Legislative, Regulatory & Legal

CARLISLE, Pa. — Giant Food has commenced its conversion of 15 former Genuardi's stores.

The announcement follows Giant Food, an Ahold subsidiary, getting the green light from the Federal Trade Commission for its plan to acquire 15 Genuardi's stores, located in the greater Philadelphia area, from Safeway.

During the conversion process, five stores at a time will temporarily close for about a week. The three-phase staggered approach is expected to be completed on July 22.

ARLINGTON, Va. — Texas joins eight other states in taking legislative action requiring online-only retailers, notably Amazon.com, to collect sales tax. Online retailers will have to collect sales tax in Texas beginning July 1.

RACINE, Wis. — SC Johnson has reached an agreement to acquire ITW's (ITW) global Space Bag brand and related assets.

"We're thrilled to add Space Bag to our family of long-respected, leading household brands," said Fisk Johnson, chairman and CEO of SC Johnson. "It will enable us to strengthen our home storage offerings and it's a natural complement to our Ziploc Brand business."

Arlington, Va. --Texas joins eight other states in taking legislative action requiring online-only retailers, notably Amazon.com, to collect sales tax. Online retailers will have to collect sales tax in Texas beginning July 1.

Arlington, Va. -- The Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) gave voice to concerns after Thursday's Supreme Court ruling that  upheld the individual-mandate within the Affordable Care Act.

“With the Supreme Court decision now behind us, the focus must turn to the employer-mandate and the effect that impending changes to employer-sponsored coverage will have on the nearly 170 million Americans who receive health care through their employer,” said RILA president Sandy Kennedy.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court has given the government permission to tax people for not having health insurance, essentially approving the individual mandate in President Obama's healthcare law.

“The Affordable Care Act's requirement that certain individuals pay a financial penalty for not obtaining health insurance may reasonably characterized as a tax. Because the Constitution permits such a tax, it is not our role to forbid it, or to pass upon its wisdom or fairness,” the court said in the ruling.

New York -- The U.S. Supreme has just ruled that, while the individual mandate to buy health insurance is unconstitutional, this key part of President Obama’s signature healthcare law can stay as part of Congress’s power under a taxing clause.

In other words, the Supreme Court says that the government will be allowed to tax people for not having health insurance.

New York -- Ritz Camera & Image has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. As part of its restructuring, the company, which has 265 stores in 34 states, plans to close 128 locations and cut its staff of 2,000 in half.

This is the second time Ritz has sought protection under the bankruptcy laws, having emerged from Chapter 11 two years ago.

The timing of store openings in Mexico and Central America will be delayed by as much as 90 days due to what the company described as “process changes” that will increase the time required to open a store.

Wal-Mart de Mexico, S.A.B. de C.V. in an update to its expansion program disclosed to the Mexican Stock Exchange that it contemplated completing its 2012 expansion program 60 to 90 days later than originally planned. As a result new store openings for the current year will now range between 325 and 335 units.

The timing of store openings in Mexico and Central America will be delayed by as much as 90 days due to what the company described as “process changes” that will increase the time required to open a store.

Wal-Mart de Mexico, S.A.B. de C.V. in an update to its expansion program disclosed to the Mexican Stock Exchange that it contemplated completing its 2012 expansion program 60 to 90 days later than originally planned. As a result new store openings for the current year will now range between 325 and 335 units.