Shoppers have voted ALDI as the most reputable supermarket in Ireland

Japanese convenience store pioneer Toshifumi Suzuki dies at 93
Seven & i Holdings Co. Honorary Adviser Toshifumi Suzuki, who pioneered Japanese convenience stores known as “konbini”, died of heart failure on May 18. He was 93. He played a central role in establishing York Seven Co. in 1973 and led the negotiations with Texas-based Southland Corp., then the Seven-Eleven chain operator, to secure a licensing and area service contract bringing the convenience-store format to Japan. The following year, Suzuki helped launch Japan’s first convenience store in the Toyosu district of Tokyo’s Koto Ward. York Seven was renamed Seven-Eleven Japan Co. in 1978, and he became the first Seven-Eleven Japan president.
Source: jen.jiji.com

UK: New chapter for John Lewis & Partners as it shutters Blakelands DC and invests in automation
John Lewis & Partners has called time on its Blakelands national distribution centre in Milton Keynes. This comes as the retailer invests in automation at its Magna Park 3 facility, also in Milton Keynes. It operates a UK logistics network of distribution and customer fulfilment centres, with its supply chain anchored by hubs in Milton Keynes, Northampton, and other regional locations to support both John Lewis department stores and Waitrose supermarkets.
Source: retailtechinnovationhub.com

ALDI named Ireland’s most reputable supermarket in the 2026 RepTrak report
Irish shoppers have voted ALDI as the most reputable supermarket in Ireland, according to the newly published 2026 RepTrak Ireland Report. Surveying over 5,000 Irish members of the public, the annual RepTrak Ireland report measures the level of trust, admiration and esteem the public holds for 100 of the largest most familiar and most important organisations in Ireland.
Source: retailnews.ie

Hungary: Tesco’s Premier franchise debuts in Budapest
The first Premier franchise store by Tesco, operated by an external partner, has opened in Budapest, Hungary. The product range covers basic groceries, fresh produce, beverages, and non-food items, similar to Tesco Express stores.
Source: esmmagazine.com

Australia: TWU protests Amazon Harris Farm deliveries in Canberra
Transport Workers’ Union of Australia (TWU) reported May 26, 2026: ‘Over a hundred transport workers will protest in Canberra today, over Amazon’s entry into grocery delivery at Harris Farm, using a gig model, Amazon Flex, which exploits workers with a complete lack of standards, algorithmic management, and threatens good transport businesses. The protests come as Amazon attempts to delay the TWU’s application to introduce fair minimum standards in the last mile delivery sector. TWU National Secretary Michael Kaine said: “The Amazon effect is exploiting workers and putting good Australian transport companies out of business. Its incursion into grocery delivery through Harris Farm accelerates what is already deadly pressure in this industry, which makes our roads riskier. What we have to ask ourselves as a community is whether having your fruit and vegetables delivered in an hour is worth workers dying on our roads and undermining the viability of good Australian businesses doing the right thing”.’
Source: twu.com.au

France’s Shopopop announces UK expansion plan and aims to onboard one major retailer this year
Shopopop, a crowdshipping platform headquartered in France, is officially launching in the UK and has set the target of securing a partnership with at least one major UK-based retailer by the end of the year. It has domestic partnerships with over 25 retailers and brands across 7,500 stores, including Carrefour, E.Leclerc, Decathlon, Colruyt and Interflora. To date, it has completed more than 17mln deliveries across Europe. Shopopop says that it has initiated conversations with major retailers across the country (including Asda, Coop, Kingfisher, Morrisons and Tesco).
Source: retailtechinnovationhub.com

Top 10 supermarkets in Lithuania
Grocery Trade News reported: “1. Maxima FY Revenue ~€2.18bln; 2. Lidl Lietuva FY Revenue ~€889mln; 3. IKI FY Revenue ~€860-890mln; 4. Norfa FY Revenue ~€750-820mln; 5. Rimi Lietuva FY Revenue ~€450-480mln; 6. Aibė FY Revenue ~€450mln; 7. Šilas FY Revenue ~€75-85mln; 8. Čia Market FY Revenue ~€48-55mln; 9. Express Market FY Revenue ~€40-50mln; 10. Grūstė FY Revenue ~€25-35mln”.
Source: grocerytradenews.com

Germany: Delivery Hero shares rise 10% as rival Uber mulls another takeover bid
Shares in Delivery Hero rose over 10% on Monday morning following a Financial Times report that U.S. rival Uber weighed an improved bid for the German food delivery firm. Delivery Hero confirmed in a statement on Saturday that it had received a takeover offer from Uber of €33 ($38.29) per share, which would value the company’s market capitalization at over €10bln.
Source: cnbc.com

US: Walmart steps in for McDonald’s, Dunkin’ deliveries
Walmart is now in the restaurant delivery business, as long as it comes from one of its stores. The Bentonville, Arkansas-based retailer has been directing Spark delivery workers at select stores to deliver restaurant orders, according to Business Insider. Orders come from restaurants inside Walmart stores like McDonald’s and Dunkin’.
Source: supermarketnews.com

US: Beyond Meat® reports first quarter 2026 financial results
Beyond Meat, Inc. reported financial results for its first quarter ended March 28, 2026. Net revenues were $58.2mln, a decrease of 15.3% year-over-year. Gross profit was $2.0mln, or gross margin of 3.4%, compared to gross loss of $6.9mln, or gross margin of -10.1%, in the year-ago period. Gross profit and gross margin included $0.5mln in expenses related to the cessation of the Company’s operational activities in China, compared to $0.9mln in the year-ago period.
Source: globenewswire.com