Seasonal

PARSIPPANY, N.J. — Duncan Hines has introduced limited-edition flavors under its Frosting Creations line.

Evoking traditional, nostalgic holiday flavors and aromas, Duncan Hines already has introduced apple pie and pumpkin spice flavors to the market, followed by the debut of peppermint stick and gingerbread flavor mixes on Nov. 1.

Washington, D.C. -- The Global Port Tracker report released Tuesday by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates found that import cargo volume at the nation’s major retail container ports is expected to increase 9.9% in October as merchants wrap up the annual shipping cycle for holiday merchandise.

HACKETTSTOWN, N.J. — Mars Chocolate already may have unveiled its lineup of new treats for Halloween, Valentine's Day, as well as the winter holiday season, but the company announced new items that will be added to its Easter 2013 lineup.

The new Easter 2013 lineup includes:

•  Snickers Peanut Butter Squared minis;

 

•  Dove Silky Smooth white chocolate eggs;

 

•  Twix minis filled eggs;

Hoffman Estates, Ill. -- Kmart and Sears are gearing up for the holiday shopping season with the elimination of layaway service fees, a new layaway home delivery service and an enhanced in-store mobile experience.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Kmart and Sears are eliminating layaway service fees, starting a layaway home-delivery service and new in-store mobile features for what the company expects to be the busiest shopping season since 2007.

Retail sales in September decelerated from August at many of Walmart’s competitors, but overall demand remained positive judging from the shrinking number of companies who continue to report monthly results.

Discounters The TJX Cos. and Ross Stores reported September same-store sales that rose 6% and 5%, respectively. The figures exceeded both companies’ expectations and shoppers continue to respond to their brand of apparel retail.

Total U.S. shopper traffic in retail stores and malls for September 2012

The end of back-to-school shopping in the U.S. led to a significant drop in foot traffic this past month. September saw a 13.1% decrease in retail foot traffic compared to August. However, this past month continued a streak of year-over-year improvements. September 2012 foot traffic increased 12.9% when compared with the same month last year.

New York -- The Wet Seal Inc. encouraged its shareholders on Wednesday to reject efforts by its third-largest investor, Clinton Group, to gain control of the board, Reuters reported. The company's board has eight seats, of which one is vacant.

Clinton, which holds approximately 7% of Wet Seal, said retailer earlier in the day backtracked on an offer, made via an investment banker, for four directors to resign in exchange for the activist investor ending its move, according to the report.