Supermarket/Grocery

New York City -- Wal-Mart Stores is making progress bringing items and shoppers back to its U.S. stores, president and CEO Mike Duke said Tuesday at the Barclays Capital analyst conference in New York City. 

Duke noted that improving the chain’s U.S. same-store sales remains its top priority. He said the chain is on its way to having the right assortment.

New York City -- Speaking at the Barclays Capital analyst conference in New York City on Tuesday, Kroger Co. chairman and CEO David Dillon said grocery prices are rising slightly. He also said the chain may benefit from rising fuel prices because the discounts it offers on gasoline could attract more shoppers.

Grocery prices have gone up approximately 2%, Dillon said, in what he called "the low side of moderate" inflation, since late last year as suppliers deal with higher commodity and energy costs, the Associated Press reported.

New York City -- Tesco announced that it has acquired a majority stake in video-on-demand pioneer Blinkbox. The acquisition positions Tesco for the next stage in the Internet-driven revolution in home entertainment, the retailer said.

Blinkbox is the United Kingdom’s leading movie streaming service, offering thousands of titles streamed on the Internet.

Tesco has bought an 80% stake in Blinkbox from Eden Ventures and Nordic Venture Partners.

Frisco, Texas -- Jacksonville, Fla.-based Regency Centers said it has leased restaurant space to Tutti Frutti Yogurt, which will open a 1,412-sq.-ft. store at Legacy Center, in Frisco, Texas.

The specialty frozen yogurt retailer is slated to open its new store in July.
The 119,500-sq.-ft. shopping center includes national retailers such as Starbucks, Subway, Great Clips and The UPS Store.

New York City -- Retailers across the nation issued updates on their environmental initiatives in the days leading up to Earth Day, April 22. Starbucks Coffee Co. released its tenth annual "Global Responsibility Report," noting it has reduced water use, increased its renewable energy purchases and is testing a new energy management story (see story here).

New York  City -- Three Stop & Shop stores in the Boston area on Monday will launch a software app from ModivMedia that allow customers with iPhones to scan grocery items and add them to an electronic shopping cart, The Boston Globe reported.

New York City -- Members of the largest union local representing Southern California grocery workers gave their negotiators the power to call for a strike if contract talks with major supermarket chains break down, it was announced Thursday. Results for the other locals were not immediately available.

Passage of the strike authorization would not necessarily mean a strike is imminent. Contract talks that began in February are set to resume next week with negotiators for The Vons Cos. Ralphs Grocery Co., a subsidiary of The Kroger Co.; and Albertsons.

New York City -- More than 60,000 Southern California grocery workers cast their votes on Wednesday whether to authorize a strike if contract talks with three of the nation's largest supermarket chains break down. A two-thirds majority vote was needed for passage.

The talks are with The Vons Cos.; Ralphs Grocery Co., a subsidiary of The Kroger Co.; and Albertsons, owned by Supervalu.