Sharpie-maker Newell moves more operations from China as tariffs loom at Reuters. “Newell Brands, is moving production of kitchen appliances out of China and has relocated manufacturing for its writing business to Tennessee as it faces “uncertainty” on tariffs ahead of the U.S. presidential election, Newell CEO Chris Peterson said in an interview with Reuters.” Read more

 

Drugstores tinker with new looks as their usual way of doing business faces challenges at AP News. “Walgreens spokesman Jim Cohn said shopper preferences are shifting, and the company aims “to meet them where, when and how they want to shop.”…At one of these locations in Indianapolis, only four short aisles separate the front door and the pharmacy counter in the back. Healthy snacks, vitamins, first aid supplies, and the usual mix of antacids and Advil fill its shelves.” Read more

 

Is Amazon Turning Into Temu? A race to the ultracheap brandless bottom at New York Intelligencer. “Take this dress from CUPSHE, listed on Amazon at $47.99…On Temu, where it also ships for free from a “local” (read domestic) warehouse, it’s listed as “Womens Casual Boho Lace Hem Floral V Neck Long Beach Dress Cocktail Party Maxi Wedding Dress” and costs just $16.49. On TikTok Shop, it’s on Flash Sale with free shipping for $27 dollars. On AliExpress, it’s available at lots of prices from different sellers, for $9.90 with $9.60 shipping, or, on promotion, shipped free with an alleged 85.2 percent chance of arriving within 14 days for $8.66.” Read more

 

…‘I’m really desperate now’: Temu sellers revolt against fines and withheld pay at WSIL TV. “According to videos taken by a protester on Monday and seen by CNN, gathered to chant slogans demanding their money. Dozens of them managed to get into the office and staged a sit-in…Two suppliers…separately told CNN that they were there to complain about what they called “disproportionately high” fines charged by Temu for poor customer service.” Read more

 

Retailers Locked Up Their Products—and Broke Shopping in America at Bloomberg. “…it’s become routine to discover entire aisles transformed into untouchable product galleries armored in plexiglass. The whole thing has a whiff of pawnshop, which might actually be unfair to pawnshops. They, at least, have someone ready and waiting to take things out of lockup.” Read more

 

Walmart-owned Flipkart blitzes into India’s 10-minute quick commerce battle at TechCrunch. “Flipkart has started to roll out Flipkart Minutes, its quick commerce service, in parts of Bengaluru. The new service offers customers the ability to have a wide range of items, from grocery to smartphones, delivered to them within 10 to 15 minutes.” Read more

 

Global retailer Daiso announces three new locations in US at Yahoo Finance. “…two in California and one in Texas. California’s Westminster Centre will gain a new Daiso store covering 5,200ft², while the Mid Valley Marketplace in Van Nuys will see the opening of a 6,318ft² location. Both California stores will offer Japanese-inspired home decor, stationery and food items.” Read more

 

Numerator: Walmart captured 21.4% of grocery dollar share during past 12 months – up from 20.8% in the year-ago period at Chain Store Age

 

Big Lots closing nearly 300 stores nationwide at Columbus Dispatch. “…73 in California, 21 in Arizona and 18 in Washington….Florida…with 25.” Read more

 

Walmart’s grocery supply chain continues to evolve at Talk Business. “…high-tech distribution centers can store double the number of cases and process more than twice the volume of a traditional perishable facility, more than doubling the number of cases processed per hour,” Guggina said.” Read more

 

H-E-B begins testing Apple Pay at Chron. “We are launching a one-store pilot program to test digital tap-to-pay systems, starting at our Lovers Lane Central Market in Dallas,” Jackson told Chron. “While we hope to offer these tap-to-pay services at more stores in the future, however, there is no timeframe to expand this service beyond the one pilot location.” Read more

 

Walgreens & Instacart Collaborate to Accept SNAP/EBT Online Nationwide Press release

 

Fred Segal, Iconic Staple of L.A.’s Fashion Scene, Shutters Its Last Two Stores at Hollywood Reporter. “We are going to be looking for a new operator to open up more stores in the future,” Russ told the L.A. Times. Added Lotman: “Hopefully someone may pick it back up and get it to go. It is truly one of the great fashion brands out there.” Read more

 

50 Winn-Dixie stores will be transitioned to Aldi stores during the second half of 2024 at Supermarket News

 

Cocoa Puffs contain lead, lawsuit claims at Legal Newsline

 

Drinking Too Much Water Can Actually Be Dangerous at WSJ. “Drinking too much water essentially makes it difficult for the body to keep up healthy levels of sodium, an electrolyte that helps balance the fluid in cells. A person’s kidneys can typically manage about one liter of water per hour, said Thunder Jalili, a professor of nutrition and integrative physiology at the University of Utah.” WSJ subs.

 

How a $26 burger becomes $41 at California restaurants at Daily Mail/MSN. “At the Black Cat, a jazz bar and lounge in the Tenderloin district, bosses there add a 20 percent service charge ‘to ensure a living wage’ and a 10 percent ‘SF safety and benefit charge’ to its bills – on top of the 8.63 percent sales tax. It is made clear the service charge is not a tip…” Read more

 

Visitors make up 49% of Bentonville restaurant sales at Talk Business. “Top visitor markets outside of Northwest Arkansas include Little Rock, Springfield, Mo., Dallas, Tulsa, Kansas City, Mo., Oklahoma City,  Joplin, Mo., Houston, and St. Louis…One of the advocacy items from the report is to target visitors from Dallas. Visitors from that metro have the highest average spend per visitor…” Read more