Consumer Affairs & Relations

Specialty retailer Mattress Giant named industry veteran Mike Bookbinder as its new EVP merchandising and marketing. Bookbinder’s name is familiar to those in the world of sleep-related retail, as he spent 11 years with the New York-based Sleepy’s chain where he held various roles including EVP of sales and marketing. He also served as president of City Mattress in upstate New York and most recently was with mattress manufacturer King Koil where he served in a new business development role as SVP sales.

WASHINGTON— The National Retail Federation has joined the National Restaurant Association in support of legislation that would require federal agencies to consider the impact on small businesses when establishing rules and regulations.

“This legislation would strengthen the protections for small businesses in the often-asphyxiating federal regulatory process,” the two organizations said in a letter to House Small Business Committee Chairman Sam Graves, R-Mo., and Ranking Member Nydia Velazquez, D-N.Y.

By David L. Barron

Seattle -- A Monday report by the Wall Street Journal said that Amazon.com on Friday filed a petition to add a measure on the California ballot asking voters to repeal the recently passed California law that requires online retailers to collect sales tax.

Amazon needs to submit 504,760 signatures by late September in order to get the measure on the Feb. 7, 2012 ballot for the next statewide election.

San Francisco -- A Bloomberg report on Tuesday said that three major grocery chains may have violated antitrust law by profit-sharing during a strike.

The U.S. Court of Appeals in San Francisco on Tuesday ruled that Safeway, Supervalu Inc.’s Albertson’s and Kroger Co.’s Ralph’s supermarket chains were not exempt from antitrust scrutiny, as a court last year overturned a lower-court ruling that the agreement, reached during a 2003 conflict with the companies’ unions, didn’t violate antitrust law.

Orlando, Fla. — The Network of Executive Women will induct the first group of honorees into the newly created CPG Retail Diversity Hall of Fame on Sept. 19, as part of the organization’s annual Leadership Summit.

SALT LAKE CITY — Walmart and Sam's Club stores, with the help of associate, customer and member donations, between May 1 and June 13 raised more thatn $27.9 million for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

During the six-week campaign, Walmart and Sam’s Club customers and members were invited to make a donation of $1, $2 or $5 at the register to the Children's Miracle Network Hospital in their community. Additional in-store fundraisers were held to bolster fundraising efforts.

NEW YORK — Target Corp. has won approval to put its signature red logo on one of Chicago's most famous buildings. The Permit Review Committee of the Commission on Chicago Landmarks on Thursday approved the chain’s request to allow its bull's eye to be placed on its new store planned for downtown Chicago.