RECENT discussions
Discussions
Commentary and Discussion From the Retail Community
End of the Smaller Conventional Supermarket Format Projected
Food manufacturers and retailers face substantial consolidation and internationalization over the next five years as they innovate with brands and retail formats to satisfy changing consumer habits and demands. Is…
P&G Starts Using Transora Data Catalog
For the first time, Proctor & Gamble has published product data to an industry-wide data catalog being created by e-marketplace Transora. What do you expect the exchange landscape to…
R.J. Reynolds Fights ‘Tax Profiling’ of Smokers
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, 44 states are facing a budget shortfall, and 19 of those are considering raising cigarette taxes – ranging from 10 to 61…
Commercials Don’t Add to Liquor Use, Says Study
Critics may be surprised to learn that ads for distilled liquors such as scotch, gin, rum and vodka, on U.S. TV won’t affect people’s alcohol consumption, according to Electronic Media…
Jury Still out on Genetically Enhanced Foods
Despite years of debate, Americans can’t decide if genetically altered foods help or hurt. How should grocers respond to consumers
who voice concerns or raise questions about genetically modified foods?…
Food Store Sales Perk Up in January
Both total food and beverage store sales and
grocery store sales in January were up five percent from January 2001. At-home food price inflation in 2001 was the highest in…
Seven Steps Cement Gap Between Brick and Click
The Yankee Group’s Paul Ritter recommends that companies keep close tabs on marketing to make sure offline advertising and branding are consistent with their online messages. What retailers are doing…
Store Brands Pump Up Retailers’ Margins
To boost margins, supermarkets, drug stores, and mass merchandisers are filling as much as 40 percent of available shelf space with private-label or store brands, according to KPMG’s Kathleen Kiley…
Monsanto’s Biotech Traits Get Nod for Increased Acreage
Monsanto Company’s agricultural biotechnology traits experience regulatory approvals, renewals, and increased acreage in 2001. Is there a growing acceptance of biotechnology-enhanced foods by consumers?
Kmart Seeks Court Order to Sell Alcohol
Kmart Corp. is seeking an emergency order from a bankruptcy judge so it can pay select companies that supply its stores with alcohol. What are the most contentious issues in…
P&G Test Patch to Restore Female Libido
P&G Pharmaceuticals will invest several hundred million dollars developing a testosterone patch, called Intrinsa, that could restore the sex drive in post-menopausal women. From where is competition for Intrinsa most…
SuperAmerica Slapped for Cigarette Sales to Minors
SuperAmerica convenience store must pay a $10,000 fine for selling cigarettes to minors
five times in two years, and will not be allowed to sell any tobacco products for one…
Target Claims Race Bias Class-Action Suit Doesn’t Fit
Target Corp. defends itself to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), which filed a lawsuit citing allegations that Target discriminated against African-American applicants seeking management jobs in Wisconsin. What…
DEA Stalled Taking Hemp Foods off the Shelf
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) told the U.S. Court of Appeals for the
Ninth Circuit that the “grace period” for hemp food products that contain “any
THC” will be extended…
PETA Recognizes Schools Supporting Vegetarians and Vegans
A list compiled by the campaigning group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
(PETA) has put two New England schools among the top ten schools in the U.S. for…
First Psychedelic Ketchup, Now Its “Funky Fries”
Beginning in May, H.J. Heinz Co., Pittsburgh will ship a new line of Ore-Ida frozen
potato products called “Funky Fries.” Food marketers are targeting the sweet tooth of today’s
…
Prunes Help Suppress Growth of Major Food-Borne Pathogens in Meat
According to Kansas State University and Texas A&M, dried plums possess anti-microbial properties that not only help make meat products safer, naturally, but also increase their yield and protect them…
New Milk Pouches Reduce Waste in Schools
College Place and three other schools in Washington state’s Edmonds School District have replaced milk cartons with milk in plastic pouches, as Eastern Washington state and some other states have…
Retail Advisory Board to Help Steer Natural Products Expos
Boulder, Colo.-based New Hope Natural Media has formed a 20-member advisory board including executives from mainstream Bashas, Kroger, Lowes and Roundy’s to provide guidance to the industry’s two leading annual…
Publix Aims to Drive Sales Inside the Supermarket with Loyalty Program
Publix Super Markets’ new Pix convenience stores have added a loyalty program tying sales at Publix supermarkets to gas prices at its two Polk-county Pix stores. Will the Publix/Pix program…
Killer Obesity Slays 300,000 a Year in the U.S. and 30,000 in England
Obesity causes at least 300,000 excess deaths in the U.S. and associated health-care costs with obese adults amounts to about $100 billion. What type of impact are obesity and…
