News

Deerfield, Ill. – The Walgreens Co. is reportedly considering making a purchase offer for U.K.-based drugstore chain Alliance Boots. Walgreens, which owns 45% of the company, has an option to purchase the remaining 55% between February and August 2015, but according to The Telegraph may try to make an offer even sooner.

Toronto - Sears Canada Inc. has entered into an agreement for the sale of its 15% minority ownership interest in the Centre commercial Les Rivières shopping centre in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, for $33.5 million. Ivanhoé Cambridge, who holds the center in a joint arrangement with Sears Canada, is purchasing the 15% interest that it does not already own from Sears.

Boca Raton, Fla. - Office Depot and OfficeMax are now offering a single, combined insert in Sunday newspapers representing products and services being offered at both brands’ retail stores. The move marks the first advertisement where Office Depot and OfficeMax customers will see the two national brands together as one.

The insert also features tips on additional ways customers can shop via website, mobile app or via phone.

London - Sainsbury’s has selected Quantum Retail Technology to provide software and services to help optimize its fashion and general merchandise inventory through improved allocation and replenishment functionality.  

When industry experts talk about retailers connecting with today’s mobile consumer, they are generally referring to customers who always travel with smartphones and tablets. But there is another type of “mobile” consumer touchpoint retailers should be targeting, and that is the automobile.

Office Depot has integrated its Office Depot and OfficeMax brands by launching on Sunday a single, combined insert offering savings on products and services being offered at both retail banners.

The move marks the first advertisement where Office Depot and OfficeMax customers will see the two national brands together as one.

L’Oréal Paris is bringing the personalized service of a department store to the mass market with its latest in beauty digital innovation — “Makeup Genius.”

Based on the insight that beauty is one of the most “Googled” topics in the world — with about 4 billion searches a year — the group’s innovation incubator decided to respond to the needs expressed by consumers by offering greater customization and interaction with their brand.

Whole Foods has earned the top spot in Greenpeace’s annual seafood sustainability ranking of U.S. supermarkets, claiming both the highest overall score and the strongest sustainable seafood policy. Whole Foods Market has been ranked first for the last two years in a row for the fourth time since 2008.

Target has appointed Peter Glusker as SVP, new business integration and operations. Glusker will lead the integration of new acquisitions and comes onboard just two weeks after the company terminated chairman and CEO Gregg Steinhafel.

Newell Rubbermaid has opened a state-of-the-art design center in Kalamazoo, Mich., joining a growing list of design-driven companies that recognize design and innovation as a competitive advantage.