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Washington, Arizona, Colorado, California, and Oregon would see the biggest number of stores flipped to C&S.. Kroger and Albertsons have released a list of hundreds of stores that would be divested to C&S Wholesale Grocers if federal regulators approve its proposed $24.6 billion merger deal, and the states with the largest numbers include Washington, Arizona, and Colorado. Under the proposal, Kroger and Albertsons would divest stores in Washington (124), Arizona (101), Colorado (91), California (63), Oregon (62), Illinois (35), Texas (28), Nevada (16), and Alaska (18). Several states would see 10 or fewer stores divested, including: Idaho (10), New Mexico...

Grocery store prices are changing faster than ever before — literally. This month, Walmart became the latest retailer to announce it’s replacing the price stickers in its aisles with electronic shelf labels. The new labels allow employees to change prices as often as every ten seconds.“If it’s hot outside, we can raise the price of water and ice cream. If there's something that’s close to the expiration date, we can lower the price — that’s the good news,” said Phil Lempert, a grocery industry analyst. Apps like Uber already use surge pricing, in which higher demand leads to higher prices...

Target plans to crack down on retail theft by lowering the threshold for how much shoplifters can swipe before employees are allowed to finally step in, according to a report. The Minnesota-based big box retail chain — which has blamed retail theft for hurting its bottom line — instructed store staff to halt bandits who try to flee with items totaling $50, down from the previous sum of $100, Bloomberg News reported Thursday.

Target will no longer be accepting personal checks as a form of payment at its stores beginning later this month, the company confirmed.The Minnesota-based big-box retail chain will stop taking checks this month due to “extremely low volumes,” of such payments, a spokesperson told NBC Chicago.The company has taken “several measures” to notify customers in advance, the spokesperson added.The change will go into effect on July 15 following the end of Target’s popular Circle Week sales event.While personal checks will no longer be accepted, the store will still take cash, credit and debit cards, Target Circle Cards, digital wallets, SNAP/EBT...

Saks Fifth Avenue parent HBC said on Thursday it will acquire Neiman Marcus Group in a $2.65 billion deal combining the storied retailers. The combination will establish Saks Global, which will include Saks Fifth Avenue, Saks OFF 5TH, Neiman Marcus’ namesake department store chain and Bergdorf Goodman. “We’re thrilled to take this step in bringing together these iconic luxury names,” HBC CEO Richard Baker. said in a statement. “For years, many in the industry have anticipated this transaction and the benefits it would drive for customers, partners and employees.” “This is an exciting time in luxury retail,” Baker added, citing...

Lego’s fanbase, which famously cuts across kids, teenagers and grownup collectors, is seeing some unsavory characters break into the mix, and for all the wrong reasons. Lego products, especially the pricier sets that range from over $100 to $1,000 or more, are being targeted for theft both by individual shoplifters and larger organized retail crime rings who make a beeline for sets sitting on store shelves because they can fetch a good profit at resale both in legal and illegal channels. Miguel Zuniga, who operates a Bricks & Minifigs Lego resale franchise store in Lumita, Los Angeles County, is still...

On a conference call with industry analysts on Thursday, Walgreens CEO Tim Wentworth announced the company’s intention to eliminate a significant portion of its U.S. stores over the next three years. While describing a quarter of the 8,500 stores as “underperforming,” Wentworth announced that the company would close a “significant portion” of these locations. However, according to Wentworth, the precise number of closures is still undecided. Wentworth also stated that Walgreens will implement certain modifications at the remaining underperforming locations in an effort to bring them back to life. If that doesn’t work, then “we will continue to consider closure...

NEW YORK (AP) — Consumers barely increased spending in May from April as still high inflation and high interest rates curbed spending. Retail sales rose 0.1% in May, below the pace that economists projected, according to the Commerce Department. And April sales were revised downward — a 0.2% decline, from unchanged. Sales rose 0.6% in March and 0.9% in February. That comes after sales fell 1.1% in January, dragged down in part by inclement weather. Excluding gas prices and auto sales, retail sales rose the same amount. Excluding sales from gasoline, whose prices have been falling, sales were up 0.3%....

California's Democratic leadership, backed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, wants to keep the tough-on-crime measure off the November ballot. They worry the ballot measure's proposal would disproportionately criminalize low-income people and those with substance use issues rather than target ringleaders who hire large groups of people to steal goods for them to resell online. If voters approve the tough-on-crime ballot initiative, Democratic leaders plan to void most measures in their own legislative package, citing potential conflicts. Lawmakers were short on details about how the two paths conflict earlier this week. Later, they said they fear if both efforts succeed, law enforcement...

Retail stores are being shut down at a staggering rate all over the country. If we stay on the pace that we are on, the total number of stores closed in 2024 will be nearly 40 percent higher than the total number of stores closed in 2023. That is what you call a crisis! Meanwhile, banks are shuttering hundreds of branches from coast to coast, and a “restaurant apocalypse” is sweeping across the nation. Everywhere around us, “space available” signs are going up on buildings that were once considered to be prime commercial real estate. If someone tries to convince...

A shopping trip for customers at Tanger Outlets Nashville went wrong after a group of robbers broke into a perfume store. A TikTok user (@ptodropout) posted a video obtained by WSMV4 of four individuals robbing Perfumania at the Antioch outlets on June 2. One security guard and multiple shoppers held the door shut while the incident was taking place and trapped the thieves inside while they waited for police. But the robbers were able to escape by smashing their way through a back door before the cops could arrive. Preston, the TikToker's son and one of the witnesses, told WSMV4...

One of the best-known grocery chains in the Northeast announced it's closing an unspecified amount of stores. Yet another business with ties to New York is closing multiple locations. The news follows what can only be described as a landslide of abrupt closings. Retro Fitness in Yorkville ceased operations on May 22, a few days after Wheelock Rides out of Syracuse took its final bow. Not only that, Freihofer's bakery shut its doors for good after 140 years, including its Verona location. And, just yesterday, BNY Mellon announced it's shuttering its Oriskany Business Park location. These local closures come as...

DEERFIELD, Ill. - Walgreens is lowering prices on hundreds of products this summer, joining other retailers like Target, Walmart, and Amazon who have announced similar promotions in an effort to lure in more cost-conscious shoppers. The company on Wednesday announced plans to cut prices "on more than 1,300 national and store-brand products across health and wellness, personal care and seasonal categories." In an attempt to boost its loyalty program, Walgreens said it will also bring back its "myW Days" in mid-July – a deal offering exclusive promotions for myWalgreens members. Global Chief Financial Officer Manmohan Mahajan told analysts during a...

Who’s ready for the nation to be covered in rainbows again this year? Apparently Walmart is, as it just released its newest collection for its gay clothing options this pride month. While the store seemed elated about its new clothes, users on social media, who are arguably tired of woke crap being literally everywhere, blasted not only the collection but Walmart as a whole. The video advertisement, which was shared on Walmart’s Instagram page, showed queer people gathered all together for a photo shoot. “Queer people have magic that we can share,” a man said at the start of the...

Where literally every item in the store is behind glass, tied town, tagged, or has a "card" to take to get the actual item...except woke books.

A proposed Senate bill would prohibit self-checkout lanes for customers at all California grocery and retail drug stores unless certain conditions are met. It’s all in an effort to combat theft. “I think self-checkouts are pretty good in terms of efficiency," said David Kisieu, Cal Poly student. "If I don’t have a lot of stuff, I don’t really want to wait and deal with a lot of people. I just scan something really quickly and leave." Senate Bill 1446, proposed by state Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas of Los Angeles, stores would be able to offer self-checkout lanes if the checkouts are...

Target is once again in hot water over its handling of its LGBTQ+ merchandise. The company announced Thursday that it will only offer its Pride Month collection online and in select stores. The move comes after Target faced criticism and calls for boycotts from conservatives last year over its related merchandise during Pride celebrations and into the holiday season. 01:00 Target's Comment On Kourtney Kardashian Photo Sparks Uproar By Kaitlin Lewis Night Reporter FOLLOW 2 Target is once again in hot water over its handling of its LGBTQ+ merchandise. The company announced Thursday that it will only offer its Pride...

Target has announced plans to substantially reduce the number of stores that carry Pride Month merchandise in June. The decision comes after a fierce backlash against the company for plastering its stores with LGBTQ-themed material. This development highlights the challenges companies face when trying to drive revenue while avoiding moves that could alienate its customer base. The Minneapolis-based retailer will limit the Pride-themed items to select locations based on historical sales performance and availability. The full collection will also be available online.This decision comes after a rather contention Pride season in 2023, when the retailer was barraged with criticism of...

A new California bill has the potential to ban self-checkout options in grocery stores in an attempt to curb retail theft. Senate Bill 1446, introduced by Democratic state Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas, would “prohibit a grocery or retail drug establishment from providing a self-service checkout option” unless conditions such as ensuring that no more than two self-service checkout stations are monitored by one employee are met, according to a summary of the proposed legislation. The bill also mandates that stores access how using artificial intelligence or other technology may cut jobs and “significantly affects the essential job functions of its employees.”...

Why is retail theft happening so suddenly and in such large amounts now? Los Angeles County Sheriff Department detectives proudly announced a complex and successful sting this week. A retail theft ring has been caught red-handed, with millions of dollars’ worth of make-up, perfume, pharmaceuticals, and more, stolen from stores in and around California, much of it still bearing store tags. Product has been recovered; at least a dozen locations have been revealed. Multiple fences have been identified, with eight arrests announced at the start, and likely more to follow. They will prove that shoplifting rings were organized to hit...