Wal-Mart Not Ramping Up Marketside Trial
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. said last week in the wake of its annual meeting that it wouldn’t step up the trial of its Marketside small-footprint concept in the current economic climate, according to a published report.
“We’re pleased with it, but at this point in time, given the current condition in the marketplace, with a significant reduction in demand ... we are not accelerating that effort until we have better data to make a decision,” Wal-Mart vice chairman Eduardo Castro-Wright told Reuters.
The Bentonville, Ark.-based mega-retailer rolled out four Marketside locations in the Phoenix area in October. The 15,000-square-foot stores carry ready-to-eat meals and fresh produce, and are designed for quick fill-in trips.
In other small-format news, after its U.S. Fresh & Easy division fell short of expectations, Tesco has begun placing more emphasis on value and adding about 1,000 items to the concept’s current 3,500-product assortment.
“We’re pleased with it, but at this point in time, given the current condition in the marketplace, with a significant reduction in demand ... we are not accelerating that effort until we have better data to make a decision,” Wal-Mart vice chairman Eduardo Castro-Wright told Reuters.
The Bentonville, Ark.-based mega-retailer rolled out four Marketside locations in the Phoenix area in October. The 15,000-square-foot stores carry ready-to-eat meals and fresh produce, and are designed for quick fill-in trips.
In other small-format news, after its U.S. Fresh & Easy division fell short of expectations, Tesco has begun placing more emphasis on value and adding about 1,000 items to the concept’s current 3,500-product assortment.