News

Consumer Reports readers who shop at Target gave the company middle-of-the-road marks on service and its perishable offerings, but the company scored better on pricing and received the highest marks possible on cleanliness.

Target’s ability to replenish stores across a large swath of the central United States is poised to improve in the next two years as the company gains much needed new distribution capacity in Texas and Ohio.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Retired Kroger president and COO, Don McGeorge, has joined the board of directors of Acosta Sales & Marketing, a leading full-service sales and marketing agency in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry.

During his time at Kroger, McGeorge was responsible for all of the company’s supermarket divisions, advertising, customer relationship marketing, manufacturing, merchandising and procurement, pharmacy and retail operations until his retirement in 2009. 

Amazon wasn’t always a threat to Walmart, but as the only retailer grows and offers more of the same products as traditional mass retailers, it has become hard to ignore. This article from Businessweek examines how Amazon has influenced Walmart’s approach to online.

SALISBURY, N.C. — Food Lion has launched its Hunger Has a Cure Campaign to support Feeding America's network of local food banks. The two-week campaign, which allows customers to donate in $1 or $3 increments at the register, runs through April 17. Customers may also donate any other amount of their choice.

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Safeway has partnered with the Go Green Initiative, an organization that supports environmental stewardship among schools, families, governments and businesses, to launch the first annual Go Green Glogster Earth Day contest.

Walmart has joined Adidas, H&M and Levi’s a member of the Better Cotton Initiative’s Fast Track program to encourage the production and purchase of sustainable cotton. For its part, Walmart will give $650,000 in grant money to help cotton farmers become more efficient and eco-friendly in their production. Read more.

CHICAGO — Catherine Lindner, Walgreens VP retail marketing, has been named vice chair of the Network of Executive Women, the association announced Tuesday. Under the NEW's bylaws, Lindner will assume the post of board chair when the term of the current board chair — Walmart SVP home Michelle Gloeckler — expires in October 2012.

Members of various community groups are not making it easy for Walmart to build in the Chinatown neighborhood of Los Angeles. According to reports, several groups including the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance (APALA) which appealed Walmart's approved building permits, are working to appeal the process. Read more.

NEW YORK — Saks has named Michael Burgess as president of its direct business, effective May 7, 2012. Burgess will report to Denise Incandela, EVP and chief marketing officer for Saks Fifth Avenue and current president of Saks direct.