Consumer Affairs & Relations

Walmart’s share price will be under pressure in the coming years as a holding company created decades ago by the Walton family to control their ownership of the company prepares to unload as much as 6% of Walmart’s outstanding shares.

Minneapolis – Target Corp. is reportedly nearing a $20 million settlement with MasterCard to cover costs related to the retailer’s 2013 data breach. According to the Wall Street Journal, the settlement would pay for the cost of reissuing payment cards and some fraud that resulted from improper use of consumer data.

Sources indicate Target and MasterCard have been negotiating for months. TJX paid a similar sum to MasterCard to settle costs from a 2008 data breach.
 

Meijer is incenting customers to make generous donations to hunger relief organizations by offering to double their contributions.

As part of the retailer’s Simply Give hunger relief program, plans call for Meijer to contribute $20 every time a customer donates $10 resulting in a combined $30 donation to local food pantries. The company conducts its Simply Given campaign three times a year. The Spring effort runs through May 7 but the generous matching offer is good April 17-18.

City of Industry, Calif. – 99 Cents Only Stores Inc. plans to open nine new stores in Arizona, California and Texas between April 16 and April 18. On April 16, 99 Cents Only will open new stores in Canoga Park, Glendora and Vallejo, California.

On April 17, 99 Cents Only will open new stores in Chico and Escondido, California and Houston. On Saturday, April 18, 99 Cents Only will open new stores in Mesa, Arizona and Sylmar and Tustin, California.

Pennsylvania-based food retailers Giant and Martin’s Food Stores said they will begin paying all non-union workers a minimum of $9 a hour beginning in June.

The operator of 200 stores in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia said the move was part of the company’s commitment to provide competitive wages.

"Our associates are the foundation of our success, and we have always believed in paying competitive wages to attract the best talent," said Tom Lenkevich, Giant/Martin’s president.

Kohl’s is moving toward a $300 million threshold in its long-running Kohl’s Cares cause merchandise program with the latest iteration of the program involving products from the author and illustrator team of Philip and Erin Stead.

From now through June 27, Kohl’s customers who purchase books or plush items for $5 will see the entire net profit of their purchase used to support children’s health and education initiatives nationwide.

Alexandria, Va. - A majority of Americans say they are optimistic about the economy and low gas prices are driving the optimism. Overall, survey results released by the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) shows that 52% of Americans are optimistic about the economy, an eight-point jump from March.

New York -- Toms and Whole Foods Market grabbed the top spots in a survey of the most socially responsible companies by marketing consultancy Good Must Grow. Rounding out the top five: Microsoft, Starbucks and the Red Cross.

The survey asked consumers to name one company or organization that is socially responsible. Seventy-nine percent of the respondents said they were familiar with the term “socially responsible,” and of those, 77% said it was an important factor in their shopping behaviors.