This week in Benelux retail: billion euro deal with Hema, Bijenkorf and V&D coming up?

A huge real estate deal in the Netherlands caught our eye this Friday, but there was more retail news from the Benelux. Sligro‘s net profit is down almost 10% as supermarket chain Emté is still problematic, smart phones break down way too soon and Charles Vögele disappears from the Netherlands.

Major Benelux news

• IEF Capital looks to sell 40+ Hema, Bijenkorf and V&D stores worth 1.5 billion euro (27 Jan) NL
• Sligro’s profit down 10% despite higher turnover (26 Jan) NL
• Smart phone users complain most about planned obsolescence (26 Jan) NL/FR

Takeovers

• Dutch Sligro acquires Belgian wholesaler ISPC (23 Jan) NL/FR

Bankruptcies

• Dutch Charles Vögele branch next one to go bankrupt (27 Jan) NL

And also

• Belgian government wants higher fines for stores advertising fake discounts (26 Jan) NL/FR
• Unilever owes turnover growth to higher prices (26 Jan) NL/FR
• Supermarket chain Cora cuts 120 jobs as part of new strategy(27 Jan) NL/FR
• Stores in Westland Shopping will not be compensated after ceiling collapse (26 Jan) NL
• Ahold Delhaize closes its store on Alibaba’s Tmall (27 Jan) NL
• Apple refuses to obey Dutch court order regarding refurbished devices (23 Jan) NL
• British matress web shop Simba expands to Netherlands (26 Jan) NL
• Dutch Auping looks to lease its beds to customers (23 Jan) NL
• Mechelen third Belgian city to welcome an Empty Shop (25 Jan) NL
• McDonald’s calls 2.0 concept key to Belgian success (24 Jan) NL/FR
• Media Markt closes two stores after Makro deal (22 Jan) NL/FR