Author: Scott Dylan

The renowned retailer Asda is trialling a new food-to-go concept with its ‘Asda Food Hub’.Initial trials will be conducted at Leicester and Dagenham stores, featuring barista-style coffee and fresh grab-and-go meals.The trial includes a diverse range of meal deals available throughout the day, from breakfast to afternoon snacks.Aesthetic upgrades will modernise the look and interface of existing food counters across selected stores.Success could lead to a wider rollout, enhancing customer shopping experiences at more Asda locations.Asda has embarked on a strategic initiative by launching a food-to-go trial named the ‘Asda Food Hub’ in select stores, specifically in Leicester and Dagenham.…

In the second quarter, Asda reported a remarkable 9.6% increase in like-for-like sales, strongly influenced by its budget-friendly ‘Just Essentials’ range.Just Essentials, launched in May 2022, has quickly become Asda’s leading value brand, achieving an 87% growth year-on-year.With over 22 million customers purchasing from Just Essentials, it now holds a 20.2% market share.Price reductions on over 200 own-label items contributed to Asda’s continued growth, aiding consumers amidst rising living costs.Asda’s online presence remains strong, averaging 800,000 orders weekly, securing its position as the UK’s second largest online supermarket.Asda has witnessed a significant surge in its sales, driven by the popularity…

Iceland Foods has responded to rising costs by significantly lowering baby formula prices, offering financial relief to parents.The 20% price reduction is part of Iceland’s broader strategy to maintain affordability amidst the cost-of-living crisis.Research shows 86% of young parents worry about formula affordability, emphasising the need for retail intervention.Some parents have resorted to unsafe feeding practices due to financial strain, highlighting the importance of price reductions.Iceland’s initiative reflects a £26m investment to support families and ensure responsible feeding practices.In a strategic move to assist parents grappling with rising living costs, Iceland Foods has lowered the prices of various baby formulas,…

The rising price of fuel has disproportionately impacted rural areas, where supermarkets face fresh accusations of overcharging customers.Rural drivers are reportedly paying between 10p and 15p more per litre for fuel than their urban counterparts.Amid rising global fuel costs, petrol prices have surged to the highest level since February, with diesel following suit.Government scrutiny and calls for transparency have been directed at major supermarkets accused of fuelling price discrepancies.Despite supermarket efforts to publish fuel prices online, significant regional differences in pricing persist.The rising cost of fuel has emerged as a greater burden on drivers in rural areas, with supermarkets being…

Recent investigations by Which? reveal significant price hikes in branded food products over the past year.An examination of nearly 26,000 groceries from major supermarkets shows a marked increase in costs.Tesco’s Mr Kipling Chocolate Slices experienced the highest price surge among branded goods.Branded yoghurts and cheeses have also seen substantial increases at Asda and Morrisons respectively.Despite recent declines in food inflation, staple items have risen more than 30% in two years.According to the consumer rights organisation Which?, branded food products have seen considerable price increases over the past year. This conclusion is drawn from an analysis of approximately 26,000 grocery items…

The latest grocery market analysis shows Tesco and Sainsbury’s leading the retail sector as inflation eases.Food price inflation decreases by 2.2%, settling at 12.7% in the period ending 6 August 2023.Tesco’s and Sainsbury’s sales grew by 9.5% and 9.3%, respectively, bolstering their market presence.Aldi remains the fastest-growing grocery retailer with a 21.2% sales increase, achieving a 10.2% market share.Overall grocery sales rose by 6.5%, marking a decrease from the previous month’s growth rate.According to recent data published by retail analyst Kantar, both Tesco and Sainsbury’s have performed exceptionally well in the grocery market during the past month. With grocery price…

M&S has revised its profit forecast upwards for the fiscal year ending April 2024.This adjustment follows an 11% increase in like-for-like food sales over 19 weeks.Investment in own-brand quality and value has driven this sales surge.Clothing and home sales also rose by 6%, primarily due to in-store growth.Ongoing economic uncertainties could impact future consumer markets.Marks & Spencer (M&S) has announced an upward revision of its profit forecast for the year ending April 2024, a significant shift from its earlier projection of a slight decline. This adjustment is underpinned by robust dynamics in its grocery segment, where like-for-like food sales have…

Action on Sugar calls for removal of child-targeted packaging on sugary cereals and yoghurts.Research shows high sugar content in nearly half of cereals and most yoghurts targeting kids.Lidl, Aldi, and Nestle cereals feature highest sugar levels with child-friendly designs.Child-friendly packaging misleads parents amidst health issues in children.Nestle claims significant reforms in sugar reduction across their product range.The health advocacy group Action on Sugar has urged that packaging appealing to children should be removed from breakfast cereals and yoghurts with high sugar content. This call is particularly aimed at products categorised as high or medium in sugars, salt, or saturated fat,…

Workers at a Tesco depot in Didcot, Oxfordshire are set to strike over new contracts that do not include a pay increase.Cleaning and catering staff, outsourced to facility management company Atalian Servest, are affected by the lack of negotiation over pay.Current pay rates for cleaners at the depot are £11 per hour, with no extra pay for weekends and bank holidays.Unite the Union is leading the strike action, with four planned strikes in September 2023.Atalian Servest reported a gross profit of £84 million in 2021, yet refuses to negotiate pay increases.Employees at Tesco’s Didcot depot, particularly those in cleaning and…

Sainsbury’s has launched an initiative to combat plastic waste, replacing five million plastic hangers with eco-friendly cardboard versions.This change targets the Tu Clothing Baby range, with implementation across more than 400 stores nationwide.Customers can now opt to recycle these cardboard hangers at home or return plastic ones to stores for recycling.Between January and July, Sainsbury’s managed to recycle 12 million plastic hangers, amounting to 85 tonnes of plastic.The retailer has also switched its laundry detergent packaging to cardboard, showcasing its commitment to sustainability.In a significant move towards sustainability, Sainsbury’s is aiming to save 103 tonnes of plastic by implementing cardboard…