COMPANY NEWS IN BRIEF

Pick n Pay name its middle market stores

Retailer Pick n Pay has officially named its "middle market" retail chain, as its store rollout gains momentum.

Pick n Pay QualiSave, which was provisionally named Pick n Pay Red when it was launched in May, is aimed at providing South Africa's middle-income market consumers with lower-priced quality products.

The Pick n Pay QualiSave brand is part of the retailer's strategy to split its stores into two brands, with the original Pick n Pay serving more affluent customers. The group will convert about 40% of its Pick n Pay stores into QualiSave outlets.

Pick n Pay also owns the Boxer chain of supermarkets aimed at lower-income shoppers.

The new Pick n Pay QualiSave stores will offer 8 000 products across different categories such as meat, fresh produce and bakery and some essential items. Pick n Pay stores offer 18 000 products.

"Pick n Pay supermarkets will have a strong focus on fresh and have been designed to create a more aspirational shopping experience complete with more space between aisles and sections giving the sense of a 'shop-within-a-shop' experience," said Pick n Pay in its announcement on Monday.

The group has already revamped six Pick n Pay QualiSave stores and four Pick n Pay stores in the last three months.

The Pick n Pay QualiSave stores will be rolled out across the country next month and will be revamped to differentiate them from Pick n Pay outlets, over time. The revamp will include a new store layout.

"Through Pick n Pay QualiSave, we are focusing on what a growing number of customers want in the important middle market, while remaining entirely true to the Pick n Pay brand and values," said Pick n Pay CEO Pieter Boone in a statement. -Fin24



Google to pay US$42.7 mln in penalties

An Australian court ordered Google to pay A$60 million (US$43 million) as a fine for misleading consumers to get permission for use of personal data for targeted advertising.

The verdict by the Federal Court of Australia comes as Australian authorities look to limit the dominance of tech

behemoths including Google, owned by Alphabet Inc and Facebook Inc and control their use of private data to cross-sell products.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), Australia's competition regulator filed a lawsuit in July 2020 accusing the search giant of not getting consent or properly informing consumers to combine personal information in Google accounts with browsing activities on non-Google websites.

In April 2021, the court found Google violated consumer laws by misleading users on the collection of personal data about their location using mobile phones with Android operating systems.-Reuters



Transnet security can now arrest criminals

Minister of Justice and Correctional Services Ronald Lamola has granted approval for Transnet security officers to get peace officer status, a move which gives them more power, including the ability to make arrests, as critical infrastructure comes under siege by criminals.

"As peace officers, Transnet's security officers will be able to exercise powers in terms of Chapter 2 of the Criminal Procedures Act, thus enabling Transnet peace officers to make arrests and assist the National Prosecuting Authority with prosecutions. They will also be able to search premises, facilities and people, complete dockets to ensure suspects are charged correctly, and assist with basic investigations," Transnet said in a statement.

Transnet Freight Rail has seen an exponential increase in cable theft incidents over the last five years, which has resulted in increases in tonnage and revenue losses, as well as repair costs. More than 1 500km of cable has been stolen – a 1 096% increase in the length of cable stolen in the past five years – with a net financial impact of R4.1 billion, Transnet said.

Although Transnet Pipelines (TPL) has seen a reduction in the number of incidents in the past financial year due to security interventions, there has been a spike in the last few months, largely due to the increase in the price of fuel. Over the past three years, TPL has seen an increase in the loss of volume of around 30 million litres, with a net financial impact of around R1.1 billion over the period. -Fin24





Numsa to strike at smelting company Samancor

The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) is on the cusp of a strike at chrome mining and smelting company Samancor, as the union and the company hit a deadlock in wage negotiations.

The union, which has majority membership at Samancor, said it lodged a dispute with the Metals and Engineering Industries Bargaining Council (Meibc) over the weekend.

Numsa is demanding a 15% wage increase across the board; that the lowest paid workers at Samancor earn R7 000 after deductions; and a 100% medical aid contribution.

The company says the majority of unions have accepted its 6% wage offer and that it hopes dispute resolution mechanisms at Meibc and the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation, and Arbitration (CCMA) will help to resolve the deadlock.

The Numsa statement said workers "carried the sector during the Covid-19 pandemic", but that the employer would not engage wage demands "properly". The union said it remained open to a resolution to the deadlock if the employer came forward with a "meaningful" offer.

“We are waiting for the strike certificate to be issued. In the meantime, we will be mobilising our members for a total shutdown of all smelters at Samancor. It is unfortunate that we have to consider this as an option, but the arrogance of management has provoked such a response," the statement said.

Numsa said in a statement that it was on the verge of a strike at Samancor after it initiated dispute proceedings.

"We lodged a mutual interest dispute which was heard with Meibc because Samancor management is not negotiating in good faith. The one-year wage agreement expired at the end of June this year," the statement said.

The Numsa statement said after an extended period of silence, Samancor "dangled the carrot of 6% directly to members" but did not table this offer formally during negotiations. -Fin24