Consumer Affairs & Relations

New York City -- Verizon Wireless has joined the Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star program. Seventy-five Verizon Wireless Communications Stores have already earned the Energy Star designation for superior energy performance.

Under the partnership, Verizon Wireless pledges to measure and track energy performance at hundreds of its stores, switching centers, cell sites and other facilities throughout the United States.

Santa Clara, Calif. -- A study of some of the country’s largest retailers’ return policies has found significant failings, according to CrossView, a premier provider of cross-channel commerce solutions.
 

Hartford, Conn. -- Connecticut environmental regulators on Tuesday said that CVS has agreed to pay a nearly $269,000 penalty to settle allegations that the chain's drug stores improperly disposed of photo processing and pharmaceutical wastewater.

The state Department of Environmental Protection announced that dozens of the chain's Connecticut stores this year and last year discharged photo-processing chemicals into onsite septic systems or sanitary sewers without permits.

New York City -- J. Crew Group is close to an agreement to be bought by TPG Capital and Leonard Green & Partners for about $2.8 billion, according to reports by the Associated Press, Bloomberg and other news groups.

TPG and Leonard Green would pay $43.50 a share in cash, or 16% more than J. Crew’s closing share price yesterday, according to various reports.

New York - Gymboree Corp. said Monday it did not receive any offers that top Bain Capital's $1.8 billion bid for the company and so the buyout will proceed.

The allotted time for Gymboree to receive competing offers expired Friday.

"Despite a broad solicitation of potentially interested parties, the Company did not receive any alternative acquisition proposals during the 'go-shop' period," Gymboree said in a statement.

Schaumburg, Ill. - Nearly one in five Americans will shop on Black Friday, and more than half (61%) plan to spend $100 to $500, according to a new survey by The Nielsen Company.  Among the likely Black Friday winners are department stores, with 76% of consumers planing to shop the channel, and supercenters/mass merchandisers, where 55% will shop.