Consumer Affairs & Relations

MasterCard and Visa have teamed up to form a new cross-industry group focused on enhancing payment system security to keep pace with the expectations of consumers, retailers and financial institutions.

News of the group’s formation comes as retailers like Target continue to deal with fallout from the data breaches that first came to light December 2013 and which continue to dominate headlines.

Pleasanton, Calif. — Cerberus Capital Managament, which owns Albertsons, won the bid for Safeway.

Safeway and Albertsons on Thursday announced a definitive agreement under which AB Acquisition will acquire all outstanding shares of Safeway in a deal valued at more than $9.1 billion. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of this year.

The companies will operate independently until closing.

Target’s database breach in December 2013 not only affected the retailer’s fourth quarter comparable store sales, but also contributed to plummeting shopper penetration post-holiday.

Kantar Retail ShopperScape data indicates that just 33% of U.S. households reported shopping at Target or SuperTarget during January 2014, the lowest penetration number for Target in the past three years, and a 22% decrease in penetration compared to January 2013.

Boston -- Target’s database breach in December 2013 not only affected the retailer’s fourth quarter comparable store sales, but also contributed to plummeting shopper penetration post-holiday. Kantar Retail ShopperScape data indicates that just 33% of U.S. households reported shopping at Target or SuperTarget during January 2014, the lowest penetration number for Target in the past three years, and a 22% decrease in penetration compared to January 2013.

Northbrook, Ill. – The U.S. Secret Service has reportedly arrested three members of a family living in Northbrook, Ill., for running a sophisticated shoplifting ring that stole items from stores ranging from Maryland to Texas during the past 10 years.

An estimated 3,000 suppliers and Walmart’s top executives are scheduled to participate in the retailers Product Sustainability Expo to be held from April 29 through May 1.

Promotional materials for the event, to be held at the John Q. Hammons Center in Rogers, Ark., describe it as an opportunity to recognize and celebrate amazing advances in sustainability and to discover emerging opportunities and innovations that represent a new standard in retail.

Cincinnati – The Kroger Co. earned a better-than-expected $422 million in its fourth quarter, down from $462 million in the year-ago period, which included an additional week of sales. The nation’s largest supermarket operator issued a better-than-expected profit for the year ahead.

Bad weather and a reduction in food stamps didn’t seem to have an effect on Kroger during the fourth quarter as the retailer posted a 4.3% increase in identical-store sales, meaningful profit improvement and offered an optimistic outlook for the year ahead.