Did you know ...? French e-commerce website Cdiscount, part of the Casino Group, is launching a B2B programme to enable retailers to develop their e-commerce activity throughout Europe. This launch by the leading non-food online e-commerce platform in France is aimed at strengthening Cdiscount’s profitability and international growth strategy. Many distributors are realising the potential that exists in e-commerce, and Cdiscount hopes its new programme will give them the ability to quickly reach a large audience. Cdiscount is now launching a dedicated activity to offer retailers the use of its technological platform and AI expertise, access to its 100-million-product-catalogue offered by 13,000 qualified sellers, a leading supply chain with its fulfilment solution, already used by more than 2,5000 sellers, and other features. The solution will be deployed primarily in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. Emmanuel Grenier, Cdiscount’s CEO, hopes that through the launch of the new activity, the group will "contribute to the emergence of an alternative digital model."
Did you know ...? Argentina is investigating consumer firms including Danone, Procter & Gamble and Unilever, along with food producers like Bunge, over accusations that they have deliberately held back production amid a government clampdown on rising prices. The country's production ministry in a statement alleged that the firms and others had been "holding back production volumes" and had not abided by a resolution to increase output to the "highest degree of their installed capacity." It said an investigation had found shortages in supermarkets of products ranging from cooking oil to diapers and cheese and said that the firms under investigation must rectify the situation and restore stock levels. The South American nation's leaders have been trying to protect consumers from rising prices and rein in rampant inflation, forecast in a central bank poll to hit 50% this year. The government of Argentine President Alberto Fernandez has clashed with some businesses and investors over price caps on some goods and the freezing of utilities tariffs.
Did you know ...? Finnish retailer Kesko has announced that its customers returned around 614 million cans and bottles for recycling in 2020. The used cans and bottles were deposited in the reverse vending machines at K-food stores. The number of deposit beverage containers returned by consumers increased by almost 10% year-on-year, from around 562 million in 2019. The K Group says that the promotion of the circular economy is one of the cornerstones of its sustainability strategy, and recycling is an important part of this process. In recent years, Kesko has introduced deposit bottles for many of its own-brand products such as Pirkka squash, fresh-squeezed juices and Pirkka Parhaat smoothie. Finland is one of the leading countries in the world for recycling beverage containers. Around 93% of deposit PET bottles in Finland are recycled into new bottles. Colourless PET bottles are converted into material used for making other items such as raincoats, while aluminium cans are recycled into new cans. In October of last year, K-Citymarket Kupittaa set a world record for bottle collection after 33,328 cans and bottles were returned to a single machine in one day.
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