Retailer Campaigns

The Kids In Need Foundation will hold its 15th annual Kids In Need Foundation Education Celebration Gala Wednesday, Sept. 25, at the Depot, in Minneapolis, Minn. 

A cocktail reception, sponsored by Target, will kick things off at 6:30 p.m., followed by the Gala Dinner, sponsored by 3M, at 7:30 p.m. 

BOCA RATON, Fla. — Office Depot has joined forces with boy band One Direction to raise money for an anti-bullying education program. The anti-bullying campaign is set to launch across the United States during the 2013 back-to-school season.

ATLANTA — The Home Depot announced a single-day effort to prepare residents in storm-prone regions for the upcoming hurricane season. On July 27, Home Depot said it will host Hurricane Preparedness Workshops at more than 700 of its stores from the Gulf Coast to New England.

The expansion of the workshops is one of several preemptive measures the company is taking in preparation for 2013 hurricane activity, which is once again predicted to be above average.

Whiting, Ind. -- Survey results released Thursday by CouponCabin.com found that more than one-in-10 Americans say their shopping habits have put them in debt, with 20% saying the most amount of shopping debt they've been in exceeds $5,000.

The survey, conducted by Harris Interactive, also revealed that 41% of U.S. adults have created shopping debt of more than $1,000. Eleven percent consider themselves to be shopaholics.

Melville, N.Y. -- Sbarro is expanding its international growth with plans to open 20 eateries in Ontario, Canada. This announcement is the latest in a series of franchise agreements that have recently expanded Sbarro's presence across Europe, the Middle East, South America, Asia and the Pacific.

Minneapolis -- Female consumers are looking for value and deeper connections, according to results of the fifth annual “What Women Want” survey. The study, conducted by Ginger Consulting, indicates that women are responsible for or influence $7 trillion of annual purchases in the U.S., including 85% of all consumer and business purchases and 60% of automobile purchases,

FAIRFIELD, CALIF. — Jelly Belly Candy Company plans to implement front-of-package nutrition labeling on its most popular packaged products. The company will begin to roll out labeled packages on shelves this fall. 

The new front label will highlight information such as calories and fat content. By providing the information up front, Jelly Belly joins the National Confectioners Association and other manufacturers in support of adopting a method that helps consumers easily access information necessary to make decisions about their diets.

CINCINNATI — Kroger plans to provide $2.3 million to support the USO's broad range of programs that assist service members and their families, as part of its Honoring Our Heroes campaign.

For the following two weeks, store-wide promotions will feature hundreds of popular products at special sale prices. Customized shelf tags will highlight participating items, including Kroger's own products and items from key partners, including Unilever, Coca Cola, Kraft, Nestle, Frito Lay, Procter & Gamble, ConAgra and Dannon. Start and end dates vary by region.