W. P. Carey expands UK portfolio with $69mln Morrisons acquisition
Global real estate investment trust W. P. Carey has deepened its footprint in the UK grocery sector, acquiring two Morrisons supermarkets and petrol stations in a deal worth £51mln ($69mln). The properties, located in Loughborough and Ilkeston, are leased to Morrisons on triple-net terms, under which the tenant is responsible for taxes, insurance and maintenance.
Source: mobilityplaza.org

China: JD.com tops quarterly revenue estimates on steady e-commerce demand
Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com beat market estimates for quarterly revenue, signaling resilient consumer spending on its platform fueled by price cuts and government subsidies. Total revenue rose 22.4% to 356.66bln yuan ($49.73bln) during the second quarter ended June, compared with analysts’ average estimate of 331.63bln yuan, according to data compiled by LSEG.
Source: reuters.com

Kaufland launches in France
German ecommerce giant Kaufland has launched its marketplace in France. It is the sixth country where the marketplace is active. Customers in the country can now order over 3mln items, from more than 6,400 categories on the platform.
Source: ecommercenews.eu

Cherry on top: Flavour becomes drinks favourite, in time for British cherry season
Ben I’Anson, Senior Fruit Buyer at Ocado.com says: “Cherry has gone from a retro flavour to a modern must-have – popping up across categories in fun, nostalgic and often unexpected ways. This surge in cherry flavoured products has translated to growing success in the fresh cherries category, as customers have a newfound appreciation for the fresh fruit. With over 200 cherry products now available at Ocado, there’s something for everyone – whether it’s refreshing drinks or indulgent desserts”.
Source: ocadoretail.com

Sweden: Greenfood’s Interim report second quarter 2025
Greenfood reported: “Group adjusted EBITDA of SEK 139.3mln (120.0) increased by 16.1% driven by improvements in all three business areas. Net sales for the group totaled SEK 1,561.1mln (1,525.6), an increase of 2.3%, driven by 10.2% growth in Picadeli and 5.0% growth in Food. Net sales for Picadeli in the second quarter grew by 10.2% to SEK 581.2mln (527.2), primarily driven by more active salad bars and increased consumption per bar. Net sales for Food Solutions grew 5.0% in the second quarter of 2025 and adjusted EBITDA grew by 18.2%. Net result for the period SEK 37.1mln (-11.7)”.
Source: greenfood.se

China: Alibaba’s Freshippo to shut last members-only supermarket after strategic shift
Freshippo announced the grocery arm of Alibaba Group Holding will shut down its last membership store. Freshippo’s last members-only supermarket in Shanghai will cease operations on August 31, Yicai learned from employees at the shopping mall where the store is located. Three Freshippo X membership stores in Beijing, Suzhou, and Nanjing closed at the end of last month. At its peak, Freshippo had 10 Freshippo X supermarkets. But in 2023, Alibaba split itself into six business groups to support their independent development, and Freshippo adjusted its strategy and allocated more resources toward small-size and normal store expansion.
Source: yicaiglobal.com

Alibaba launches AI agent for international merchants
Alibaba International launches the first AI Assistant for global commerce: this is an advanced extension for its B2B search engine Accio, which enables merchants to automate the entire purchasing process, right down to price negotiations.
Source: retaildetail.eu

Free crisps? Aldi launches nationwide search for its NEW Official Crisp Taster
Aldi reported: “Aldi is searching for the ultimate crisp connoisseur to claim the coveted title of its NEW Official Crisp Taster 2025. The successful applicant will receive a selection of Aldi’s most popular crisps to sample at home for FREE, including Aldi’s Specially Selected Lightly Sea Salted Hand Cooked Crisps, Specially Selected Mature Cheddar & Red Onion Hand Cooked Crisps, the Snackrite Delta Strips and Snackrite Cheese Flavour Cheezios”.
Source: aldipresscentre.co.uk

UK supermarkets could see closures due to higher business rates
Over 100 supermarket stores risk closure due to the Government’s proposals to increase business rates, reports the Financial Times. Sainsbury’s is expected to see 50 of its 600 supermarket stores become unprofitable due to the rising cost of property charges, said the publication. Additionally, tens of Tesco stores and 30 Morrisons stores could also be impacted.
Source: grocerygazette.co.uk

UK: 25 years of Ocado Group from online grocer to global technology pioneer
Ocado Group reported: “From bold beginnings to global breakthroughs, Ocado Group has spent the last 25 years redefining what’s possible in online grocery fulfilment and logistics. As we mark this milestone, we’re celebrating the people, partnerships and innovations that shaped our journey and doubling down on the ambition, ingenuity and invention that will define our next 25 years”.
Source: ocadogroup.com

UK: Company Shop unveils new look as ‘The Surplus Supermarket’
Company Shop Group, the UK’s leading redistributor and retailer of surplus food and household products, is proud to announce that its Long Eaton Company Shop store will be officially relaunched on Friday 15th August following a full refurbishment and rebrand under its new identity: ‘The Surplus Supermarket’.
Source: fpcfreshtalkdaily.co.uk

Northern Ireland: Tenth consecutive year of growth delivers five-time awards success for Henderson Retail
Henderson Retail, the company which operates 114 SPAR and EUROSPAR stores across Northern Ireland, has delivered growth for its tenth consecutive year, and has been named Independent Retail Chain of the Year at the Grocer Gold Awards for the fifth time.
Source: henderson-group.com

Lidl’s British workers get fifth pay rise in two years
The British arm of German discount supermarket Lidl is to give its 28,000 hourly paid workers a fifth pay rise in two years, matching the increased level offered by rival Aldi, it said.
Source: reuters.com

Mixed results for Carrefour in Italy and Brazil
Carrefour Italia reported sales of €1.77bln in the first half of its financial year 2025 – a 3.7% decrease from the same period in 2024. Carrefour Brasil‘s second-quarter profit increased by 19.7% year-on-year, reaching BRL 395mln (€61mln).
Source: esmmagazine.com

US: Consumer Price Index – July 2025
The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) increased 0.2% on a seasonally adjusted basis in July, after rising 0.3% in June, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. The index for dairy and related products rose 1.5% and the index for fruits and vegetables increased 0.2% over the same period.
Source: bls.gov

US: Gelson’s workers come to tentative agreement on new contract
United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) locals representing more than 2,000 grocery workers at Gelson’s Markets in Southern California have reached a tentative agreement that the locals said secures higher wages, more money for pension contributions, additional health and welfare improvements, adequate staffing, and more.
Source: progressivegrocer.com

US: SpartanNash is in relatively good shape following acquisition
Following its $1.77bln merger with C&S Wholesale Grocers, SpartanNash reported a strong second quarter, the food solutions company announced. Net sales rose 1.8% year over year to $2.27bln, driven by contributions from the acquisitions of Fresh Encounter Inc. and Markham Enterprises’ convenience stores late last year. The Byron Center, Michigan-based company’s wholesale segment experienced a 3.0% year-over-year decline in net sales to $1.51bln. In contrast, the retail segment jumped 12.8% to $762.9mln.
Source: supermarketnews.com