News Briefs

Swedish furniture giant Ikea is reducing prices by 15% to 25% on hundreds of products in Europe amid ongoing cost-of-living pressures.

Ikea's largest retailer, Ingka Group (represents 87% of Ikea sales), other Ikea franchisees and Inter Ikea Group said they are investing €1.2 billion ($1.39 billion) in price cuts in total to make home furnishing more affordable as many people continue to feel pressure from higher living costs.​ The initiative concentrates on Europe, with price cut starting from Sept. 1.

In Germany, more than 1,500 products will have their prices lowered by an average of 20%. In Italy, prices on hundreds of products have been reduced by an average of 22%. In the U.K., prices will be reduced on hundreds of home furnishing products and accessories, including the iconic Billy bookcase by 28% and the Trofast storage combination by 24%.

This is Ikea’s second round of price cuts in Europe. In fiscal year 2024, prices were lowered across markets for thousands of products.

To support affordability beyond Europe, Ingka Group will also invest €70 million ($81 million) to help offset inflationary and currency pressures in Asia and North America, helping keep prices as low as possible for customers.

"Keeping prices low is our long-term commitment and part of our promise to side with the many people," ​said Juvencio Maeztu, CEO of Ingka, which operates Ikea stores under the franchise model run by Inter Ikea, the brand owner and furniture supplier. "The investment is not an activity or short-term campaign —  it's about making Ikea more affordable when people need it most, even if it means accepting a lower margin.”

With Ikea retail operations in 32 markets, Ingka Group is the largest Ikea retailer in the world.

Damis Holdings has put 50 properties spanning 23 states up for sale across multiple asset classes that include retail, entertainment and hospitality.

The disposition comes after the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in June. Damis is owned by brothers Michael and David Shabsels.

New York-based A&G Real Estate Partners has been retained to sell off properties in states that include California, Illinois, Florida, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas. Retail properties include Fashion Corner in Saginaw, Mich.; Eastchase Market in Fort Worth, Texas; and Matteson Center in Matteson, Ill.

In a press release, A&G stated that it will run a comprehensive sales process designed to realize the full, inherent value of each property, tailoring its strategy to the specific characteristics of every holding rather than applying a single, one-size-fits-all approach. 

“Real estate is too often priced based on what an appraisal says, not what it is actually worth in the market, and that gap is where A&G operates,” said the company’s co-president Emilio Amendola. “The Damis portfolio is a strong example of the kind of complex, multi-asset disposition our team has built its practice around, and one that creates real opportunities for the market.”

[READ MORE: Duluth Trading Co. fills digital orders from stores]

Amazon is running a limited-time online storefront for customers seeking to fill grocery needs for their Labor Day holiday plans.

In an email to Chain Store Age, a representative for Amazon said the online giant is offering discounts on select food items via a dedicated Labor Day grocery store on its site (the federal U.S. Labor Day holiday occurs Monday, Sept. 7).

Every eligible item is backed by Amazon's freshness guarantee and members of the Prime paid subscription program can receive benefits such as free same-day delivery on eligible orders and products.

Deal categories and products include:

Cookout essentials starting at $2, including:

• Select hot dog and hamburger buns.
• Barbecue sides like Amazon Grocery macaroni salad and potato salad.
• Select frozen products like Amazon Grocery rainbow sherbert.

Summer produce under $4, including:

• Mini seedless watermelon.
• Cherries.
• Red raspberries.

Grilling proteins under $10, including:

• Just Bare chicken breast fillets.
• Select Amazon Grocery ground beef burger patties and sausage links.

While Amazon is best-known for its widescale extravaganzas such as Prime Day, Prime Big Deal Days, and its annual Black Friday week promotion, the retailer has also been building a tradition of hosting of smaller sales promotions.

In May 2026, Amazon hosted its first-ever five-day Amazon Pet Days promotion, featuring deals on items including pet food and treats, toys, apparel, health care products, grooming supplies, and accessories.

[READ MORE: Amazon brings back Pet Days – for three extra days]

May also saw the company run its annual Summer Beauty Event, and Amazon ran its third annual Big Spring Sale in March and a dedicated Valentine’s Day shopping hub at the beginning of the year. 

Sporting goods chains and restaurants reaped the biggest benefits from the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

That’s according to a new report from real estate investment company Colliers and retail data firm Placer.ai, which examined retail and dining visitation patterns across the tournament's 11 U.S. host markets. According to FIFA, 6.8 million fans attended matches across North America, with the event having an estimated $40.9 billion global economic impact. 

The Colliers and Placer.ai report found that sporting goods stores emerged as the World Cup’s most consistent retail winner, with match-day visits increasing across all 11 U.S. host metros and averaging approximately 14% above pre-tournament same-weekday levels. Brands such as Adidas, Fanatics and Foot Locker saw visits increase as a result of successful retail activations. On the other hand, apparel stores and superstores experienced mixed results.

Stadium-adjacent dining visits increased 53.7%, while metro-wide retail traffic saw little overall lift, according to the report. Bars and pubs averaged a 9% increase in match-day visits across host markets. 

[READ MORE: Visa: World Cup led to economic boosts in these cities…]

“Retail and dining locations close to the action during the World Cup events benefited from the increased enthusiasm and many were able to capitalize on the attention in host cities," said Elizabeth LaFontaine, director of research at Placer.ai. “Traffic growth for retail categories like sporting goods was strongly correlated to the World Cup, cementing that the summer of sports captured the American shopper.”

The full report can be found here.

A growing immersive entertainment concept has opened its biggest location to date.

Activate Games, which describes itself as the world’s first "active-gaming experience," opened a 14,814-sq.-ft. location in New York City’s Union Square neighborhood. It's the company's second location in the state, with the first at Roosevelt Field mall in Garden City (on Long Island). 

Activate locations combine physical gameplay with proprietary software, data tracking and recurring player engagement. Its SoHo outpost features 12 interactive game rooms where visitors can take on more than 55 game varieties, including challenges involving lasers, light-up grids, puzzles and strategy. 

Based in Winnipeg, Canada, Activate has 47 locations in the U.S., with additional openings coming soon, the company says. It operates over 75 locations worldwide. 

In March, the company announced that its doubled its debt financing facilities to $72 (C) million in partnership with Export Development Canada and RBC Royal Bank. The expanded facilities will fuel Activate’s next phase of growth across North America, Europe and Asia, providing a "clear path" to 100 locations in 12 countries by 2027, according to the company. 

[READ MORE: The 'third place' race: How new tenants, green spaces and more are elevating retail centers]

As part of the Union Square opening, Activate partnered with ice cream chain Carvel. Activate debuted a limited-edition Carvel-themed version of its interactive Strike game, which featured Carvel’s “Cookie Puss” character riding a Flying Saucer as players take on the fast-paced Asteroids game within the Strike room. 

Activate said the activation marked the first time an outside brand was featured inside one of its games.

“This collaboration with an iconic New York brand invites guests to step inside a lively experience they will not find anywhere else,” said Rachel Smith, VP of marketing at Activate America.