Did you know ...? Colruyt Group has agreed to acquire 57 stores from Louis Delhaize, in Belgium, for an undisclosed amount. The deal comprises 28 stores operating under the Match banner, 29 Smatch outlets, and the property of six sites, the company noted in a statement. Colruyt Group expects to close the transaction – subject to approval by the Belgian Competition Authority (BCA) – in the first quarter of 2024.
Did you know ...? Coop Denmark has opened the first three Brugsen stores featuring a new concept, in Copenhagen and North Zealand. The three stores are also the first in a series of 11 Irma stores that will be rebranded as Brugsen, the retailer noted. The new format is based on Brugsen’s vision of grocery stores that focus on community and local products, reports ESMmagazine.com. The chain director of Brugsen, Torben B. Andersen, added, “We want to be an alternative to the large streamlined discount chains, and in our chain, with Denmark’s most locally customised stores, we know how crucial it is to have the right staff in the store, who know the wishes and needs of the locals. Therefore, it is gratifying that ten out of 11 store managers plus staff will continue in the stores.”
Did you know ...? British retail sales partially recovered in August, after a rainy July washout, the latest official figures showed, adding to signs that the country’s consumers were mostly coping with the cost-of-living squeeze, reports Reuters. Sales volumes rose by 0.4% on a month-on-month basis, after a sharp 1.1% fall in July, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) noted. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast a slightly stronger 0.5% rise in August. While overall sales remained subdued, the partial recovery was driven by food sales and a strong month for clothing, said Heather Bovill, deputy director for surveys and economic indicators at the ONS.
