Consumer Affairs & Relations

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Appliance manufacturer Electrolux has joined the effort to help with Sandy relief. The company has announced a $100,000 commitment to the American Red Cross Disaster Fund. In addition, the company will match employee contributions up to another $100,000.

PAWTUCKET, R.I. — Hasbro has provided $100,000 in combined grant support through the Hasbro Children’s Fund to the American Red Cross, World Vision and Feeding America to support their relief efforts following Hurricane Sandy. Additionally, over 10,000 games have been donated to shelters along the east coast.

Ralphs and Food 4 Less don't have stores anywhere near the Northeastern U.S., but that didn't stop the Kroger divisions from joining with other retailers providing an outpouring of support to those coping with the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.

A 2.4% same-store sales increase during October was toward the low end of Target’s expectations, but it wasn’t enough to prevent the company from achieving its guidance for the third quarter.

Target reported that its net retail sales for the four weeks ended Oct. 27 were nearly $5 billion, a 3% increase from $4.8 billion reported during October 2011. The 2.4% comp increase was on top of a prior year gain of 3.3%.

VEVEY, Switzerland — Nestlé on Tuesday named Luis Cantarell head of Nestlé Nutrition with the departure of Kurt Schmidt, deputy EVP Nestlé Nutrition, who has decided to leave the company for personal reasons effective Dec. 1.

Cantarell will assume this role in addition to his current responsibilities as president and CEO of Nestlé Health Science. Between 2001 and 2005, he was in charge of Nestlé’s Nutrition Strategic Business Division.

Washington -- The National Retail Federation and more than a dozen of the nation’s most prominent retailers today asked a judge to reject a proposed class-action settlement of a federal antitrust lawsuit, saying it would not bring credit card swipe fees charged by Visa and MasterCard under control and does not give retailers who oppose it an adequate mechanism to opt out.

Seattle -- Nordstrom announced that it plans to relocate its Nordstrom Rack at Promenade at Howard Hughes Center in Los Angeles to Westfield Culver City in Culver City, Calif.

MOORESVILLE, N.C. — Lowe’s is donating $1 million to disaster relief and rebuilding efforts in communities affected by Hurricane Sandy. Lowe’s will work with its national nonprofit partners to provide both immediate and long-term support to local communities across the Northeast.

WAYNE, N.J. — The Toys"R"Us Children's Fund has pledged a $500,000 donation to Save the Children, a global humanitarian organization, to support its initial work and assessment of needs for children and families in evacuation shelters. These funds will also help the organization distribute much-needed items, including hygiene kits, diapers, and baby wipes.

The opening of the first CityTarget in Chicago was a big deal this summer, but next fall an even bigger development is coming to an area just a few miles further north.