Supermarket/Grocery

NEW YORK — According to survey results by Deloitte, 94% of Americans indicate they will remain cautious and keep their spending for food, beverage and household goods at its current level, despite an improving economy.

Deloitte's 2013 American Pantry Study found that 92% of Americans said they have become more resourceful, and 86% say they are getting more precise in what they buy — attitudes that have remained consistent in the three years Deloitte has conducted the study, and across income levels.

CINCINNATI — A major initiative unveiled by Kroger could have the retailer’s suppliers scrambling to ensure palm oil used in products the retailer carries are obtained from sources who meet strict harvesting guidelines.

Kroger issued the following policy statement:

Palm oil has become the world's leading oil crop and today accounts for roughly one-third of the global vegetable oil production. This oil has grown in popularity within the food industry as a cooking oil, shortening, margarine, milk-fat replacer, and as a cocoa-butter substitute.

New York - U.S. retail sales fell 0.4% in March, the biggest decrease in nine months, amid a slowdown in hiring and higher taxes. Excluding sales of autos, gas and building materials, core sales dropped 0.2% in March, following a 0.3% increase in January.

Walmart has teamed with Rogers Media to create a new print and digital property called Walmart Live Better that will be distributed for free in Canada.

One million copies of the magazine hit the market this week and the content is also available in a variety of digital formats.

NEW YORK — U.S. retail sales fell 0.4% in March, the biggest decrease in nine months, amid a slowdown in hiring and higher taxes. Excluding sales of autos, gas and building materials, core sales dropped 0.2% in March, following a 0.3% increase in January.

PETALUMA, Calif. — MarketLive, a provider of e-commerce technology and services for high-growth merchants, has announced the winners of its annual MarketLive Merchant Awards, honoring the top performing e-commerce sites across MarketLive's customer base of America's leading retail brands. The awards were presented at the MarketLive Summit 2013 in Sonoma, Calif.

CINCINNATI — Kroger on Thursday announced plans to bring together more than 4,800 associates at the Kentucky Exposition Center on April 16 to assemble an estimated 17,000 emergency food and personal care boxes for the metro community of Louisville, Ky.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The California Grocers Association has named Keri Askew Bailey as SVP government relations and public policy, effective immediately.

In this newly created position, Bailey will assume responsibility for creating and managing an aggressive public policy program through the development and facilitation of coalitions with CGA membership, ally associations, chambers of commerce, and other interested parties.

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. — Stater Bros. has broke ground on its newest and most modern supermarket in the Redlands Village Shopping Center, which is being developed by Lewis Retail Centers.

The new Redlands Stater Bros. Supermarket will be located on the northwest corner of Lugonia and Wabash Avenues and will replace a smaller Stater Bros. Supermarket located at 1786 Lugonia Avenue. 

ARLINGTON, Va. — The Retail Industry Leaders Association said Monday via a written letter to the House Ways and Means Committee that all corporate tax preferences need to be “put on the table” so that politics can be neutralized and progress can be made.