USA: why Publix is a unique phenomenon
Publix has done so well, with much higher margins than all competitors, because it has a strong and enduring culture built in part on share ownership
Action: how the retail giant – with ‘healthy’ marketing methods – took power in France
For the past two years, it has topped the list of French favourite brands and, following sound principles, is expanding, at lightning speed, throughout Europe
About the GS- Carrefour operation and the Benetton – Delvecchio consortium
“Someone still has to explain to me why, in a retail market that needed concentration [and expertise], the government allowed a group that didn’t even have a delicatessen, to buy GS (which belonged to Sme =IRI= Italian State!) and then resell it quietly to a foreign group (Carrefour) after a few years” Mario Gasbarrino. This also applies to the New Princes operation
Carrefour leaves Oman and focuses on France where it strengthens its position
Carrefour, in great difficulty, would like to leave Italy
Auchan and Casino: Creditors are worried
“Auchan and Casino are under pressure from creditors. In a context of falling consumer spending, credit institutions believe that the financial structure of the two leading French retailers needs to be strengthened. According to reports, French banks would like the Mulliez family to inject capital into Auchan’. So should Casino’s main shareholder, Daniel Kretinsky
How to measure – well – sales in distribution: with a constant network
Sales in distribution are measured by gross revenues, including new openings and restructurings. But there is another, healthier and clearer method to understand whether a company is really doing well or not, regardless of network development: constant network sales, which exclude new openings and major restructuring in the year measured
Prices and unfair practices: the ‘dolce far niente’ of Italian politics
Farmers, even in Italy, are taking to the streets. They do not feel represented by associations that do not protect their income because, in so many years, no one has tried to solve the problems of food, ‘from the field to the table’. So many words and no deeds. And the situation is aggravated by new taxes
The mystery of the Carrefour Express sign: ‘the names and colours are not disputed’?
Great confusion in brands and colours. Between ‘Gay Pride’, Eat and Shop, Urban Life, Potager City and Terre d’Italia
Amazon and big tech will never pay taxes
Trade is linked to world geopolitics: the political weaknesses of the Europeans, who would like to avoid 50% tariffs, and Trump’s return to power have given the global minimum tax the coup de grace by distorting the market
Lidl focuses on AI (Artificial Intelligence)
Starting with a system created for internal use in 2021, Schwarz Group, owner of Lidl, now offers cloud computing and IT security services to corporate customers. Its IT unit, Schwarz Digits in 2023 generated EUR 1.9 billion in annual sales and employs 7,500 people. The group’s further developments
Esselunga Sottocasa, small shops, big opportunities: why invest in the proximity format
Proximity shops are perfectly suited to the Italian urban structure: in smaller towns they are the only truly sustainable solution, while in large cities, such as the centre of Milan, the smaller format is often the only logistically and economically viable option
Olio Cuore: why we pay double for it
Cuore oil is an example of how communication and nutritional enrichment can make a product perceived as ‘special’ that, in fact, is similar to others
