A Possible New Format for Wal-Mart

Supermarket News reports that Wal-Mart is contemplating a new small-scale format to compete with the rising Tesco Fresh & Easy chain.

Wal-Mart Stores here may be contemplating a small-store format to challenge Tesco's Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market following the installation of David Wild as the executive in charge of evaluating business opportunities, according to European trade reports. Wild, who will be based here, is a former international managing director of Tesco and a former senior executive at Metro AG, the chain that Wal-Mart sold its German stores to last year. Wal-Mart confirmed to SN yesterday that Wild has relocated to the U.S. to evaluate business opportunities for the company — a role the European sources said could involve developing a new format to challenge Tesco's entry.