Supermarket/Grocery

Research: Food shoppers opt for brick-and-mortar over online
Chicago -- Although consumers are changing how they shop for food and beverages, most prefer to make perishable purchases in tradition brick-and-mortar locations.
Retail imports set records despite West Coast port issues
Washington -- Import cargo volume at the nation’s major retail container ports is expected to slow down this month following record levels seen in September and October as retailers rushed to bring merchandise into the country ahead of a possible shutdown of West Coast ports, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report released by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates.

ECRM: Retail circular advertising trends, October 2014

ECRM compared retail circular advertising in October 2013 vs. October 2014 and noted trends occurring across top retail chains. CVS and Walgreens increased the number of circular pages seen in October 2014; up respectively by 18% and 11%. Walgreens added 13% more halloween candy promotions, where as CVS added 9% in October comparable. Walgreens used an attractive “Save on Treats” candy promotional page in each October circular, nicely consolidating candy promotions into concise seasonal sections.
Moody’s forecasts 4- to 5% sales increase in 2015

New York -- The outlook for the U.S. retail industry in 2015 is stable, according to a new report by Moody’s Investor Service, which forecasts that retail sales will grow 3- to 4% in 2014, and 4- to 5% in 2015. The report, Moody’s U.S. Retail Industry Outlook, also finds that traditional brick-and-mortar retailers will be formidable competitors to pure-play online merchants.
Guest Commentary: Overtime Pay--Claims by Store Managers and Assistant Managers on the Rise

By Nicholas Fortuna & Paula Lopez of Allyn & Fortuna LLP
Asda partners with online performance marketing firm HookLogic

London -- Leading British retailer Asda has partnered with ecommerce performance marketing company HookLogic to launch the company’s first venture into the European market.
Sobeys seeing red in Canada with PECO deal

Customers and store associates at Sobey’s stores in Canada are seeing red after the operator of 1,500 stores became the latest company to use PECO Pallet’s distinctively colored pallets.

PECO said it added Sobeys to its growing list of authorized distributors in Canada so that Canadian and U.S. manufacturers and produce companies can now ship their products into Sobeys supermarkets throughout Canada on PECO’s wooden pallets.
Call for Entries: Chain Store Age’s Retail Store of the Year Design Competition

New York --Chain Store Age invites retailers, design firms, architects and suppliers to submit entires for its 33rd annual Retail Store of the Year design competition. For more information and an entry form, click here.
Sprouts beats Street with Q3 profit

Phoenix, Ariz. -- Net income at Sprouts Farmers Market Inc. soared 79% to $26.1 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2014 from $14.6 million in the same quarter a year earlier. A reduction in pretax losses helped boost net income growth.
More than 50 retailers, QSRs, hospitality firms select Reflexis

Dedham, Mass. -- Reflexis Systems Inc. announced that more than 50 retailers/brands, quick serve restaurants (QSR), and hospitality companies have selected real-time execution, workforce management, and advanced analytics solutions from Reflexis to date in 2014.
Realignment increases loss at Fairway Market; new CEO, CMO named

New York –- Corporate realignment costs, particularly severance, increased net loss at Fairway Group Holdings Corp., the parent company of Fairway Market, during the second quarter of fiscal 2015. Net loss grew to $17.23 million from $12.22 million.
Healthy eating is in at H-E-B

In its commitment to helping customers create healthier habits and fight obesity and diabetes, H-E-B on Thursday partnered with the American Diabetes Association to announce the launch of H-E-B Nutrition Services.

Registered dietitians and nutritionists will be in select stores throughout Texas providing affordable nutrition education and care, including private one-on-one consultations, grocery shopping tours, cooking demonstrations, group health classes, kids cooking classes, “lunch and learn” sessions and disease management classes.