Sainsbury's is winning back the weekly shop on price, while Walmart writes the rules for AI shopping agents that buy on a customer's behalf. Today's Decoding Retail also covers BRC confidence and shoplifting figures, Waitrose's first full-line supermarket in eight years, eBay's 1,000 job cuts and Target's $30 Thanksgiving meal.
00:00 Intro
00:06 Sainsbury's returns to volume growth
00:27 BRC: economy confidence falls to minus 40
00:52 Shoplifting falls 2% but police powers unused
01:14 Waitrose opens first full-line store in 8 years
01:41 Aldi and ABP launch Grounded in Goodness
02:05 Walmart sets terms for AI shopping agents
02:28 eBay cuts around 1,000 jobs
02:49 Target's $30 Thanksgiving meal for six
03:08 Brussels and Paris shops board up
03:27 India's quick commerce turns festive gift channel
Sources:
- Sainsbury's: Sainsbury's Reports First-Half Volume Growth on Price Investment and Nectar Prices https://corporate.sainsburys.co.uk/news/press-releases/interim-results-announcement-2026-27/
- British Retail Consortium: BRC: Economy Confidence Hits -40 as Spending Intent Rises to +15 Ahead of Budget https://brc.org.uk/news-and-events/news/corporate-affairs/2026/ungated/consumer-confidence-tumbles-ahead-of-budget/
- British Retail Consortium: Shoplifting Falls 2% to 519,516 but BRC Says New Police Powers Unused Six Months On https://brc.org.uk/news-and-events/news/corporate-affairs/2026/ungated/unleash-delayed-police-powers-to-fight-high-street-crime-retailers-urge/
- Waitrose: Waitrose Opens First Full-Line Supermarket in Eight Years; Five More Sites in Pipeline https://www.linkedin.com/posts/waitrose_waitrose-storeopening-cricklewood-activity-7519032939205017600-AsqQ
- Aldi UK: Aldi Launches 'Grounded in Goodness' Beef Scheme With ABP Supporting Around 1,000 UK Farms https://www.aldipresscentre.co.uk/business-news/aldi-launches-british-beef-scheme-with-abp-to-support-farmer-livelihoods/
- Walmart: Walmart Publishes Agent Terms and Profile Feature to Govern Third-Party AI Shopping https://corporate.walmart.com/news/2026/10/Making-It-Possible-for-Agents-to-Shop-on-Behalf-of-Customers
- Retail Dive: eBay Cuts 1,000 Jobs, 9% of Global Workforce, in Second Downsizing of 2026 https://www.retaildive.com/news/ebay-cuts-one-thousand-jobs-layoffs-downsizing/833668/
- Target: Target Sets $30 Thanksgiving Meal for Six With Turkey at 79 Cents a Pound https://corporate.target.com/press/release/2026/10/target-brings-more-value-and-delight-to-thanksgiving-with-a-$30-meal-for-six-and-fresh-takes-on-holi
- RetailDetail EU: Brussels and Paris Retailers Board Up Stores Before Fresh Weekend Unrest https://www.retaildetail.eu/news/general/retailers-in-brussels-and-paris-are-barricading-their-stores-out-of-fear-of-new-riots/
- ET Retail India: Quick Commerce Becomes India Festive Gift Channel; Brands Not Equally Stocked https://retail.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/e-commerce/e-tailing/quick-commerce-becomes-a-festive-gifting-channel-but-brands-are-not-equally-stocked-for-it/135131810
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