The archive
211 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.
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 – 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 – 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
- Lidl USA - A free Grocery Insight guide · 19 May 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
- Tesco: 66 points for Dave Lewis – No.15 – Seasonal Events · 11 July 2014
- Coming soon…. Whole Foods · 3 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