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WASHINGTON – Consumer spending on Halloween-related items is expected to reach an all-time high of $10.14 billion this year, the National Retail Federation said Wednesday. That’s up from $8.05 billion in 2020. “Americans plan to spend more than ever to make this Halloween a memorable one,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said. “Retailers have
Wendy Liebmann has devoted her career to charting the changing wants and needs of consumers and analyzing what that evolution means for the retail and CPG sectors. In this week’s Video Forum, Liebmann, chief executive officer and chief shopper at WSL Strategic Retail, talks about mass market retailers’ performance during the COVID pandemic, ongoing industrywide
NEW YORK – One year since the launch of Walmart+, the retailer’s membership program is growing faster than expected and has reached an “inflection” point, with an estimated 32 million U.S. subscribers, according to a note out this week from Krisztina Katai, an equity research analyst at Deutsche Bank. Katai cites results from a consumer
In this week’s Video Forum, Kate Daly, managing director of Closed Loop Partners, outlines the efforts of the New York City-based investment firm and innovation center to help develop a circular economy. The Consortium to Reinvent the Retail Bag and Every Bottle Back are two major initiatives that she addresses. In addition, Daly discusses other
CINCINNATI — Kroger Co. posted second-quarter results that topped forecasts. Identical store sales (excluding fuel) declined 0.6% but increased 14.0% on a two-year stack basis. The two-year stack for digital sales grew 114%. The company also said that its alternative profit business continued its strong growth, tracking toward the high end of annual expectations. “Our
WASHINGTON — President Biden on Thursday unveiled a six-part plan to combat COVID-19 as the highly transmissible Delta variant spreads and some 80 million eligible Americans remain unvaccinated. “We’ve been patient, but our patience is wearing thin,” he said in a speech from the White House, making clear that he blamed the unvaccinated for the
SEATTLE — Amazon said Thursday that it will fund full college tuition for its front-line employees as part of a $1.2 billion investment in expanded education and skills training benefits for its U.S. employees. Along with college tuition, the company’s Career Choice program will fund high school diplomas, GEDs, and English as a Second Language
BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart entered the green bond market Wednesday with a record-setting $2 billion offering. The giant retailer said that net proceeds from the green bond offering will be used to fund projects designed to help Walmart achieve its sustainability goals. “It certainly seems like they’re serious about taking a sustainability leadership role within
LAKELAND, Fla. — Publix Super Markets Inc. has signed a lease for its first store in Kentucky, the company said on Tuesday. The 55,702-square-foot supermarket will be located in Louisville, at the northwest corner of Terra Crossing Boulevard and Old Henry Road in Jefferson County. The project also includes an adjacent Publix Liquors store, the
CLEVELAND — The discount grocery chain Save A Lot has sold 32 company-owned stores to Yellow Banana LLC, as part of an ongoing effort to convert corporate-owned stores to local ownership. The 32 stores, located across the greater Cleveland, Chicago and Milwaukee areas, generate annual revenues in excess of $130 million, making Yellow Banana one
WEST DES MOINES, Iowa — Hy-Vee Inc. announced a new partnership with online retailer Pair Eyewear to bring in-store Pair Eyewear kiosks to select Hy-Vee locations across the company’s eight-state region. The first kiosk will be located inside the new Grimes Hy-Vee in Grimes, Iowa. The Pair Eyewear kiosks will offer a hybrid shopping experience
BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart plans to hire an additional 20,000 workers in its distribution centers, fulfillment centers, and transportation offices, the company said Wednesday. The retailer will hold special hiring events on September 8 and 9 in an effort to attract the best and brightest candidates to staff its supply chain locations and support its