NEWS DIGEST
THIS WEEK’S NEWS FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS, HEAD TO WWW.SLRMAG.CO.UK/CATEGORY/NEWS/
CO-OP DELIVERS The Co-op has reported a four-fold increase in online food orders in the half year to 4 July, fuelled by the coronavirus pandemic. The retailer is
SUPERMARKETS
ASDA TARGETS CONVENIENCE MARKET WITH NEW FORMAT
aiming to provide online home
ASDA IS ENTERING THE CONVENIENCE MARKET THROUGH A TRIAL
delivery and click & collect
WITH FORECOURT OPERATOR EG GROUP AND IS TRIALLING B&Q
from over 650 of its stores by
CONCESSIONS IN-STORE.
the end of this year.
SHRINKRWAP SHRUNK Waitrose is accelerating its plans to stop using singleuse plastic by ending the use of shrinkwrap on all of its own label multipack tinned grocery products. The majority of multibuy cans will now be available loose, with the exception of tuna and
Asda is targeting the UK convenience market with the launch of a new format in partnership with forecourt specialist EG Group. The trial of ‘Asda On The Move’ will initially roll out at three forecourts in Ashby, Leamore and Primley in the Midlands. The supermarket is also collaborating on an in-store concept with B&Q offering customers a compact B&Q ‘shop within a shop’ within superstores.
The moves follow the launch of the supermarket’s partnership with Uber Eats in July, which has now been expanded to 25 stores.
tomatoes, which will move to a recyclable card sleeve.
PORTMAN CHAIR The Portman Group has appointed Philip Rycroft as its new Chair. He replaces Sir Martin Narey, who stepped down in November 2019. A civil servant for over 30 years, Rycroft was most recently the Permeant Secretary to the Department for Exiting the EU. His private sector experience includes a stint as an adviser to Scottish & Newcastle.
PRODUCTION OF £2 AND 2P COINS HALTED The Royal Mint has announced that it will cease to produce new 2p or £2 coins for the next decade, although production could return if needed. The move is the result of the build-up of a ‘coin mountain’ as demand for the coins has dropped significantly, in sharp contrast to the demand for banknotes which has grown. These coins have not been needed because lots of old coins were returned to circulation when the 12-sided £1
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coin was launched in March 2017 and shoppers rushed to send the old format pound coins back to the bank in the six month window available. The issue was revealed in a report on the future of cash by the National Audit Office warning it could become harder to access by those who rely on it. Ten years ago, cash was used in six out of 10 transactions but by 2019 it was only being used in less than three in 10 purchases.
