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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Albertsons Charged for Overcharging
The San Diego Union-Tribune Web site reports Albertsons has been ordered to pay $1.85 million for scanner overcharges in California. According to the report, “Weights and Measures inspectors from 15…
Plastic Bag Costs Called Staggering
Plastic bags are used in approximately 80 percent of supermarket and convenience store transactions, helping to reduce retailer expenses while providing consumers with a sturdy and reliable tote for their…
Growing Share in the Health and Wellness Market
There is no faster growing, large consumer market in the U.S. than health and wellness. But, so far, most retailers have only been passive beneficiaries, e.g., the strong double-digit growth…
Kids Going to College Move Out and Up
Retailers have been quick to pick up on the realities of modern dorm living and have responded with special programs to meet the needs of college students and the parents…
Employees Turn Rite Aid Around
Mary Sammons, chief executive officer and president, Rite Aid credits the drug store chain’s 73,000 employees for getting the company turned around in spite of the difficult times it has…
Asda to Associates: Be Fruitful and Multiply
Asda, the UK-based division of Wal-Mart, is giving company associates paid time-off for in vitro fertilisation (IVF). The company made the decision to offer the program after receiving numerous…
Study: People in Suburbs Are Fat
According to an Associated Press report, “People who live in sprawled-out suburbs where they must drive to school, work or the store are likely to weigh 6 more pounds than…
Dollar General’s Earns Big Bucks
Dollar General announced its earnings climbed 41 percent in the most recent quarter versus the same period the last year. Bernard Sands analyst Richard Hastings said , “Consumer acceptance of…
MLK’s Dream
People around the nation yesterday marked the 40th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s historic “I Have a Dream” speech. Have the retail and consumer goods industries reached Martin Luther King’s…
CoolSavings Makes Money Now
Matt Moog, chief executive officer, CoolSavings inherited a company that at one point had $260,000 in the bank and $17 million in current debt. To turn things around, Business Week…
RFID Debates Continues
Mark Baard, in his Wired Web site column, claims that retailers and suppliers, stung by negative reaction to RFID by consumer privacy groups, had added the sensors so they can…
Round 2003: Costco vs. Sam’s
Sam’s has turned to parent company Wal-Mart to help it slash prices on merchandise while doing a better job of marketing to small-businesses, reports Business Week. The warehouse club Sam…
Walgreens Grows Back to Hi-School
The drugstore chain, Walgreens, is known for growing organically, rarely taking the acquisition path to growth. Occasionally, however, a deal comes along that is too good to pass on. Yesterday,…
Wal-Mart Portrayed As Evil Empire, Again
Harold Meyerson of the American Prospect writes in a Washington Post Op-Ed piece today, ‘Just as Ford, GM and the UAW once drove up wages for workers who were nowhere…
Nothing Bearish About Cub Foods’ Growth
The Pioneer Press reports Cub Foods will open six new stores in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area by 2005. The new locations will bring Cub Foods’ total to 50 stores. The…
Is Kroger Looking to Sow Its Wild Oats?
A good rumor can do wonders for a company’s stock, as evidenced by yesterday’s 11 percent climb in the share price of Wild Oats Markets. The natural foods supermarket,…
Retailer Can’t Afford to Change for the Disabled
A report in the Sacramento Bee last week covered a court case brought against Mervyn’s by Californians for Disability Rights alleging the retailer is violating state law by not providing…
Whodunnit – Sorting Through the Fleming Rubble
The Topeka Capital-Journal provides a post mortem report on Fleming that says the wholesaler died because of its reliance on Kmart and suppliers’ demand for upfront payment before goods were…
The Pantry Loads Up On Gold Gallon Stores
The Pantry convenience store chain has signed an agreement to purchase 138 Gold Gallon convenience stores from Ahold USA, reports Reuters. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. According to…
Sears Softer Side Firmed Up By Lands’ End
Sears stores selling Lands’ End clothing posted apparel sales two to four percent higher than those that didn’t, reports the Internet Retailer Web site. The consumer response to Lands’ End…
PublixDirect Goes Offline
Publix Super Markets announced on Friday it was closing its PublixDirect shopping service. Maria Rodamis, a spokesperson for Publix said the decision was made because, “The service did not…
