King Kullen: why the first US supermarket was at the forefront of global distribution

Italian, French and British retailers have drawn inspiration and lessons from their American counterparts. And the chain that opened its first supermarket 96 years ago is still family-owned: in June, King Kullen appointed its first female president, Tracey Cullen, the founder’s great-granddaughter

Quick Take — Action closes the half-year at 8.3 billion and steps up the pace of new store openings

Action closed the first half of 2026 with net revenue of €8.3 billion, up 14 per cent on the same period last year. On a like-for-like basis, growth stood at 3.6 per cent, driven primarily by increased footfall and pricing measures..

Growth was also driven by territorial expansion. With 121 new openings, the network has reached 3,423 stores across 15 countries. The group thus remains on track to open 400 stores throughout 2026.

In Italy, Action made its debut in Sicily with three new openings, bringing the national network to 241 outlets… The high temperatures recorded across Europe also boosted demand for seasonal products, ranging from fans and inflatable swimming pools to beach towels and barbecues. Added to this was the expansion of online shops in the Netherlands and Belgium, which were used to broaden the range of products available beyond what is offered in physical stores alone…

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How Walmart became an advertising powerhouse whilst remaining focused on its food, non-food and e-commerce businesses

It is a pity that no Italian company has had the scale, but above all the vision, to take on the world in the way these giants have done. In Italy, everyone thought: e-commerce must be self-sustaining. This was the case for Esselunga at home until it had no rivals, but Amazon and Walmart disprove this view. E-commerce is underpinned by other, more profitable sources of revenue