The archive

206 posts going back to 2009: store visits, results analysis and the running commentary that became Grocery Insight. Kept here as it was written. Current writing is at read.groceryinsight.com.

Browse by retailer

Tesco 263 Sainsbury's 150 Morrisons 113 Asda 111 Aldi 99 Lidl 59 Waitrose 27 Amazon 19 Co-op 16 Walmart 15 Home Bargains 13 Poundland 10 M&S 9 Iceland 9

2022

• Shrinkage your sales · 20 April 2022
• Why Aldi win at the front end · 14 March 2022
• Don’t neglect your stores (online edition) · 1 March 2022

2021

• Retail by Email sample – Mere · 16 August 2021
• An insight sample – Boots · 16 June 2021
• Our retail image of the day – Tuesday 15th June · 15 June 2021
• Our retail image of the day – Thursday 10th June · 10 June 2021
• Our retail image of the day – Wednesday 9th June · 9 June 2021
• Tales of woe – John Lewis · 8 June 2021
• Our retail image of the day – Monday 7th June · 7 June 2021
• Our retail image of the day – Friday 4th June · 4 June 2021
• Our retail image of the day – Thursday 3rd June · 3 June 2021
• Our retail image of the day – Wednesday 2nd June · 2 June 2021
• Our retail image of the day – Tuesday 1st June · 1 June 2021
• Our retail image of the day – Friday 28th May · 28 May 2021
• Our retail image of the day – Thursday 27th May · 27 May 2021
• Our retail image of the day – Wednesday 26th May · 26 May 2021
• Our retail image of the day – Monday 24th May · 25 May 2021
• Our retail image of the day – Tuesday 25th May · 25 May 2021
• Debenhams – May they rest in peace · 15 May 2021
• Retail’s Best – Advent Calendar · 19 April 2021
• Store Post – April – Week 2 · 16 April 2021
• A warm welcome (back) · 9 February 2021

2019

• Whole Foods – What is the wider plan? · 26 July 2019
• Waitrose Unpacked and #plasticfree · 11 July 2019
• Wholesale change for Jack’s? · 8 April 2019
• Job losses at Tesco · 28 January 2019

2018

• Jack’s – Part of the Tesco family · 20 September 2018
• Further thoughts on Jacks and Tesco · 18 September 2018
• Jack’s – Exclusively Tesco(?) · 15 September 2018
• Tesco – A look at the past – Part 1 · 5 May 2018
• Store closures for Poundworld · 26 April 2018
• The 5 that matter – New York City and Online · 13 April 2018
• The 5 that matter – M&S Food · 23 March 2018
• Express Checkout – Tesco/Booker · 28 February 2018
• Express Checkout – Toys R Us · 28 February 2018
• Express Checkout – Christmas 2017 · 11 January 2018
• The Grocery Insight Newsletter · 10 January 2018

2017

• A few things we noticed whilst walking around stores last week – No.35 · 12 September 2017
• A few things we noticed whilst walking around stores last week – No.34 · 1 September 2017
• A few things we noticed whilst walking around stores last week – No. 33 · 21 August 2017
• A few things we noticed whilst walking around stores last week. · 14 August 2017
• First look – new format Aldi in the UK · 30 March 2017
• Poundland – Multi Price retailing · 16 March 2017
• Iceland Clapham - a new dawn · 14 March 2017
• Sir Ken Morrison – A tribute · 1 February 2017
• Food retail / consumer trends for 2017 · 23 January 2017
• Market Overview - Christmas 2016 · 10 January 2017

2016

• M&S store closures and sub brands disappearing… · 8 November 2016
• Throwback Thursday 1: The First M Local Store, Ilkley · 12 August 2016
• Throwback Thursday 2: Tesco Watford refit · 12 August 2016
• Brexit. Recession. Food Retail? · 25 June 2016
• Talking Tesco Profits on BBC Radio 5 Live · 16 April 2016
• Tesco launching 'farm brands' · 21 March 2016
• The 6 P’s of Discount Retailing · 3 March 2016
• A year in store - 2015 - Sampling programme of the year - Tesco · 2 January 2016
• A year in store - 2015 - Most challenging store - Fakta · 1 January 2016

2015

• A year in store – 2015 – Best Produce category – Fotex · 29 December 2015
• Hero Lines · 23 December 2015
• Space · 8 November 2015
• Beware Unintended Consequences... · 1 November 2015
• Discount Isn’t a Fight Just for the Retailers · 25 October 2015
• Throwback Thursday No.5 - 2013 - Tesco Watford · 28 August 2015
• Throwback Thursday No.4 - 2011 - Morrisons Kirkstall · 16 July 2015
• Throwback Thursday No.3 – 2013 – Tesco Chelmsford · 2 July 2015
• Throwback Thursday No.1 – 2011 – M Local · 25 June 2015
• Tesco Full Year Results – 4 feet to glory · 21 April 2015
• The 12 days of Dave Lewis – No.5 – Subsidiary Businesses · 6 January 2015
• The 12 days of Dave Lewis – No.6 – Hours · 6 January 2015
• The 12 days of Dave Lewis – No.7 – Stores/Formats · 5 January 2015
• The 12 days of Dave Lewis – No.8 – Overseas · 3 January 2015
• The 12 days of Dave Lewis – No.9 – Space · 1 January 2015

2014

• The 12 days of Dave Lewis – No.10 – HQ · 30 December 2014
• The 12 days of Dave Lewis - No.11 - 24 hour trading · 29 December 2014
• The 12 days of Dave Lewis – No.12 – Clubcard · 28 December 2014
• Coming Soon – The 12 days of Christmas · 23 December 2014
• Retail Halloween 2014 – Well done to….. · 17 October 2014
• Next up – Retail Halloween 2014 · 7 October 2014
• Tesco: 66 points for Dave Lewis – 4 days to go? · 29 August 2014
• Tesco: 66 points for Dave Lewis – No.28 – Fuel Save · 26 August 2014
• Tesco: 66 (ahem) points for Dave Lewis – Its ‘Dave Eve’ · 25 August 2014
• Tesco: 66 points for Dave Lewis – No.27 – Tesco HomePlus · 25 August 2014
• Tesco: 66 points for Dave Lewis – No.26 – Household · 22 August 2014
• Tesco: 66 points for Dave Lewis – No.23 – Healthy Living · 21 August 2014
• Tesco: 66 points for Dave Lewis – No.24 – My Fit Lifestyle · 21 August 2014
• Tesco: 66 points for Dave Lewis – No.25 – Bebivita · 21 August 2014
• Netto signage revealed · 21 August 2014
• Tesco: 66 points for Dave Lewis – No.22 – Connected World · 18 August 2014
• Tesco: 66 points for Dave Lewis – No.21 – Love Every Mouthful · 17 August 2014
• Tesco: 66 points for Dave Lewis – No.20 – Reduction areas · 16 August 2014
• Tesco: 66 points for Dave Lewis – No.19 – I.T. · 15 August 2014
• Tesco: 66 points for Dave Lewis – No.18 – Opening Hours · 14 August 2014
• Tesco: 66 points for Dave Lewis – No.17 – Finest* · 13 August 2014
• Tesco: 66 points for Dave Lewis – No.16 – Everyday Value · 12 August 2014
• Tesco: 66 points for Dave Lewis – No.15 – Seasonal ‘events’ · 11 August 2014
• Tesco: 66 points for Dave Lewis – No.14 – Price Down · 10 August 2014
• Tesco: 66 points for Dave Lewis – No.13 – In-Store Costa/Food · 9 August 2014
• Tesco: 66 points for Dave Lewis – No.12 – Price Promise · 8 August 2014
• Tesco: 66 points for Dave Lewis – No.11 – Produce · 7 August 2014
• Tesco: 66 points for Dave Lewis – No.10 – Venture brands · 6 August 2014
• Tesco: 66 points for Dave Lewis – No.9 – Discounter brands · 5 August 2014
• Tesco: 66 points for Dave Lewis – No.8 – Dobbies · 4 August 2014
• Tesco: 66 points for Dave Lewis – No.7 – Bakery · 3 August 2014
• Tesco: 66 points for Dave Lewis – No.6 – PoS · 2 August 2014
• Tesco: 66 points for Dave Lewis – No.5 – Brand Outlet · 1 August 2014
• Tesco: 66 points for Dave Lewis – No.4 – Hudl · 31 July 2014
• Tesco: 66 points for Dave Lewis – No.3 – Blinkbox · 30 July 2014
• Tesco: 66 points for Dave Lewis – No.2 – Shrink · 29 July 2014
• Tesco: 66 points for Dave Lewis – No.1 – Twitter · 28 July 2014
• Celebrating excellence – The Retail World Cup 2014 – The final! · 30 May 2014
• Watch out Weight Watchers? Tesco to launch ‘my fit lifestyle’ · 22 April 2014
• Tesco results – Part 2 – Pace of recovery. · 16 April 2014
• Tesco results – How bad is it? Part 1 – Sir Terry Leahy · 15 April 2014
• News – Tesco set to restructure stores again. · 24 March 2014
• News – Tesco to implement RFID tagging on clothing? · 24 March 2014
• News – Asda launch a click / collect ‘locker’ · 18 March 2014
• News – Tesco to expand their Euphorium and Bakery Project hybrid. · 7 March 2014
• A regular update service to your email… · 26 February 2014
• News – Tesco ‘bring forward’ some price cuts on Fruit & Veg · 25 February 2014
• News – A very interesting Tesco replenishment development….. · 22 February 2014
• News – Barclays branches opening soon in Asda · 21 February 2014
• News – Tesco considering a logo change? · 13 February 2014
• News - Co-Operative launch 'Click & Collect' on Food.. · 12 February 2014
• News – Tesco Photo Shops to be operated by Max Spielmann? · 5 February 2014
• News – Tesco launch ‘defensive merchandising’ on Fresh · 22 January 2014

2013

• Tesco Watford – It’s got Extra…Part 1 · 24 September 2013
• Tesco Watford – Wow – Taster blog (Love Every Mouthful). · 8 August 2013
• Tesco 1 year on… Part 2 – What’s in store? · 17 April 2013
• Tesco – 1 year on – What’s in store? Part 1 · 15 April 2013
• Nutmeg arrives in store · 27 March 2013
• Morrisons Sales Slide – Get Rid of Fresh Formats, Go Online! A Panic & Hysteria Special · 12 March 2013

2012

• Tesco to (re)launch ‘price promise’ and it includes own label… · 14 November 2012
• Hysteria and panic – It’s the half year for Morrisons · 14 October 2012
• The Co-Operative – that good with food? · 2 July 2012
• Negative Q1 for Morrisons – What’s occurring at ground level? · 31 May 2012
• Get your tin hats on! It’s Morrisons Q1 results. What’s happening on the ground? · 2 May 2012
• Tooley St Metro – a sign of Tesco things to come? What about the rest? · 23 April 2012
• Long time no speak.. · 3 April 2012
• ‘Tes-go’ ‘big price flop’ – Forget the cliches, what are the real issues facing Tesco? – Part 2 · 9 March 2012
• ‘Tes-go’ ‘big price flop’ – Forget the cliches, what are the real issues facing Tesco? · 29 February 2012
• Sainsbury’s XL ‘big boxes’ – Food by no means secondary. · 11 February 2012
• Sainsbury’s seem to be trading well from their big box stores – Non food first! · 31 January 2012
• Morrisons 'disappointing' Xmas performance - +0.7%! What about 2012? · 16 January 2012

2011

• The end is nigh – what for Sainsbury’s, Tesco and the rest? · 24 December 2011
• Mid December... How are Morrisons set for the festive period? · 16 December 2011
• Early December – how are the retailers set for Christmas? First up – Asda · 9 December 2011
• The future in store, showcased in Wrexham - Part 2 · 29 November 2011
• The future in store, showcased in Wrexham · 24 November 2011
• The futures bright – the futures Wrexham? · 22 November 2011
• Q3 results are good but what’s going on in the stores? · 17 November 2011
• Booths – the Waitrose of the north? · 8 November 2011
• Tesco Bradford – does it have ‘extra’ ? · 2 November 2011
• M Kitchen fully launched – let o2o commence! · 13 October 2011
• Asda, ‘super’markets ‘super’ centres and pure EDLP? · 6 October 2011
• o2o launches on Ready Meals and Pizza.. · 3 October 2011
• More changes in Kirkstall · 30 September 2011
• Tesco ‘big’ Price drop goes live….. · 27 September 2011
• The forgotten man reappears with £500m promise · 23 September 2011
• The first offensive by Phil Clarke? · 21 September 2011
• Good half year delivered - bigger picture? · 15 September 2011
• Good half year expected – what about the deeper picture? · 7 September 2011
• Bakery – Much more than bread. · 1 September 2011
• A few loose ends to tie up in Kirkstall… · 19 August 2011
• First Ilkley, now Wilmslow for M Local · 6 August 2011
• Swinton gets the Kirkstall treatment · 31 July 2011
• Own label to Morrisons own brand? · 28 July 2011
• Dalton rolls back the clock with non food · 13 July 2011
• M Local – an asset for any location. · 8 July 2011
• Morrisons ‘driving’ efficiency + a bit of M Local · 2 July 2011
• Swinton store selected for next lab phase · 28 June 2011
• Vertical Integration via Hong Kong? · 23 June 2011
• Asda slide again – Bentonville won’t be pleased. · 13 June 2011
• Three steps closer to M Local? · 10 June 2011
• Would UGO back? · 8 June 2011
• Another variation on Fresh 2 Go? · 30 May 2011
• Do the Iceland bid rumours have mileage? · 25 May 2011
• So….Convenience – done the Morrisons way… · 14 May 2011
• Morrisons Kirkstall Part 3 + York Productivity + a bit of Own Label · 3 May 2011
• Kirkstall – An ever moving feast – Part 2 · 23 April 2011
• Kirkstall - An ever moving feast - Store finished! · 15 April 2011
• Retail is a ‘global village’- what else may Dalton take from across the pond? · 11 April 2011
• So how do you save £100m in 3 years? · 29 March 2011
• Dalton and Richard’s ‘self help’ – Interim Review 2011 · 16 March 2011
• 10% of New York · 10 March 2011
• Why do Morrisons struggle to get ‘premiumisation?’ · 7 March 2011
• Kiddicare – a grown up purchase? · 21 February 2011
• A trip around Kirkstall ‘concept’ store – Part 2 · 15 February 2011
• Dalton Philips ‘lab’ concept gathers pace. · 28 January 2011
• Would UGO to Netto-lite? · 22 January 2011
• Morrisons + Ocado – Sitting in a tree? · 16 January 2011
• What does the future hold for 2011? · 2 January 2011

2010

• Dalton talks Snow · 21 December 2010
• Tesco’s unavailable Promotions – Skill or Will? · 16 November 2010
• Retail’s new King? What challenges face Simon King at Asda? · 4 November 2010
• Dalton’s Labs and how he can experiment with confidence. · 24 October 2010
• Dalton’s got scope to experiment · 24 September 2010
• Asda’s purchase of Netto could be a wise move · 7 September 2010
• Justin King and Sainsbury’s – Stuff of business legend. · 27 August 2010
• Asda’s food ‘not good enough’ · 20 August 2010
• Morrisons to abandon the shop · 18 August 2010

2009

• Tesco’s latest bright idea · 10 September 2009
• I for one am proud of Tesco (less so of Sainsbury’s) · 7 September 2009
• Try Something New Today – in your kids lunchbox? · 7 September 2009
• Moment of certainty – A certain waste of time · 3 September 2009
• Sainsbury’s Basics Range · 1 September 2009
• Welcome! · 1 September 2009