. The increased interest in "organic" was also answered with a large selection of products. However, NORMA has always remained true to its motto and will continue to promise all buyers "More value for their money" in the future. Click here for more: https://www.fruchtportal.de/artikel/norma-erneut-als-deutschlands-bester-discounter-ausgezeichnet/046066?i=0d1397e1

Russian listed X5 Retail Group is developing a hard discounter store and plans to launch 3-4 pilot stores by the end of 2020. “We believe that this format has good prospects given the current economic situation, in which consumer income continues to decline, and the price is and will remain a key factor in making a purchase decision,” said Igor Shekhterman, X5 Retail Group CEO. This hard discounter will operate next to X5's 4,789 proximity Pyaterocha store concept. In 2010 X5 bought and integrated Russian soft discounter Kopeyka for 51.5 billion rouble (US$660mio) with 660 stores into the Pyaterocha concept. The CEO of the company also noted that in addition to the flagships, the Perekrestok and Pyaterochka chains, the group will continue to actively develop the Perekrestok Vprok online hypermarket, which today operates on the basis of 5 darkstores and fulfills more than 12,000 orders a day. Express delivery will be developed both on the basis of the main formats, from the stores of the Pyaterochka and Perekrestok chains, and under the Okolo brand. As X5 is the online delivery market leader in the first half of this year, the revenues in the online segment exceeded 8 billion rubles (US$100 mio). Click here for more: https://www.retail.ru/news/x5-sobiraetsya-otkryt-pervye-diskauntery-i-vyyti-na-dalniy-vostok-2-oktyabrya-2020-198278/