Lawmakers call on U.S. regulator to thwart Kroger-Albertsons deal at Reuters. “Senators Elizabeth Warren, Mazie Hirono, Bernie Sanders and Cory Booker and representatives Summer Lee and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said in the letter that Kroger’s proposal to divest 413 stores to C&S Wholesale Grocers would not address harms to consumers, workers, and the grocery industry if the merger is allowed.” Read more

 

Inflation slowed to a 3.1% annual rate in November at CNBC. “Excluding volatile food and energy prices, core CPI increased 0.3% on the month and 4% from a year ago. Both numbers were in line with estimates and little changed from October.” Read more

 

Pharmacies share medical data with police without a warrant, inquiry finds at Washington Post. “…CVS Health, Kroger and Rite Aid, with a combined 60,000 locations nationwide — said they allow pharmacy staff members to hand over customers’ medical records in the store…Pharmacies’ records hold some of the most intimate details of their customers’ personal lives, including years-old medical conditions and the prescriptions they take for mental health and birth control.” Read more

 

CANADA – All grocers need to sign code of conduct if it is to succeed, Metro CEO tells MPs at Financial Post. “(Metro CEO) La Flèche told MPs at a House of Commons agriculture committee meeting on stabilizing food prices that Metro is willing to sign the code of conduct as it’s currently drafted. Last week, executives from Walmart Canada and Loblaw Cos. Ltd. told the committee that they can’t sign the code in its current form because they’re concerned the code will raise prices for consumers.” Read more

 

Dollar stores are killing some supermarkets. Could co-ops help cities fight back? at Fast Company. “The new store, called Goodness Gracious Grocery…is still in the early stages of launching: signing up members, fundraising, and creating a board…“It takes an average co-op about 6 to 10 years to come online,” Loftlin says. “When I found that out, I was crestfallen because we can’t wait. We cannot wait.” Read more

 

Casey’s Q2 inside same-store sales increased 2.9% Press release

 

Walmart CEO Doug McMillon speaks to University of Arkansas students at Talk Business. “There were 16 teams this semester in the McMillon Innovation Studio, which is outside of their classes…student teams worked on two projects for Sam’s Club and one for Walmart that focused on sustainability utilizing surplus cowhides…One of the Sam’s Club teams worked on an app to help the retailer reap the financial benefits from local events that bring outsiders to town.” Read more

 

‘I lost my money’ Scammers cashing in Meijer mPerks points at ABC 13 

 

Whole Foods CEO Interview at Progressive Grocer. “He just came right in, from the airport, I think, so casual,” the (Whole Foods) employee replied. “Just a down-to-earth, really good guy…Buechel’s leadership style — humble, open, leaning in — is part of what makes him the ideal person to take Whole Foods into its next evolution. He showcases the other facets of his authentic style…in an exclusive interview with PG…” Read more

 

Zulily holds ‘going-out-of-business sale’ at KIRO 7

 

…Zulily sues Amazon at GeekWire. “The suit…says Amazon’s specific campaign against Zulily began around 2019, when Zulily started displaying Amazon’s prices next to its own to show shoppers than its prices were lower. “But rather than compete on the merits, Amazon set out to ‘destroy’ Zulily instead, by coercing third-party retailers and wholesale suppliers to agree to ‘price parity,’ i.e., to artificially raise Zulily prices at or above Amazon’s, and to punish any sellers who cheated,” the Zulily suit says.” Read more

 

Hasbro laying off 1,100 employees at CNN

 

Macy’s Billion-Dollar Question: What’s More Valuable, Real Estate or the Business? at WSJ. “Neil Saunders, a managing director with research firm GlobalData, estimates that the real estate that Macy’s owns is worth about $6 billion, more than its market capitalization as of Friday of about $4.8 billion.” WSJ subs. 

 

Best Buy asks to lower HQ tax assessment by millions at KARE 11. “School District Superintendent Steven Unowski said…he would only sign off if he believed taxpayers were protected…He wants Best Buy to commit to a $150,000 payment to Richfield Schools to cover the burden.” Read more

 

A deadly delivery highlights ‘falsified’ heat records at USPS at Politico

 

The American Store Is Shrinking at WSJ. “Retailers signed leases averaging 3,200 square feet during the first three quarters of 2023, the smallest size since data firm CoStar Group began tracking this metric in 2006.” WSJ subs.

 

Fraudsters Bribed Amazon Employees in Refund Abuse Scheme at EcommerceBytes. “According to the complaint: “REKK uses sophisticated methods to obtain the refund, including socially engineering Amazon customer service, phishing Amazon employees, manipulating Amazon’s systems through unauthorized access, and bribing Amazon insiders to grant refunds.” Read more