Spain’s DIA has joined the Horizon International Services supplier negotiations platform group, formed in June of this year by Auchan Retail, Casino Group and Metro.
The retailer said that it was joining the group with the aim ‘of improving competitiveness with the major manufacturers’ brand suppliers and providing consumers with a better offer in terms of stock and price’.
Last week, DIA announced the appointment of a new chief executive, Antonio Coto, following the departure of previous CEO Ricardo Currás.
Negotiating Platform
The Horizon alliance, which is described as being based on ‘principles of balanced and innovative collaboration’, is a negotiation platform established for dealing with major manufacturers, as opposed to own-brand or fresh produce.
The formation of the alliance is still subject to competition approval in each of the countries in which it has been applied. All members state that the commercial policy of each company will continue to apply independently.
International Presence
In a statement, Casino Group said that DIA’s inclusion in the group will give Horizon International added ‘clout, diversity and international presence’.
‘DIA will also bring its hard discount expertise, its strong market positions, particularly in Spain, Portugal and South America, and its purchasing capacity for 7,400 sales outlets,’ the group said.
‘The choice of DIA to join the new generation alliance underpins Horizon International’s original approach: with DIA, the partners are adding more complementary geographic locations to the global network and displaying their ambition to develop collaborative, balanced and innovative negotiations that take the interest of all players into account, whether they are consumers or manufacturers.’
© 2018 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Stephen Wynne-Jones. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
