http://www.planetretail.net The Daily News provides a round-up of the most important news in the global retailing sector on a daily basis sourced from a comprehensive range of newspapers and trade publications from around the world. Designed to provide regular coverage of events shaping the global retailing sector, the news includes stories on mergers and acquisitions, financial results, store openings, business development strategy, country retail developments and much more. Copyright Planet Retail Ltd 2008. All Rights Reserved. 20 http://www.planetretail.net/NewsFeed/Rss/Images/PlanetRetail_logo100x30.gif http://www.planetretail.net John Lewis has posted its annual results, posting gross sales up 6.5% at GBP7.4 billion (USD 11.54 billion) and group operating profit up GBP66.4 million (USD 103.56 million), 20.5%, to GBP389.7 million (USD 607.81 million). http://www.planetretail.net/dailynews.aspx#57430 http://www.planetretail.net/dailynews.aspx?GID=764d058e-eaaf-4ef1-943a-3e0afab1edb2 UK retailer Morrisons beat forecasts with a 21% rise in annual underlying profit to reach GBP767 million (USD1.24 billion), which it attributed to its focus on low prices and fresh food. http://www.planetretail.net/dailynews.aspx#57413 http://www.planetretail.net/dailynews.aspx?GID=019a90a3-9c05-4674-882b-7823675acc87 Empire, Sobeys’ parent company, has reported that the Canadian retailer's net earnings rose 18% to CAD63.5 million (USD60.12 million) in Q3. Total sales rose 0.9% to CAD3.77 billion (USD3.57 billion) while same-store sales were up 0.3%, net of significant deflation in the quarter. http://www.planetretail.net/dailynews.aspx#57417 http://www.planetretail.net/dailynews.aspx?GID=f46c6d56-fde7-4e35-9087-5b4d36d78c0e Carrefour aims to expand its Shanghai operations to 30 outlets as soon as possible, said China Managing Director Eric Legros. Carrefour's new openings will favour the city's more rural areas, since Shanghai is the retailer's core city in China, but its downtown area is basically saturated, he said. http://www.planetretail.net/dailynews.aspx#57412 http://www.planetretail.net/dailynews.aspx?GID=918fec16-6df6-4d30-b3b7-b6a6b9617ac9 UK pub operator JD Wetherspoon has reported GBP24.37 million (USD39.55 million) profit for the first half of the year, compared to GBP17.35 million (USD28.16 million) last year. http://www.planetretail.net/dailynews.aspx#57425 http://www.planetretail.net/dailynews.aspx?GID=664a9fe2-becf-4a14-9ca5-22ceaf5652f5 Burger King has expanded its line of branded snack crisps with three new flavours, including Hot Fries, Cheese Fries and Hot & Spicy Onion Rings, adding to its existing line of Ketchup & Fries, Flame Broiled Chips, Original Onion Rings and French Toast Sticks snacks. http://www.planetretail.net/dailynews.aspx#57426 http://www.planetretail.net/dailynews.aspx?GID=8a9e5be2-9208-4876-9f72-47e92762c3c2 US quick service operator Sonic has reported that systemwide comparable sales declined 12% to 14% in the second quarter, hurt by unusually cold winter weather and a decline in consumer spending. http://www.planetretail.net/dailynews.aspx#57427 http://www.planetretail.net/dailynews.aspx?GID=a28eb8e9-e48d-4108-a7a6-d74e7f8c319f Home Retail Group reported like-for-like sales and gross margin declines at both its Argos and Homebase banners in its trading statement for the final eight weeks of fiscal 2009/10. http://www.planetretail.net/dailynews.aspx#57423 http://www.planetretail.net/dailynews.aspx?GID=c27e9409-e2cc-4eb6-b6a7-93cd248fcb25 Napster Japan, a joint venture between the Best Buy-owned Napster and Tower Records Japan, will close operations on 31 May 2010. Napster Japan said the decision was taken because Napster's DRM-free model could not be implemented in Japan and therefore the costs of operating would be too high. http://www.planetretail.net/dailynews.aspx#57421 http://www.planetretail.net/dailynews.aspx?GID=873c2163-61e3-46b0-831b-9b20a46fc9ce LaOX, owned by Suning, has delayed the opening of its first Chinese store from March to June, due to legal procedures and the need to adjust the layout in existing Suning stores, cheeaa.com reported. http://www.planetretail.net/dailynews.aspx#57419 http://www.planetretail.net/dailynews.aspx?GID=bd0c1ec0-f9a0-4371-acb1-e3955c64ece9 Karl-Johan Persson, CEO of fashion retailer H&M, has confirmed that the retailer intends to add 240 stores to its portfolio during 2010, representing a 10-15% increase in store numbers. http://www.planetretail.net/dailynews.aspx#57406 http://www.planetretail.net/dailynews.aspx?GID=d8771e01-64fc-4de4-941c-4445646fd778 US-based clothing chain Abercrombie & Fitch has announced that it will continue its uncharacteristically high levels of discounting throughout spring in order to boost store sales. http://www.planetretail.net/dailynews.aspx#57407 http://www.planetretail.net/dailynews.aspx?GID=9dd31bc2-25a9-400b-9f00-163d31614afa Amazon announced it has severed ties with its affiliate websites in Colorado after state lawmakers passed new sales-tax regulations for online retailers. http://www.planetretail.net/dailynews.aspx#57424 http://www.planetretail.net/dailynews.aspx?GID=8925dfbf-a9dc-4c71-a859-aee5bd16df9d BP PLC announced that it has received an offer from Delek Europe B.V., a fuel retailer in Europe and a subsidiary of the Delek Group, to buy its French retail fuels and convenience business including selected fuels terminals for about EUR180 million (USD263 million) in cash, subject to working capital adjustments. http://www.planetretail.net/dailynews.aspx#57435 http://www.planetretail.net/dailynews.aspx?GID=317d50ea-e188-4491-bb17-8373d3631e2f For the year ending 31 December 2009, Convenience Retail Asia’s (CRA) total revenue rose by 0.8% to HKD3.35 billion (USD432.14 million). Operating profit fell by 2.6% to HKD106 million (USD13.67 million), while net profit was up 1.8% to HKD90 million (USD11.61 million). http://www.planetretail.net/dailynews.aspx#57420 http://www.planetretail.net/dailynews.aspx?GID=a4bdd880-5c82-4cf5-8497-0048b5fdea67 Fressnapf is implementing a new organisational structure in order to strengthen its presence in Europe and to generate a more value-added supply chain. http://www.planetretail.net/dailynews.aspx#57422 http://www.planetretail.net/dailynews.aspx?GID=bc54c4d3-df92-45fd-84d4-4c137bbc87a9 Ikea intends to invest EUR1.1 billion (USD1.6 billion) in Portugal between now and the end of 2015, according to Country Manager, Antonio Machado. This is almost double the amount of investment that was originally announced by the company in 2008. http://www.planetretail.net/dailynews.aspx#57408 http://www.planetretail.net/dailynews.aspx?GID=693d8480-cf96-4415-8ffd-0764e49e8078 Excentus, provider of the fuelperks! rewards programme, has filed a lawsuit against Kroger. The suit, which seeks injunctive and equitable relief, was filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas in Dallas, alleging wilful patent infringement. http://www.planetretail.net/dailynews.aspx#57410 http://www.planetretail.net/dailynews.aspx?GID=2c7744d1-2d62-4f37-9631-cff7d1b552b7 After more than 40 years at the helm of South African grocery retail group Pick n Pay, Chairman Raymond Ackerman is leaving his position today, on his 79th birthday, fastmoving.co.za reported. http://www.planetretail.net/dailynews.aspx#57431 http://www.planetretail.net/dailynews.aspx?GID=657f60cd-149f-4979-b5e8-3214a5d0e9c6 Sainsbury’s CEO said that household budgets in Britain are likely to come under more strain this year than last year, Reuters reported. Justin King said the grocery industry remains fiercely competitive and he sees a divide opening up between firms like Sainsbury and Tesco, which are using customer loyalty programmes to tailor offers to individual customers and rivals that run blanket promotions. http://www.planetretail.net/dailynews.aspx#57414 http://www.planetretail.net/dailynews.aspx?GID=535165a3-9936-4883-857d-42e8e952a7de Sainsbury’s is launching the UK’s first supermarket bakery college. It is creating a college in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire with flour supplier Whitworth. http://www.planetretail.net/dailynews.aspx#57415 http://www.planetretail.net/dailynews.aspx?GID=fa141035-5d4f-4eea-9cd8-2b8c2852f685 Sears Holdings has been quietly making progress with its nascent grocery and general merchandise e-commerce venture MyGofer in the US. Previously limited to the dedicated MyGofer store located in Joliet, Illinois, the concept has been expanded on a national level with nearly 220 Kmart stores across now offering the service. http://www.planetretail.net/dailynews.aspx#57409 http://www.planetretail.net/dailynews.aspx?GID=63a754bc-5531-405d-8310-8cb464e4c77a Truenorth Energy, the petrol retail 50:50 joint venture between Shell Oil Products US and Ohio-based family business Lyden, has acquired 109 Shell-branded sites in the greater Chicago area from Shell. http://www.planetretail.net/dailynews.aspx#57411 http://www.planetretail.net/dailynews.aspx?GID=a1d1a816-7ff7-4dc2-8911-1e84cc5b320e SuperValu-owned Farm Fresh has appointed Gaelo de la Fuente as its new President following Ron Dennis’ retirement. De la Fuente, whose appointment is effective immediately, most recently served as Group Vice President in charge of retail operations support for parent company Supervalu. http://www.planetretail.net/dailynews.aspx#57434 http://www.planetretail.net/dailynews.aspx?GID=4c2d69b7-b1fd-4dbf-a94b-a5b934387712 UK retailer Tesco is replacing its clothing boss Terry Green with Richard Jones, a former Sainsbury’s Executive. Jones brings extensive experience to Tesco having setup Sainsbury’s successful TU clothing brand. http://www.planetretail.net/dailynews.aspx#57433 http://www.planetretail.net/dailynews.aspx?GID=b5c9720f-95ed-46a8-90f6-5b72129eaeec US shoppers are regaining their taste for national brand groceries, that some steered away from during the recession, providing evidence of an improvement in consumer confidence, The Financial Times reported. http://www.planetretail.net/dailynews.aspx#57418 http://www.planetretail.net/dailynews.aspx?GID=c4eeb2ac-c341-4519-8e22-e7c96c781e39 South African retailer Woolworths has announced a series of changes to its senior management structure, fastmoving.co.za reported. Zyda Rylands will assume the newly-created position of Managing Director, Foods, while retaining her position on the board of Woolworths Holdings Limited. http://www.planetretail.net/dailynews.aspx#57428 http://www.planetretail.net/dailynews.aspx?GID=6235bc36-56ae-4b49-8003-a55b9e72d536 X5 Retail Group is considering re-entering the Ukrainian retail market “The Ukrainian market is far less attractive than the Russian one because of population's lower incomes. http://www.planetretail.net/dailynews.aspx#57429 http://www.planetretail.net/dailynews.aspx?GID=6a4dd097-385f-4a83-876a-d0734b880630