All Discounters articles – Page 155

  • News

    Lidl frustrated by Irish straitjacket

    2005-10-08T00:00:00Z

    An ambitious Irish expansion programme by the discount chain Lidl is being slowed by a flood of planning objections.The chain has established 60 outlets across the Republic since moving into the market five years ago, together with its big...

  • News

    Aldi pay hits a new high

    2005-10-08T00:00:00Z

    German hard-discounter Aldi is smashing through the minimum wage pay scale to offer inflation-busting wages to store assistants.A recent recruitment drive for store staff has been offering prospective employees an hourly wage of £7.20, rising...

  • News

    BWG likely to buy Irish Iceland stores

    2005-08-27T00:00:00Z

    BWG Holdings, owner of the Spar franchise, is seen as the most likely buyer of some of Iceland’s Irish stores, after the company’s decision to close down operations in the Republic because of continuing losses.Seven outlets – six in Dublin and...

  • News

    Persistence pays off for Lidl

    2005-08-13T00:00:00Z

    Determination paid off for Lidl when it won planning permission to redevelop a site on Eltham High Street in south east London. It was not the first time it had tried: its first attempt was unsuccessful as it was felt the plans would lead to an...

  • News

    Summer shopping: performance of grocery online services

    2005-07-30T00:00:00Z

    >> HOW THE STORES COMPARED ON KEY ASPECTS OF THEIR ONLINE SERVICEOnline retailing has become an increasingly competitive battleground for the major supermarket chains. Indeed, since our Easter shopping survey, Iceland has...

  • News

    Out with the Aldi

    2005-07-30T00:00:00Z

    Aldi has unveiled a bold new blueprint for a more upmarket offer, says James DurstonAfter a decade of near media silence, German hard discounter Aldi has finally spoken. Last week it invited The Grocer to the opening of its new store...

  • News

    Aldi takes itself upmarket

    2005-07-30T00:00:00Z

    Aldi is to spend £500m in the UK building new stores and refurbishing existing stores in a move that it hopes will turn its image into one appealing to middle Britain.According to Tony Baines, MD for group buying, Aldi’s ambition is to tempt...

  • News

    Spring water from Iceland

    2005-07-23T00:00:00Z

    A mineral water which is touted as one of the purest in the world is crossing the North Atlantic ocean from Iceland.Icelandic Glacial is sourced from the Ölfus spring – formed by a volcanic eruption 4,500 years ago – which is shielded from...

  • News

    Irish retailers’ profits soaring

    2005-07-09T00:00:00Z

    Profits in the Republic of Ireland’s wholesale and retail grocery sector may be higher than 11.3bn a year, according to the Department of Finance.It is the first official estimate, as the major supermarkets – Tesco, Dunnes, Superquinn, Aldi and...

  • News

    Lidl takes on protesters in bid for store support

    2005-07-09T00:00:00Z

    Lidl is turning the tables on residents protesting against supermarket store openings – by striking up its own list of supporters’ names.The discounter has launched a petition and held an open day in an effort to drum up support for a new store...

  • News

    Lidl drums up support for its debut in Orkney Islands

    2005-07-02T00:00:00Z

    Hard discounter Lidl is hoping to open its most northerly UK store in the Orkneys by next February.The retailer held a public meeting in Kirkwall in a bid to drum up support for the proposed store in the town. Gordon Greens, a Lidl sales...

  • News

    Three more Para Red products withdrawn

    2005-05-12T08:20:00Z

    Three more products have been found to contain the illegal food dye Para Red.The Food Standards Agency has ordered the withdrawal from sale of Discovery Salsa Wrap ‘n’ Roll and Taco seasoning, along with Iceland’s ready cooked sliced chicken...

  • News

    Iceland trialling switch to Cooltrader

    2005-04-09T00:00:00Z

    Iceland is to understood to be trialling the Cooltrader format at five underperforming stores, with a view to rolling it out to 100 outlets if it proves a hit.Cooltrader is the frozen food chain set up by Iceland boss Malcolm Walker after he...

  • News

    Iceland to abandon home shopping service

    2005-04-04T10:22:00Z

    Iceland has announced that it will close its loss-making home shopping service later this month.The internet and telephone service will close on April 22, with last deliveries to customers being made on April 23.Closure of the service is...

  • News

    Head office jobs axed as Booker is simplified

    2005-04-02T00:00:00Z

    Wholesaler Booker is laying off almost 20% of its head office staff less than two months after the business was decoupled from Iceland following the acquisition of Big Food Group by Icelandic group Baugur. In an interview with The Grocer,...

  • News

    Iceland announces 400 job losses

    2005-03-16T08:22:00Z

    Iceland, the supermarket chain recently acquired by Baugur as part of its purchase of the Big Food Group, is cutting a third of its workforce at its Deeside headquarters in Flintshire.The company, which employs 20,000 people across the UK,...

  • News

    In Profile: Q&A with Nadir Lalani, owner of the 99p Stores discount chain

    2005-03-12T00:00:00Z

    Entrepreneur has a great eye for what will sell

    Nadir Lalani emigrated to the UK from Tanzania in 1971.

    Three decades later, he has built…

  • News

    Kwik fixes are not the solution for Baugur

    2005-02-12T00:00:00Z

    Baugur could extract some synergies from teaming up Iceland and Kwik Save, but it could prove a marriage made in hell, warned analysts as news of Baugur’s interest in Somerfield Group broke this week.Just two days before the Icelandic...

  • News

    Lidl plans Croatia expansion

    2005-02-07T08:25:00Z

    Discount grocery retailer Lidl is moving ahead with its Croatian expansion plans and is expected to open shops in 17 Croatian town this November.The retailer is expected to invest about E40m in the first stage of its Croatia expansion, and...

  • News

    Review of 2004

    2005-01-18T11:37:00Z

    January Big Food Group meets Londis’s advisors, KPMG, to discuss a bid. BFG announces departure of Iceland MD Mike Coupe. Tesco stuns convenience world by buying Adminstore. The City raises concerns about Morrisons’ ability to integrate...