The year in review

METRO celebrates ‘Year of Own Brands’

1/1/2018 – The repositioning of METRO’s range of own-brand products is one of the major events happening in the year 2018. The launch of the new own-brands METRO Chef, METRO Premium and METRO Professional will align the product range even more closely with the requirements of professional customers.

Excellent performance in the area of sustainability

5/2/2018 – RobecoSAM, one of the leading rating agencies in the area of sustainability, honours the sustainability efforts of METRO AG with the gold award in the Food & Staples Retailing category for the third consecutive time.

New Compact Stores in France

13/2/2018 – The French city of Carcassonne sees the opening of the fourth Compact Store which was developed on the basis of a brand-new store concept. The wider product range is complemented by numerous innovative solutions, including a digital shopping list, self-scanning and a virtual showroom.

Change on the Supervisory Board of METRO AG

16/2/2018 – Herbert Bolliger is elected member of the Supervisory Board of METRO AG. The independent business consultant succeeds Mattheus P. M. (Theo) de Raad as a shareholder representative on the Supervisory Board.

NX-FOOD hub established by METRO

2/3/2018 – The NX-FOOD hub is METRO’s contribution to the development of new food solutions for the retail, wholesale and hospitality industries. The ideas and concepts are created both internally at NX-FOOD and in cooperation projects with external partners. They range from issues such as food wastage and how to curb it to vertical-farming approaches, sustainable food concepts and innovations for hospitality operators and consumers.

METRO withdraws from future collective agreement with Verdi

20/4/2018 – Following the breakdown of negotiations with Verdi about a dedicated collective salary structure for Real, METRO AG has resolved to pursue its future collective salary arrangements outside of the HDE structures (association of German retailers) and announced its decision to withdraw from the future collective agreement with Verdi. This created the prerequisites for the introduction of competitive salary cost structures.

METRO AG adjusts forecast for financial year 2017/18

20/4/2018 – METRO AG has adjusts its forecast for the group’s earnings and revenues for financial year 2017/18. The adjustment reflects the lower-than- planned expectations for the second half-year of financial year 2017/18.

METRO restructures its IT area

1/5/2018 – Commencing on 1 May 2018, the Chief Information and Chief Solution Office and METRO Systems Deutschland GmbH have joined forces under the new name of METRO-NOM. The completely restructured IT area of METRO AG develops innovative IT solutions, such as solutions for METRO’s omnichannel business and e-commerce, implements international projects and thereby participates in shaping the digital transformation of the group.

Changes on the Management Board of METRO AG

7/5/2018 – The Supervisory Board of METRO AG appoints Philippe Palazzi to the Management Board and the position of Chief Operating Officer of METRO AG. He succeeds Pieter C. Boone who leaves the company by mutual agreement.

‘Your Success is our Business’

28/6/2018 – ‘Your Success is our Business’ is the claim of METRO’s new international brand campaign and seeks to emphasise the group’s long-standing commitment to small and medium-sized business operators. The campaign’s brand ambassadors are customers from more than 20 countries.

Procurement alliance Horizon International established

2/7/2018 – Horizon International is the name under which Auchan Retail, Casino Group, METRO and Schiever Group have joined forces in a procurement cooperation project that aims at harmonising their mutual supplier relationships.

First transcritical METRO store in Russia

26/7/2018 – The opening of the store in the Moscow suburb of Aparinki sees METRO commissioning its first transcritical refrigeration system in Russia. This cooling system combines the latest highly efficient refrigeration technology with METRO’s ambition of minimising its own CO₂ footprint.

METRO PROPERTIES sells part of the real estate portfolio of MAKRO Spain

30/7/2018 – LaSalle Investment Management acquires the wholesale and office spaces of 3 properties in Madrid on behalf of the Encore+ real estate fund. Through a 15-year leasing agreement, MAKRO secures its continued operation with an option to extend.

Best-in-class performance in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index

13/9/2018 – METRO AG is leading the Food & Staples Retailing group in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for the fourth consecutive time as the best-in-class performer. METRO is distinguished for its environmental, social and economic performance.

Process to find a new owner for Real started

13/9/2018 – METRO starts the process of finding a new owner for Real. After undergoing extensive restructuring and repositioning over recent years, Real has created the prerequisites for an independent future in the German food retail industry.

METRO PROPERTIES sells land parcel in Poland

20/9/2018 – METRO PROPERTIES sells a land parcel in the Polish town of Poznan together with a newly constructed building under a long lease to Corum Asset Management.

METRO PROPERTIES finds new owner for administration building at Albertussee

27/9/2018 – METRO PROPERTIES, the real estate company of METRO AG, supports the endeavour to create more inner-city residential space in Düsseldorf by agreeing to sell the administration building at Albertussee to project developer PANDION.

Global self-commitment regarding the handling of non-recyclable plastics

28/9/2018 – By the year 2025, conventional single-use plastics will be replaced by reusable, recyclable or compostable alternatives. This includes promoting the transition to a closed-circular economy for plastics.

METRO’s digitalisation campaign

30/9/2018 – Hospitality Digital, a business unit of METRO AG, has become a provider of digital solutions for the HoReCa segment and now offers hospitality operators a free service to design websites and an online reservation tool. Financial year 2017/18 already saw more than 100,000 new hospitality websites going online.