Saving money? ‘Mission impossible’

Unfortunately, Mango, which is a sound company, is not acquiring a stake in the business: on the other hand, given the current situation – with losses of 35 million for the year 2025 and three further closures – it was foreseeable that there would be no ‘white knights’ available to save Coin, whose brand seems to be slowly but surely fading away

Quick Take — Amazon is the leading distributor in Europe and the third-largest in the United States

Amazon has taken the lead in European retail in terms of sales volume, narrowly overtaking the German Schwarz Group, which owns the Lidl and Kaufland chains.

This figure is interesting but not entirely clear, as it is not obvious exactly which data it refers to: the report only mentions merchandise turnover (does this include non-food items?).

What is truly interesting is the fact that in the US, Amazon is now the third-largest retailer of packaged food and consumer goods (health and beauty, homeware and pet food): it has overtaken major supermarket chains such as Kroger, placing itself behind Walmart and Costco.

This is not a symbolic milestone, like overtaking Lidl, but a serious warning to European retailers: should Amazon decide to step up a gear, it could become the dominant force in the consumer goods sector.

The latest figures from Amazon in the US place it second only to Walmart: Amazon in the second quarter of 2026: net turnover growth of 20 per cent year-on-year, reaching $200.6 billion

Drafted on 26 July, updated on 3 August 2026

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…

Read more on this topic here

Quick Take — Heatwaves: sales at risk

In France, sales of barbecue products have fallen – by 30 per cent – with even minced meat (viande hachée) down by 10 per cent, alongside chocolate, sugar, stock, tea, sausages, fresh pizzas, coffee and spreads.

Uniqlo – a Japanese clothing group with a presence in various countries around the world – has stated that it has had to close some of its shops due to the extreme heat.

It would be interesting to have reports and data for our country.

Quick Take — Can Coin sell food?

CEO Matteo Cosmi would like to sell food, including fresh produce, in Coin stores.

The department store chain has already tried this on several occasions: with QBMercato and Cucina, but above all with Coin Excelsior – I clearly remember the branches in Milan’s Vittorio Emanuele and Verona, which were subsequently closed.

Perhaps sticking to just one area of business (non-food), and doing it well, could prevent a waste of time and money.

Is the Caprotti factory due to be demolished?

Dear Dr Caprotti, I was saddened to hear of the forthcoming demolition of the factory in Ponte, which your father set out to build and to which he devoted a significant part of his life. It is undoubtedly a place that, for many people, has meant much more than simply a ‘place of work’: it has been a professional and social hub, a place to meet and forge new bonds. It has certainly been a source of hope for a better future, both for oneself and for one’s family…