Displays & Signs

ITASCA, Ill. — Jewel-Osco on Friday announced that the company is observing Hunger Action Month this September with an aggressive campaign to raise food and funds for food banks and food pantries in the retailer's service area.

As new product launches go, Rubbermaid’s Clean & Dry plunger was overshadowed this week by the unveiling of the iPhone 5, depite the innovation it brings to the bathroom cleaning category.

In addition to the Clean & Dry plunger whose key attributes are evident in the name, Rubbermaid also launched the Rubbermaid Bathroom Scrubbers line of cleaning tools. Both products are designed to make bathroom cleaning easier, quicker and more hygienic.

JavaJig is the name of a clever little item from Melitta that enables owners of single serve coffee makers to avoid the expense of prefilled cups.

Plenty of consumers love their Keurig machines – 1.4 million of them were sold by parent company Green Mountain Coffee Roasters the third quarter ended June 23 – but those darn K-cups are pricy. For example, Target featured a Keurig machine on the cover of its circular this week with a promotional price of $10.99 for an 18 count pack of Folgers or Millstone brand K-cups. That works out to 61 cents a cup.

The overall drop in number of circulars continued this month, with a six percent decrease in the number of inserts being released to the market among selected retailers.  

The overall number of pages per market remained the same with a marginal increase compared to previous year. Walmart had the largest increase in pages per market with a larger focus on “Back to School” with 5 circulars with a prominent “Back to School” theme.  

New York -- Toys “R” Us’ holiday 2012 plans include a “hot toy” reservation program, free and expanded layaway services and offering more exclusive toys from branded manufacturers along with more proprietary products. The nation’s largest specialty toy retailer also will open 150 to 200 temporary locations for the holidays under the Toys “R” Us Express banner.

NEW YORK — Macy's on Sept. 12 will debut a new fashion line from Nicole Richie. The Nicole Richie for Impulse collection will include 1960s and 1970s influenced silhouettes, prints and fabrications and be sold at approximately 100 Macy’s stores and on Macys.com/impulse.For the first time, Macy’s Facebook fans will be the very first to shop the collection at facebook.com/macys before it hits stores Wednesday.

Manchester, N.H. -- Clothing retailer Big Dogs has opened a new prototype for future expansion. The new format has opened in three 2,400-sq.-ft. stores, in outlet shopping centers in Alabama, Missouri, and Nevada.

Seattle -- Nordstrom announced it has begun selling the trendy British fashion brand Topshop and Topman at 14 select Nordstrom stores across the country and on its website. Merchandise deliveries will be made on a weekly basis, with an expanded collection available online.

In addition, the Topshop make-up collection will launch in select stores and online in late 2012.