Legislative, Regulatory & Legal

Dollar Shave Club has been a thorn in Gillette’s side since launching its disruptive subscription business model.

Life could be so much simpler for retailers and suppliers – and better for most consumers too – if federal lawmakers could find a way to grant the industry this one, not-so-simple, holiday wish.

Drone sales are expected to set a new sale record this holiday season and create all sorts of new privacy, security and safety challenges in the process. No wonder regulations regarding the recreational use of drones are drawing support from the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA).

RILA in response to an interim final rule issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Dec. 15, pledged its support of what appears to be a common sense requirement that drones weighing up to 55 pounds must be registered.

The National Retail Federation called on Congress to reject a customs reauthorization bill set for a vote this week unless it includes a provision allowing states to require online merchants to collect sales tax the same as local stores.

It’s like it is 1997 all over again with the Federal Trade Commission stepping in to block a merger between Staples and Office Depot on grounds that the deal would diminish competition.

The founder and ousted CEO of the embattled American Apparel is nothing if not determined.

Charney said he has hired Los Angeles-based Cardinal Advisors to evaluate options as he explores plans with new and existing investors and industry executives to revive the company, which filed for bankruptcy in October.

The chief executives of H&M, Gap Inc. and five other apparel companies are urging world leaders to agree to a strong climate change deal.

The leaders say they fear global warming will drive up their costs by having a negative impact on cotton production, Reuters reported. 

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Staples is willing to sell more assets to win antitrust approval for its $6.3 billion takeover of Office Depot, Bloomberg reported on Thursday. According to the wire service, representatives from Staples and Office Depot are meeting this week with Federal Trade Commission officials ahead of a Dec. 8 deadline for the agency to decide whether to approve the deal. [Bloomberg]