Product rationalisation in Food and Drink: Causes and challenges for manufacturers
The need for product rationalisation has significantly increased in recent years for a number of reasons. Major events have influenced changes in consumers’ shopping behaviour, affecting retailers, and in turn suppliers. The Covid-19 pandemic caused retailers to reduce their product range following consumers’ shopping patterns, contributing to the development of a ‘simplification’ trend that has […]
Aldi noses out Lidl again to remain UK’s least expensive supermarket
One month ago, in an effort to save British consumers money at checkouts, Waitrose said it would be slashing prices on already reduced items. It has put an incredible £100m investment behind cost-saving initiatives, including fruit and vegetable areas. And yet, when Which? revealed its latest monthly numbers on the cost of the average supermarket shop […]
Jim Prevor: A Profile in Courage
In 2022, Primus Group Inc. and I lost a great friend, James Prevor [Jim]. The phrase “speak truth to power” is attributed to the Quakers. It implies a level of bravery that requires “risking either the status quo, one’s reputation or livelihood, or the wrath of the person one is confronting.” Jim regularly “spoke truth […]
Tesco launches £5 million grant programme to improve health of school children
In a quest to provide impoverished school children with more healthy food, including fruits and vegetables, Tesco is reimaging its community funding effort with a new £5 million grant programme that will launch this summer. More than 5,000 schools will be able to apply for the grants, which will deliver a series of £1,500 checks […]
Why it’s vital to keep an eye on the ‘little guys’
One thing every operator should watch closely is the nature and makeup of the competition within the marketplace. Most of the attention goes to the larger competitors, such as national chains and large regional players, and many retailers make the mistake of not considering the small, independent retailers within the trading area. Successful produce retailers […]
Morrisons slashes prices on almost 500 items, but are they enough?
Trying to remain competitive against deep discount retail chains Aldi and Lidi, Morrisons recently reduced prices on nearly 500 more items including some fruits and vegetables. Although Morrisons now has lowered the cost on 1,000 products, it only has committed to those reductions over the course of eight weeks. “We’re now going again with a […]
Jooste: Pressure is on, and savvy supermarkets are pivoting to meet economic challenges
Since the fall of 2021, the food chain has seen rising costs due to several factors, starting with logistical disruptions and speculation caused by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, followed by a post-COVID scarcity of human resources, and recently the outbreak of war in Ukraine. Subsequent sanctions against Russia drove up energy prices and heavily affected […]
Report: UK facing salad crisis because of rising costs, vegetable shortages
An untimely combination of adverse weather and price surges is leading to a shortage of fresh produce and a “salad crisis” in the UK, The Guardian reports. The publication states that February’s consumer prices index (CPI) rose to 10.4%, driven by rising costs in items such as drinks, eating out and fresh food. Poor weather conditions have […]
