Consumer Affairs & Relations

The nation’s largest supermarket operator reported profit that surpassed Wall Street expectations and raised its annual forecast.

Target Corp. has tentatively reached another milestone in its continuing efforts to remediate financial losses caused by its massive 2013 data breach.

Target Corp. has tentatively reached another milestone in its continuing efforts to remediate financial losses caused by its massive 2013 data breach.

According to multiple media reports, Target has reached a settlement with MasterCard Inc. and a number of issuing banks. In papers filed in federal court in Minneapolis, Target said it would reimburse a total of $39 million in the settlement. That figure would include about $20 million for issuing banks not covered in other class action suits against Target and about $19 million to the MasterCard Account Data Compromise program.

Save-A-Lot, the deep-discount division of grocery giant Supervalu, on Wednesday named a supermarket veteran with more than 30 years of experience as its new CEO. Eric Claus, 59, takes the reins of Save-A-Lot after spending the past two-plus years as chairman, president and CEO of Red Apple Stores Inc., a chain of value retail stores based in Canada.

The Home Depot Inc. has reached a contingent settlement with MasterCard International Inc. over the home improvement giant's massive 2014 data breach, according to a new report. The Atlanta Business Journal says that while a contingent deal with MasterCard International appears to have been reached, other financial institutions suing the retailer say they want more information. [Atlanta Business Journal]

Supervalu on Wednesday announced Eric Claus has been named the CEO of Save-A-Lot, the company’s hard-discount grocery segment. Claus, 59, joins the company after spending the past two-plus years as the chairman, president and CEO of Red Apple Stores, a chain of value retail stores in Canada. 

The Federal Trade Commission is poised to block Staples Inc.’s proposed take-over of rival Office Depot, according to the New York Post.

The newspaper reported that federal regulators are "leaning against the deal and are preparing to block it."

According to the report, the FTC is mostly concerned that a merger between the two office supply retailers will result in a single nationwide giant to serve big corporate and government clients.

The FTC has until Dec. 8 to decide whether to sue to halt the deal after extending its review.

When it comes to return policies, Nordstrom and Forever 21 couldn’t be further apart.

At least that’s according to an annual survey of return policies by GOBankingRates.com. The study rated Nordstrom as offering the best return policies of 2015, with Forever 21 offering the worst.

“Return policies should be a big consideration for holiday shoppers — two-thirds of people return at least one holiday gift,” said Elyssa Kirkham, lead reporter on the GOBankingRates study.