India: The ban on foreign direct investment in multi-brand retail could be lifted within four months, the country's commerce minister has said. A committee formed to explore deregulation in foreign direct investment submitted a favourable report that will now be put to the cabinet, Jyotiraditya Scindia said. Foreign entrants are likely to be required to invest in transport networks, food processing and warehousing to create jobs in rural India.
Australia: A newly-launched political party would restrict supermarket chains to having no more than 22% of the market. The Australian Party said large retailers should be restricted to "halt the erosion of our consumer markets". A Woolworths spokesman warned the proposals would see consumers pay more for their groceries: "In 2008, a survey found there was a 17% difference in the price of groceries between a town that has a Woolworths or Coles and one that doesn't."
The Netherlands: First-quarter sales at Ahold rose 5.9% to 9.25bn. Profits from its US arm which generates more than half of its sales were buoyed by the early Easter, up 11.4% to 409m. "We delivered solid results and increased volumes in all our markets despite challenging market conditions," said CEO Dick Boer. Earnings in its domestic market fell 4% to 265m, as "margins were impacted by increasing inflation that was not fully passed on to customers".
Denmark: Spar Denmark has saved 73 tonnes of carbon by installing 1,600 energy-efficient lights in its stores. It has also struck a deal with electricity providers to give retailers back 2% per kilowatt of energy saved, to speed up the return on investment for the greener light tubes.
Australia: A newly-launched political party would restrict supermarket chains to having no more than 22% of the market. The Australian Party said large retailers should be restricted to "halt the erosion of our consumer markets". A Woolworths spokesman warned the proposals would see consumers pay more for their groceries: "In 2008, a survey found there was a 17% difference in the price of groceries between a town that has a Woolworths or Coles and one that doesn't."
The Netherlands: First-quarter sales at Ahold rose 5.9% to 9.25bn. Profits from its US arm which generates more than half of its sales were buoyed by the early Easter, up 11.4% to 409m. "We delivered solid results and increased volumes in all our markets despite challenging market conditions," said CEO Dick Boer. Earnings in its domestic market fell 4% to 265m, as "margins were impacted by increasing inflation that was not fully passed on to customers".
Denmark: Spar Denmark has saved 73 tonnes of carbon by installing 1,600 energy-efficient lights in its stores. It has also struck a deal with electricity providers to give retailers back 2% per kilowatt of energy saved, to speed up the return on investment for the greener light tubes.
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