Examine individual changes

'{{Infobox company | company_name = Iceland | company_logo =[[File:Iceland logo.svg|200px]] | company_type = [[Privately held company|Private]] | foundation = 1970, Malcolm Walker | location = [[Deeside]], [[Flintshire]], [[Wales]] | locations = 682 (January 2009) | industry = [[Retail]] }} '''Iceland''' is a [[supermarket]] chain in the [[United Kingdom]] and [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]]. Iceland's primary product lines include frozen foods, such as frozen prepared meals and frozen vegetables - hence the name of the company. The company approximately has a 1.8% share of the UK food market. ==History== Iceland began business in 1970, when Malcolm Walker opened the first store in [[Oswestry]], [[Shropshire]] with his business partners Peter Hinchcliffe investing £60 for one month's rent at their Shropshire store. They were still employees of [[Woolworths Group plc|Woolworths]] at the time, and their employment was terminated once their employer discovered their job on the side. Iceland initially specialised in loose frozen food, including frozen pizzas. By 1975, there were 15+ Iceland outlets in [[North Wales]], with the first supermarket-style outlet opening in [[Manchester]] a couple of years later. The firm's head office moved to [[Deeside]], [[Flintshire]] in 1979. Iceland was floated on the [[London Stock Exchange]] in 1984, by which stage it had 81 outlets. In 1989 Iceland bought its competitor [[Bejam]] which was some three times larger in terms of business. By February 2004, the combined chain had 760 stores throughout the United Kingdom. ==Diversification== Finding the retail market more hostile in the late 1990s, Iceland pursued avenues for differentiation. In 1998, the firm began to focus on providing [[organic food]] and [[Genetically modified]]-free food. This policy saw the company convert its entire frozen vegetable range to organic in 2000. In 1999, Iceland launched what it claimed to be the first nationwide, free, online grocery shopping service. This tied in with the rebranding of all outlets under the Iceland.co.uk. However, the rebranding exercise appears to have been quietly abandoned in the early 2000s, as the unadorned Iceland name is now used more widely, although some stores still have the Iceland.co.uk name on display. The supermarket also attempted ties with [[British Home Stores]].<ref>[http://www.guardian.co.uk/efinance/article/0,2763,184599,00.html Iceland seeks cooler image with online rebranding] ''www.guardian.co.uk</ref> In the summer of 2000 Iceland merged with [[Booker-McConnell|Booker plc]] with Booker's [[Stuart Rose]] taking the role of CEO of the merged company. He left for the [[Arcadia Group]] within a few months. He was replaced by [[Bill Grimsey]] in January 2001.<ref name="IND-2001-01-23">{{cite news |url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/comment/iceland-pays-the-price-of-roses-organic-neglect-703404.html |title=Iceland pays the price of Rose's organic neglect |date=2001-01-23 |publisher=Independent.co.uk|accessdate=2009-04-16}}</ref> Soon after Grimsey's appointment Malcolm Walker, Iceland's founder & Chairman, was forced to stand down as it was revealed he had sold £13.5 million of Iceland shares five weeks before the company released the first of several profits warnings.<ref name="Tel-2001-04-11">{{cite news|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/4480049/Walker-quits-after-Iceland-sales-dive.html|title=Walker quits after Iceland sales dive|last=Rankine|first=Kate|date=2001-04-11|publisher=Telegraph.co.uk|accessdate=2009-04-16}}</ref><ref name="Tel-2001-08-21">{{cite news|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/2730881/I-acted-properly-says-Icelands-Malcolm-Walker.html|title='I acted properly' says Iceland's Malcolm Walker|last=Cave|first=Andrew|date=2001-08-21|publisher=Telegraph.co.uk|accessdate=2009-04-16}}</ref> Walker was not fully cleared of these allegations until October 2004.<ref name="MoS-2004-10-17">{{cite news|url=http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/news/article.html?in_article_id=394530&in_page_id=2&in_a_source=|title=Walker gets all-clear over Iceland|last=Laurance|first=Ben|date=2004-10-17|publisher=Mail on Sunday|accessdate=2009-04-16}}</ref> ==Big Food Group== Iceland was renamed [[the Big Food Group]] in Feb 2002,<ref name="AboutIceland">{{cite web|url=http://www.iceland.co.uk/page/view/about_iceland_story|title=Iceland's history|publisher=Iceland|accessdate=2009-04-16}} {{Dead link|date=September 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> and attempted a refocus on the convenience sector with a bid for [[Londis]].<ref name="IND-2003-12-29">{{cite news |url=http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/grimsey-goes-on-charm-offensive-to-woo-wavering-londis-shareholders-577963.html |title=Grimsey goes on charm offensive to woo wavering Londis shareholders|last=Reece|first=Damian|date=2003-12-29|publisher=Independent.co.uk |accessdate=2009-04-16}}</ref> Grimsey remained until the takeover and demerger of the Big Food Group by a consortium led by the [[Iceland]]ic company, [[Baugur Group]] in February 2005. Walker returned to his previous role at Iceland.<ref name="AboutIceland"/> Under Walker's control Iceland's website contains pages of polemic against Grimsey's period in control.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iceland.co.uk/page/view/recovery_plan|title=The one, two, three, four, five year recovery plan!|publisher=iceland.co.uk|accessdate=2009-04-16}}</ref> ==Expansion== Iceland was one of the many major retailers who took advantage of the [[Enterprise Zone]] incentives offered by the giant [[Merry Hill Shopping Centre]] that was developed at [[Brierley Hill]] in the [[West Midlands (county)|West Midlands]] between 1985 and 1990. It opened a store there in 1989, relocating from [[Dudley]] town centre; only for this store to close a decade or so later. In 1996, six stores were opened in [[Dublin]] and one in [[Letterkenny]]. They all closed down in 2005 due to financial difficulties. In November 2008, a store reopened in Ballyfermot in [[Dublin]], after Iceland agreed a franchise deal with an Irish cash and carry company, AIM,<ref>[http://www.thegrocer.co.uk/articles.aspx?page=articles&ID=196449 Iceland returns to Ireland with franchise deal] ''www.thegrocer.co.uk''</ref> and in November 2009 a second store reopened in [[Finglas]], [[Dublin]]. A third opened on the Navan Road in September 2010. A fourth store opened in the [[Ilac Centre]] in Dublin in November 2010. There are now four Iceland stores in Ireland. In November 2010 AIM announced plans to launch 40 new stores within 4 years. There is now 600 stores across the U.K.<ref>http://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/aim-group-to-create-2100-retail-jobs-481376.html</ref> Since Malcolm Walker's return to the company, Iceland has reduced the workforce by 500 jobs at the Deeside Head Office, with approximately 300 jobs moved in September as a result of a relocation of a distribution warehouse from [[Deeside]] to [[Warrington]]. During July 2006, 300 workers took industrial action with the support of their union, blocking several lorries from entering the depot. Despite this, the transfer to Warrington took place and the new warehouse was later outsourced to [[DHL]] in April 2007. In January 2009, Iceland announced that it would buy 51 stores in the UK from the failed [[Woolworths Group]] chain, three days after the final 200 Woolworths stores closed their doors for the last time.<ref name="51 stores bought">{{cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7820981.stm |title=Iceland buys 51 Woolworths stores |publisher=BBC |date=9 January 2009 |accessdate=2009-01-09}}</ref> In April 2009, Iceland announced plans to close its appliance showrooms by September 2009 to concentrate on food retailing<ref>[http://www.iceland.co.uk/uploads/File/Appliance_Showrooms.pdf Iceland.co.uk]</ref> Iceland's sales for the year ended 27 March 2009 were £2.08 billion, a 16% increase on the previous year, with net profits of £113.7 million.<ref>[http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5iq-vKVHJm727abiRlkYOi5WcGU9A Iceland reports rise in sales], ''[[Press Association]]'', 12 June 2009.</ref> In 2010, the company began opening stores outside the United Kingdom, in Eastern Europe.{{fact|date=April 2010}} An additional Iceland store opened in Dudley town centre on 2 December 2010 in part of the former [[Beatties]] department store, 21 years after the retailer closed their store in the town.<ref>[http://www.expressandstar.com/news/business/2010/08/23/iceland-in-move-to-former-beatties-store/]</ref> ==Promotions== The company has recently made large scale changes to the kinds of promotions it offers on products. In the past "Buy One Get One Free" and Meal Deals (a selection of products for a set price) were common in stores, although these have now been reduced and replaced with products offering bigger packs at the original prices. The pricing system has also been changed with many products having their prices rounded up or down to the nearest multiple of 25p (i.e. £1.29 becomes £1.25), this is known as Clear Cut Prices and aims to simplify the pricing system. 2006 also saw a huge surge in 'Home Delivery' promotion. This service is now one of the main focuses of the company. When a customer spends £25 or more on their shopping they have the option of free same-day home delivery. On 6 October 2008, Iceland officially launched their "Bonus Card", a [[loyalty card]] and an advanced replacement for the original home delivery card, after successfully trialling the scheme in some regions of the UK. Customers who register for the new card receive offers and [[vouchers]] from time to time, also whenever the card is used in store the customer is entered into a monthly prize draw to win £5,000 in vouchers (50 x £100 Iceland Voucers), as well as several other prizes, including holidays and cars.<ref> [http://www.iceland.co.uk/page/view/monthly_prize_draw] ''www.iceland.co.uk</ref> ==Identity and marketing== The supermarket historically advertised with the slogan ''Mums Love It'', which was changed to ''Are we doing a deal or are we doing a deal?'' and ''Feel the deal'' in the early 2000s. The new adverts featuring television personality [[Kerry Katona]] has seen a return to a slogan more traditionally associated with Iceland - ''So that's why mums go to Iceland!''. Their slogans have often been parodied.[[Image:Iceland supermarket front.jpg|thumb|An Iceland [[supermarket]]]] On the 17th August 2009 Iceland Supermakets announced that Kerry would be sacked from their ad campaigns with immediate effect. This decision followed an investigation by ''The News of The World'' which uncovered video evidence of Kerry snorting [[cocaine]] in her Wilmslow house.<ref>http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1206898/Kerry-Katona-sacked-Iceland-photographed-snorting-white-powder.html, ''[[Daily Mail]]'', 18 August 2009.</ref> When the chain bought rival [[Bejam]] in 1989, they launched the TV-advertising campaign "Use Our Imagination," which included a powerful song. The campaign was launched so quickly after the takeover that they hadn't time to convert all Bejam stores to the "Iceland" fascia. Because of this in the song for the commercial featured the line "We're at Bejam's too..." Iceland staff received new uniforms in June 2007. The uniform consists of a red polo-shirt with an orange band on the collar and sleeves, A black nylon jacket with the Iceland logo embroidered on it and black trousers. The new uniform went live on 1 March 2011. It consists of a 'black' coloured shirt with orange,red and grey coloured stripes running down it and the iceland logo embroided on the sleeve, black and orange nylon fleeces and gilet's with the logo embroided, black jeans. The new delievry driver uniform also consists of a large waterproof bomber jacket with the logo on the back, a baseball cap or 'beanie' hat and a striped scarf. Supervisors uniform consists of black suit trousers, a silvery-grey shirt and store managers have the addition of a suit jacket and red tie. ==Sponsorship== {{Unreferenced section|date=November 2009}} Iceland have been the sponsors of ITV show ''[[I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!]]'' since 2006. This was a major sponsorship deal for the supermarket, and particularly fitting because of [[Kerry Katona]], appearing on the Iceland advertisements; she also therefore appeared on the sponsorship adverts. The celebrity's autobiography appeared for sale in these supermarkets when it first was published. In 2007, former contestant [[Jason Donovan]] ,another former cocaine addict, appeared as well as Kerry Katona and workers of the company had to wear green T-shirts displaying the TV shows' logo for the duration of the series and associated promotion. Scratch and peel cards were given to customers who spent over £10 in store: prizes included money off products and a holiday in Australia. In 2008, [[Christopher Biggins]] featured in the sponsorship adverts with [[Kerry Katona]] ==Partnerships== Iceland products are also supplied to [[Manx]] retailer [[Shoprite (Isle of Man)]]. ==New Face of Iceland== In Spring 2010, Iceland launched a new program in search of a New Face of Iceland. Ideally customers were to put themselves forward for auditions to be involved with the marketing of all Iceland's products and services. Thousands of people applied, but only 52 made it through to the next round judged by Iceland directors, as well as Malcolm Walker and Coleen Nolan. From the 52 auditionees, seven were chosen to face the public vote, where Ellie Taylor eventually went on to be come the 2010 Face of Iceland. Ellie has her own weekly blog on the Iceland website.<ref>[http://www.iceland.co.uk/newfaceoficeland 2010 New Face of Iceland] ''www.iceland.co.uk</ref> On March 2011 it was announced that Stacy Solomon the former X Factor finalist and I'm A Celebrity winner will appear in the company's new advertising campaign. ==See also== * [[List of supermarket chains in the United Kingdom]] ==References== {{Reflist}}<!--added above External links/Sources by script-assisted edit--> ==External links== * [http://www.iceland.co.uk/ Iceland] {{UK supermarkets}} {{Supermarkets in Ireland}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Iceland (Supermarket)}} [[Category:Companies established in 1970]] [[Category:Supermarkets of the United Kingdom]] [[Category:Privately held companies of the United Kingdom]] [[Category:Companies of Wales]] [[is:Iceland (verslunarkeðja)]] [[hu:Iceland]] [[pl:Iceland]]'