Retail

Seattle – The Starbucks mobile app reportedly stores customer passwords in a way that leaves them vulnerable to hackers. According to CNN, the app, which allows mobile payment, stores passwords in plain text, meaning a hacker could gain access to one without knowing a smartphone’s PIN code.

Atlanta — Moe’s Southwest Grill has signed a deal to bring 18 new restaurants to Sacramento and Santa Cruz over the next seven years. This is the franchiser’s first push into California.

HKM II is the franchise group behind the California expansion. HKM II owns 42 quick-serve burger restaurants throughout Northern California, Southern Nevada and Arizona.

Jewel-Osco president William Emmons is retiring less than a year after taking the helm at the grocery chain, which is now part of New Albertsons Inc., according to a Chicago Tribune report.

Aston, Pa. -- Action Services Group, a national lighting, sign and electrical maintenance company will present its wide-range of services at the upcoming 2014 TopSource Summit Supplier Showcase, January 27th – 29th in Dallas.

TopSource, a Boston-based strategic sourcing company, assists grocery, retail, and wholesale companies manage their indirect spend to help provide significant savings and innovative solutions in multiple business areas.

London -- Verizon is migrating Tesco to a single global network infrastructure, which will underpin Tesco’s ongoing application and infrastructure centralization program.

New York -- Almost seven-in-10 consumers surveyed expect to make more money, save more money and afford things they need in 2014, according to RetailMeNot’s 2014 Shoppers Trend Forecast. 

DURHAM, N.C. — Bashas’, a family owned and operated supermarket retailer in the western United States, recently installed energy-efficient LED lighting from Cree, to better illuminate its Tempe, Ariz., location.

The newly renovated store features luminaires powered by Cree TrueWhite technology, delivering superior light quality that helps make products more attractive to customers, while enjoying the benefits of a quick payback and an anticipated energy savings of 47% over the store’s previous design.

New York -- The U.S. National Labor Relations Board has filed a formal complaint charging that Wal-Mart Stores violated labor laws in 14 states by taking action against striking and protesting workers.

The NLRB said the retailer illegally fired, disciplined or threatened more than 60 employees in 14 states for participating in legally protected activities to complain about wages and working conditions.