Planet Retail 20 Jan 2010

Bharti Wal-Mart has reportedly opened its first Agricultural Co-operative Centre in Sirhind, Punjab. The centre aims to build an aggregating, handling, packaging and delivering system of fresh produce to Best Price and Bharti Retail's EasyDay stores. This initiative is part of Bharti Wal-Mart's Direct Farm Programme in partnership with 100 small and marginal farmers near Ludhiana, Punjab. The farmers will be paid for their produce within 24 hours post delivery. All legalities including APMC tax will be fully complied with.

BBC News  13 January 2010

A new watchdog is to be created to resolve disputes between supermarkets and their suppliers, the government has announced.

The ombudsman will enforce a new code of practice governing relations between grocers and suppliers. The code will come into force on 4 February.

Planet Retail 16 Nov 2009

Bharti Wal-Mart has initiated a development programme with farmers in India, the Hindustan Times reported. The programme will help farmers grow high quality fruit and vegetables with assistance from the company at each stage of development, offering advice on post-harvest technology, after which the farmers sell their produce to the company. "Our associates engage with the farmers at every stage of cultivation. We also help them with post-harvest practices and help them improve wastage and improve quality," a Wal-Mart spokesperson said. The company has launched the pilot programme with 65 farmers in Punjab.

Mass Market Retailers - 10 August 2009. Spotlight on Emerging Markets

The past year has brought economic hardship, with significant implications for retailers. Growth in developed markets has dried up as consumers face a collapse in real estate prices, job uncertainty and a dramatic drop in income and asset values. The result has been less consumer spending across all retail segments. In the wake of this, it has become clear that retailers operating solely in developed markets are faring far worse than those with a foothold in developing markets.

Planet Retail 4 Aug 2009

The UK Competition Commission has formally recommended that the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) should establish an Ombudsman to arbitrate on disputes between grocery retailers and suppliers. The Ombudsman will also investigate complaints under the new Groceries Supply Code of Practice (GSCOP).

Planet Retail 13 Jul 2009

Tesco will continue to invest in Asia despite the global economic downturn. "We had terrific success and we are the biggest retailer in Asia. It is important for us to expand as there are still huge opportunities in Asia, including China and Japan," said Andrew Higginson, Tesco's CEO of Retailing Services. Higginson said that Tesco plans to spend GBP3.6 billion (USD5.11 billion) this year on capital expenditure to support growth around the world, of which slightly more than half will go to the Asian markets.

Irish Times, July 1, 2009

Ireland needs a retail ombudsman and code of practice because the grocery sector is "bedevilled with intimidation", Minister of State for Agriculture Trevor Sargent has insisted in the Dáil.

Planet Retail 25 Jun 2009

Wal-Mart has launched a ‘Sustainability Pact' in order to seek out more sustainable practices in the entire supply chain in Brazil. The project will gather over 300 suppliers and 200 NGOs as well as government authorities, partners and associates.

foodanddrinkeurope.com, report by Neil Merrett, 16-Jun-2009

As protests continue around Europe from dairy farmers concerned about covering their costs in the current market, French producers appear to have succeeded in speeding up government scrutiny of supermarket pay practices, according to reports.

fruitnet.com 09 June 2009

An Indian parliamentary panel has recommended foreign and large domestic companies be banned from retailing food, and that no more licenses for wholesale stores be issued.