Content about Top Retailers

March 7, 2013

Kroger on Thursday reported total sales of $96.8 billion, up 7.1% as compared with the prior fiscal year.

CINCINNATI — Kroger on Thursday reported total sales of $96.8 billion, up 7.1% as compared with the prior fiscal year. After adjusting for the extra week in fiscal 2012, total sales increased to $94.8 billion or 4.9% compared with the prior fiscal year. Excluding fuel, total sales increased 6% over the same period last year. Further adjusting for the extra week, total sales excluding fuel increased 4%.

March 7, 2013

Meijer, NuVal sponsor weight-loss competition

A weight-loss competition sponsored by mass merchandise retailer Meijer and nutritional scoring company NuVal is enlisting 60,000 team members who will compete for $15,000 in prize money over three months.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A weight-loss competition sponsored by mass merchandise retailer Meijer and nutritional scoring company NuVal is enlisting 60,000 team members who will compete for $15,000 in prize money over three months.

March 7, 2013

MinuteClinic offers discounted physicals to Pop Warner athletes, dancers, cheerleaders

A nonprofit group that provides youth football, dance and cheerleading programs across the country has named MinuteClinic as its official sports physical provider, MinuteClinic said Thursday.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — A nonprofit group that provides youth football, dance and cheerleading programs across the country has named MinuteClinic as its official sports physical provider, MinuteClinic said Thursday.

MinuteClinic, part of CVS Caremark, said sports physicals are offered seven days a week with no appointment necessary at more than 625 CVS/pharmacy stores across the country, and the collaboration, with Pop Warner Little Scholars, is designed to offer parents convenient and affordable options to obtain required sports physicals for their children.

March 7, 2013

Rite Aid comps decrease 3.6% as same-store prescription count increases 0.3%

Rite Aid's same-store sales for February 2013 decreased by 3.6% over the previous year, including a 1.3% decrease in front-end same-store sales and a 4.7% decrease in pharmacy same-store sales, the retail pharmacy chain said.

CAMP HILL, Pa. — Rite Aid's same-store sales for February 2013 decreased by 3.6% over the previous year, including a 1.3% decrease in front-end same-store sales and a 4.7% decrease in pharmacy same-store sales, the retail pharmacy chain said Thursday.

Front-end comps attributable to flu-related OTC products were flat, while pharmacy comps included a negative effect of 695 basis points from new generic introductions. Same-store prescription count increased 0.3%, including a 0.1% decrease attributable to flu shots and prescription flu drugs.

March 7, 2013

Safeway provides glimpse of new wellness platform

Safeway offered a glimpse of its new wellness platform, slated to launch in the second quarter, to analysts during the chain's 2013 investor conference.

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Safeway on Wednesday offered a glimpse of its new wellness platform, slated to launch in the second quarter, to analysts during the chain's 2013 investor conference here. "Today, we're a supermarket company … selling wellness services and wellness products," Steve Burd, Safeway chairman and CEO, told analysts. Within 10 years, Safeway will transform into a wellness company that happens to sell food, Burd said.

March 7, 2013

Walgreens to build nation’s first net-zero energy retail store

Walgreens on Thursday announced plans to build what the company believes will be the nation’s first net-zero energy retail store, which engineers predict will produce energy equal to or greater than it consumes.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens on Thursday announced plans to build what the company believes will be the nation’s first net-zero energy retail store, which engineers predict will produce energy equal to or greater than it consumes.

March 6, 2013

Ahold chairman to step down

Rene Dahan will step down as Royal Ahold's board chairman in October, the Dutch supermarket operator said.

AMSTERDAM — Rene Dahan will step down as Royal Ahold's board chairman in October, the Dutch supermarket operator said Wednesday.

Netherlands-based Ahold — which operates the Stop & Shop, Giant-Landover and Giant-Carlisle chains and the Peapod online grocery service in the United States through its Ahold USA subsidiary — said that Dahan would step down after serving on the company's board since 2004. The company plans to propose at its shareholder meeting the appointment of Jan Hommen as Dahan's successor.

March 6, 2013

Costco backs minimum wage increase

Costco Wholesale is throwing its support behind a bill introduced in Congress to raise the federal minimum wage.

WASHINGTON — Club retailer Costco Wholesale is throwing its support behind a bill introduced in Congress Tuesday to raise the federal minimum wage.

March 6, 2013

CVS care-management services subsidiary wins URAC accreditation

Washington-based healthcare accrediting organization URAC has given a subsidiary of CVS Caremark case management accreditation, valid through March 1, 2016, CVS said.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — Washington-based healthcare accrediting organization URAC has given a subsidiary of CVS Caremark case management accreditation, valid through March 1, 2016, CVS said Wednesday.

CVS said Accordant Health Services met URAC's standards, which require companies to establish processes to assess, plan and implement case management interventions.

March 6, 2013

GNC launches Total Lean Challenge and Sweepstakes

Health and wellness products retailer GNC is sponsoring a 12-week effort to encourage consumers to transform eating and exercise habits for long-term weight management, the company said.

PITTSBURGH — Health and wellness products retailer GNC is sponsoring a 12-week effort to encourage consumers to transform eating and exercise habits for long-term weight management, the company said.

GNC Holdings, the retailer's parent company, announced the Total Lean Challenge and Sweepstakes, which offers a chance for consumers to win $25,000 in cash prizes, as well as serving as an introduction to the company's Lifestyle Diet approach to weight loss and a way to promote products like the Lean Shake and Total Lean Watertex.

March 6, 2013

Target, Fast Company sponsor mobile-development competition

Fast Company magazine and Target Corp. are sponsoring a competition to develop a new mobile experience for Target, with a grand prize of $75,000.

NEW YORK — Fast Company magazine and Target are sponsoring a competition to develop a new mobile experience for Target, with a grand prize of $75,000.

The Co.Labs and Target Retail Accelerator is a competition to create either a mobile app or a mobile-enabled website design for the retailer, taking places at the Fast Co. Grill in Austin, Texas, blocks away from the SXSW conference. Entries will be accepted between this Friday and April 30, and seven finalists will be selected in May and awarded $10,000 to develop their prototypes.

March 5, 2013

Abbott to launch Kidz ZonePerfect bars in April

Abbott on Monday introduced a new line of nutrition bars for active kids branded Kidz ZonePerfect.

ABBOTT PARK, Ill. — Abbott on Monday introduced a new line of nutrition bars for active kids branded Kidz ZonePerfect. The new bars are formulated with 5 g of protein, 23 vitamins and minerals, and 3 g of fiber.

March 5, 2013

Flu impact on February sales negligible, Walgreens reports

Walgreens' February sales fell short of analyst projections due to a sharper impact from generic drug introductions.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens' February sales fell short of analyst projections due to a sharper impact from generic drug introductions. Walgreens on Tuesday reported sales in total comparable stores decreased by 0.6% in February. Generic drug introductions negatively impacted total pharmacy comparable sales, which were flat, by 600 basis points, Walgreens reported.

March 5, 2013

L&R Distributors closes deal on Select Brand from Walgreens

L&R Distributors on Tuesday closed on the deal to acquire the assets of SAJ Distributors, along with the private label-line Select Brand from Walgreens.

NEW YORK — L&R Distributors on Tuesday closed on the deal to acquire the assets of SAJ Distributors, along with the private-label line Select Brand from Walgreens.

This transaction was announced originally in November 2012.

March 5, 2013

OutcomesMTM names top pharmacy-based MTM centers across the country

OutcomesMTM, a medication therapy management delivery system, on Tuesday recognized its top chain and independent pharmacies for 2012.

DES MOINES, Iowa — OutcomesMTM, a medication therapy management delivery system, on Tuesday recognized its top chain and independent pharmacies for 2012. Walgreens and Kerr Drug were named top large pharmacy chain and top regional pharmacy chain, respectively.

March 5, 2013

Reports: Meijer to eliminate double coupons at some Mich., Ind. stores

Meijer is ending double coupons at some of its stores in Michigan and Indiana, according to published reports.

NEW YORK — Meijer is ending double coupons at some of its stores in Michigan and Indiana, according to published reports.

A sign at a Meijer store in Jackson, Mich., shown in a photo posted on the bargain website bargainstobounty.com, read, "To keep our everyday prices low, we will no longer double coupons after 3/30/13. Enjoy even easier savings with digital coupons."

March 5, 2013

Sam's Club offers allergy screenings

Sam's Club will offer free allergy and health screenings at all of its stores that operate pharmacies, the club retailer said.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Sam's Club will offer free allergy and health screenings at all of its stores that operate pharmacies, the club retailer said.

The screenings will take place late Saturday morning and into the afternoon, and include up to $200 worth of tests, including allergy screenings for milk, eggs, pet dander, mold, dust mites, wheat, ragweed, mountain cedar, Bermuda grass and Timothy grass, as well as tests for blood pressure, body mass index and vision.

March 4, 2013

CVS Caremark commits $15M to preventive health screenings in multicultural communities

CVS/pharmacy will sponsor more than 750 Project Health events in more than 10 cities, offering free health screenings to multicultural communities, the retail pharmacy chain said.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS/pharmacy will sponsor more than 750 Project Health events in more than 10 cities, offering free health screenings to multicultural communities, the retail pharmacy chain said Monday.

Project Health, or Proyecto Salud in Spanish, will deliver more than $15 million worth of free health screenings in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Phiadelphia and Washington, as well as select CVS/pharmacy stores in Puerto Rico.

March 4, 2013

President Obama names Walmart exec to budget post

President Obama will nominate Walmart Foundation president Sylvia Mathews Burwell as director of the Office of Management and Budget on Monday, according to published reports.

WASHINGTON — President Obama will nominate Walmart Foundation president Sylvia Mathews Burwell as director of the Office of Management and Budget on Monday, according to published reports. Burwell will be nominated at a White House ceremony during the morning.

Obama announced his intent to appointment Burwell several months ago, but the nomination on Monday makes it official and paves the way for Senate confirmation hearings to begin.

March 4, 2013

Reports: Doctors to serve as medical directors for two N.Y. MinuteClinic locations

A hospital system on Long Island in New York state has a partnership with CVS' MinuteClinic, according to published reports.

NEW YORK — A hospital system on Long Island in New York state has a partnership with CVS' MinuteClinic, according to published reports.

March 4, 2013

Supervalu further solidifies new leadership team following AB Acquisition deal

Supervalu announced several changes to its executive and banner retail leadership teams, as it continues preparations to move forward with a focus on serving wholesale grocery operators, growing its hard discount format and running a smaller, more efficient retail operation following the close of its previously announced transaction with AB Acquisition (Albertson's LLC).

MINNEAPOLIS — Supervalu on Monday morning announced several changes to its executive and banner retail leadership teams, as it continues preparations to move forward with a focus on serving wholesale grocery operators, growing its hard discount format and running a smaller, more efficient retail operation following the close of its previously announced transaction with AB Acquisition (Albertson's LLC).

March 4, 2013

Target to soft-open first three Canadian stores

Target will open its first locations in Canada on Tuesday, the mass-merchandise retailer said.

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario — Target will open its first locations in Canada on Tuesday, the mass merchandise retailer said.

March 1, 2013

Bloomberg: Publix, Royal Ahold may both make bid for Harris Teeter

Publix may join Royal Ahold later this month in making a bid for the more than 200 Harris Teeter supermarkets, according to a report published Friday by Bloomberg, citing people with knowledge of the situation.

NEW YORK — Publix may join Royal Ahold later this month in making a bid for the more than 200 Harris Teeter supermarkets, according to a report published Friday by Bloomberg, citing people with knowledge of the situation.

Virginia and North Carolina would represent new markets for Publix if the Florida-based grocer acquired Harris Teeter. Publix has already marked North Carolina for expansion with plans to open two stores in the state in 2014.

March 1, 2013

Giant-Landover donates $10,000 to NCCF for Black History Month

Ahold USA banner Giant Food of Landover, Md., presented a check for $10,000 to the National Center for Children and Families at a Giant store in Washington, D.C., to mark Black History Month.

LANDOVER, Md. — Ahold USA banner Giant Food of Landover, Md., presented a check for $10,000 to the National Center for Children and Families at a Giant store in Washington, D.C., to mark Black History Month and the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech. NCCF executive director Sheryl Brissett Chapman, recently featured in Giant's Profiles in Excellence publication, accepted the donation.

March 1, 2013

Giant-Landover offers jobs to veterans, collects funding for USO during Military Appreciation Month

Supermarket chain Giant Food of Landover, Md., will focus on the employment of transitioning veterans and their family members as it designates March as its "Military Appreciation Month," the Ahold USA banner said last week.

LANDOVER, Md. — Supermarket chain Giant Food of Landover, Md., will focus on the employment of transitioning veterans and their family members as it designates March as its Military Appreciation Month, the Ahold USA banner said Friday.

Giant-Landover will work with the USO of Metropolitan Washington and USO Delaware for a third year, sponsoring an in-store giving campaign that will support programs from both across the Mid-Atlantic region.