Consumer Affairs & Relations

New Delhi, India -- India’s government said Thursday that it has OK’d plans to permit foreign retailers to open stores that sell more than one brand, paving the way for retailers such as Wal-Mart Stores and Carrefour SA to expand their presence in the country.

The approved plan calls for overseas companies to put half of their investment in infrastructure such as processing, manufacturing, storage, warehouses and packaging.

Dover, Del. -- A Friday report by the Associated Press said that Staples Inc. will pay $8.9 million to settle an abandoned property dispute with the state of Delaware.

A final payment is slated to be paid by Staples on Monday to settle the two-year-old suit that involved Delaware’s method of calculating liability for abandoned property. Staples argued that unclaimed customer rebates should not be considered abandoned property, but a judge disagreed.

Arlington, Va. -- The Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) said Friday it is applauding the impending implementation of sales tax fairness in California, which stands to even the playing field between bricks-and-mortar retailers and online competitors.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Sears Holdings disclosed in a regulatory filing that "because we believe that the company has substantial liquidity and financial flexibility," the company has elected to contribute an additional $203 million to its domestic pension plan on Sept. 14, after which the plan will be 80% funded under applicable law.

MENOMONEE FALLS, Wis. — Kohl’s Department Stores announced that in support of curing type one diabetes and improving the lives of local children, more than 1,300 Kohl’s associates, friends and family will take part in the JDRF Kohl’s Walk to Cure Diabetes on Sept. 15 at the Milwaukee County Zoo.

OMAHA, Neb. — ConAgra Foods has been named to two leading sustainability indices. For the second straight year the company has earned a spot on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, and for the first time, the company has been added to the Carbon Disclosure Project’s (CDP’s) 2012 Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index.

The Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas was ranked among the top 30 public undergraduate business schools in the most recent edition of U.S. News & World Report's "Best Colleges 2013."

Fort Lee, N.J. -- The majority of shoppers take notice of such packaging claims as "made in the USA," and most of them are more likely to purchase a product after breaking down demographics.

Cincinnati -- The Kroger Co. said Thursday it will increase its quarterly dividend by 30% to 15 cents per share, payable Dec. 1.

The grocer said the move is prompted by a strong confidence in its business strategy.
 

Columbus, Ohio -- DSW Inc. said Thursday that it has been awarded $7.2 million as a result of litigation with its insurance carrier stemming from its credit card data breach in 2005.

The $7.2 million award represents damages plus accrued interest.

In other news, DSW has declared a special dividend totaling $91 million to be paid on Oct. 26 to shareholders. According to president and CEO Mike MacDonald, the special distribution, which is in addition to the regular dividend, represents “significant cash flow generation.”