Rewe Partners with Lieferando

The supermarket chain REWE is partnering with the delivery platform Lieferando to offer deliveries within 45 minutes from a selection of over 3,000 products. Rewe aims to roll out this service in more than 40 cities, including major metropolises like Berlin, Cologne, Munich, and Hamburg, as well as smaller cities such as Oldenburg, Bottrop, Krefeld, and Kiel.

Rewe views this project as a strategic move. “The cooperation with the leading food ordering platform Lieferando enables us to further expand our offering in the express segment of the e-food market,” emphasizes Clemens Uwe Bauer , Director of eCommerce at Rewe. “This underlines our position as a pioneer in fast food delivery.”

This partnership marks a new dimension in grocery delivery, as previously, only individual grocery stores offered their products via delivery platforms. For instance, Wolt has partnered with select Edeka and Penny stores, while some Spar Express shops and delicatessens offer their products through Lieferando.

Alibaba Expands Payment Options with WeChat Pay Integration

In a significant move, Alibaba Group announced that its core eCommerce platforms, Taobao Marketplace and Tmall , will now accept payments through Tencent’s WeChat app for the first time. Previously, users had limited payment options, with Alipay being the primary method.

An Alibaba spokesperson highlighted the company's commitment to enhancing user experience, stating: "We have always been open to collaborations, and have actively explored interoperability and partnerships with our peers. We are constantly working to enhance user experience by making shopping more convenient, enjoyable, and efficient."

This milestone comes as Alibaba seeks to boost growth in its domestic eCommerce sector, which has faced challenges from slower consumer demand and fierce competition from players like JD.com and Temu-owner?PDD.

WeChat, with over 1.3 billion global users, dominates the Chinese market, and by integrating WeChat Pay , Alibaba aims to capture greater market share, particularly in less-developed regions across China.

Amazon announces near 10% pay rise for tens of thousands of UK workers

Increase will lift minimum rates by 9.8% and comes after online retailer defeated GMB union bid for bargaining rights on pay.

Amazon has announced a pay rise worth nearly 10% for tens of thousands of UK employees, after defeating an attempt by the GMB trade union for bargaining rights over pay and conditions.

The online retailer said the increase would lift minimum pay rates by 9.8% to between ￡13.50 and ￡14.50 an hour, depending on location. Staff with at least three years’ service will receive a minimum of between ￡13.75 and ￡14.75 an hour.

The pay rise will apply to thousands of Amazon staff from 29 September including those employed in the retailer’s UK fulfilment centres.

UK workers at Amazon have staged a series of recent strikes. The company said it had invested ￡550m in raising employee pay since 2022, adding that staff received benefits such as subsidised meals and discounts.