Consumer Affairs & Relations

Seattle -- Starbucks Coffee Co. and International Paper, with Mississippi River Pulp, LLC, have completed a six-week pilot project that -- for the first time -- proved Starbucks used paper cups can be recycled into new paper cups. This advancement brings Starbucks one step closer to its goal of ensuring 100% of its cups are reusable or recyclable by 2015.

New York City -- Aeropostale announced that, effective immediately, Thomas P. Johnson, co-CEO, has been named CEO. Mindy C. Meads, who has served as co-CEO along with Johnson since February 2010, will leave the company to pursue other interests. She will stay for a short period to ensure a smooth transition.

New York - Optimism about the U.S. economy grew in November, pushing the latest reading on consumer sentiment to the highest level since June. The Consumer Confidence Index rose to 54.1 in November, up from a negatively revised 49.9 in October, the Conference Board, a New York-based research group that compiles the index, said Tuesday. Economists were expecting the index to increase to 52.

New York - Barnes & Noble Inc. reported Tuesday that it narrowed its loss to $12.6 million in its fiscal second quarter, compared with a loss of $24 million in the year-ago period. Results missed Wall Street expectations, and the book seller has issued a weak outlook for the third quarter and the full year.

Revenue surged 64% to $1.91 billion, attributed to the company’s acquisition of its college book unit. Without the acquisition, sales rose 1%.

Same-store sales fell 3.3%.

New York - Wal-Mart Stores sees more opportunity in emerging markets than in Europe, the company’s International Chief Executive Officer, Doug McMcMillion, told Bloomberg.

“China is top of the list, and Brazil is not far behind” to make deals, McMillon said in an interview on Bloomberg Television’s “InBusiness With Margaret Brennan.” The retailer is being “patient” about finding the right way to expand in Russia, McMillon said.