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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Gun Sales Become Problem For Wal-Mart
A report in The Los Angeles Times said California attorney general’s office found Wal-Mart stores “committed nearly 500 violations of the state’s gun laws, including selling weapons to felons and…
Chain to Add Store Jobs, Cut HQ
The UK’s number two supermarket chain, Sainsbury’s, is planning on adding 10,000 part-timers to its store payrolls to improve speed through the checkout. Sainsbury is also said to be considering…
Gas Prices Drop as Coalition Force Gains
Prices at the pump fell an average of six cents across the country over the past two weeks as concerns have eased over a possible gas shortage caused by the…
Judge to Philip Morris: Show Me the Money
Philip Morris USA asked Madison County (IL) Circuit Court Judge Nicholas Byron on Friday to reduce the $12 billion bond required to appeal the judge’s ruling the tobacco company had…
“Free From” Market Grows
Greater awareness on the part of medical authorities and consumers has spurred 165 percent growth in the sale of products that address food intolerance and allergies since 2000, according to…
The Next Big Thing is Really Small
An article in The Boston Globe reports that the growing segmentation of the consumer market means that, for every shopper who wants their’s super-sized, there is another who would prefer…
King Soopers Delivers with HomeShop
The Denver Post reports, “King Soopers is rolling out a revamped version of its home-delivery service that lets shoppers order and receive groceries on the same day for a $10…
Amazon Goes Google Over Search Feature
Reuters reports Amazon.com will offer Google’s web search technology and advertising services on the Internet retailer’s web site. The two companies signed a multi-year deal that will allow shoppers to…
Now in Aisle 7, Home and Auto Insurance
Asda announced earlier in the week that the chain’s shoppers can purchase auto, home and travel insurance through the retailer. Asda has also confirmed it is considering offering additional financial…
GMA Releases Supply Chain Study Results
The average time it takes to go from order-to-delivery was cut 79 hours, according to the Grocery Manufacturers of America’s (GMA) 2003 Logistics Study. Are increased responsiveness and lower supply…
Online Wine Good for Consumers
Making interstate shipping of wines legal would give Virginians more product choices and perhaps even lower prices according to a study recently completed by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Should…
Kmart Names New Board
Kmart has named nine new members to its Board of Directors. Financier Edward Lampert, Kmart’s largest stockholder, and eight other investment firm and financial executives make up the new board…
Food Police Charge Laura With Misleading Labels
The Center for Science in the Public Interest says Laura’s Lean rib-eye and strip steaks are not as lean as their labels claim. Michael Jacobson, executive director of the center…
Fleming Files For Chapter 11 Protection
Fleming has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection following last week’s announcement that the company’s creditors were unlikely to extend it additional funds. What impact will Fleming’s Chapter 11…
Study Identifies Mega Brands
In a new report, ACNielsen defines a Mega Brand as being “available in at least 15 of the 50 countries that account for 95 percent of global economic output, and…
Study Raises Safety Concerns for Plastic Containers
A research study has concluded that bisphenol A, a common ingredient found in plastic food and beverage containers, causes birth defects in mice. The types of abnormalities found in the…
Aussies Choose Anything But Plastic
Fifty-three percent of Australian shoppers say they “are likely to refuse plastic bags offered at the supermarket”, according to a Newspoll survey. According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, the government…
Former President Bush Joins Grocery Chain
Rumors are circulating that former president, George H. Bush, has joined a local Houston supermarket chain. Someone close to the former president, said, “When the former president said he…
General Mills, Whole Foods Among Best Corporate Citizens
General Mills heads the list of its 100 Best Corporate Citizens for 2003 as ranked by Business Ethics magazine. The list also includes a number of other prominent CPG manufacturers…
Frozen Fresher Than Fresh (Healthier Too)
A study from the Austrian Consumers Association says frozen vegetables are healthier than imported fresh vegetables. Is it to food retailers’ benefit to get consumers to switch from fresh to…
Consumers Go Window Shopping
Look but don’t buy seems to be the rule for many consumers with the war raging in Iraq, reports The New York Times. Is uncertainty over the war’s impact on…
