South Korea will Police ‘Shrinkflation’ at the Supermarket at WSJ. “Starting next year, the country will require companies to disclose on their packages and websites when grocery items drop in volume, but not price. To ensure firms comply, South Korea is establishing a dedicated price-investigation team to monitor any fluctuations. Officials are considering levying fines, too.” WSJ subs.

 

Ikea says products will be delayed due to Red Sea diversions at CNBC

 

Walgreens’s Ambitions Lean on Its Technology. First, It Has to Build Up Its IT Department. at WSJ. “Walgreens Boots Alliance is on its third chief information officer in a little over a year…an internal shake-up within the IT department, including contractor cuts, disruption in work processes, low morale among employees and the exit of key managers over the past year, poses a challenge to the department seen as central to the company’s strategy, according to interviews with current and former staff.” WSJ subs. 

 

Walgreens CMO Departs at Ad Age. “Walgreens has parted ways with its chief marketing officer just a year and a half after her high-profile hire in 2022. Linh Peters, who started as senior VP and CMO…in May of last year, is no longer with Walgreens, a spokesperson confirmed to Ad Age today. The role “was impacted as part of recent layoffs,” the spokesperson said.” Ad Age subs.

 

CANADA BREAD BATTLE: Metro accuses Loblaw of falsely implicating it in bread price-fixing scheme at Financial Post. “Metro has suffered, and continues to suffer, significant and unjustifiable damage to its reputation, having been falsely painted as involved in a criminal price-fixing conspiracy when it was not,” the retailer said…Loblaw spokeswoman Catherine Thomas said in an email that the allegations by Metro are “simply ridiculous and utterly untrue…” Read more

 

DALLAS: Joe V’s Smart Shop by H-E-B holds groundbreaking for first store outside of Houston area “…an innovative price format that offers the highest quality, freshest products at the lowest prices in the marketplace.” Press release

 

AI is giving Santa a boost this holiday season at CNBC. “We are still in early days,” (Garf) said. “Retailers are testing and learning, and it’s only a leading indicator of what to come.” Even as companies hype AI’s potential and investors bet heavily on its future, its limits and risks have come to the forefront as more businesses adopt it.” Read more

 

Only 22% of Gen Z respondents find Jeff Bezos trustworthy at Business Insider/Yahoo

 

Is that Justin Trudeau buying batteries in Canadian Tire? at Toronto Star. “I love to go to Canadian Tire,” Trudeau told DiMonte. “I don’t go every Saturday morning, but I will go there, ball cap on, and I’ll just wander around.” In one of his recent trips, he said, he bought new winter sleds for his children and some double-A batteries.” Read more

 

Bezos taps Amazon vet to speed up space company Blue Origin at Reuters. “Top priorities for Dave Limp, who led Amazon’s lucrative devices unit, include accelerating development of Blue Origin’s long-delayed New Glenn rocket and production of its powerful BE-4 engine, according to two employees who attended the new CEO’s company-wide meeting this month.” Read more

 

Wendy Arlin (Ex-CFO Bath & Body Works) Appointed to Kohl’s Board of Directors Press release

 

The Lobbyists Scouring Small Towns to Help You Find the Perfect ‘Made in America’ Gift at WSJ. “The digital catalog now goes to 300,000 people, and the alliance staff hunts year-round for gifts from companies in all 50 U.S. states, plus D.C. and Puerto Rico. A challenge is avoiding repeats from states with small populations or limited manufacturing. Brotherton-Bunch says Wyoming and the Dakotas are among the toughest.” WSJ subs.

 

KC: 20 USPS employees under investigation after Amazon packages missing at Fox 4 KC. “The source provided FOX4 with photos and video of dozen of empty Amazon boxes stashed in postal bins and garbage containers at the post office. According to our source, the empty boxes all contained items that were being returned to Amazon. Instead of returning them, our source said, postal employees are being investigated for taking the items and dumping the boxes.” Video/Read more

 

Local Home Depot employee spreads “good vibes” to customers at KOLO 8 ABC. “I have little kids that call me Uncle Jerry, and it’s just good man,” added Trotter. “I don’t know how to explain it. It’s just a good vibe all around and I’m so proud to be here and I’m happy.” Video/Read more

 

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