14 Shop Talk A
ldi is now the UK’s favourite supermarket according to an annual
poll by Which? . The survey of 7,000 UK consumers gave the German supermarket chain an overall score of 76% for customer satisfaction. Waitrose came in second place with a score of 75%, while Tesco and The Co-op were last with 57% and 50% respectively. Iceland Foods has been voted the Best Big Company to Work for in the UK at the annual Best Companies Awards held on 27 February. In addition, it won a special award as Most Improved Big Company and its chief executive, Malcolm Walker, was named runner-up in the Best Leader category.
Overall, Iceland scored top marks in no fewer than 19 categories in the 2014 Best Companies survey. It was Number One for offering its employees a fair deal, and staff say they are happier with their pay and benefits than at any other company in the survey. It also came top for promoting employee wellbeing and remains the only national food retailer to feature anywhere in the Best Companies league table. Asda saw a fall in comparable sales of 0.1% for the fourth quarter, according to its latest trade update. However, looking at the retailer’s full year financial results, comparable sales increased by 0.5% for the 52- week period ending 3 January. At the end of last year, Asda outlined six strategic priorities for the next five years.
The strategy centres around improving the core business, extending its reach and expanding the brand into new markets.
This year the company is also planning to invest £750m
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in opening new stores and in extensions and refurbishments to existing stores. Sainsbury’s has been short- listed for the Best Initiative in British Food category in BBC Radio 4’s Food and Farming Awards.
The retailer is being
recognised for its leadership in sourcing fish. It has achieved top-grade sustainability credentials for its wild-caught and farmed fish and is also working with Stirling University and Marine Harvest Scotland. The winners of the awards are due to be announced in May. Marks & Spencer has become the first retailer to receive the triple award of certification for
achievements in carbon, water and waste reduction from the Carbon Trust.
Since the launch of its eco and ethical programme, Plan A, M&S has achieved zero waste to landfill; become a carbon neutral company; reduced its energy use in stores, offices and warehouses by 31%; cut store refrigerant gas carbon emissions by 60%; used two billion fewer single-use carrier bags in its food halls and tackled water use in its stores and supply chain. M&S director of property, Clem Constantine, said: “There’s a clear business case for managing and reducing our own impact on the environment. It saves money,
helps us become more efficient and better prepares M&S for the future. Working with the Carbon Trust gives us the knowledge and confidence to push ourselves further and supports us in achieving our ambitious Plan A goals.” Tesco recently sparked a supermarket price war by reducing the price of a four pint carton of milk by 39p to £1, undercutting competitors Sainburys, Morrisons and the Co-operative. Asda already sells its four pint cartons at £1. Sainsburys and the Co-operative followed suit two days later by similarly cutting the price of four pint cartons to £1. Waitrose has agreed its first export deal in South Africa, through which over 250 of its own-brand groceries will be available in Food Lover’s Market stores. The products will also be available in selected Fruit & Veg City’s Freshstop at Caltex service station shops.
The deal means that Waitrose now sells its products on every continent except Antarctica and exports to 50 countries worldwide.
For many years Waitrose has sourced fruit and wine from South Africa, supplied by Waitrose Foundation farms, which return a percentage of profits to its farm workers. The new deal marks another first as its products are exported to the country.
Among the items being exported to South Africa are shortbread, muesli, risotto and pasta, ice cream, sorbet and Waitrose wines from France, Italy and Portugal.
Waitrose export sales grew by almost 30% last year. Recent additions to the export business include South Korea, Taiwan, Ibiza, Australia and Gibraltar.
Swep ACR News April 2014
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