Consumer Affairs & Relations

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.

CINCINNATI — Kroger on Wednesday launched a new website in support of its Comforts line of baby products, the grocer announced. 

ComfortsForBaby.com will enable busy moms to access and exchange ideas online, offering a community where mothers can share their insights and experiences parenting newborns, infants and toddlers. The website is available in English and Spanish, with the Hispanic microsite designed specifically to engage Latina moms. 

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.

By David L. Barron

Delinquency rates in Target’s credit card portfolio are now at their lowest level in three years as more people are paying their bills on time. It is an encouraging sign for the long-term health of the nation’s economy to know that people are increasingly using credit in a responsible manner, at least those who have a Target card anyway, and therefore more likely to honor their obligations.