BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart is implementing new warehouse technology that “will fundamentally alter how products get to stores,” says executive vice president of supply chain operations Joe Metzger. The discounter is installing Symbotic’s high-tech automation system in 25 regional distribution centers. Walmart and Symbotic have piloted the system in the chain’s Brooksville, Fla., warehouse since
WASHINGTON — Imports at retail container ports reflect robust consumer demand in the United States as well as the economic and logistical disruptions that have snarled global supply chains over the past 17 months, according to the latest Global Port Tracker report from the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Hackett Associates. “Operational constraints brought about
WOONSOCKET, R.I. — A recent CVS Health study looked into the long-lasting impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic but also highlighted the resilience of patients, providers and the health care system, and the growing interest in new ways to engage with health care to achieve a more individualized experience. The 2021 Health Care Insights Study (formerly
Mass retailing has long been a gregarious profession. In the main, the people engaged in the mass retailing community, on both sides of the desk, are genuinely fond of each other. With very few exceptions. This truism holds not only for retailers who vigorously compete with each other. It equally effectively describes the relationship between
As it rose to become the nation’s largest health care provider and fourth-biggest company of any kind, CVS Health benefitted from a clear, concise raison d’être: “Helping people on their path to better health.” Those eight words encapsulated the overarching objective of an organization with deep roots in community pharmacy, which over the past 15
Sales of CBD products are expected to get pretty high in the next few years, even if users of the products don’t. A new forecast from the cannabis research firm BDSA predicts that U.S. sales of CBD products will hit $19.5 billion in 2025, rising at a compound annual growth rate of nearly 37%. (For
“Grocery on demand!” Whether it’s the result of COVID lockdown, the age of e-commerce immediacy, better D2C supply chains … or the insatiable appetite for shopping of today’s consumer, grocery on demand is the new London phenomenon. Grocery has never been “obvious” in London. In fact, you could speculate that city dwellers must either eat
NEW YORK — Online shopping and more meals eaten at home are two food retailing trends that emerged during the pandemic and are likely to stick around in the future. “Online grocery shopping took off and we saw six years worth of growth take place in about six weeks,” FMI president and chief executive officer
NEW YORK — It’s still “too early to tell” what pandemic-related changes in consumer behavior will persist with the return to normalcy, Walmart U.S. president and chief executive officer John Furner said last month. Interviewed by National Retail Federation president and CEO Matthew Shay during NRF’s Retail Converge Conference, Furner acknowledged that Walmart experienced an
MINNEAPOLIS — Target Corp. last month updated its sustainability goals with the release of Target Forward, spelling out its commitment to design and elevate sustainable brands; innovate to eliminate waste; and accelerate opportunity and social equity. “It’s imperative for both the health of our business and of our planet that we embrace new ways to
BOISE, Idaho — Former PepsiCo executive Jennifer Saenz has been named executive vice president and chief merchandising officer of Albertsons Cos. She is responsible for all areas of merchandising, including own brands. She will also be responsible for strengthening the company’s relationships with its brand partners. Saenz reports to president and chief executive officer Vivek
DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) has raised its outlook for the year and laid out its strategy to drive growth, after a stronger-than-expected fiscal third quarter. WBA’s adjusted earnings per share of $1.51 far surpassed analysts’ expectation of $1.17. Sales for the period ended May 31 rose 12.1% to $34.03 billion, topping the