General

In the fourth quarter, Procter & Gamble's sales exceeded analyst expectations. However, the FMCG giant warns that rising raw material and freight costs will weigh on earnings for the current year.

Walmart is opening up its e-commerce solutions to other retailers. Through a partnership with Adobe, the supermarket chain will integrate access to its marketplace, as well as its various online and in-store fulfilment and pick-up technologies, into the Adobe Commerce Platform.

French chain Fnac Darty is having a run-in with the French courts, who suspect the chain of money laundering and criminal conspiracy. The case revolves around alleged illegal cash transactions at around fifteen stores in and around Paris.

Franchisers of Belgian retailer Delhaize threaten to sue their franchisee as its logistical problems continue. Deliveries remain problematic, fuelling franchisers' frustrations.

Companies embracing activism know very well what they are getting into. Ice cream brand Ben & Jerry's, and by default, its parent company Unilever, are walking a tightrope as they are now experiencing firsthand a clash with Israel. But when things go well, your brand will only come out stronger. Nike, for example, has proven this in the recent past.

Due to the rapid increase in infections with the delta variant of the coronavirus, many retail employees have to go into quarantine. Especially in the UK, but also in the Netherlands, this leads to empty shelves and even store closures.

In Europe, too, unmanned or cashless store concepts such as Amazon Go will break through: it is an ongoing process in which retailers are gradually replacing manned services with technology. The question is: which technology?