Supermarket/Grocery

Toronto, Ontario, Canada -- Safeway and Wegman’s Food Markets ranked highest across all customer service elements, according to a survey by Empathica.

Empathica, a customer experience management solution-provider, polled more than 16,000 consumers, and found that operations and merchandise were the two most important elements in grocery shopping versus other elements such as promotions, people and technology.

WASHINGTON — Retail sales for the month of August were flat, the U.S. Census Bureau disclosed on Wednesday.

Adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, sales totaled $389.5 billion. Compared with the year-ago period, however, sales rose 7.2%. Trade sales edged up slightly by 0.1% from July, as well as 7.5% above August 2010.

AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands — Ahold has announced the appointment of Jeff Carr as EVP and CFO, starting Nov. 12. Carr will be a member of Ahold’s corporate executive board, pending shareholder approval. He will succeed Kimberly Ross who is leaving Ahold in November to become CFO of Avon.

Carr will be responsible for Ahold’s finance, real estate and IT functions. He will also manage the company’s existing €350 million cost reduction program and explore further ways to reduce costs and simplify the business.

Springfield, Mass. -- Big Y Supermarkets plans to get rid of self-checkouts in all of its 61 stores by the end of 2011.

Portland, Ore. -- Daily deal site LivingSocial said Tuesday that it has reached new records with its first nationwide grocery deal, implemented with Whole Foods Market.

The debut deal offered shoppers $20 worth of products at Whole Foods for $10.

Washington, D.C. -- A report released Wednesday by the Commerce Department said that retail sales were flat in August, the weakest showing in three months.

Apparel retail sales fell 0.7% in August, following a 0.3% decline in July.  Department store sales declined 0.3%.  General merchandise stores such as Wal-Mart and Target fared better, with 0.1% gains. Analysts said Hurricane Irene likely disrupted sales in late August along most of the East Coast.

CINCINNATI — Consumer sentiment toward the economy continues to be negative, acknowledged David Dillon, Kroger chairman and CEO, a factor that may drive many consumers toward more of the value-driven store brands in which Kroger is investing.

"The sluggish economy continues to strain household budgets while increasing consumer anxiety," Dillon said. "In fact, customers tell us their expectation for the economy are more pessimistic now than at any time this year."

PHOENIX, Ariz. — The Global Market Development Center announced that its members have elected two new board members to serve in two-year terms on their board of directors: Mike Petocchi, business group manager HBC/cosmetics with Wegmans Food Markets; and former GMDC chairman of the board, Jim Wonderly, VP grocery non-foods/GM Ahold USA.

Carlisle, Pa. -- Ahold USA said Tuesday it has appointed former Walmart executive Anthony Hucker to head its Landover, Md.-based Giant Food division.

Ahold, the U.S. subsidiary of Netherlands-based Royal Ahold, said Hucker has been named division president of Giant-Landover, effective Oct. 3, replacing interim president Don Sussman who will assume the role of executive VP supply chain for Ahold USA.

Hucker most recently served at Walmart as corporate VP and head of the Walmart Express division.
 

Northborough, Mass. -- BJ's Wholesale Club said Tuesday it has opened its newest Massachusetts Club location at Northborough Crossing 6102 Shops Way in Northborough, Mass.

The 120,000-sq-ft. store replaces a 23-year-old BJ's Wholesale Club nearby and adds services such as a gas station, full-service delicatessen, enhanced tire center and integrated liquor shop.