Supermarket/Grocery

In December, the retailers that increased their page counts were balanced out by those that decreased their page counts. However, of those retailers that did reduce their page counts, only two also reduced the number of inserts distributed by more than 2%. 

Keeping with their November strategy, Walmart continued its aggressive promotions this month, and has shown a significant increase in both drop of flyer and pages per flyer. They showed the highest growth compared to other advertisers in page counts, and the second highest growth in number of flyers.

New York -- Aldata, part of Symphony EYC, announced Monday its second U.S. holiday shopping survey revealed that U.S. shoppers want to use their mobile phones to make shopping easier, more personalized, and to have more control over inventory, but that purchasing groceries with a mobile is still in its infancy.

Conducted by Vision Critical on behalf of Symphony EYC, the survey found that 54% of shoppers said that no lines and no waiting were the greatest benefits to shopping online for groceries.

The head of Walmart’s Chilean operation will assume responsibility for all of Latin America following the retirement of current president and CEO Eduardo Solorzano.

Washington -- Import cargo volume at the nation’s major retail container ports is expected to increase 2.3% in January over the same month last year as retailers continue to urge labor and management to avoid a strike at East Coast and Gulf Coast docks, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report released today by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates. A strike would close 14 ports from Maine to Texas where nearly 15,000 dockworkers handle 40% of the nation’s ocean cargo.


Bentonville, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores announced that Enrique Ostale, president and CEO of Walmart Chile, formerly D&S, has been named EVP, president and CEO of Walmart Latin America, where he will oversee Walmart's operations in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Nicaragua.

CHICAGO — Jay Dettling was named president of Acquity Group, a global e-commerce an digital marketing company.

Dettling will lead North American Services and in addition to identifying strategic expansion targets, he will be charged with evolving Acquity Group's current service offerings in strategic, creative and technical practice areas to keep pace with technological advances and changing market conditions.

MINNEAPOLIS — In a move that will reunite all Albertsons stores under one operator, Supervalu on Thursday morning announced a definitive agreement under which it will sell 877 stores across the Albertsons, Acme, Jewel-Osco, Shaw’s and Star Market banners and related Osco and Sav-on in-store pharmacies to AB Acquisition, an affiliate of Cerberus Capital Management, in a transaction valued at $3.3 billion.

More than a dozen executives in Walmart’s merchandising organization will begin the new fiscal year with different responsibilities following a restructuring announced on Thursday.

An internal announcement from Duncan Mac Naughton, Walmart’s chief merchandising and marketing officer detailed the moves involving executives with responsibilities for food, consumables, health and wellness, general merchandise, merchandise execution and private label.

New Hyde Park, N.Y. — In the much-watched deal between Supervalu and a consortium of investors led by Cerberus Capital Management, Kimco Realty Group – along with several other real estate companies — has emerged as a player.

North Plainfield, N.J. -- A Thursday report by Levin Management Corp. found that leasing activity in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania improved in 2012.