Portuguese retailer Continente has relaunched its annual ‘Cadernão’ recycling initiative, inviting shoppers to drop off used notebooks and paper to support national reforestation efforts during the back-to-school season.
Partnering with stationery brand Oxford, Continente is accepting paper products from any brand at store EcoSpots through 20 September.
For every tonne of paper shoppers drop off, the campaign commits to planting 20 trees across Portugal.
This year’s target aims to gather 100 tonnes of material – a volume that would fund the planting of 2,000 new trees.
Shoppers can deposit notebooks and loose paper from any manufacturer, including items with plastic covers, metal spirals, and staples.
They can drop off items at dedicated in-store EcoSpots or designated ‘Cadernão’ collection carts across participating locations.
Since launching in 2021, the programme has diverted 337 tonnes of paper from landfills, translating to a total pledge of 6,740 trees.
Continente has planted over 5,100 trees to date and has scheduled another 1,620 for planting alongside the proceeds from the 2026 drive.
Mercadona Invests In Network Expansion
Spanish supermarket chain Mercadona is investing €150 million during 2026 to expand its store network.
The plan for this year foresees the opening of 12 stores, of which five have already opened since the beginning of 2026 – in Quinta do Lambert (Lisbon), Viseu, Covilhã, Abrunheira (Sintra), and Alhos Vedros (Moita).
Mercadona plans to open its next store on 3 September (Beja), marking the chain’s entry into the southern Alentejo municipality, before opening its first supermarket in the district of Vila Real on 10 September.
Mercadona’s 2026 growth strategy focuses on expanding regional reach by entering three brand-new districts across Portugal, namely Vila Real, Faro and Beja.
It is also building on its existing footprint in the Évora district to deepen coverage across the Alentejo region.
SOK To Restructure Operations
Finnish retail cooperative SOK (Suomen Osuuskauppojen Keskuskunta) has announced an organisational overhaul across its grocery, non-food, and speciality retail divisions to accelerate its digital strategy and increase competitiveness.
The process, which SOK expects to conclude by 15 September, could result in the elimination of up to 130 positions.
SOK added that it plans to create roughly 60 new roles focused on modernised operations, as management focuses on reassigning affected staff internally where possible.
While S Group already holds a strong position in Finland’s e-commerce landscape, executives argue that the fast-moving shift toward omnichannel retail demands a more agile corporate structure.
SOK CEO Hannu Krook explained, “Competition is global, and customers have entirely new expectations for Finnish retail […].
“Our main task as a cooperative retail group is to serve our customer-owners and to continue securing an affordable shopping basket and our cost competitiveness.”
Anora Forms New Distribution Alliance
Nordic wine and spirits brand Anora has signed a distribution agreement with Finnish syrup manufacturer Sweet ‘n’ Syrup Finland.
Under the agreement, Anora will handle the distribution of Sweet ‘n’ Syrup’s flagship brand, Modo syrups, across Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and the Baltics, effective 1 January 2027.
The deal marks a strategic push for Anora into the rapidly growing non-alcoholic beverage sector, broadening its commercial footprint beyond traditional alcoholic lines.
Modo syrups feature natural ingredients and have obtained the Finnish Key Flag certification, making them especially popular among professionals in the HoReCa sector.
Kirsi Puntila, CEO of Anora, stated, “This partnership aligns with our strategy to provide our customers and consumers with the most diverse beverage selection on the market.”
Carrefour Relaunches Discount Campaign
Carrefour Belgium is relaunching the Croc’Prix discount campaign to boost household purchasing power all year long.
Belgian household purchasing power is expected to decrease by 0.5% this year, according to the National Bank of Belgium.
To help Belgian families, Carrefour Belgium is reducing prices through the Croc’Prix campaign on more than 500 private-label and branded products, such as nut mixes, cherry tomatoes, yoghurt and oat flakes.
The retailer added that its focus is on products intended for children’s school supplies and everyday household purchases. featuring an A or B Nutri-Score rating.
The campaign is divided into two segments, with a long-term promotional programme, ‘prix croqué’, and a temporary discount programme, ‘promo à croquer’.
With additional input from Julie Bréda.