Breakfast briefing: Retail news on Tesco, BHS, Morrisons, Arnotts and Foot Locker

Tesco to launch scan-as-you-shop devices in 100 more stores

UK’s biggest grocer Tesco is continuing to unveil new technology in its stores with the addition of more scan-as-you-shop devices across its UK store estate, Essential Retail reported. The supermarket chain will roll out the solution to 100 further UK stores by the end of 2014. Powered by the My-Scan self-scanning solution from Netherlands-based firm Re-Vision and Motorola’s MC17T retail mobile computer, the tool offers customers an opportunity to speed up the shopping process and keep track of their spending while filling up their basket.

BHS boss Sir Philip Green in talks with food retailers

Sir Philip Green is in talks with food retailers about utilising space in his BHS department stores, as the recent launching of a food department in an Essex BHS has significantly boosted sales across the rest of the shop, the Financial Times reported. There are 140 BHS stores that could possibly stock food outlets, and the chain is still in talks with outside retailers.

Morrisons to ask suppliers to cover cost of products to meet regulations

UK grocer Morrisons is asking suppliers to pay for the cost of ensuring products meet regulations in the latest of a series of payment demands, The Guardian reported. In a letter, group trading director Casper Meijer said that from July 30 this year, Morrisons would introduce charges to cover the cost of ensuring there were no legal issues with new or revamped products or those that needed packaging changes under EU regulations that come into force later this year. The charges will vary depending on the amount of work needed, but are likely to add up quickly.

ICA clears Weston Group’s bid to buy Arnotts

The Irish Competition Authority (ICA) has given the green light to Weston Group’s bid to acquire half of Dublin department store Arnotts, the Irish Times reported. Wittington Investments, the holding company for both The Weston Group and Selfridges Group, bid to purchase €140m worth (£115m) of loans owed by Arnotts to Ulster Bank.

This opens the probability that the group could ultimately take on full ownership of the department store. The ICA said it had carried out an ‘intensive and extended’ investigation, which included ongoing contact with the parties, obtaining the views of competitors, suppliers, and concessionaires, and a survey of 500 customers of Arnotts. Based on the information obtained, the ICA decided the deal, which will see the business taking control of 50% of the city centre store, would not lead to a ‘substantial lessening of competition’ in the Irish market. In its submission to the ICA, The Weston Group said it would invest and develop the 170-year-old store and its ‘peripheral properties’.

Foot Locker receives Twitter backlash over social media World Cup campaign

Footwear retailer Foot Locker has faced a surge of negative comments on Twitter after it ran a ‘The Spirit of Brazil’ social media World Cup campaign starring scantily clad women, The Drum reported. The #AskSambaGirls campaign invited fans of the @FootLockerEU account to ask five women dressed in hot pants and crop tops questions about Rio and the football tournament itself. However, the campaign was not met well by users of the social media site who branded it ‘sexist’.