Europe roundup: REWE organic, K-Beauty and Retail Tech

REWE brings changes to the assortment 

The German retailer has reached an agreement with organic food brand Alnatura and will begin listing products in its stores starting October 2026. This comes after the news that Edeka’s discount banner, Netto-Marken-Discount, would also stock up to 80 Alnatura products across stores in Berlin. REWE has also just launched a new private label range of high protein products, PWR. 

Senior Insight Analyst, Michela Pearson’s view:

REWE has strong ambitions when it comes to organic sales, wanting to have the highest share in the German food retail sector by 2030. It is also eager to expand its role within the health space, and the latest high protein range will resonate with shoppers as the trend continues to grow. Further details on REWE’s plans for growth can be found in the recently updated Strategic Outlook. 

Normal taps into Korea beauty demand 

Variety retailer Normal has expanded its beauty proposition with the launch of a new Korean beauty assortment, bringing some of the category's most sought-after skincare and cosmetics trends to shoppers across its store network. The move reflects Normal's continued focus on offering trend-led products at accessible price points, while also responding to growing consumer interest in innovative beauty solutions. 

Insight Analyst, Bently Briggs’s view:

The launch highlights two important themes. Firstly, Normal continues to demonstrate its agility in identifying and scaling fast-growing trends, helping to keep its proposition relevant and differentiated. Secondly, it underlines the enduring strength of K-beauty in Europe. What was once considered a niche category has become increasingly mainstream, with shoppers attracted by Korea's reputation for innovation, skincare expertise and value.  

Aldi to phase out ecommerce in Switzerland   

After four years, Aldi is shrinking the operations of its home delivery service, Aldi Now. Previously available in around 225 postcodes across cantons, the service is now reduced to 110 in the Zurich to St. Gallen corridor, with the offer in other areas ending on August 31^st. It is not currently clear whether the online delivery service will be discontinued entirely in the near future. 

Senior Insight Analyst, Michela Pearson’s view:

ecommerce has been difficult to master for retailers, in particular in terms of efficiencies and profitability. Despite employing a third-party service for deliveries, Aldi’s decision to wind down operations in this space displays the wider trend of a return to a more classic discount model with a focus on brick-and-mortar stores. 

Migros Ticaret accelerates technology investments 

Turkish retailer Migros Ticaret invested TRY 6.3 billion (€112.2 million) during the first half of its financial year, with expenditure focused on technology-led initiatives including self-checkouts, R&D, IT infrastructure and electronic shelf labels (ESLs). The investments form part of the retailer's broader strategy to improve operational efficiency and enhance the customer experience. 

Senior Insight Analyst, Bently Briggs’:

Migros' latest investments show how retailers are increasingly viewing technology as a core enabler of both efficiency and future growth. Self-checkouts and ESLs can help streamline store operations, reduce labour-intensive processes and improve pricing agility, while strengthening the overall shopping experience. Although investment levels remain significant, many retailers see technology projects like these as essential to building more productive stores and creating the foundations for future AI-driven capabilities.