UNITED STATES: Walmart has launched a campaign promising to offer 'Low Prices. Every Day. On Everything'. The retailer said it would increase competitive checks and partner with suppliers to lower prices. It would also increase lines in stores by an average of 11%, or 8,500 products.

"We aim to create the best one-stop shopping experience and low prices on the right products backed by a clear, consistent ad-match policy," said chief merchandising officer Duncan Mac Naughton.

FRANCE: Carrefour shareholders are revolting against the retailer's plans to spin off its Madrid-based discount arm Dia and 25% of its property arm. US activist fund Knight Vinke has been lobbying fellow shareholders against the plans, unveiled last month, and is thought to have backing from unions and shareholder rights groups.

Meanwhile, workers at the company's large hypermarket stores went on strike this week over pay. About 150 of its 200 hypermarkets were affected by the one-day action.

Casino, which operates the Franprix, Monoprix, Géant Casino and Casino branded supermarkets, has posted an 18.8% hike in first-quarter sales to 7.8bn, boosted by acquisitions in Brazil and Thailand. Like-for-like sales were up 5.7%, with double-digit growth in South America and Asia. The group said it could grow sales by more than 10% in each of the next three years.

CHINA: The Chinese government has extended its ban on food imports from Japan following last month's natural disasters and the nuclear crisis. Officials said they had widened the ban to include edible agricultural products and feed from 12 areas in Japan, including Tokyo. An earlier embargo outlawed the import of fruit and veg, dairy, seafood and water from five areas.

RUSSIA: X5 Retail Group has dismissed press reports that its majority shareholder Alfa-Group was planning to merge X5 with international retailers as "unfounded". X5 this week reported a 48% hike in sales, with like-for-likes up 12%, for the first three months of the year. X5 said the growth came from a 4% increase in footfall and an 8% rise in the average basket size.