Consumer Affairs & Relations

Bed Bath & Beyond plans to spend nearly $3 billion buying back its own stock during the next two years after weak results earlier this year prompted a sell-off in the company’s shares.

Chicago – Cardtek Group, a provider of software for financial transactions and EMV migration, is launching Cardtek USA. The company’s North American headquarters, based in Chicago, will facilitate the U.S. adoption of Europay-MasterCard-Visa (EMV) technology in an effort to help prevent credit card fraud and data breaches.

Vancouver – Lululemon Athletica Inc. is reportedly considering going private. According to the Wall Street Journal, advisors to Chip Wilson, founder, director and former CEO and chairman of Lululemon, have been speaking with private equity firms including Leonard Green & Partners about possibly taking the retail chain private, although no specific deal is imminent.
   

Seattle – The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has reportedly drafted a complaint against Amazon.com regarding what it says have been millions of dollars in unauthorized in-app purchases by children using Amazon devices. According to Reuters, the FTC wants to Amazon to make refunds of unauthorized child purchases of digital goods and services within existing apps downloaded by their parents, as well as compensate the FTC for court costs.

The nation’s largest pet specialty retailer could be in for a long summer now that activist investor Jana Partners is pressing for a review of strategic alternatives after acquiring a 9.9% stake in the company.

New York -- Activist investor Jana Partners LLC disclosed it has acquired a 9.9% stake in PetSmart, according to a regulatory filing, and plans to ask the retailer to explore various options, including a sale. Jana, $10 billion firm hedge firm run by Barry Rosenstein, has a reputation for pushing corporate managements to make changes.

Walmart is sponsoring the translation of an industry leading food fraud prevention course into Mandarin as part of a larger effort designed to position  the retailer as a leader in product quality, authenticity and safety.

Tyson reached an agreement to acquire Hillshire Brands in deal valued at $8.55 billion that includes Tyson paying a $163 termination fee to Pinnacle Foods, a company Hillshire was in the process of acquiring.

Tyson said it will pay $63 a share for Hillshire in an all cash deal that makes the world’s largest protein producer an even more dominant player on the global food stage.