Supermarket/Grocery

Cincinnati -- A report on Friday by the Associated Press said that Kroger chief David Dillon received a 66% bump in pay in 2011, as the grocer surpassed its internal growth targets.

Dillon was paid a package worth $8.9 million last year, up from $5.4 million in 2010. The compensation included a cash performance bonus of $2.7 million. Stock and award options rose to $5.2 million and salary was $1.3 million.
 

Montvale, N.J. -- A&P president and CEO Sam Martin will star in the retailer's new integrated marketing campaign highlighting the company’s vision to be the best neighborhood food and drug store, the company said Wednesday.

The campaign’s theme is “shopping just got a whole lot better,” and it will mark the first time that A&P will run one marketing campaign across all of its A&P, The Food Emporium, Pathmark, Superfresh and Waldbaum’s stores.

RESTON, Va. — ComScore reported that online retail spending reached $44.3 billion for first quarter 2012, up 17% from the year-ago period.

ComScore said retail e-commerce sale estimates represented the tenth consecutive quarter of positive year-over-year growth and sixth consecutive quarter of double-digit growth. Additional findings included:

• 48.8% of e-commerce transactions included free shipping, the highest percentage for a quarter on record outside of the holiday season;

 

Atlanta -- A Wednesday report by First Data found that April sales were negatively impacted by a March Easter, but that there has been an earlier start to the spring spending season.

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. — Stater Bros. reported its second-quarter results for the period ended March 25.

The retailer's consolidated sales for the quarter rose nearly 2.7% to $937.7 million, compared with the year-ago period, while same-store sales also rose nearly 2.7%. Second-quarter net income totaled $16.4 million, compared with $9.3 million for second quarter of the prior year.

MONTVALE, N.J. — A&P president and CEO Sam Martin, will be the star of the retailer's new integrated marketing campaign highlighting the company’s vision to be the best neighborhood food and drug store by offering high-quality, localized products, enhanced services and greater value, the company announced Wednesday.

Indianapolis -- Marsh Supermarkets said that Joe Kelley, chairman, president and CEO, has left the company to become president of Stop & Shop's New England division. Marsh named COO Bill Holsworth as interim CEO, effective immediately.

At Stop & Shop, Kelley succeeds Mark McGowan, who was promoted to executive VP supply chain, Ahold USA. Both appointments are effective May 21.
 

CINCINNATI — Kroger announced that it has kicked off a sales event during May that will support the broad range of programs and services the United Service Organizations provides to service members, their families and veterans.

Philadelphia -- Management consulting firm Hay Group reported Tuesday that employee turnover levels in the retail industry are on the rise.

According to a new survey from Hay Group, an improving job market and solid first quarter sales are impacting turnover. Retailers report a median turnover rate of 67% for part-time store workers, a 33% increase over 2011. One in five retailers report that they have experienced more turnover in the first part of 2012.

Has anyone else noticed that more and more consumers seem to be “cross-shopping” than ever before? I’m talking about those people who shop both the high-end luxury retailers and the discount or even dollar stores. I recently read an article that indicated one-quarter of all Nordstrom shoppers also shop at the Dollar Store. And, I started to ask myself if this trend is here to stay.