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Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
Warren Wanders in PL Packaging Land
Warren Thayer’s, ‘Warren’s Wanderings’, column in the September 2002 issue of PL Buyer magazine touches on the negative reaction of manufacturers to retailers “dictating which packaging supplier to use for…
Starbucks New Drinks Called Obscene
The CSPI says that Starbucks new Coconut Crème and Vanilla Crème Frappuccinos are downright obscene (health-wise). The nonprofit organization named the two items to its list of Food Porn of…
Ruling May Scare Away Costume Sales
The prices on Halloween costumes might get downright scary next year if a federal appeals court upholds an earlier ruling that these items should be treated and taxed as though…
POP Increases C-Store Sales from the Pump to the Fountain
New research from POPAI reports that in-store displays, signage and media can grow sales from five to 13 percent in convenience stores. Are most c-stores, and retailers in general, making…
Express Lanes Not for Everyone
Some D’Agostino’s have eliminated express lanes believing that when they are empty they increase the waiting time of shoppers on the non-express lines. The chain believes that operating all the…
Backpack Nation
The mobile lifestyle of modern Americans has meant that pocketbooks are out and backpacks are in, according to the October 2002 Shopper Report from The Consumer Network, Inc. What…
Product Recalls and Health Warnings Make Headlines
Sliced turkey deli meat has been identified as the culprit behind 40 illnesses and seven deaths from infections caused by Listeria bacteria. Additionally, on Friday, A&P said it was recalling…
Tobacco Companies and Retailers Want to Legislate Philip Morris’ Program
A new coalition of six tobacco companies, led by Brown & Williamson and the Liggett Group, announced that they are seeking legislative relief at the state level from “anti-competitive” trade…
Research Shows OTC Supplement’s Promise
Clinical research on the OTC supplement SAM-e indicates that it may be suitable as an alternative treatment to prescription medicines for depression, osteoarthritis and some chronic liver conditions. Do retailers…
Marathon Ashland Petroleum Fills it Up with Folgers
Marathon Ashland Petroleum (MAP) is rolling out the Procter & Gamble “Folgers Cafe” program to all its convenience stores by January 2003. Are retailers in the coffee-service business better served…
Data Warehousing and the Retail Enterprise
At the core of many retail enterprises, companies like Wal-Mart and SUPERVALU are using data warehousing to better serve their customers and improve the flow of mission-critical information both within…
Consumers Opt for Treats at Halloween
The economic picture looks pretty scary at the moment but it shouldn’t deter consumers from shopping for Halloween. Retailers are expected to do roughly $7 billion in Halloween-related sales this…
Consumers Shop for Discounts Outside Grocery and Drug Stores
A new consumer survey reconfirms the obvious. “A growing number of discount store shoppers are purchasing both over-the-counter drugs and convenience grocery products at discount stores.” Is share erosion a…
Retailers Hit Brakes on IT Spending
Evidence is painting a picture that retailers are seriously cutting back on information technology budgets. A number of technology companies serving the industry have reported slower revenue and earnings growth…
President Wants Dockworkers and Shippers to Work Things Out
Dock workers have agreed to let federal mediators help bring an end to the lock out of West Coast ports caused by a contract dispute between shippers and the dock…
Overweight Kids: Big Problem and Big Business
A new Datamonitor report finds that one in four children between the ages of six and 17 are overweight. The implications of this unhealthy state extend well into adulthood. Aside…
Customer Service: Slow Down You’re Moving Too Fast
The need for speed in serving consumers is a modern day fact of business life. Unfortunately, haste often translates into waste when it comes to customer service issues. How can…
Is the Wholesaler a Supervalu?
Supervalu improved earnings per share 16 percent in the second quarter of 2002 compared to the same period a year earlier. The earnings improvement was largely due to cost reductions…
The Book on Innovation
Business books are big business. Occasionally, they are even helpful to readers. Recently, a panel of experts assembled by Forbes named the 20 most influential business books of the past…
Groceries and Self-Scanning in St. Louis
Schnuck Markets and Dierbergs have announced plans to install self-scan checkouts in all their stores by next year. Each grocer intends to have four self-scan checkouts per store with one…
Consumers Shop Less and Trade Down More
The Star Tribune of Minneapolis/St. Paul maintains that consumers are shopping less often and purchasing fewer items as concerns over the economy continue to grow. Grocery shoppers are trading down…
