Data & Analytics

New York City -- Retailers across the nation issued updates on their environmental initiatives in the days leading up to Earth Day, April 22. Starbucks Coffee Co. released its tenth annual "Global Responsibility Report," noting it has reduced water use, increased its renewable energy purchases and is testing a new energy management story (see story here).

Phoenix -- PetSmart celebrated Earth Day on Friday with the announcement that its distribution center in McCarran, Nev., has been awarded Silver Certification under the LEED (Leadership for Energy and Environmental Design) for Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance rating system.

New York  City -- Three Stop & Shop stores in the Boston area on Monday will launch a software app from ModivMedia that allow customers with iPhones to scan grocery items and add them to an electronic shopping cart, The Boston Globe reported.

Naperville, Ill. -- OfficeMax announced that Michael J. Lewis will assume the role of executive VP and president of retail, effective May 2. He will have full responsibility for the retail P&L and all aspects of the retail business, including merchandising, store operations and real estate.

Most recently, from 2010 to early 2011, Lewis served as global head of a merchandising center for Wal-Mart Stores,

Houston -- Kroger Southwest on Thursday said it plans to lower energy usage by 50% -- an average decrease of 2% to 4% annually -- during the next five years. Since 2000, the company has reduced energy consumption in its stores by 30%.

In its ongoing effort to reduce usage, Kroger Southwest appointed a task force of energy-conservation technicians whose sole focus is to identify ways stores can operate more efficiently.

New York City -- A western Pennsylvania woman filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday against Target Corp. and its law firm over the chain's debt-collection practices, the Associated Press reported. The woman claims false affidavits were used to go after customers who allegedly owed money to a subsidiary bank that issues the store's credit cards.

Cupertino, Calif. -- Apple reported a record second-quarter net profit of  $5.99 billion, or $6.40 per diluted share, and revenue of $24.67 billion, thanks to strong sales in Macs, iPhones and iPads. These results compare with net quarterly profit of $3.07 billion, or $3.33 per diluted share, and revenue of $13.5 billion, in the year-ago quarter. International sales also helped boost profits, as they accounted for 59% of the quarter’s revenue, the company reported.

Cincinnati -- Macy's announced that it is taking new steps to become a more sustainable company.

"Our company has embraced the principles of sustainability, and we continue to take actions that are tangible, measurable and meaningful in reducing our use of scarce resources and improving the efficiency of our business in serving customer needs," said Tom Cole, Macy's chief administrative officer. "We have made significant progress over the past several years, and we continue to move forward with new ideas in 2011 and beyond."

The recent opening of the 500th Vitamin Shoppe store was heralded as an important milestone for this rapidly growing company but within a few years the nation’s second largest nutritional products specialty retailer could be eyeing 1,000 units.

“There are many markets we are interested in establishing a presence in, and we will continue to move forward with our growth plans to expand in current markets and penetrate new ones,” Vitamin Shoppe CEO Tony Truesdale said on the occasion of the opening of the 500th store in St. Peters, Mo., earlier this month.

SUNBURY, Pa. — Weis Markets’ official Facebook page is celebrating its 10,000th fan with exclusive coupon offers, the grocer announced Tuesday.

Weis Markets’ Facebook fans now are eligible for these coupons at Facebook.com/WeisSuperMarket. The coupon offers include $5 off a $50 purchase; $1 off 12-oz. Weis quality granola; $1 off 12-count Weis quality coffee solos and $1 off a Weis Five Star item.