ACR-APR20-PG06.qxp_Layout 1 27/03/2020 14:26 Page 1 In association with


NEWS ShopTalk M


orrisons has seen its full-year profi ts rise despite unprecedented


challenges brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.


jump in sales in recent weeks due to nationwide stockpiling amid the coronavirus crisis. “We are currently facing


unprecedented challenges and uncertainty dealing with Covid-19,” Morrisons chair Andrew Higginson and chief executive David Potts said. “Looking after our colleagues and


The 52 weeks ended February


2, pre-tax profi t rose 3% to £408 million, when total sales edged down 1.1% to £17.5 billion.


Morrisons said it made “signifi cant investments” in price, service, and its Market Street food off er last year. It also said it would open fi ve new stores during 2020/21. In response to the coronavirus


outbreak the grocer announced that it would expand its online delivery capability to pick from more than 100 stores, as well as off ering immediate payments to small suppliers to help mitigate their cashfl ows. The retailer also called on shoppers to “just buy what we need” after the


customers is our priority, ensuring that we have a clean, safe place to shop and work. We promise to work as hard as we can for customers, suppliers, and all stakeholders to keep our shops operating as smoothly as possible.”


T


esco has launched a new value campaign aiming to bring direct price competitiveness versus its leading discount rival, Aldi, across a range of the most frequently bought products.


The ‘Aldi Price Match’ initiative sees Tesco committing to match Aldi’s price on hundreds of products, private label and branded, to ensure its customers can get best value on the core elements of their weekly food shop. All products included in the price-match guarantee will


be clearly signed in-store with an Aldi Price Match logo. The prices of these products will be checked twice a-week ongoing. Aldi Price match products are


available online as well as in store and can be readily searched as a range on Tesco.com. Currently there are 311 products fl agged on the website across core fresh food and store cupboard categories. While the UK’s mainstream retailers have been the target of much price comparison advertising from Aldi in recent years, this is the fi rst time one of them has sought to hit back directly with explicit broad-based national price-matching activity targeting the discounter. ‘Aldi Price Match’ marks another notable step in the reorientation


M


arks & Spencer’s stores and business functions will remain open, as it puts


new measures in place to support customers and colleagues amid the coronavirus outbreak.


M&S chief executive Steve Rowe


said staff from the clothing and home team will be joining the food teams to help with increased demand. “Colleagues across the stores and


supply chain have been provided with additional hygiene products to use and extra cleaning is taking place to keep up our excellent standards for you and our teams,” Mr Rowe said. M&S has also introduced a contact-free delivery service for all orders to allow for zero hand-to- hand contact.


of the Tesco business to tackle the changed realities of the UK market.


“For over 135 years, M&S, our customers, and the communities we serve, have faced into challenges big and small, and come through them all by supporting each other and working together,” Rowe said. “Now, as ever, the entire M&S team – across our stores, our support centres, our warehouses and in our supply chain – is working tirelessly to deliver for our customers.”


Bond 6 April 2020 www.bond-group.com www.acr-news.com


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