News

CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa. — Ikea demonstrated the retail industry's commitment to the environment and sustainability by taking part in Climate Week, which is taking place in New York City this week. Ikea U.S. president Mike Ward was part of a 6-person sustainability panel held at 7 World Trade Center on Sept 19. Others on the panel included NYC mayor Michael Bloomberg and former British prime minister Tony Blair.

NEW YORK — RadioShack, which already offers the Amazon Kindle, has expanded its e-reader offerings with the addition of the Nook from Barnes & Noble. The company announced Wednesday that it will offer Barnes & Noble's Nook e-reading devices and related accessories to more than 3,000 RadioShack stores nationwide and online at radioshack.com, beginning Oct. 3. 

NEW YORK — Walmart took the next step in its goal to help build women's economic empowerment by announcing the launch of a dedicated page on Walmart.com that will feature an assortment of products created by women in nearly two dozen countries, including women who work in cooperatives and own small businesses. The site, which the company expects to be available in spring 2012, will feature such products as jewelry from Guatemala, Thailand and Ethiopia; coffee from Central and South America; and dresses from Kenya.

September may seem a bit early to put out a holiday toy list, considering most consumers just finished spending for back-to-school and still have Halloween to think about, but garnering media attention is important. Many retailers who have a hand in toy retailing will put out some sort of toy list, and Walmart is among them. However if it continues the trend of last year, Walmart won't release its list until early November, which is more in line with when consumers begin thinking about holiday shopping.

CHICAGO — Walgreens is looking to roll out solar installations at its Ohio-area stores, thanks to a new partnership with a Chicago-based solar developer.

The retailer said that it selected SoCore Energy to provide 90 solar installations for the Ohio-based stores. The partnership began earlier this month with the construction of 20 solar installations at Walgreens stores in Cincinnati. Walgreens and SoCore Energy said that the first 53 solar installations is slated to be completed by Nov. 11.

COSTA MESA, Calif. — Anna’s Linens has partnered with television personality and home designer Domenica Brazzi for a bedding and accessories collection launching simultaneously in all 285 Anna’s Linens stores and online at the end of September. 

Former Walmart chief information officer and current HP executive Linda Dillman was among a group of 10 executives honored earlier this week as the inaugural class diversity difference-makers was inducted into the Network of Executive Women CPG Retail Diversity Hall of Fame. The inductees received the William J. Grize Award named after the late president and CEO of Ahold USA whose early support of NEW is credited with jumpstarting the organization, which now includes nearly 5,000 members and 400 companies. Grize died in January 2010 at the age of 63 after a short illness.

CHICAGO — In the wake of several surveys projecting how shoppers will spend this holiday season, the latest study from ShopperTrak expects national retail sales to increase 3% during November and December, while foot traffic will drop 2.2%.

ShopperTrak said its 3% holiday sales increase prediction follows 19 consecutive months of year-over-year U.S. retail sales growth, adding that the expected increase is moderate when compared with the 2010 holiday season's 4.1% sales increase over 2009.

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — Gap Inc. announced that its Personal Advancement and Career Enhancement program was recognized by former President Bill Clinton at the Clinton Global Initiative, held in New York City.  Bob Fisher, son of Gap Inc. founders Doris and Don Fisher and a Gap Inc. board member, accepted the honor on behalf of the company.

The Network of Executive Women held its 10th annual leadership summit earlier this week in Orlando, and Walmart’s International CFO Cathy Smith was listed as a featured speaker. Nothing unusual about that, but what made Smith’s appearance unique is that rather than read a canned speech written by someone else, she engaged in a candid conversation with Jan Hill, founder of Hill Enterprises.