Supermarket/Grocery

Purchase, N.Y. – A decline in the price of gasoline may be leading to a larger haul for many many people on Christmas morning. According to the latest MasterCard Advisors SpendingPulse, total retail sales without the automotive and gasoline sectors were up 3.6% in November 2014, reinforcing the dramatic decline in gasoline prices.  

Cincinnati - Phillips Edison Grocery Center REIT II announced the acquisition of Spivey Junction, an 81,475-sq.-ft. grocery store-anchored shopping center in Stockbridge, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta.   Spivey Junction is anchored by Kroger, and features a fuel center. Other national and regional tenants at the center include Great Clips, Workout Anytime, Domino's Pizza, Subway, Goodwill and Miracle Ear.

LAKELAND, Fla.- For the fifth consecutive year, Publix Pharmacy is the highest-ranking pharmacy in overall satisfaction in the supermarket segment according to J.D. Power & Associate Satisfaction Survey, a customer satisfaction benchmark study that provides pharmacy-specific performance comparisons among brick and mortar pharmacies.  

By Shannon Warner, Cognizant Technology Solutions   Talk about a gap: 62% of shoppers say loyalty program membership is beneficial, but only 26% consider retailers’ programs worth joining.   

Independence, Mo. – Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage, Inc. plans to open 18 new stores in fiscal 2015. As part of the plan, Natural Grocers has closed its previously announced agreement to acquire natural foods retailer Nature’s Pantry Inc. in Independence, Missouri.   The transaction closed on Dec. 7, and Natural Grocers began officially operating as a Natural Grocers store on Dec. 8. 

NEW YORK - Overall U.S. retail sales (excluding auto) are expected to grow 3%-4% in 2015 although a variety of challenges will continue to constrain the performance of several retailers and retail segments, according to a new Fitch Ratings report.   A gradual increase in the U.S. employment rate and real wages along with near-term benefits from lower gas prices will support retail sales growth.  

By Alex Romanov, iSign Media   The holiday season is a time of family, food, and frenzied shopping. Consumers are bombarded by messages, promotions, discounts, and offers, and retailers have to be smart about how they reach out to their customers. Email blasts or paper coupons just won’t cut it. In this mobile-obsessed era, proximity marketing is a powerful way to break through the noise and bring shoppers into your store.   

By Luis Salazar and Neha Dagley   Watch out, retailers with stores in Florida. The Florida State Legislature has tightened controls over businesses for data security breaches. Effective July 1, 2014, the new Florida Information Protection Act (FIPA) will impact your business and how you handle data breaches.  In recent years, data breaches have become commonplace, and have undoubtedly affected the chain-store industry.     FIPA: COMPLIANCE AND CONSEQUENCES