Consumer Affairs & Relations

PITTSBURGH — Thomas Dowd has been named GNC EVP, chief merchandising officer and general manager, the company announced in an SEC filing Friday.

Dowd has served as EVP store operations and development since April 2007.

The move follows the announcement in June that Beth Kaplan would be stepping down from her role as GNC president and chief merchandising officer. Following that announcement, GNC CEO Joe Fortunato reassumed his role of president.

Last week Janney Montgomery Scott analyst David Strasser downgraded shares of Target to neutral from buy. He offered a litany of things that could go wrong with the Target story, which were subsequently refuted by someone named Will Ashworth on the website “Investopedia.”

RACINE, Wis. — SC Johnson has introduced Windex Mini, a concentrated refill pouch that uses 90% less plastic packaging than a traditional 26 fluid ounce trigger bottle.

According to SC Johnson, data shows U.S. consumers are not keen on refilling their household cleaning bottles and is hoping the launch of Windex Mini will help the company understand why that is the case.

Walmart could be put at a competitive disadvantage in Brazil if a bizarre merger between the company’s two larger rivals proceeds and secures regulatory approval.

The nation’s two largest retailers, Pao de Acucar and France-based Carrefour are attempting to merge their operations in a convoluted deal that has drawn the ire of fellow French retailer Casino, which owns a large stake in Pao de Acucar. 

MINNEAPOLIS — Supervalu announced that Matt Rubel will stay on as a member of its board of directors, despite his retirement from Collective Brands.

Rubel retired as chairman, president and CEO of Collective Brands earlier this month. Per Supervalu's governance principles, he submitted his offer of resignation as a member of the board of directors. On June 28, the company’s Board of Directors unanimously rejected his offer of resignation.

Washington, D.C. -- The National Retail Federation said Thursday that it is disappointed in the final debit card swipe-fee regulations set by the Federal Reserve.

Under the new rule, the current debit card swipe-fee rate of 1%-2% of each transaction will be replaced with a flat fee of not more than 21 cents per transaction for the nation’s largest banks -- substantially higher than the flat fee of up to 12 cents the Fed originally proposed in December 2010.

AMSTERDAM — Ahold has tapped retail veteran James McCann to serve in the newly created role of chief commercial development officer.

Former and short-time Walmart executive Robert Atencio is among a group of marketers slated to interview former P&G chairman and CEO A.G. Lafley during an event called Shopper Insights in Action. The 11th annual event is billed as a riveting brainstorming session in which the former P&G head will share thoughts on the future of research, marketing, retail and the evolution of the changing consumer. Atencio, who formerly served as VP insights and customer strategy at Walmart, is currently VP global insights at Pfizer Consumer Healthcare.