UK: P&G acquires Ocado stake

By just-food.com | 28 November 2008

Consumer goods giant Procter & Gamble has acquired a 1% stake in UK online retailer Ocado.

A spokesperson for the company told just food today (28 November) that the relationship between the two companies "goes beyond traditional joint business planning". Rather, P&G will use Ocado's "unique business model and shopper relationships as a testing ground for a broad range of communication ideas".

"These learnings will provide valuable insights as we strive to better connect with consumers, improve our communications and strengthen our brand web sites. Our investment demonstrates our commitment to this learning opportunity," the spokesperson said.

P&G said that it has no ambitions to move into online retailing.

"Ocado is one of many ways in which P&G continually builds shopper understanding. We're interested in the unique shopper knowledge available with Ocado, and we see their business model as a fertile testing ground for new ideas," the spokesperson said.

Sectors: Baby food, Bakery, Chilled foods, Multichannel, Retail, Snacks

Companies: Ocado