News

Camp Hill, Pa. — Rite Aid is working with Sharps Compliance to help customers dispose of unused medications, the retailer said Monday.

Customers can buy a Sharps Compliance medication-disposal envelope at a Rite Aid store for $3.99, place unused prescription or over-the-counter drugs inside and then send it via the U.S. Postal Service to the incinerator.

Target recently filed its annual report on form 10-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Here’s a look at some interesting facts and figures contained in the document:

• Target employed 355,000 “team members,” last year, a figure that swells to 400,000 during the holidays.

• The company operated 37 distribution centers, including four food distribution centers and maintains 27 international sourcing offices in 18 countries

Walker, Mich. -- Meijer announced Monday it will invest $75 million to remodel 10 stores in Michigan and Ohio.

Eight of the stores slated for renovation are in Michigan and two are in Ohio.

“We are pleased to reinforce our commitment to these communities,” said CEO Hank Meijer. “Our customers expect high standards from us, and our investment in these stores will ensure they continue to receive our best.”

SECAUCUS, N.J.  -- The Children's Place Retail Stores has announced the appointment of Michael Giannelli as SVP design, effective March 28, 2011. He will report to Natalie Levy, EVP merchandising and design.

Giannelli spent 18 years with Gap Inc., culminating in his appointment as VP Gap Body. For 12 years of his tenure with the company, he designed children's apparel and non-apparel for Gap Kids and Baby Gap. Most recently, Giannelli held the position of SVP design for Ann Taylor Loft. 

BENTON HARBOR, Mich. -- Whirlpool announced that it was awarded  the 2011 Energy Star Sustained Excellence award by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The award recognizes the company's leadership in offering consumers energy and water efficiency through its leading home appliance brands, Whirlpool reported. According to the company, Whirlpool was the only appliance manufacturer to receive the Sustained Excellence award, the highest possible Energy Star award. This is the company's 12th top Energy Star award and sixth consecutive Sustained Excellence win.

NEW YORK -- Macy’s announced Matthew Williamson as the second acclaimed fashion designer to take part in the designer capsule collection series for the retailer’s contemporary fashion Impulse department. Sold in approximately 225 Macy’s stores nationwide and on macys.com beginning April 13, Williamson’s collection will include dresses, tops, scarves and unique leather and suede pieces.

Price points for the collection will range from $50 to $120, with specialty pieces selling up to $300. 

PAWTUCKET, R.I. -- Hasbro announced that it has signed a strategic development agreement with Jagex Limited to jointly create a new online game based on the Transformers brand. Under the agreement, the two companies are slated to launch the Transformers online game in 2012 in North America, Latin America, Europe, New Zealand and Australia.

By Steve Cole, [email protected]

It doesn’t take much convincing to realize that we are in a Golden Age of the shopper. Retailers are no longer in charge of the information, pushing out what they want, when they want, to influence shoppers and win sales. Instead, shoppers today seek out the information themselves, much of it online, before they ever set foot in a store. In other words, they’re thinking for themselves. The horror!