U.S. consumer spending posts biggest gain since 2009 at Reuters. "Inflation pressures were benign in March. The personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index excluding the volatile food and energy components was unchanged after edging up 0.1 percent in February." Read more   Walmart Bets on TV Shows for Families, Date Night in Media Push by Lucas Shaw & Matthew Boyle at Bloomberg. "The retailer plans to bankroll at least a half-dozen original programs over the next year, and will unveil the first few to advertisers in New York this week, people familiar with the plans said. Walmart has talked [...]

  US economy grew at strong 3.2% rate in first quarter at AP News. "The advance in the gross domestic product...marks an acceleration from a 2.2% gain in the previous October-December period." Read more   Amazon to make one-day delivery the new standard for Prime by Kurt Schlosser at GeekWire. "The company plans to spend $800 million on the effort in Q2 and in the past month has expanded both its one-day eligible selection of goods and the number of zip codes eligible for one-day shipping." Read more   Amazon.com Announces First Quarter Sales up 17% to $59.7 Billion Press [...]

  UK regulator blocks Sainsbury’s merger with Walmart-owned Asda at Reuters. "(CEO) Coupe made unwanted headlines when he was caught on camera singing: “We’re in the money” shortly after the deal was announced last April. Analysts said questions will be raised over his future after it failed to win approval." Read more   Pier 1 Imports may be headed toward bankruptcy, S&P warns by Nathan Bomey at USA Today. "The negative outlook reflects that we do not see a path for Pier 1 to return to profitability in the coming six months to one year, even when factoring in the [...]

  Amazon, Walmart in online grocery pilot in NY involving food stamps by Jeff Daniels at CNBC. "The government’s pilot program will focus initially on the Empire State, before expanding to Alabama, Iowa, Maryland, Nebraska, New Jersey, Oregon and Washington in coming years, according to USDA." Read more   Walgreens, Rite Aid raise minimum age to buy tobacco to 21 at ABC News. Read more   Coming to store shelves: cameras that guess your age and sex by Joseph Pisani at AP. "Kroger...is testing cameras embedded in a price sign above shelves in two stores in the suburbs outside Cincinnati [...]

  Kohl’s is going to accept Amazon returns in all of its stores across the country, starting in July at CNBC. "...it will be accepting Amazon returns at all of its stores — more than 1,150 — across the country. This option is available at just 100 Kohl’s stores today." Read more   Google Spinoff’s Drone Delivery Business Gets FAA Approval by Alan Levin at Bloomberg. "Wing, now has the same certifications that smaller airlines receive from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Transportation. It plans to begin routine deliveries of small consumer items in two rural [...]

  Kroger Struggles With Online Grocery Upheaval by Heather Haddon at Wall Street Journal. "You are in Cincinnati. You are a conservative bunch of people,” said Bill Smead, chief executive of Smead Capital Management and a Kroger investor. “Does anyone’s blood pulse through their veins with an entrepreneurial bent?” WSJ subs.   Bed Bath & Beyond refreshes board, co-founders step down at Reuters. "Bed Bath & Beyond said it appointed five new independent members to its board, replacing some directors including co-founders Warren Eisenberg and Leonard Feinstein, after facing pressure from a trio of activist investors..." Read more   Stop [...]

  U.S. retail sales increased by the most in 1-1/2 years in March at Reuters. "The Commerce Department said retail sales surged 1.6 percent last month...Economists polled by Reuters had forecast retail sales would accelerate 0.9 percent in March. Retail sales in March advanced 3.6 percent from a year ago." Read more   ...Canadian retail sales jump 0.8 per cent in February - the first increase since October at Globe & Mail. Read more   Amazon.com plans to close its domestic marketplace in China by mid-July at Reuters. "Consumer insights firm iResearch Global said Alibaba Group Holding Ltd’s Tmall marketplace [...]

  Walmart announces partnership with Kidbox - a clothing subscription box company for kids at AP News. "Walmart customers will get access to more than 120 premium children’s brands. The style box will include about five fashion items for $48, about 50% off the suggested retail price of the bundled items." Read more   Chicago's Midway Airport is becoming more like a mall. And there's more to come. by Lauren Zumbach at Chicago Tribune. "Retailers that do well in airports tend to be those addressing needs the Internet can’t fill, like a gadget store where a traveler can replace a [...]