Mass Merchant

NEW YORK — Trucks that operate around major U.S. ports tend to be heavier polluters than their over the road counterparts but that situation could change thanks to a new initiative that has drawn support from major retailers and government and non-government entities.

New York City -- BRE Retail Holdings, an affiliate of Blackstone Real Estate Partners VI L.P. announced Tuesday that it has acquired the U.S. assets and platform of Centro Properties Group and its managed funds for approximately $9 billion.

The sale includes 585 community and neighborhood shopping centers and related retail assets aggregating 92.1 million sq. ft. in 39 states.

Elizabeth, N.J. -- Glimcher Realty Trust, owner of Jersey Gardens outlet mall in Elizabeth, N.J., said that it has begun the installation for one of the largest single-roof top solar systems in North America.

The 4.8 megawatt solar array will generate enough power to offset 11% of the electrical consumption of the mall.

Jersey Gardens, with 1.3 million sq. ft. of leasable space, features tenants such as Gap Outlet, H&M, Lord & Taylor Outlet, Neiman Marcus Last Call, Nike Factory Store and Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th.

New York City -- Multiple reports on Tuesday said that French retailing giant Carrefour SA has received an offer to merge with Brazil’s Companhia Brasileira de Distribuicao.

Brazilian investment fund Gama said in a statement that it proposed a merger between Carrefour, the world’s second largest retailer by sales after Wal-Mart Stores, and CBD, a local retailing giant.

New York City -- The Private Label Manufacturing Association reported Tuesday that store brands have capped a decade of strong growth by posting sales increases across all three of the major retail channels in 2010 and pushing dollar market share to new all-time highs in supermarkets, drug stores and total outlets.

New York City -- Retailers lost $37.14 billion to theft last year, or 1.58% of retail sales, up from 1.44% in 2009, according to preliminary results of the National Retail Security Survey. The annual survey is conducted by the University of Florida for the National Retail Federation, with funding from ADT Commercial.

As in previous years, employee theft accounted for the largest (approximately 44%) portion of the losses. Shoplifting and organized retail crime was second, with 33%. Administrative errors, vendor fraud and unknown causes make up the rest.

WAYNE, N.J. — Toys"R"Us announced that it will offer an exclusive collection of toys based on the animated short Toy Story: Hawaiian Vacation, playing in theaters in conjunction with Cars 2.

Examples in the line include:

• Sheriff Woody 16-inch action figure dressed in Hawaiian shirt, straw hat and lei. The toy can say 20 phrases when kids pull the string on his back and plays Hawaiin music.

MINNEAPOLIS — Target last week announced that Target Canada has reached an agreement to transfer to Walmart Canada the leasehold interests in up to 39 sites, currently operated by Zellers.

Specific locations will be identified later this fall. Terms of this transaction were not disclosed.

During a question-and-answer style interview in Monday’s USA Today, Target chairman, president and CEO Gregg Steinhafel shared his thoughts on a wide range of topics including Walmart, inflation, designers and competition.

Italian luxury brand Missoni hits target stores this fall (Sept. 13 to Oct. 22) and like a lot of the edgier designer exclusives the retailer brings into its stores you have to wonder about the degree of brand awareness among the Target faithful. Missoni certainly sounds like it could be an Italian luxury brand, but then the same thing could be said of Mossimo, Merona or any brand that ends in a vowel.