Breakfast briefing: Retail news on Iceland, Amazon and The Range

Iceland eyes opening additional Food Warehouse format stores

Frozen food retailer Iceland has pledged to fight its hard discount rivals Aldi and Lidl as it looks to add more cash-and-carry-style outlets, The Mail on Sunday reported.

The chain said it now plans to open 25 Food Warehouse concept shops a year in out-of-town retail parks.

The Range unveils plans to expand into Germany

British retail chain The Range is considering entering Germany, its founder Chris Dawson told The Daily Telegraph.

Dawson said the out-of-town retailer aims to open a further 30 stores by this Christmas, which he claims will see its revenues touch the £1bn mark, up from £700m last year.

“We are intensely looking at Europe and we’ll take the fight to Germany. We won’t be saying 'I’m Chris Dawson, have a bit of that.’ No, we’re looking at who’s doing it best and who we can beat,” he said.

Amazon uses Barclays outlets as delivery collection points

Etailer Amazon has teamed up with Barclays to use some of the latter’s branches as click-and-collect points for deliveries, The Mail on Sunday reported.

The initiative is part of an effort by the bank to find new uses and revenues for its network.