In emerging markets Wal-Mart pledges to sell $1 billion of food from small and medium farmers

billv — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 08:17:17 +0000

New York Times, October 14, 2010

Wal-Mart Stores announced a program on Thursday that would focus on sustainable agriculture among its suppliers, as the retail giant tries to expand its efforts to improve environmental efficiency among its suppliers.

Wal-Mart in talks to buy South Africa's Massmart

billv — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 20:37:18 +0000

Guardian 27 September 2010

Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, is planning a major move into the fast-expanding African market, announcing today that it is in talks to buy South Africa's third-largest retailer, Massmart.

FDI rules in India to include creation of back-end logistics

billv — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 15:42:05 +0000

Planet Retail 6 Sep 2010

The Indian government plans to allow only those retailers who first invest in back-end supply chain and infrastructure to set up multi-brand retail outlets in the country, India's Financial Express reports. The Indian Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) said that interested players will first have to set up cash & carry outlets, sourcing centres and the entire supply chain before they enter retailing.

WALMART adjusts business to local conditions in India

billv — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 10:44:03 +0000

Planet Retail 16 Aug 2010

Walmart has been forced to create a unique business model in India due to its immature supply chain, India's Business Standard reports. The supermarket chain, whose supply chain is known for its efficiency, awards marks out of 100 to all suppliers. Whereas in other countries most suppliers score around 95, in India the average is a mere 60 points.

UK: Government unveils supermarket ‘adjudicator’ to protect farmers

billv — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 08:14:44 +0000

Farmers Guardian 3 August 2010

THE Government has announced groundbreaking plans to create a supermarket ‘adjudicator' to investigate and solve supply disputes between farmers, suppliers and supermarkets.

MEPs urge supply chain transparency

billv — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 08:17:09 +0000

Freshinfo 18 Jul 10

New legislation is needed to ensure fair returns to farmers and growers and transparent prices to consumers, by enforcing fair competition throughout the food supply chain, an agriculture committee of MEPs said recently.

UK government pledges greater regulation of grocery sector

billv — Mon, 24 May 2010 14:47:14 +0000

FoodandDrinkEurope 21-May-2010

The UK's new coalition government said it intends to increase regulatory oversight of the nation's grocery sector, under policy plans unveiled in a 34-page programme document released yesterday.

The Liberal-Conservative coalition government said it would cut regulation for small businesses and farmers, but increase regulatory oversight of the grocery sector, and appoint an ombudsman to enforce the Groceries Supply Code of Practice.

French retailers agree to margin restraint during crisis periods

billv — Fri, 21 May 2010 11:12:35 +0000

Planet Retail 20 May 2010

The major food retailers in France, including Carrefour, Auchan and Leclerc have agreed to exercise margin restraint during periods of crisis in fruit and vegetable production, following talks with President Nicolas Sarkozy, Just-Food reported. The agreement stipulates that that in time of "proven market crisis", when the price paid to producers is significantly inferior to the average of previous years, retailers will not increase their gross margin on the product in question.

CARREFOUR to expand in China and India

billv — Sat, 08 May 2010 13:19:31 +0000

Planet Retail 7 May 2010

During Carrefour's annual general meeting, CEO Lars Olofsson has announced that the company is seeking to expand in fast-growing emerging markets India and China. Olofsson added that the retailer may exit other countries where it is not a leading retailer so it can strengthen its position in the ones in which it is stronger. Olofsson also said that the retailer was looking for partners in India and China, while no details were given about the names. There has been speculation that Carrefour is going to enter India with Pantaloon.

Ireland: Supermarkets acting like 'Sopranos', says Gilmore

billv — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 10:18:50 +0000

Independent.ie 4 April 2010

POWERFUL supermarkets such as Tesco are behaving like characters in 'The Sopranos' by "extorting" huge sums of money from Irish suppliers to stock their goods, Labour leader Eamon Gilmore said yesterday. Mr Gilmore said this was badly affecting suppliers, including farmers, who could not get their produce on to the shelves of major supermarkets. Mr Gilmore said he was not opposed to the existence of large supermarket chains that had economies of scale to give consumers cheaper prices, but this ceased to be sustainable "when it begins to suck the life out of farm families and villages".