Consumer Affairs & Relations

CALGARY — Safeway's Canada stores have launched an annual fundraising campaign designed to benefit Easter Seals and the Special Olympics.

During April, the company's 215 Safeway stores across western Canada will raise funds for organizations that are at the forefront of providing assistance, training, therapy and social outlets for the thousands of people who live with physical or intellectual disabilities.

Plano, Texas -- Former Apple executive Ron Johnson, who became CEO of J.C. Penney in November, received $53.3 million in total compensation from the department store retailer last year.

Johnson received a base salary of $375,000 and $52.7 million in stock awards, according to a regulatory filing. His performance-based bonus was $236,000, which the company said was pro-rated based on his period of service during the fiscal year. He also received compensation valued at $13,000 for personal use of the company's aircraft.

MONTREAL — Walmart Canada and Breakfast Clubs of Canada, an organization that provides breakfast to Canadian school children, have raised $2.9 million through their Help Them Shine Campaign.

The money raised will help launch 125 new in-school breakfast programs and increase its training programs with a specific focus on nutrition, youth self-esteem and volunteerism, according to a press release.

STOCKHOLM, Sweden — Fans of H&M will soon have a new place to shop as the Swedish fashion retailer Hennes & Mauritz AB confirmed Thursday that it will open a new chain in 2013 that will build on the 2007 launch of its upscale Collection of Style (COS). No name for the new concept has been revealed yet.

HOUSTON — Stage Stores announced Michael Glazer has been appointed to the position of president and CEO on an interim basis. Glazer replaces the company’s former president and CEO, Andy Hall, who the company announced has resigned from both the company and its board of directors to pursue other interests.

Bentonville, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said Thursday it will reduce prices on groceries by $1 billion in 2012, in hopes to draw customers in and encourage them to cross-shop in other areas of the store.

Wal-Mart had $145 billion in grocery sales last year in the United States, making it the largest player in terms of domestic grocery sales. It says the price reductions in food and consumables are an investment and won’t impact margins especially if shoppers respond as planned with additional traffic and loyalty.

The United States isn’t the only country where workers’ rights are called into question by pro labor groups. North of the border, Target, which is expanding there for the first time, is facing criticism for its "anti-worker" policies from unions in both the United States and Canada. 

NEW YORK — The Consumer Confidence Index from the Conference Board fall slightly in March to 70.2 from 71.6 in February. 

"Consumer Confidence pulled back slightly in March, after rising sharply in February,” said Lynn Franco, director of The Conference Board Consumer Research Center. “The moderate decline was due solely to a less favorable short-term outlook, while consumers’ assessment of current conditions, on the other hand, continued to improve.”