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]]>The two new Volvo FM Electric trucks are equipped with innovative battery technology and regenerative braking, offering a clean and efficient solution for long-distance deliveries. Additionally, the company is further reducing its carbon footprint, partnering with Certas to utilise fridge trailers powered by HVO fuel. HVO, a biofuel produced from renewable sources, offers a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to traditional diesel.
The initial two electric HGVs are just the first phase of A.F. Blakemore’s commitment to electric transportation. As part of the UK Government’s Electric Freightway Programme, two additional electric HGVs are set to be delivered in March, further expanding the company’s zero-emission fleet.
“We are thrilled to be at the forefront of the electric vehicle revolution in the convenience retail sector,” said Caoire Blakemore, A.F. Blakemore’s Responsible Business Director. “The addition of these electric HGVs demonstrates our commitment to reducing our environmental impact. We believe this is just the beginning of our journey towards becoming a net zero carbon company by 2040 and we are excited to see the positive impact these vehicles will have on our operations and the environment.”
Source: A.F. Blakemore & Son Ltd
Read more about SPAR UK
The United Kingdom became a SPAR member in 1956 when SPAR International granted the SPAR licence to a group of independent wholesalers. There are five regional organisations in the UK, continually building the brand’s presence. A central office in London provides national marketing and buying services for the group. SPAR UK comprises independently owned, licensed, retailers and company-owned stores.
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]]>The post SPAR Hungary introduce environmentally conscious F&V containers appeared first on SPAR International.
]]>“Achieving environmental sustainability is a strategic issue for SPAR Hungary. It is an important aim to reduce waste production, help prevent waste generation and increase recycling rates. In 2023 a number of measures were taken that align with these goals. Examples include using less plastic in the packaging of certain products and saving a significant amount of plastic film by covering some shipments with rolling rack plastic blankets. Additionally, new digital solutions have greatly reduced paper-based administration. One of the important steps in this area will be the uniform introduction of the so-called ‘IFCO’ storage containers in the SPAR network this year. This will not only strengthen food safety, but also enables the company to operate in an environmentally-conscious manner,” said Márk Maczelka, head of communications at SPAR Hungary.
By utilising the new fully recyclable containers, the fresh and vegetable sections in stores will be more uniform and well-designed. These containers also meet high food safety standards, and will result in significantly less cardboard, plastic and wood from one-way containers being used. The new containers are robust and collapsible which means considerable cost savings during transport. The containers are easy to clean and reduce the risk of damage to the groceries during transport and handling, which is particularly important for fruit and vegetables.
SPAR Hungary has been testing the new containers since September 2023 and the experience has been very positive. By the end of the year, the system is expected to be introduced in all company-owned stores.
Source: SPAR Hungary
Read more about SPAR Hungary
The first SPAR Supermarket opened in Hungary in 1992, following the acquisition by ASPIAG (Austria SPAR International AG) of a majority stake in General Kereskedelmi Rt. SPAR Hungary is one of the country’s largest employers, with a network of company-owned and independently run stores operating nationwide.
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]]>The post SPAR South Africa redefines local shopping through partnerships appeared first on SPAR International.
]]>“Residents in these areas can now easily access SPAR2U by downloading the app, placing an order from their favourite store, and our partners will handle the delivery,” explains Blake Raubenheimer, omnichannel executive at SPAR South Africa. “A significant portion of South Africans reside in townships. They should have the same access to the ease and convenience of online shopping and home deliveries as residents in city areas”.
“These deliveries by our partners are not just about ease and convenience – they’re primarily about seizing cost-saving opportunities. These residents will no longer have to queue at taxi ranks and travel long distances for their shopping. Neighbours are collaborating, pooling their grocery needs, sharing delivery costs, and ultimately saving money.”
Those savings, previously spent on travel, are being directed towards purchasing food, directly benefiting families. The expanded variety of groceries available through the SPAR2U service is also empowering households to diversify their food choices.
“We understand that for the poorest 10% of households, food makes up 40% of their total expenditure. Food is expensive right now and so, if we can help our shoppers save, either through our house brand SPAR products or through delivering their groceries to their doors, then we’re committed to that, regardless of their location”.
“We are deeply dedicated to becoming a part of these communities. We seek to deliver SPAR retail services through our local partners who possess an acute understanding of local needs, actively support local causes, and provide employment for individuals from the very communities they serve,” continues Blake Raubenheimer.
Read more about the SPAR2U online platform as an example of digital transformation within SPAR markets.
Source: SPAR South Africa
Read more about SPAR South Africa.
SPAR South Africa was established in 1963. It operates four retail formats: SPAR neighbourhood, SPAR Express (operated in conjunction with Shell as a petrol forecourt store), KWIKSPAR (which focuses on convenience in city centres and high footfall locations), and SUPERSPAR Supermarkets (similar to EUROSPAR in offer).
SPAR South Africa grants sub-licences to independent retailers to operate stores under one of the four formats, with almost all the current store portfolio being independently owned.
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]]>The post SPAR Switzerland’s own brand success: Contact International appeared first on SPAR International.
]]>SPAR International’s Contact International magazine is available in five languages (English, German, Spanish, Italian, and Mandarin Chinese). The online quarterly publication covers a wide range of retail industry subjects, reflecting our diverse and global business.
If you would like to subscribe to the online version, please send us an email.
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]]>The post SPAR reducing food waste impact across the retail landscape appeared first on SPAR International.
]]>In Austria, SPAR uses multiple solutions to tackle food waste. From food donations and regional social organisations, to using artificial intelligence (AI) to obtain more accurate product demand predictions. Newly implemented IT tools analyse the data on sale volumes, weather conditions, and other factors to estimate optimal quantities of product orders in each store, with an expected 90% of accuracy in predictions. The system is being trialed for fruit and vegetable ordering in SPAR Austria stores before expanding to other food groups. SPAR donate unsold surplus food through strong partnerships with local donation platforms. In 2022, these donation platforms received about 7,000 tonnes of food.
In Denmark, SPAR uses innovative IT solutions to minimise food waste in stores through partnering with Whywaste. The suite of digital tools helps track expiration dates, implement smart product discounting, and automatically inform consumers about great deals. SPAR donates surplus stocks to local organisations. Following positive results of trials in two stores, Whywaste tools are being implemented in all SPAR stores across Denmark. Retailers highlight that this successful partnership resulted in labour cost reduction, markdown revenue increase, and most importantly, a 30% reduction of food waste in stores.
Reducing food waste is a key pillar of SPAR Hungary’s sustainability programme. One of the big initiatives to tackle food waste comes through the nationwide of the Munch app. This digital solution offers cheaper, faster and more convenient access to food products before they go to waste. Users reserve the selected package, pay online, and collect instore within a set time slot. Packages include food ranging from fruit and vegetables, to meat and dairy. All packages are nearing the end of its shelf-life, and are sold for a third of the original price.
In the UK, SPAR is committed to promoting sustainability across its business operations. SPAR UK implemented initiatives designed to make an impact in key areas such as food waste reduction and plastic reduction. All SPAR stores manage stock with a view to reducing waste. Additionally, SPAR retailers in the UK work with business partners Too Good To Go and Gander which make the collection of price-reduced groceries nearing the end of their shelf life easy.
SPAR UK is also a member of The WRAP UK Plastics Pact, a collaborative initiative launched in 2018 that brings together businesses from across the entire plastics value chain, including the convenience sector, with UK governments and NGOs to tackle the scourge of plastic waste. It aims to create a circular economy for plastics, capturing their value by keeping them in the economy and out of the natural environment.
Recognising that food waste reduction fits with the environmental and social values of the SPAR brand, SPAR International targets to halve food waste in our own operations by 2030. To achieve this goal, SPAR is strengthening partnerships to minimise food waste along the various steps of retail operations. By partnering with digital solution providers such as Relex, WhyWaste and Gander, a higher operational efficiency can be achieved. This leads to lower levels of food waste due to better stock management.
For the surplus product instore, end-of-life solutions are available through partnerships with apps such as Too Good to Go. The collaboration with such platforms resulted in substantial reduction of food waste, with 4,636,237 meals along with 11,590,593 kg CO2e saved through our partnership with social impact company Too Good to Go across 2,500 SPAR stores in 14 European countries.
Sources: SPAR Austria, SPAR Denmark, SPAR Hungary, SPAR UK, and SPAR International
Read more about food waste and other environmental impact measures taken within SPAR.
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]]>The post SPAR provides support for local producers appeared first on SPAR International.
]]>SPAR Hungary promoted producers through its ‘Regional Treasures’ and ‘Hungaricool’ programmes. Both initiatives enable suppliers to expand their partnership networks while acquiring essential professional skills.
The fourth season of the ‘Hungaricool’ competition resulted in nine winning brands and 37 products entering the market. The initiative’s goal is to strengthen the local economy by helping local small-scale suppliers and providing customers with new, quality products that are made locally. 179 businesses entered last season’s competition, offering a total of 301 products. The production and sales of the new products create jobs for hundreds of employees, including for downstream suppliers.
Another initiative of SPAR Hungary, the Regional Treasures programme, has led to over 400 products from 86 local suppliers being available in stores across the country.
SPAR Croatia launched its fourth season of the ‘Start Croatia’ project, which supports local entrepreneurs offering “Made in Croatia” products. This socially responsible project empowers new entrepreneurs by showcasing unique products, highlighting their commitment and challenges, while offering them nationwide distribution opportunities which enhance their brand-building efforts.
This is only one way SPAR Croatia supports local producers. Over 77% of the total food range in SPAR and INTERSPAR stores in Croatia comes from domestic suppliers. These are marketed in various ways, highlighting ‘yes it’s homemade’ where appropriate and ‘Gardens of Croatia’ for fresh produce. More recently, in collaboration with producers of SPAR Own Brand products, exports of goods to neighbouring markets through SPAR led to over €143 million in sales being generated.
Another country we want to highlight that strongly supports local producers is Slovenia, where the ‘StartItUp, Slovenia!’ campaign initiated by SPAR in 2016 has seen over 200 new products developed by 52 participating teams. This not only has supported employment by growing small-scale producers but also enabled creative solutions to enter the formal retail market.
Sources: SPAR Slovenia, SPAR Croatia, and SPAR Hungary.
Read more about sourcing within SPAR here.
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]]>The post SPAR China Shandong grows store network appeared first on SPAR International.
]]>The new SPAR Hypermarkets offer a comprehensive range of products, including fresh goods, ready-to-eat foods, wine, beauty care, home care, and toys, making them a one-stop shop.
SPAR Shandong collaborates locally with small farmers and with manufacturers nationwide. The SPAR China regional operator excels in seafood sourcing and cold chain logistics. Their seafood products undergo strict cold chain transportation with real-time monitoring, ensuring high-quality from source to store through comprehensive quality control.
SPAR Shandong introduced automated checkout in all of their new stores, providing a more efficient shopping experience. As of June this year, SPAR Shandong supplies goods to 995 stores, including 961 company operated and 34 sub-licensed stores. A multi-format retail strategy is bringing the brand to an increasing number of consumers in the province. There is also an online retail solution available to shoppers, expanding the reach further.
Source: SPAR China
Read more about SPAR China
SPAR was introduced to China in 2004 with the signing of the license agreement for Shandong province, followed by the addition of more partners. The privately-owned retail chains licensed to operate SPAR have a cooperative relationship. As a result, this partnership aligns with the original SPAR mission of working together to reduce costs, maximise sales, and increase profits.
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]]>The post SPAR Austria adopts bio-based fuel in five regions appeared first on SPAR International.
]]>As part of an ambitious commitment to power their logistic operations with renewable energy sources by 2050, SPAR Austria looks at greenhouse gas emissions incurred in local transportation. Of around 300 trucks supplying SPAR stores across Austria, over 50% of the trucks have been refueled with renewable Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) since mid-September.
This fuel is made from used cooking oil and is considered a renewable low-carbon substitute for diesel. The transition to this fuel can be done seamlessly with the same trucks continuing to deliver products to 1,500 SPAR stores in Austria. To date, the provinces of Vienna, Lower Austria, Burgenland, Styria, and Carinthia are using this source, with other regions to follow.
SPAR Austria confirmed a reluctance in the past to use this fuel source due to plant-based oils, such as rapeseed, soybean, or palm oil, potentially competing with other crops for land use during the fuel production process. SPAR Austria Board member Marcus Wild underscored that, as a food retailer, there is a definitive answer to the ‘plate or tank’ dilemma: food belongs on the plate. Ensuring the HVO fuel is 100% certified and obtained from used cooking oils and residues containing no palm oil was a key factor for SPAR Austria to adopt this fuel in their vehicles.
SPAR Austria indicated that although the fuel being sourced is 100% bio-based, it still causes emissions during refinery and fuel transportation stages, however, up to 90% of emissions can be avoided when compared to using fossil diesel. It is estimated that switching to bio-based fuel will save around 10,000 tonnes of CO2 per year in the first five provinces using this source, with up to 17,000 tonnes potentially saved if rolled out throughout Austria.
Source: SPAR Austria
The origins of SPAR in Austria date back to 1954, but the current SPAR AG was created in 1970 when the original founding families joined other regional wholesalers to form SPAR Austria AG – a 100% privately owned Austrian company. With licences granted by SPAR International, ASPIAG (Austria SPAR International AG) has developed the brand in Slovenia, Hungary, Croatia, and Northern Italy.
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]]>The post Innovative partnership for sustainable transport entered by SPAR Ireland appeared first on SPAR International.
]]>The initiative involves the delivery of Coca-Cola HBC beverages using these e-HGVs from Lisburn, Co. Antrim, to BWG’s National Distribution Centre in Dublin. From there, BWG Foods will employ its electric fleet for final delivery to SPAR, EUROSPAR and SPAR Express stores across the country.
This pilot project, starting with three fully electric Volvo HGVs, serves as a template for a more sustainable supply chain. It demonstrates how producers, retailers, and hauliers can collaborate to achieve decarbonization goals.
Alan Crawford, Trading Director, BWG Foods said: “This partnership is an exciting next step in our transition away from fossil fuels to cleaner, more sustainable options. We have already invested significantly in reducing our own emissions across our distribution operations and now we are pioneering partnerships that will extend our positive impact even deeper into our supply chain. Our consumers increasingly value genuine progress in environmental sustainability so we will continue to work with suppliers and partners so that together we can increase the pace of innovation and reduce emissions across the sector.”
Overall, this partnership highlights the role of electric vehicles and renewable energy in fostering a more eco-friendly and efficient logistics sector.
Source: BWG Foods
Read more about SPAR Ireland
SPAR Ireland was established in 1963. It is operated by a leading wholesale and retail company, BWG Foods, now a subsidiary of SPAR Group Ltd Southern Africa.
With a presence across the Republic of Ireland, SPAR is one of the country’s largest convenience retail groups. In developing the business, SPAR Ireland has a long track record of recognising the strategic importance of new retail concepts. It operates three of the four SPAR formats: SPAR, EUROSPAR, and SPAR Express. These three formats bring consumers a comprehensive range of innovative products and instore offerings.
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]]>The post SPAR Austria extended central warehouse is a flagship hub appeared first on SPAR International.
]]>Due to the continuous growth of the SPAR Austria Group and the resulting increase in goods flow, the logistics centre in Wels has undergone three expansions since its opening. Recently, the fourth expansion phase was completed, marking the full operational status of the central warehouse. It now serves as the hub for supplying all SPAR, EUROSPAR, and INTERSPAR Hypermarkets in Austria.
The central warehouse in Wels serves as a logistics hub not only for SPAR stores in Austria but also for those in northern Italy, Hungary, Slovenia, and Croatia.
“Efficient logistics is the backbone of any retail company. We are always working on the shortest possible transport routes and on the optimisation of logistics processes to secure the supply of our SPAR stores. The expansion of the central warehouse in Wels was a necessary and forward-thinking step to enhance our logistics capabilities”, said Marcus Wild, a member of SPAR Austria’s Executive Board.
SPAR Austria’s logistics network consists of eight large-scale warehouses and logistics centres in various regions. This extensive network ensures that fresh food from each respective region has a short distance to travel, minimising transportation time from producers to the warehouse and eventually to the stores.
“The central warehouse in Wels is a flagship project. It stands out as one of the most modern and efficient logistics centres of its kind, forming an integral part of the SPAR logistics chain. Despite its high level of automation, the site plays a significant role as an employer in the region, currently providing over 500 jobs. Over time, as the central warehouse has expanded, the number of jobs has steadily increased”, emphasised Jakob Leitner, Managing Director of SPAR Upper Austria.
Every day, about 3,000 pallets from both regional and international manufacturing companies are delivered to the central warehouse in Wels. These deliveries are received through 20 goods receiving gates. The employees at the warehouse work in two shifts to pick the items. They are assisted by automated warehouse processes and storage systems.
“With the completion of this fourth construction stage, we have reached another milestone at the Wels DC and SPAR Austria’s overall logistics chain. We have been consistently increasing performance since last summer. The increased capacity provided contributes to relieving the workload of regional warehouses across Austria in a sustainable manner”, said Martin Gleiss, SPAR Austria’s Head of Logistics.
Source: SPAR Austria
The origins of SPAR in Austria date back to 1954, but the current SPAR AG was created in 1970 when the original founding families joined other regional wholesalers to form SPAR Austria AG – a 100% privately owned Austrian company.
With licences granted by SPAR International, ASPIAG (Austria SPAR International AG) has developed the brand in Slovenia, Hungary, Croatia, and Northern Italy. SPAR Austria became the market leader in the Austrian grocery trade in 2020 and has maintained this leadership position in 2022.
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