Mass Merchant

Retailers that stock the world’s top drugstore brands may be in for some competition from Pharmabox, which plans to install its first automated kiosk in a mall in the Miami area.

Washington — The National Retail Federation wasted no time responding to a ruling by the National Labor Relations board concerning the redefinition of the concept of joint employees.

NRF and other business groups are concerned that the redefinition  could be used to make large businesses and franchisors responsible for the actions of subcontractors or local franchisees even when they do not exercise direct control over those companies’ employees.

Target is looking to return to the days when shoppers flocked to its stores for fabulously designed products, thanks to new directon from CEO Brian Cornell.

According to Ad Age, the company is refocused on wooing shoppers once again with a renewed emphasis on design that is "fab and functional," one of Target's core areas where the retailer really stands out in the crowded mass market field.

Read more about Target's design focus by clicking here.

Minneapolis - The number of digitally distributed coupons for CPG brands on key websites received nourishment from food shoppers in the first half of 2015.

Overall CPG digital coupon distribution increased by 17%, according to analysis conducted by Kantar Media.

The increase was attributable primarily to food areas. Within food, the dry grocery area, which is historically the largest area in digitally distributed coupons, accounted for much of the growth.

New York -- Target is leaning on its product design and development team as its works to return to the days when shoppers flocked to "Tar-zhay" for fabulous design and inventive product, according to a report in Ad Age.
 
For a look inside the retailer's design lab, read the full story here.

Minneapolis – Target Corp. has released an estimate of costs related to its 2013 data breach.

In a 10-Q filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Target estimated it had incurred $168 million in liabilities and was eligible for $55 million in insurance reimbursements (as of August 1, 2015).

New York -- Walmart plans to stop selling AR-15 assault rifles and other modern sporting rifles, a move the company says is motivated not by politics but by falling consumer demand.

Walmart plans to stop selling certain types of assault and sporting rifles, the company said on Wednesday.

“There wasn’t a whole lot of demand for those products so we replaced them with products we have seen customers coming into purchase it," Walmart spokesman Kory Lundberg told Fortune. 

The move comes as the largest seller of guns and ammunition in the U.S. has been a large part of the national gun debate following recent shootings.