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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
The Low-Carb Way Of The World
Millions of American consumers, even those not following Atkins or South Beach, are watching the amount of carbohydrates in their diets and the number is growing. Are low-carb diets a…
Dean’s CEO Speaks About Milk and Silk
The chairman and chief executive officer of the largest dairy company in the U.S., Dean Foods, sees further consolidation in the dairy industry driven by lower sales of fluid-milk and…
A First: Bluefly Makes Money
Bluefly, the e-tailer of designer apparel and accessories at discount prices, has recorded its first-ever quarterly profit. Will Bluefly follow Amazon and prove it’s possible to be profitable as a…
Execs: We Don’t Deserve Customer’s Loyalty
New research from the Strativity Group, a global consulting firm specializing in customer experience management (CEM), says only 54 percent of American executives (director to vice president level) and 36…
Trader Joe’s Grows In Chicagoland
Trader Joe’s plans to add at least five new stores to the 12 it currently operates in the Chicagoland market by the end of next year. What impact will a…
Dollar General To Open New Stores
Dollar General will open two new locations in Louisiana this Saturday, bringing the chain’s total store count to 6,706, reports The Advertiser. What retail format is most vulnerable to dollar…
Krispy Kreme Rocks Little Rock
Krispy Kreme is open for business in Arkansas with the accompanying television coverage, traffic jams, and long lines outside the donut chain’s new location in Little Rock. How does (and…
Wal-Mart Has To Pay Some OT
A federal jury in Oregon has decided Wal-Mart needs to make good on unpaid overtime to 83 workers while another 25 are owed nothing. What will this ruling mean for…
Thinking Young More Important Than Looking It
Carol Hymowitz’s latest In The Lead column in the Wall Street Journal says many older executives are turning to cosmetic surgery and other procedures to appear more youthful and vibrant…
Labor Issues The Same, Resolutions Differ
Grocery store operators across the country are united in their concern about the cost of wages and medical benefits paid to unionized employees compared to the compensation paid by non-union…
Home Café Debuts
Procter & Gamble (full disclosure: P&G is a RetailWire sponsor) has announced the launch of its “Home Cafe'” single-serve coffee product line that uses a new low-pressure brewing system to…
State Targets Internet Cigarette Sales
Massachusetts is looking to reclaim monies it says it is owed by consumers who have ordered cigarettes online to avoid paying the state’s $1.51 per pack tax. Is it time…
Stop & Shop, Not Strike
Customers can continue to stop and shop at Stop & Shop as the retail chain and the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) were able to reach an agreement…
Kmart Sues Martha Over Royalties
Kmart announced on Friday it is suing Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc. for $4.5 million in disputed royalties and $2 million in advertising with Ms. Stewart’s media properties. What do…
N.G.A. Keynotes Get Political
In adjacent keynote addresses at the recent National Grocers Association convention in Las Vegas, former Vice President Al Gore and former congressman J. C. Watts had some interesting ideas about…
Prices At Pump May Reach $3
Prices at the pump may be going up to $3 per gallon this summer as the market forces of increased demand spurred by a growing economy come face-to-face with a…
N.G.A. Endorses New Strat Plan
The National Grocers Association held their annual convention and trade show in Las Vegas this week, attracting nearly 20% more attendees this year than last. At the opening session of…
Kraft Goes Couponing For Market Share
The Reuters article sums its up: Kraft plans to “buy its way into more shopping carts by pouring more cash into promotions.” What do you believe will be the short…
Kmart Makes Staffing Cuts
Kmart is laying off workers and cutting time back on others and, depending on who you believe, it is either because the chain’s stores are operating more efficiently and need…
Ahold Plans To Sell BI-LO and Bruno’s
The changes keep coming for Ahold as it announced yesterday it intends to sell its BI-LO and Bruno’s supermarket chains in the Southeast. What different scenarios can you see taking…
Sprint and Fuji Develop New Photo Service
Sprint and Fuji Photo Film U.S.A. have agreed on a deal that will allow Sprint PCS Vision customers to take photos with their camera phone, edit and send them to…
