Consumer Affairs & Relations

Sunbury, Pa. – Net income at Weis Markets Inc. plummeted close to 47% during the second quarter of fiscal 2014, compared to the prior year period. Weis reported net income of $12.8 million, compared to $21.18 million a year earlier.

Weis cited company reinvestment and price discounting as driving the net income decline. Second quarter sales increased 4.5% to $691.9 million, from $662.1 million and same-store sales increased 2.9%.

Tewksbury, Mass. – The Attorney General’s offices of Massachusetts and New Hampshire have warned the Market Basket supermarket chain that it must follow the letter of the law in terminating any employees involved in walkouts and demonstrations that have been occurring since July 18. According to the Boston Globe, a joint letter to Market Basket co-CEOs Felicia Thornton and James Gooch from the two offices states that they are aware Market Basket may start replacing workers on Aug. 4.

This year, the National Retail Federation has chosen Chicago’s Art Potash, owner of Potash Markets, as its first Retail Champion of the Year. Potash was recognized at NRF’s annual Retail Advocates summit on Capitol Hill.

Conn’s has appointed William E. Saunders Jr. to its board of directors. Saunders will also become a member of the audit committee and the nominating and corporate governance committee.

Retailers and suppliers who already operate in China or are looking to expand there may want to contact Kurt Salmon following several key hires by the consulting company.

The management consulting firm’s Retail and Consumer Products Group in China said it hired Hao Li and Ke Chen as partners.

Publix Super Markets and Weis Markets reported respectable second quarter sales growth, but profits were harder to come by.

Publix, the nation’s fifth largest supermarket chain, said sales for its second quarter increased 6.6% to $7.5 billion, with 1.3% of the gain related to the timing of Easter. Same store sales increased 6.3%. Despite the top line improvement, Publix said profits increased slightly less than 1% to $404.1 million from $400.9 million while earnings per share increased by a penny to 52 cents.

York, Pa. -- The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc. announced the appointment of Kathryn Bufano to the position of president and CEO, effective Aug. 25. Bufano has served as the president and chief merchandising officer of Belk Inc. since 2010.

Bufano replaces outgoing president and CEO Brendan Hoffman, who announced his resignation.

Washington, D.C. - Almost three-quarters of Americans worry about the quantity of personal information available online and more than half feel they cannot trust social media sites like Facebook and Twitter to keep their contact information, buying habits and political beliefs confidential. According to a new poll conducted by Rad Campaign, Lincoln Park Strategies, and Craigconnects, online security concerns rise as Americans get older.

Washington, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is warning retailers about a new, nearly indetectable computer virus known as “Backoff” that poses a threat to POS systems. According to an advisory from Homeland Security, most antivirus software cannot recognize Backoff.

Wayne, N.J. – Babies “R” Us has introduced a comprehensive series of services and solutions designed to help new and expectant parents with newborn feeding. The company has partnered with Medela, a manufacturer of breast pumps and postnatal supplies, to provide the Medela Breast Pump Rental Service to parents nationwide.