Low-cost online platform Temu started selling food in Germany. Until now, Temu is known in Europe for ultra-low prices, aggressive marketing, and wide variety of affordable goods from Asia across categories like clothing and electronics. The platform's rapid growth and high user engagement are fueled by frequent flash sales, social media campaigns, and a focus on fast delivery. 

The rapid rise of the company has also attracted regulatory scrutiny in Europe regarding consumer protection. This summer, the EU Commission preliminarily found Temu in breach of the obligation under the Digital Services Act to properly assess the risks of illegal products being disseminated on its marketplace. Other suspected breaches like potential addictive design features, the transparency of its recommendation systems, and its access to data for researchers will continue to be investigated.

International retail alliances saw significant movement in the past few months. With inflation putting pressure on margins and price competition growing fiercer, more retailers are joining forces with others to gain scale and negotiate better terms with suppliers.

EMD counts 13 members, with 56,000 stores across 16 countries. The alliance focuses on sourcing private label products and on negotiating on-top conditions with major brand manufacturers. Some long-time members include Markant, Colruyt, and Superunie, but there have been recent changes. Kaufland left the group about a year ago, while Germany’s purchasing organisation Retail Trade Group, RTG, joined. Since then, the French alliance Francap signed on, followed by Denmark’s Dagrofa. Most recently, three Polish retailers — Eurocash, Chorten and Netto — announced plans to join, and Sweden’s Axfood and Finnish S Group are expected to come on board next year.

Hybrid meat, also called blended meat, is traditional beef combined with plant-based proteins. These products seem to be gaining in popularity, although they are not new. The first such products appeared in the supermarket more than five years ago, as several chains launched new ranges. But the products were pulled shortly after launch.

Today’s consumer, however, may be more inclined to try these products again, as people are increasingly pursuing protein-rich meals and becoming more focused on personal health and wellbeing, as well as the environment.

Lidl just launched a range of hybrid burgers in Belgium. The burgers, made with 60% beef and 40% plant protein, quickly became very popular: three months after their introduction, one in four burgers sold is a hybrid. Lidl also offers hybrid minced meat, which makes up a third of its mince sales. The retailer wants to offer customers more sustainable and healthier options without sacrificing flavour. By replacing 40% of the meat with vegetable proteins, the CO₂ emissions of this product are reduced by as much as 40%. Water and land use are also significantly reduced. And yet, the taste and appearance of the meat remain the same.

Consumer demand for high-protein products continues to rise, prompting many retailers to expand their ranges—often through private-label sports nutrition lines. For example, Auchan has launched its own brand, Eat n Move, which includes products like isotonic drinks for hydration during workouts and whey protein for post-exercise recovery. Similarly, Aldi Germany has introduced its Aldi Sports line, featuring protein-enriched items such as whey powders, protein balls, snack bars, and even protein-infused coffee.

Protein remains a key growth driver across multiple FMCG categories. Once limited to dairy products, protein claims now extend into an increasingly diverse set of items, including bread, pasta, salads, cereal, meal solutions, snack bars, and even pancakes and coffee. Packaging often highlights the protein content, aligning with consumer perceptions of protein as a marker of health and an active lifestyle, particularly among Gen Z shoppers.

Retailers are clearly targeting a well-defined demographic: health-conscious, physically active consumers. To win in this space, FMCG brands and suppliers must ensure strong shelf presence, provide engaging recipe inspiration, offer sampling opportunities, and develop product ranges that include both plant-based and ready-to-drink formats.

The French plant-based sector reacted with relief to the decision of the Council of State to annul two decrees prohibiting the naming of products containing plant proteins with butcher, delicatessen and fishmonger terms like “steak”, “burger”, “lardon”, or “sausage”.

The Council of State deemed the French decrees of 2022 and 2024 to be illegal and contrary to European regulations. The fact that those decrees targeted only French producers was also considered particularly unfair and unacceptable. The case is closed now with a full victory for the plant-based advocates. The French government will pay €3,000 each to the parties that brought the case to court.

In the European Union, member states have the right to restrict or ban the cultivation of approved genetically modified organisms (GMOs) within their territories based on environmental or health concerns. Many EU countries have chosen to opt out of growing GMO crops. Currently, only one GM maize is cultivated in the EU on a limited scale.

After a recent vote by member states in favour of easing the rules around labelling genetically modified foods, talks have begun in Brussels between the European Commission, Council, and Parliament on how to regulate genetic engineering in the EU. The focus now is on reaching a final agreement regarding the legal framework for what are known as "New Genomic Technologies" (NGTs), including tools like CRISPR/Cas, often referred to as “gene scissors”.

The European Commission has proposed splitting NGT plants into two categories:

NGT 1: Plants altered without introducing genes from other species. The Commission suggests these should be exempt from the strict GMO regulations.

NGT 2: Plants that do include genes from other organisms. These would still fall under the existing GMO laws.

JD.com, China’s largest retailer by revenue and renowned for its rapid same-day or next-day delivery, is trialling its entry into the UK market with a new platform called Joybuy. With a global customer base of nearly 600 million, the company is currently testing its website to offer British consumers a wide selection of products — from clothing and home furnishings to health and beauty, household essentials, and both chilled and frozen foods.

Although still in its early stages, JD.com confirmed that the platform is in a "testing phase" and is aiming for a full UK launch by the end of 2025.

What is particularly notable is that Joybuy appears to be working with UK supermarket Morrisons. A variety of Morrisons own brand items — including The Best range of pizzas, toiletries, and frozen fruit — are already available for purchase on the site, suggesting a strategic partnership is in place.

Joybuy is currently offering free shipping on a customer’s first three orders, as well as running limited time ‘flash sales’ with countdown timers to promote quick purchases. Speed and affordability are clearly part of its core strategy.

In the same April week, two important retailers in the UK, Co-op and Marks & Spencer, were hit by major cyber-attacks. The attacks on Co-op and M&S are said to have been carried out by the same hackers. Among others, the attacks disrupted supply chains leading to empty shelves.

In order to protect the company, Co-op had shut down some of its systems. According to insiders, the company narrowly averted being locked out of its computer systems during the attack. Nevertheless, the retailer confirmed that the criminals were able to steal private customer data.

Marks & Spencer also admitted that personal customer data was stolen in the hack, including dates of birth, household information, telephone numbers and ‘masked’ payment card details, the theft did not include any account passwords. The attack affected the company’s loyalty app, online orders and contactless payments as well as parts of the supply chain. Some of the M&S stores had to turn into cash-only.
A good two months after the cyber-attack, M&S had started taking some online orders again.

A law firm has prepared for a class action data lawsuit against M&S, it signed up over 350 claimants in one week. The theft of customer data, while not an immediate concern on its own, does open up customers to a greater risk of fraud and scams with people either posing as M&S or using the stolen data to feign knowledge of the customer.

Jumbo customers live their lives per season, and they eat accordingly, says Tim Hehenkamp, the retailer’s director of category management. Therefore, the company adapted its offer to not just sell products, but also solutions.

In the Netherlands, the price difference between A-brands and private label has increased to 54% overall, according to the consumers’ association. To capitalize on this gap, Jumbo, the Netherlands' second largest retailer, launched a new private label line called “Jumbo’s”.

According to the company, it is a unique approach, with great products at an affordable price between A-brands and traditional private label products. In particular, young consumers are open to upgraded private labels: 61% of millennials and 58% of Gen Z say that private labels are good alternatives to manufacturers brands.

The newly introduced line has an eye-catching design, not one single design grid but something to look at for each single category, explaining on the label why they launched the products. The retailer will innovate and build new categories. The target is to have 500 items by the end of this year. Hehenkamp explained the launch at PLMA’s pre-Trade Show seminars on 18 May at the Amsterdam RAI.

Søstrene Grene had its strongest financial result in the company’s history in the latest financial year, according to its CEO, Mikkel Grene. The Danish company increased sales by 22% and profit went up 15%.

Its stores offer a wide assortment of home interiors, kitchen items, hobby articles, beauty, travel items, party supplies, gift wrapping, stationery, toys as well as seasonal items. Every week, new products land in stores. Prices are low, most products are sold under 10 euros.

The concept is different from other non-food discounters in that the atmosphere in the stores is special, focused on aesthetics and ambience, appealing to the customers’ senses. Goods are on wooden shelves and wicker baskets, with warm light and delicate colours. The layout draws the consumer into the depths of the store, while the sense of time is quickly lost. Almost all the items in the store are own brands.