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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Gringos Don’t Get It
Most of the major grocery chains operating in California have come and gone from the heavily Hispanic East San Fernando Valley and that appears to be just alright with the…
Albertsons: Heck No, We Won’t Go
Larry Johnston, chairman, chief executive officer and president of Albertsons, does not care what’s being said in grocery industry and analyst circles. The chain is staying put in Dallas-Fort Worth…
Protesters Boost “Boys Are Stupid” Sales
An Associated Press report says retailers, including Bon-Macy’s and Claire’s Stores, are pulling a line of clothing and accessories critics say are anti-boy. Are retailers who pull products off shelves…
Doctors Call For Ibuprofen To Be Rx Only
The head of the Australian Medical Association is calling on his nation’s government to prohibit over-the-counter (OTC) sales of painkillers containing ibuprofen. Should retailers and manufacturers encourage the FDA to…
McD’s Gets Active With Adult Happy Meal
McDonald’s will do a national launch of its Go Active! Happy Meal for adults later this year, reports Reuters. How will McDonald’s keep its Go Active! Happy Meal concept fresh…
Sears To Cut Benefits To Compete
Add Sears to the list of retailers using the low wages and benefits paid by Wal-Mart to its associates as the reason for proposed cutbacks in employee programs. Will Sears…
Eckerd Pieces Worth More Than Whole
J.C. Penney is considering dividing its Eckerd drug store chain into two parts for sale to the highest bidders, reports Reuters. What are your thoughts on the possible sale scenarios…
Kids Spread The Word
The cover story of the February 2 edition of Forbes looks at an innovative marketing program from Procter & Gamble that enlists 280,000 teenagers from across the country to spread…
Study: Wal-Mart Good For Local Economy
A study commissioned by Wal-Mart and conducted by the Los Angeles County Economic Development Council has concluded that the retailer’s move into California will have a net positive effect on…
Wal-Mart Gets A Head Start With RFID
The majority of U.S. retailers appear in no rush to follow Wal-Mart’s lead in deploying radio frequency identification (RFID) technology and analysts think that’s probably a smart move. Is it…
Amazon Rules The E-tailing Jungle
Jeff Bezos’ decision to pursue growth before profits since opening Amazon.com in 1994 has brought the e-tailer criticism in the past but appears to have finally paid off as the…
Critics: Three Percent Inspections Not Enough
Critics say the Food and Drug Administration only inspects two to three percent of the produce coming into the country and that’s not nearly enough to safeguard the nation’s food…
Big G Accused of Loading Orders
A former retail customer manager at General Mills, Jeffrey Millard, says the company regularly booked product as sold and delivered even before it was ordered, according to a report in…
Wal-Mart Sues For Market Access
Yesterday, Wal-Mart filed a suit with the Alameda Country Superior Court to overturn a law passed by that county’s Board of Supervisors that prohibits the retailer from building Supercenters there…
Profits Going Down Without Smoke
Restaurant owners in states across the country are concerned that smoking bans may keep patrons away and bring revenues and profits down. Are smoking bans bad for the restaurant and…
Letter: Diverting Reduces Food Safety
Virgil Horton, a self-described former grocery store professional with 30 years experience, claims in a letter to the editor on the GulfLive.com Web site that diverting may pose a food…
Exec Pay Issue Applies To Unions Too
Although his compensation pales in comparison to the chief executives of the grocery chains his members are striking, Rick Icaza, the head of Los Angeles-based Local 770 of the United…
Amazon Retails The Vote
Regulars to Amazon.com are treated to an ever-expanding variety of products to buy and now they can even make a contribution of up to $200 to their favorite presidential candidate,…
Salmon Suits Have Industry Swimming Upstream
Two environmental groups, The Environmental Working Group and the Center for Environmental Health, are filing suit under California’s anti-toxics law against salmon farms, processors, and retailers charging them with selling…
QFC Shows Cards Do More Than Discounts
Proponents of shopper or loyalty cards have often pointed out that they can be used for more than simply offering product discounts. One such use, identifying shoppers who purchased a…
RI Looks At Ties Between Legislators and CVS
Rhode Island’s attorney general, Patrick Lynch, is looking into the relationships between legislators and business after two state senators were forced to resign following allegations of impropriety in their dealings…
