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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Consumers Give Supermarkets High Marks
A new Harris Interactive survey asked respondents to rank 15 industries on how well they serve consumers. Supermarkets ranked first with 85 percent saying grocers were doing a good job…
Bob’s is for Guys
When David Farrell became president and chief executive officer of the Bob’s Store sportswear chain he discovered the company had an identity crisis. The retailer’s problems stemmed from a strategy…
Consumers Not Aware of Antibiotic Use
A new survey says only 48 percent of Americans are aware of livestock being given feed containing antibiotics. The research conducted by Synovate (formerly Market Facts) for Whole Foods found…
New Products on a Short Leash
It’s not enough for a new product to sell well anymore. It also needs to drive category growth if a retailer is going to give it dedicated shelf space, according…
A-B Tests New Brew
Anheuser-Busch is testing a new Pilsener-style beer the company hopes will achieve the same success in the high end of the category that A-B enjoys in the premium and light…
Grocer Looks for Organic Growth
The Irish supermarket chain, Superquinn, has made the decision to begin growing its own organic food to offset shortages in supply and keep pricing under control.
Moderator’s Comment: How much of…
BOGOs Come Under Scrutiny
The Beacon Journal in the Akron, Ohio area recently conducted a price comparison study that it says demonstrates items on sale as a buy-one, get-one had significantly lower single-unit prices…
Sears Cuts Prices to Capture Market Share
Sears said it planned to expand selection of low-end appliances and cut prices to help the chain capture sales currently being lost to Home Depot, Lowe’s and other retailers.
Moderator’s Comment:…
Accounting Tops Ahold’s Concerns
Those hoping that Ahold’s accounting scandals would end with US Foodservice and Disco appear as though they will be disappointed.
Moderator’s Comment: Should the retail grocery industry adopt a single standard…
Coke Looks to Swerve Past Competitors
Coca-Cola plans to launch Swerve, a skim milk-based drink in chocolate, vanilla/banana and blueberry flavors in July, according to The Associated Press.
Moderator’s Comment: What other beverage categories are most likely…
Big Revenues and Cheap Rent on the Web
Williams-Sonoma’s online division has had revenues grow 53 percent in the last year and the company plans to build on this effort by further integrating its stores, catalog and Internet…
Are Girls Smarter
The good news is that recent reports find “girls are graduating from high school and college and going into professions and businesses in record numbers.”
The bad news is boys…
Safeway Chief: It’s the Economy Stupid
Steve Burd, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Safeway, told attendees at the International Council of Shopping Centers convention in Las Vegas, the company’s performance was more about the…
Dirty Don’s Prices Beat Dollar Stores’
Dirty Don’s Bargain Center in Kansas City sells items salvaged from boxes that were broken due to accidents. It also sells manufacturer closeouts, irregular or flawed items and food near…
10 Questions for Success
The June 2003 issue of Fast Company article, “Is Your Company Up To Speed?”, asks what it calls “10 make-or-break questions” businesses need to answer positively if they wish to…
Macy’s Accused of Racial Profiling
According to the New York Times, lawyers for Sharon Simmons-Thomas of the Bronx claim Macy’s employees “handcuffed and detained her in a holding cell, and pressured her to make a…
Shaw’s Knows One Size Doesn’t Fit All
The supermarket chain, Shaw’s, is opening its first neighborhood store in Providence, RI. The new store concept was created to cater to the ethnic groups in a specific neighborhood. The…
Target to Shareholders: Don’t Ask, We Won’t Tell
Target’s annual shareholder’s meeting had been in progress less than thirty minutes when it was adjourned by chief executive officer, Robert Ulrich. The adjournment prevented shareholders from asking questions about…
Chapter 11 Possible for Penn Traffic
Penn Traffic, operator of more than 200 stores under the Big Bear, Big Bear Plus, Bi-Lo and Quality banners in Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, upstate New York, Vermont and New…
US Bans Canadian Beef Imports
A confirmed case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) or mad cow disease in Alberta, Canada has prompted the US to ban all imports of cattle, beef, animal feed and beef-based…
Tea Sales Are Hot
According to the Tea Council of the USA, dollar sales of tea grew from approximately $1 billion to $5.1 billion over the last decade. The health benefits of tea…
