Events

BOCA RATON, Fla. -- Office Depot announced that, from April 17 through April 23, it is inviting customers to trade in their used writing instruments regardless of brand to any of its retail stores nationwide. In exchange for ten pens, pencils or markers, customers will receive a coupon toward a new product from Newell Rubbermaid Office Products. The collected instruments will be sent to TerraCycle to be turned into new office supply products ranging from trash cans to desk organizers.

Paris -- French retail giant Carrefour SA reported Thursday that sales in its fiscal first quarter inched up 3.9% to $35.7 billion.

Stronger showings in Brazil and China helped the retailer counteract weaker performance in Western Europe.

Carrefour's sales figures come ahead of a key shareholder vote in June on the company's plans to spin off its discount chain Dia and some European property assets into separately listed companies.

CHICAGO — Walgreens' chief marketing officer Kim Feil was inducted into the In-Store Marketing Institute Hall of Fame Thursday morning in Chicago.

Feil was a seasoned consumer packaged goods marketer when she joined Walgreens in fall 2008, and as company CEO Greg Wasson recently noted, she propelled Walgreens from being a good advertiser to a world class marketing organization.

The nation’s leading retail and restaurant chains came together to share ideas, discuss opportunities and find new solutions at Chain Store Age’s 47th annual SPECS conference, in Grapevine, Texas. Reflecting a renewed sense of optimism in the industry, overall attendance was up significantly, among retailers as well as exhibitors. All segments of the industry were in attendance, from discounters and specialty stores to supermarkets and home-improvement outlets to casual-dining restaurants.

CINCINNATI and BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- Walmart and Procter & Gamble's Family Movie Night initiative is celebrating one year, and the companies plan to continue their partnership with the addition of five more movies in 2011.

Chain Store Age's annual review of development, acquisition and management activities.

Click here to download the full report.

Washington, D.C. -- A report released Thursday by Bloomberg said that consumer confidence rose for a third straight week, indicating an improving job market and more positive attitudes about finances and the economy.

The Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index climbed to minus 43 in the period to April 10, the best showing since the end of February, following a minus 44.5 reading the prior week.

Forest City Commercial Management in partnership with social shopping network, Shoptopia, kicked off Project Style, the award-winning fashion competition for guys and girls ages 13 and up. From April through August, Forest City shopping centers nationwide will select two fashion trendsetters for each center each round, during a five-round contest, to put their sense of style and fashion to the test by creating the ultimate outfit.