News

Ahold/Delhaize deal done to create 6,500 unit grocer
The combination of Royal Ahold and Delhaize Groupe creates a new super-regional chain along the Eastern Seaboard that will serve 50 million customers weekly and generate annual sales of more than $60 billion.

The merger announcement was highly anticipated following months of speculation followed by confirmation of talks between the companies. Now that the merger agreement has been reached, Ahold and Delhaize said they expect the deal to close by mid-2016.
Ikea boosting minimum wage for employees
A year after it first announced a major minimum wage hike in its U.S. stores, Ikea said Wednesday that it plans to implement another nationwide raise to its wage floor next year, bringing the average store's starting pay to nearly $12 per hour.

NRF details retailers' $44B problem

Retailers are losing billions of dollars to shoplifting, employee/vendor theft and administrative error, according to the National Retail Federation.
True Value growing in the Caribbean

True Value Company is expanding its presence in Puerto Rico, part of a long-term strategy to boost its global presence.
Jennifer Garner collection debuts at Jo-Ann

Shoppers looking for creative projects to do with their kids this summer will love a new collection from actress Jennifer Garner at Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores.

The leading fabric and craft specialty retailer has launched We Made It by Jennifer Garner, a new line of creative kits for active kids, available only at Jo-Ann stores and Joann.com.
Study: Shoppers leaving national brands behind

National food, beverage and household brands continue to lose their place in Americans’ shopping carts, according to a new survey.

Deloitte’s annual American Pantry Study of more than 354 brands across 34 product categories found that nearly three in four (73%) of consumer packaged goods categories show an overall decline in their status as “must have” brands.
Catalina launches personalized circular deals

Digital media company Catalina is launching a new solution that personalizes the deals found in weekly retail ad circulars.

The program, called My Favorite Deals, is designed to increase ROI in a major area of marketing spend for U.S. retailers.
NYC: Whole Foods rotten in the Big Apple

An investigation of Whole Foods Market stores in New York City has found systemic overcharging of its customers for prepackaged food, according to government officials.
No wonder Ahold and Delhaize merged

Walmart Neighborhood Markets offer a compelling source of new sales growth for the company, Moody’s says in a new report.

Despite strategic shifts to compete more successfully with the company, traditional supermarkets will feel the pressure as Walmart moves to increase its already dominant share of the U.S. grocery segment.
Instacart now delivering from Asian supermarkets

Shoppers in need of same-day delivery of Thai oyster sauce or Indonesian soy sauce may not have to leave their homes to buy the ingredients if Instacart has any say about it.

The online grocery delivery service based in San Francisco announced Wednesday that it would begin delivering to Boston and Cambridge residents from H Mart, one of the largest and fastest growing Asian grocery chains in the United States.
Survey: Most retail returns are preventable

Much of the retail industry’s annual costs in returns can be prevented, according to a new survey.
Amazon makes Echo AI voice device widely available

Seattle – Amazon.com is releasing its Echo voice-activated artificial intelligence device for general availability in July, and taking consumer orders now. Echo was made available on an invitation basis to customers who wanted to help shape the device in November 2014.