Dietary supplements discussed at Congressional Caucus Briefing
Council for Responsible Nutrition
With health care legislation recently being passed, prevention and wellness continue to be hot topics on Capitol Hill and in the news. Included in the discussion is a new paradigm of prevention - functional medicine - that is gaining momentum in the health care arena. Functional medicine can be described as personalized health care that incorporates both conventional and alternative therapies. The functional medicine model focuses on primary prevention and underlying causes for serious illness; assessing and preventing complex chronic disease. Dietary supplements play an integral role in this model.More

P&G makes connection between consumers, green products with Future Friendly initiative
Drug Store News
Procter & Gamble has expanded its Future Friendly program - a multibrand initiative aimed at helping shoppers save water, waste, and energy at home - and is bringing the environmental responsibility and educational platform to the store level as it kicks off a full media platform in an effort to reach at least 50 million U.S. households by the end of the 2010. But what kind of research is behind the design and deployment of Future Friendly, and what does it mean for retailers?More

Nail polish a comforting cosmetic buy, Kline research finds
Drug Store News
During these tough economic times, women are turning to nail polish as a little pick-me-up, according to recent data by worldwide research and consulting firm Kline. While U.S. sales in the cosmetics and toiletries market declined 0.8 percent in 2009, nail polish proved to be the winner and was the only category to post a double-digit increase. Nail polish reached 14.3 percent growth in 2009. Kline attributed the growth in nail polish to its return in the fashion world, as well as the shift from nail salons to at-home manicures as consumers skipped pricey salon visits to cut costs. Nail industry marketers also responded well to consumer demand and focused on new launches.More

Helen of Troy completes acquisition of Pert Plus, Sure
Drug Store News
Helen of Troy has closed its previously announced acquisition of the Pert Plus hair care and Sure antiperspirant and deodorant brands from Innovative Brands. Pert Plus has a history as a leading brand in the $2 billion U.S. shampoo category through its development of the 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner combination technology. Sure holds the position as a leading brand in the $1.7 billion U.S. antiperspirant and deodorant category.More

EcoTools expands its offerings
Drug Store News
EcoTools, a maker of earth-friendly cosmetic brushes, bath and body care products and accessories, is launching a string of new products for 2010. Launched in March at Rite Aid stores nationwide are two new fragrances for body mists, a body scrub and a body butter. Ingredients for the entire EcoTools bath and body care collection are 98 percent from nature and formulas are paraben-free, phthalate-free, sodium lauryl sulfate-free and cruelty-free.More

Sunscreen breakthroughs: The newest technology
StyleList
Today's newest formulas of sunscreens, highlighted in the gallery below, are sleeker, sportier, more hi tech, and easier to use than ever. With benefits that go beyond just sun protection, there's a product for every kind of skin type and situation. Yet confusion on how best to navigate the field still persists, in part due to vastly varying numbers of protection, hard-to-pronounce ingredient names and seemingly ambiguous terms.More

Schnucks to carry InStoreProducts' germ-protected shopping bags
Drug Store News
A Midwestern supermarket chain said it was the first to offer reusable grocery bags with built-in protection from bacteria. Schnucks announced that it will carry bags made by Mississauga, Ontario-based InStore Products made with Microban antimicrobial product protection in the interior lining.More

Fisher-Price's diaper line positioned near the bottom
Brandweek
Fisher-Price is playing in a new segment: diapers. The Mattel unit rolled out its Happy Days & Nights line last September at Babies 'R Us and Toys 'R Us, and now it will expand distribution to Kroger. The diapers are positioned between private label and national diaper brands, said Mark Weppner, consumer products director at Fisher-Price.More

Why Crocs wants consumers to 'Feel the Love'
Brandweek
Crocs is on a mission to show consumers the "soul" and "foot-loving sole" of its shoes. The brand, which is known for clog-like designs, on March 29, debuted a new campaign — Crocs' first integrated marketing effort centered on a single message, said Vice President of Marketing Ken Chaplin. That message, and the campaign's theme, is "Feel the Love," and it focuses on a proprietary technology called Croslite, which is built into every Crocs shoe.More

Bigg's to lay off 547 workers
Business Courier
More than 500 Bigg's employees will lose their jobs as the company shutters five stores in Cincinnati. The company announced that it would sell six stores to Remke Markets and close its other area locations.More

Interview with PetSmart CEO Bob Moran
SmartMoney
Growing up in Philadelphia, Bob Moran wasn't allowed to have pets, but that didn't stop him from unofficially adopting and caring for the neighborhood's cats and dogs. Little did he know that he was being groomed to run PetSmart, the $5.3 billion pet-store chain and Great Dane of the $45 billion industry.More

Microsoft expanding its retail business: Next stores in Denver and San Diego
Business Insider
Microsoft's retail operations, launched last fall, are apparently doing well enough for the company to continue investing in more stores. Microsoft is preparing to open its next two stores in Denver and San Diego, the company has confirmed.More

Wal-Mart's grocery sales expand
The Wall Street Journal
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. for the first time has drawn more than half its annual U.S. sales from groceries, as the retailer's aggressive push in food and other consumables is paying off. Groceries accounted for 51 percent of Wal-Mart's $258.2 billion in U.S. sales last year, up from 49 percent the year before.More

Canadian retailers see profits in going green
The Vancouver Sun
Canadian retailers have gone to great lengths recently to tout their environmental and social policies, motivated by the economic benefits as much as by altruism.More

Kroger emerges as sole owner of The Little Clinic
Drug Store News
Retail-based clinic operator The Little Clinic has stated for the first time that it is a wholly owned subsidiary of grocery chain Kroger. A Kroger spokesperson was not immediately available to provide additional details.More

Giant Eagle to acquire Tops Markets stores
Pittsburgh Business Times
Giant Eagle Inc. announced it has reached an agreement to purchase five former Penn Traffic stores slated for closure in Pennsylvania from Tops Markets.More

Whole Foods educates shoppers on Premium Body Care Standards
Supermarket News
During the month of April, Whole Foods Market here plans educational programs on its Premium Body Care standards as part of its "Be Good to Your Whole Body" campaign in its Whole Body departments.More

Target launches a new home and personal care line
Store Brands Decisions
Target debuted the Caldrea Essential Collection, a new exclusive assortment of home and personal care items featuring three scent selections — Citron Ginger, Olive Oil and Herbs of Provence. The collection — which includes hand soap, lotion, dish soap, all purpose cleaner and kitchen candles — was made using naturally-derived/plant-derived ingredients and essential oils and retail for $5.99 to $19.99. the Minneapolis-based company said in a statement.More

Ace Hardware unleashes 'I Will' campaign
MarketingDaily
In a new marketing campaign, Ace Hardware is hoping to solidify its position as a fast alternative to rivals Lowe's and Home Depot, targeting people who would rather be doing almost anything than puttering around the house.More

Target expands offering of African-American hair care products
Drug Store News
Target announced that it has expanded its hair care assortment to include African-American salon products, never before offered at mass. Products available at select Target stores and Target.com will include Miss Jessie's, CURLS, The Jane Carter Solution, and the Target exclusive SheaMoisture.More

Bashas' to negotiate new reorganization
Supermarket News
Bashas' said it is negotiating a non-binding "term sheet" with its lenders to come up with a new, consensual plan of reorganization — a process expected to take about 30 days. A term sheet is a bullet-point document outlining the terms and conditions of a business agreement that helps legal counsel prepare a final agreement.More

Discount stores still making big bucks
Investopedia
While Wall Street may be cheering recent gains in the Dow Jones Industrial Average, many average families continue to struggle to pay bills in the wake of the horrible recession. Because of this, various discount stores could see solid foot traffic in the near future.More

Register for the 2010 Health Beauty Wellness Marketing Conference
GMDC
The 2010 conference will be held Sept. 10-13, at the Orlando World Center Marriott, Orlando, Fla. Register now!More

Category sales information available to members
GMDC
Take advantage of GMDC's Category Sales Recaps for General Merchandise and Health and Beauty categories.More

Free business magazines
GMDC
GMDC members, take advantage of this valuable benefit for free!More

Get certified on "How To Do Business With" key retailer and wholesaler members
GMDC
The purpose of the "How To Do Business With" online training courses is to support GMDC Retailer and Wholesaler members' supply chain and purchasing processes with valued domestic and international trading partners.More

Are you a MWBE company?
GMDC
Learn more about Minority and Women owned Business Enterprises.More

GSK Consumer Healthcare North America evolves senior leadership roles to deliver on long term growth strategy
GMDC
To deliver on the goal of leading the consumer health care industry in long term sustainable growth, GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare NA announces the evolution of three key senior leadership roles. These organizational changes will ensure that GSKCH NA continues to capture the focus and resources necessary to create an even more customer-focused, innovative and diversified business that delivers value to both our consumers and our retailer partners.More

Supervalu names Wayne Shurts Executive Vice President, Chief Information Officer
Business Wire via MarketWatch
Supervalu announced it has named Wayne Shurts as its new executive vice president, chief information officer. Shurts, 50, has 25 years of experience in the consumer packaged goods industry, most recently serving as the global chief information officer at Cadbury, PLC. He will join Supervalu on April 26, and report directly to Craig Herkert, CEO and president.More

Hirz named Smart & Final president
Supermarket News
Smart & Final said it has named Dave Hirz as president of the company. That post has been vacant for three years — since Apollo Management acquired Smart & Final from French-based Casino. The chain's last president was Etienne Snollaerts.More

Supervalu executive announcements
GMDC
SUPERVALU announced a number of executive appointments on April 6.More

Personal spending rises in February
CNNMoney
Personal spending rose for a fifth straight month in February, while personal income was virtually unchanged, according to recently released government data. The Commerce Department said Individual spending rose 0.3 percent, or $34.7 billion last month. The figure was in line with the 0.3 percent rise economists expected, according to a consensus compiled by Briefing.com.More

Reports: Women seeking health specifics from labels
Supermarket News
Women are reading labels carefully for health benefits and additives, as opposed to merely scanning labels for general product attributes, according to a new research report.More

Upbeat signs revive consumers' mood for spending
The New York Times
After months of penny-pinching amid the recession, new figures — showing an improving job market, rising factory output and increased retail sales — suggest that consumers are no longer restricting their budgets to necessities like food and medicine. They are starting to buy clothes, jewelry and even cars again.More

Retailers: A halting, uneven recovery
BusinessWeek
A year ago it was plain to see that the U.S. retail sector was in turmoil: Almost all consumers were panicking and slashing their spending. These days the landscape is much harder to decipher. Consumers are adding to their spending, but they're doing so quite slowly and with extreme caution, retail experts say.More

Family Dollar reports record second quarter earnings
Business Wire via Yahoo! Finance
Family Dollar Stores, Inc. reported that net income per diluted share for the second quarter of fiscal 2010 ended Feb. 27, 2010, increased 35.0 percent to $0.81 compared with $0.60 for the second quarter of fiscal 2009 ended Feb. 28, 2009. Net income for the quarter increased 33.4 percent to $112.2 million compared with net income of $84.1 million for the second quarter of fiscal 2009.More

March same-store sales surge, Kantar Retail reports
Kantar Retail
An earlier Easter holiday, better weather and improving spending plans by shoppers propelled retail same-store sales excluding Walmart to a 9.2 percent gain in March, according to Retail Forward, a Kantar Retail company.More

Target Corporation reports March sales results
Business Wire via MarketWatch
Target Corporation reported that its net retail sales for the five weeks ended April 3, 2010 were $6,233 million, an increase of 12.5 percent from $5,543 million for the five weeks ended April 4, 2009. On this same basis, March comparable-store sales increased 10.3 percent.More

BJ's Wholesale Club reports March sales results
Business Wire via MarketWatch
BJ's Wholesale Club, Inc. reported that sales for March 2010 increased by 15.7 percent to $1 billion from $870.3 million in March 2009. Comparable club sales increased by 10.6 percent for the month of March 2010, including a contribution from sales of gasoline of 3.3 percent. Excluding gasoline sales, merchandise comparable club sales increased by 7.3 percent. A calendar shift in the timing of Easter had a positive impact on merchandise comparable club sales of approximately 2 percent.More

Costco March same-store sales up 10 percent, beat estimates
Reuters
Costco Wholesale Corp reported a higher-than-expected 10 percent rise in March sales at stores open at least a year, bolstered by an increase in gasoline prices and strong foreign currencies.More

Duckwall-ALCO Stores reports March sales results
Globe Newswire via Yahoo! Finance
Duckwall-ALCO Stores, Inc. announced that sales from continuing operations for the most recent fiscal five week period ending April 4, 2010, increased 2.5 percent to $43.5 million compared to $42.5 million in the prior-year month. Same-store sales were up 2.1 percent.More

Bed Bath's profit jumps on strong sales
The Wall Street Journal
Bed Bath & Beyond Inc.'s fiscal fourth-quarter profit increased 60 percent, as strong sales indicated momentum in the home-decor sector and market-share gains by the largest U.S. home-furnishings chain.More