Non-Food Discounter Woolworth Reaches Milestone of 1,000 Stores in Europe
Woolworth celebrated the opening of its thousandth European store in Essen, marking a key milestone for the German non‑food discounter. The retailer now operates roughly 850 outlets in Germany and is targeting 1,500 domestic locations, while maintaining a presence in Poland, Austria, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Management announced plans to launch more than 200 new stores this year, half of them in Germany, and set a long‑term ambition of over 5,000 branches across Europe. The expansion underscores Woolworth’s confidence in its low‑price, diversified product model.
Ikea Opts for Medium Format: 20 Compact Stores on the Way
Ingka Group, Ikea’s largest retailer, is launching a medium‑format store concept, adding 20 compact locations across Europe and North America within six months. The new stores target smaller towns and suburbs where Ikea currently has no presence, complementing its traditional...
How Zalando Is Preparing for an AI Retail World
Zalando is positioning itself for an AI‑driven e‑commerce future, where analysts expect AI agents to handle 15 % of online sales by 2030. The retailer, which has been experimenting with AI for fifteen years, now creates 90 % of its marketing content...
Henkel Achieves Higher Margin Despite Declining Sales
Henkel reported a 5.1% drop in sales to roughly €20.5 billion in 2025, largely because of adverse exchange‑rate movements and portfolio divestments. When adjusted for currency effects and acquisitions, sales showed a modest 0.9% increase. The company’s efficiency drive paid off,...
Dreamland Opens Its First Three Stores at Cora Shopping Sites
DreamLand, the Belgian toy retailer, will launch three new experience stores on March 13 at Cora Shopping locations in Rocourt, Châtelineau, and La Louvière. The openings replace two existing outlets and add one new footprint, bringing DreamLand’s total to 93 stores...
Chocolate Grown in Laboratories to Hit the Market This Year
Puratos, the Belgian bakery‑ingredients giant, will launch the first commercially viable laboratory‑grown chocolate in the United States by the end of 2026. The product is produced from cell‑cultured cocoa cells that replicate the flavor and composition of traditional beans without...
First Yoboo Lifestyle Pharmacy Illustrates Colruyt Group’s Approach to Health
Colruyt Group opened its first Yoboo Lifestyle Pharmacy in Antwerp, converting the former Apotheek Noorderlaan into a health‑focused retail space. The new pharmacy combines traditional services with all‑day lifestyle coaching, self‑test kits, and a curated selection of supplements and functional...
Nike Pulls the Plug on 411 Jobs at European Logistics Hub
Nike announced the elimination of 411 jobs at its European logistics hub in Laakdal, Belgium. The cuts include 330 weekend positions and 81 logistics support roles. The move is part of a broader cost‑reduction program that also saw more than...
Brax Achieves Highest Turnover Ever
Leineweber, the parent of fashion group Brax, posted a record €388 million turnover for fiscal 2025, a 7.5% increase year‑over‑year. Excluding the newly acquired outdoor specialist Fuchs Schmitt, organic growth was 5.3%. Own‑retail channels powered the rise, with online sales up 12%...
Fnac Darty Board Approves Daniel Kretinsky’s Takeover Bid
The board of French retailer Fnac Darty has unanimously approved Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky’s EP Group takeover bid, bringing the deal one step closer to completion. The approval reflects the board’s belief that the transaction will provide a stable shareholder...
Former CEO Tom Heidman Becomes Supervisory Director at Jumbo
Tom Heidman, former interim CEO of Jumbo, has been appointed to the Dutch retailer’s Supervisory Board as vice‑chair, replacing Piet Coelewij whose term ends on March 28, 2026. He will join chair Colette Cloosterman‑van Eerd, Jacqueline Hoogerbrugge and Edwin Bouwman starting April 1, 2026....
![[Interview] “Shoppers Don’t Just Buy Special Offers” (Karolina Markiewicz-Kuskowska, Henkel Benelux)](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://i0.wp.com/www.retaildetail.eu/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/GIO_3331.jpg)
[Interview] “Shoppers Don’t Just Buy Special Offers” (Karolina Markiewicz-Kuskowska, Henkel Benelux)
Henkel Consumer Brands Benelux general manager Karolina Markiewicz‑Kuskowska says shoppers are willing to pay a premium for innovative products rather than chasing special‑offer discounts. She emphasizes that private‑label competition does not dictate the pace of market change. The division recently...
Hydroponic Salads Make Their Debut in German Supermarkets
Rewe is launching hydroponically grown lettuce under the “Endless Summer” brand after four years of development, using water‑based systems in four hectares of geothermal‑heated greenhouses in Upper Bavaria. The soil‑free method promises up to seven days longer freshness and cuts...
5555 Stores for Aldi Nord
Aldi opened its 500th store in Spain, marking the 5,555th outlet for Aldi Nord across Europe. The new supermarket in Mijas, Málaga, brings total retail space in Spain to over 550,000 m², a 54% increase since 2020. Over the past five years...
Amazon Overtakes Schwarz Group (Lidl) as Europe’s Largest Retailer
Amazon has become Europe’s largest retailer by sales volume, posting €179.7 billion GMV in 2023. It narrowly surpassed Germany’s Schwarz Group, owner of Lidl and Kaufland, which recorded €179.4 billion. The gap to the third‑place Aldi exceeds €80 billion, highlighting Amazon’s dominant marketplace...
Fertilizer Prices Are Skyrocketing, Are Food Prices Next?
Fertilizer prices are soaring as the United States, Israel and Iran become entangled in a new geopolitical conflict, disrupting key Middle‑East supply chains. The spike mirrors the 2022 commodity shock triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which sent grain, fertilizer...
Largest Shopping Center in the Netherlands Affected by Data Breach
Westfield Mall of the Netherlands, the country’s largest indoor shopping centre, disclosed a data breach that exposed personal information of loyalty‑program members and newsletter subscribers. The compromised database contained names, email addresses, phone numbers, postal codes and dates of birth,...
ABOUT YOU Opens Its Marketplace to New Sellers
ABOUT YOU, a Zalando Group fashion retailer, has opened its marketplace to any fashion seller, removing minimum product‑count and revenue thresholds. The new self‑service Seller Center lets brands launch in as little as four weeks, with no onboarding fees. In the...
Deichmann Reopens Three Revamped Stores in Spain and Portugal
Deichmann is modernising its Iberian footprint by reopening three stores in Spain and Portugal before mid‑2026, starting with a revamped 450 m² outlet in Murcia’s Pinatar Park Retail Park. The redesign features clearer signage and optimized product displays to improve shopper comfort....
How Lidl Belgium Tackles Protein Shift, Food Waste, and Fair Trade
Lidl Belgium unveiled a sustainability magazine highlighting its 2023‑24 achievements, including pioneering equal pricing for plant‑based alternatives and a pledge to double plant‑based protein sales by 2030. The retailer reports saving more than six million items through Good Taste Zero...
How Visa Uses AI in the Fight Against Fraud with AI…
Visa has invested €10 billion in payment security and now blocks over 150 million fraudulent transactions each year. While e‑commerce fraud rates in Europe are falling, fraudsters have turned to AI‑generated social engineering, making scams five times more likely to succeed. Retailers...
Edeka Strengthening Its Hold on Online Supermarket Picnic
German retailer Edeka has raised its ownership in Dutch online grocery platform Picnic to more than 32%, up from 28%, after participating in a €430 million financing round. The investment makes Edeka the largest single shareholder, while existing backers such as...
Ceconomy CEO Resigns After Just Nine Months, CFO to Promote?
Ceconomy’s chief executive, Kai‑Ulrich Deissner, announced his resignation after just nine months in the role, having served as CFO since February 2023 and stepping in as interim CEO in May 2025 before his permanent appointment in September. The departure, attributed...
Belgian Fashion Retailers JBC and Filou & Friends Join Forces
Claes Retail Group (CRG), owner of JBC, has entered a 50/50 joint venture with Belgian children’s clothing brand Filou & Friends. The partnership launched the first Filou collection in 15 JBC stores in February while keeping Filou’s existing 14‑store network....
Ahold Delhaize Transitions to Cage-Free Eggs in the US by 2032
Ahold Delhaize announced a new timeline to source 100% cage‑free eggs in the United States by 2032, after missing its original 2025 target. The retailer currently offers cage‑free eggs for roughly 75% of its private‑label range, leaving a quarter still sourced...
Decathlon Enters the Market for Bicycle Leasing
Decathlon has launched a consumer e‑bike leasing service in Belgium, offering daily and monthly rates that include maintenance, insurance and zero‑deductible theft coverage. The subscription starts at €1.25 per day or €38 per month, with contract lengths of 12, 24...
Zeeman Appoints Former Ahold Delhaize Manager as New CEO
Zeeman announced that Boudewijn van Nieuwenhuijzen will assume the chief executive role on August 1, 2026, succeeding Erik‑Jan Mares after a nine‑year tenure. Van Nieuwenhuijzen brings more than two decades of international retail, FMCG and wholesale experience, most recently as CEO of Super Indo,...
Jysk Accelerates Belgian Growth with Six Openings in One Day
On March 18, Jysk opened six new stores in Belgium, five of which occupy former Leen Bakker premises, raising its national store count to 76. The retailer plans ten more openings later this year, targeting at least 125 locations across...
Lidl Owner Schwarz Completes Acquisition in Romania
Schwarz Group, the parent of Lidl and Kaufland, received approval from Romanian competition authorities to acquire a majority stake in La Cocoș, a retailer operating large hypercash stores. The deal cements Schwarz’s market‑leadership position in Romania, where Ahold Delhaize currently ranks second....
![[In the Picture] Ikea Rolls Out Self-Driving Delivery Vans in China](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://i0.wp.com/www.retaildetail.eu/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/IKEA-China-self-driving-vehicles-photo-in-text-scaled-1-scaled-1.jpeg)
[In the Picture] Ikea Rolls Out Self-Driving Delivery Vans in China
Ikea China has begun using autonomous electric delivery vans in Anhui province after a successful pilot. The vans shuttle orders between an external warehouse and the Hefei store, also restocking shelves. Over the trial they covered roughly 75,600 kilometers and...
One-Third of E-Commerce Packages in Violation
Liège Airport processes about 3.6 million e‑commerce parcels daily, accounting for roughly 20 % of Europe’s online sales. Customs can inspect only 0.006 % of these shipments—around 216 files per day—and 30 % of the checked B2C parcels are found in violation, generating €3.3 million...
EuroShop 2026: How AI Is Taking the “Smartification” Of Stores to the Next Level
At EuroShop 2026, AI dominated the showcase, with vendors presenting solutions ranging from fraud‑detecting self‑scan systems to smart shopping carts and connected shelf labels. Vusion secured a European contract to turn Carrefour stores into data hubs and micro‑fulfilment centers, while...
Celio Drops Camaïeu Brand Name After All
Celio has officially retired the Camaïeu name, rebranding its women’s line as Celio Women after previously promising to keep the label as “be Camaïeu.” The shift marks a strategic consolidation of the French retailer’s portfolio. Celio is also expanding its...
Second-Hand Marketplace Refurbed Reaches Three Billion Milestone
Refurbed announced a 40% year‑on‑year growth, pushing its gross merchandise volume past €3 billion and expanding into twelve new European markets. The platform now claims the title of Europe’s largest refurbished marketplace and reported profitability for the first time. A fresh...
Coolblue Gives up Energy Installation Division
Coolblue has sold its energy installation division—including heat pumps, solar panels, charging stations, and air conditioners—to Hoppenbrouwers Techniek, transferring 75 employees. The retailer will continue offering energy contracts and its Free Washing and Drying service, focusing on low‑energy consumption products....
Ahold Delhaize Appoints New Executive in Indonesia
Ahold Delhaize announced that Stephane Deutsch will assume the role of Brand President of Super Indo, its Indonesian supermarket chain, effective June 22. Deutsch succeeds Boudewijn van Nieuwenhuijzen, who is departing the company. Deutsch currently serves as CFO of TotalEnergies Marketing Egypt and has held senior...
Carrefour and Coca-Cola Are Focusing on Refillable Glass Bottles
Coca‑Cola becomes the first supplier to join Carrefour Belgium’s new sustainability plan, promoting refillable glass bottles. Coca‑Cola Europacific Partners will roll out a lighter one‑liter refillable glass bottle in Belgium this year, cutting production and transport emissions. The partners are...
![[In the Picture] The Salvation Army Opens Virtual Thrift Store in Roblox](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://i0.wp.com/www.retaildetail.eu/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/Schermafbeelding-2026-03-02-141608.png)
[In the Picture] The Salvation Army Opens Virtual Thrift Store in Roblox
The Salvation Army launched Thrift Score, the first virtual thrift store on Roblox, on February 19. The digital shop lets Gen Z and Gen Alpha purchase virtual items modeled after real second‑hand goods. The initiative blends sustainability, gaming, and charitable...
Chinese Coffee Discounter Cotti Coffee Unveils First Belgian Branches
Chinese coffee chain Cotti Coffee, known for its low‑price model, announced its entry into Belgium. The company will launch six outlets over the next two months, with two stores each in Brussels and Antwerp and additional locations in city centres....
Colruyt Group Completes Sale of French Operations
Colruyt Group finalized the divestiture of its French footprint on February 28, selling 100 supermarkets and 45 DATS 24 fuel stations after clearance from competition authorities. Stores that found no buyer were shut down, ending a 30‑year presence in France. The...
Topshop Sets World Record: First Fashion Show with AI Live Shopping
Topshop staged a world‑first AI‑powered fashion show in Manchester, replacing the traditional runway with a hybrid physical‑digital experience. Shoppers used the bespoke Front Row AI app to buy each silhouette in real time while models walked, and later tried the...
Edeka Limits Purchases From Procter & Gamble and Iglo
German retailer Edeka has cut back orders from Procter & Gamble and Iglo amid ongoing price negotiations, leaving several product categories temporarily undersupplied. The reduction spans household staples such as dishwashing liquid, toothpaste, and frozen fish, as well as personal...
New Start for Comptoir Des Cotonniers and Princesse tam.tam in France
The Paris Commercial Court has approved the final relaunch of Fast Retailing France, the owner of Comptoir des Cotonniers and Princesse tam.tam, ending its insolvency proceedings. The company will operate a two‑brand model designed to generate greater synergy between the labels....
Dia Makes Impressive Comeback in Spain
Grupo Dia posted a profit in 2025 after seven consecutive loss‑making years, reporting €5.8 billion in total turnover, a 3.5% increase. In Spain, sales rose 8% to €4.6 billion, driven by a 7.4% rise in comparable turnover and the opening of 94...
Colruyt Group Extends Sunday Opening Hours for Okay City City Stores
Colruyt Group is extending Sunday opening hours for its urban Okay City stores in Ghent, Antwerp and Liège, now staying open until 7:30 p.m. The change follows a trial that showed strong customer uptake and stable average turnover per shopping cart....
Casino Working on Recovery After Further Decline in Revenue
French retailer Casino posted 2025 consolidated sales of €8.26 billion, up 0.5 % on a comparable‑store basis but down 2.5 % in published terms. The decline reflects the closure of roughly 1,000 small neighbourhood stores as the chain trims its footprint. Despite the...
Unrest Continues at Intermarché Belgium
Intermarché Belgium’s 2022 acquisition of the Mestdagh franchise doubled its store count but triggered operational chaos, leading to multiple bankruptcies and legal disputes. Independent shopkeepers report tens of millions of euros in debt as the group allegedly shifts invoices onto...
Fnac Darty Sailing Steady, Soon with a New Captain
Fnac Darty posted a €10.33 billion turnover in 2025, a modest 0.7% rise over 2024, underscoring resilience in a weak French consumption climate. CEO Enrique Martinez highlighted that the first year of the "Beyond everyday" strategic plan confirmed the model’s relevance....
Ahold Delhaize in Figures: Key Figures From the Annual Report
Ahold Delhaize’s 2025 annual report shows total sales of €92.4 billion, up 5.9% on a comparable basis. Online sales grew 13.3% to €10.3 billion, marking the first time e‑commerce was profitable on a fully allocated basis. The retailer served 77 million customers weekly across...
Zalando Rolls Out Second-Hand Children’s Clothing
Zalando is extending its second‑hand platform to include children’s clothing, launching the service in fourteen European countries including Scandinavia and Ireland. Parents can purchase pre‑owned items and trade in worn pieces for vouchers toward future buys. The move is positioned...
