News

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS/pharmacy is holding on Oct. 23 its first annual "2011 Halloween Party and Customer Event" at all 7,200 locations nationwide.

Children who slip on a Halloween costume and purchase any item at any CVS/pharmacy location on Oct. 23 during regular store hours will receive one free Halloween gift pack per child, as well as an in-store costume photo shoot, which includes a free 5x7 print, during select times throughout the day.

The Halloween gift pack, available for free with any purchase while supplies last, includes:

Minneapolis -- SuperValu reported net income of $60 million for its fiscal second quarter, compared with a year-ago loss of $1.47 billion that was the result of one-time charges. Although the company’s results beat analysts' estimates, it cut the high end of its fiscal 2012 earnings.

Revenue dropped 3% to $8.43 billion from $8.66 billion, but still beat Wall Street's estimate of $8.36 billion.

BENSALEM, Pa. — Charming Shoppes announced that it has launched Sonsi.com to give customers around the world online access to fashion brands Lane Bryant, Cacique, Catherines, Fashion Bug and Loop 18, as well as more than 300 brands.

WAYNE, N.J. — Toys“R”Us announced that it has once again teamed up with four-time NBA Champion, actor, philanthropist and entrepreneur Shaquille O’Neal to launch its eighth annual nationwide fundraising campaign to benefit the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation.

Philadelphia -- A report released Tuesday by Checkpoint Systems and the Centre for Retail Research found that global shrink has reached its highest level since it began measuring the data in 2007.

According to the Global Retail Theft Barometer, shrink is up 6.6% globally and up 6% in the United States over last year. Costs globally are $119 billion and the overall shrink rate is 1.45% of sales. Driving the increases are rises in shoplifting, employee fraud and organized retail crime rates.

Washington, D.C. -- A report released Tuesday by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates said that import cargo volume at the nation’s major retail container ports is expected to increase 2.6% in October over the same month last year and should reach its highest level of the year as retailers stock up for the holiday season.

TOPEKA, Kan. — Payless ShoeSource announced that it is inviting nonprofit organizations to join the retailer in its big holiday giving program, Payless Gives Shoes 4 Kids, where it will deliver more than $1.2 million of free shoes to children of families in need across the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico and in 11 Latin American and Caribbean countries this holiday season.  

NEW YORK — Wegmans Food Markets has opened its first location in Massachusetts, in the town of Northborough. The 138,000-sq.-ft. store, the largest supermarket in New England, has a warm, welcoming feel.