Drug Store News articles from April 2008

Drug Store News archives from April 2008

CVS' Chris Bodine to retire from post by 2009.(NEWS & ANALYSIS)(CVS Caremark)(Brief article)
April 21, 2008... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- Longtime CVS Caremark executive Chris Bodine has decided, for personal reasons, to scale back his day-to-day responsibilities and prepare for retirement in 2009. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Bodine, executive vice...

New CEO at Duane Reade; D'Arezzo resigns.(NEWS & ANALYSIS)(John Lederer, chief executive officer)(David D'Arezzo)
April 21, 2008... NEW YORK -- Manhattan-based pharmacy retailer Duane Reade has tapped former Loblaw Cos president John Lederer to serve as its new chairman and chief executive officer, an appointment viewed by some industry observers as a positive move that...

Rite Aid on right track for fiscal 2009.(NEWS & ANALYSIS)(Brooks/Eckerd stores)
April 21, 2008... CAMP HILL, Pa. -- Rite Aid is one month shy of completing systems conversions across its acquired Brooks/Eckerd store base as of earlier this month, conversions to Rite Aid's NexGen pharmacy system had been completed in some 1,300 stores, or 75...

Retail clinics take root in diverse locations.(NEWS & ANALYSIS)
April 21, 2008... NEW YORK -- What do a truck stop, a dental office and an airport have in common? They are among the latest hotbeds for the evolving in-store retail clinic model. It has been about eight years since in-store clinics emerged and in that time...

Retail Clinician forms advisory board.(NEWS & ANALYSIS)
April 21, 2008... NEW YORK -- Retail Clinician in April announced the creation of a new board of advisers to provide important guidance and professional insight to the magazine's editors and publishers related to the ongoing development of content and features,...

Analysts say AT&T PBM contract award validates CVS Caremark model.(NEWS & ANALYSIS)(pharmacy benefit management)(CVS Caremark )(Brief article)
April 21, 2008... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- CVS Caremark announced in early April that it has been awarded the consolidated AT&T pharmacy benefit management contract, a move that eased investors' minds and speaks to the efficacy of its combined business model. ...

Walgreens Take Care tour rolls out with free healthcare screenings.(NEWS & ANALYSIS)(Brief article)
April 21, 2008... DEERFIELD, Ill. -- Walgreens kicked off an expanded 2008 Take Care Health Tour last month that will hit 300 cities in 12 months, cover more than 240,000 miles and provide more than $35 million in free health screenings and services. The...

Rosenbluth promoted to Walqreens corporate VP.(NEWS & ANALYSIS)(Hal Rosenbluth, vice president)(Brief article)
April 21, 2008... DEERFIELD, Ill. -- Walgreens has promoted Hal Rosenbluth, president of Walgreens health and wellness division, to corporate vice president. Walgreens health and wellness division was formed last month as part of the retailer's announced...

GMDC's Blough recalled as passionate for people.(NEWS & ANALYSIS)(Global Market Development Council)(Doug Blough)(In memoriam)
April 21, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- GMDC last month celebrated the life of Doug Blough, longtime director of communications for the association, who passed away at 58 on March 22 after a battle against pancreatic cancer. ...

Boarding the wellness wagon: Chris Depetris, GMDC.(Q&A)(Global Market Development Center)(Interview)
April 21, 2008... GMDC earlier this year named Chris DePetris its director of wellness programs. He has been tasked with advancing GMDC's leadership position in wellness in the general merchandise, health, beauty and wellness arena for GMDC's supplier, wholesale...

Tesco grocery expansion on hold.(NEWS & ANALYSIS)
April 21, 2008... RIVERSIDE, Calif. -- Tesco this month put a three-month hold on new store openings to assess the performance of its Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Markets. The chain said the move was preplanned, but it raised questions about how its concept store...

Beiersdorf looks forward to product growth in U.S.(NEWS & ANALYSIS)
April 21, 2008... WILTON, Conn. -- With a 125-year heritage and a robust international business, skin and beauty care company, Beiersdorf has set its sights on the U.S. market, and over the next five years it is planning to achieve significant skin care sales...

Recycling could provide relief on two fronts.(NEWS & ANALYSIS)
April 21, 2008... Over the last couple of years, states have been experiencing mixed success with prescription drug recycling programs that give unused drugs to the uninsured and poor. These programs may get a bump thanks to an issue that has become very popular...

Happy birthday to Retail Clinician, more or less.(OPINION)(Editorial)
April 21, 2008... This year marks the second anniversary of the birth of Retail Clinician magazine--more or less. That's right. The magazine shares a birthday with the National Association of Chain Drug Stores and the origins of the chain pharmacy business in...

APhA annual gathering a call to advance Rx.(CHAIN PHARMACY)(American Pharmacists Association)
April 21, 2008... SAN DIEGO -- Pharmacists working in every type of practice setting must join in a broad campaign to renew the practice of pharmacy, build a more prominent role in the healthcare system of the future and connect their disease-management and drug...

Gans to retire as APhA CEO in 2009.(CHAIN PHARMACY)(John Gans)(American Pharmacists Association)(chief executive officer)
April 21, 2008... SAN DIEGO -- Capping nearly 20 years of service to the nation's oldest professional pharmacy organization, John Gans said he will retire as executive vice president and chief executive officer of the American Pharmacists Association in 2009....

IMS study finds decline in prescription drug market growth.(CHAIN PHARMACY)
April 21, 2008... Overall sales growth in the prescription drug market increased by only 3.8 percent in 2007, a big decrease compared with growth of more than 8 percent in 2006, according to IMS Health. The main reasons for the slower sales growth were loss of...

Lawmakers move to require training for pharmacy techs.(CHAIN PHARMACY)(technicians)
April 21, 2008... WASHINGTON -- A bill introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives would require training and certification for pharmacy technicians to prevent mistakes, such as the one that killed 2-year-old Emily Jerry more than two years ago. Instead of...

Kerr Drug receives recognition for diabetes, MTM initiatives.(CHAIN PHARMACY)
April 21, 2008... RALEIGH, N.C. -- Efforts by Kerr Drug to help patients manage their drug therapy and chronic disease have won the chain plaudits from a major pharmacy care administrator and the American Diabetes Association. In recognition of its...

Merz Pharmaceuticals.(Supplier News)(company receives business ethics award)(Brief article)
April 21, 2008... Merz Pharmaceuticals, a specialty pharmaceutical company in the field of dermatology and neurology, has been nominated to receive the American Business Ethics Award, which is a national recognition program sponsored by the Foundation for...

AstraZeneca.(Supplier News )(AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals L.P.)(Brief article)
April 21, 2008... AstraZeneca has announced plans to make its U.S. business more public, by sharing more company information and to make other information more noticeable on its Web site. The company is performing this action in an attempt to better inform the...

Endo Pharmaceuticals and Novartis have entered a licensing agreement in which Endo will gain the U.S. marketing rights for Voltaren gel, a treatment for osteoarthritis pain.(Supplier News)(Brief article)
April 21, 2008... Endo Pharmaceuticals and Novartis have entered a licensing agreement in which Endo will gain the U.S. marketing rights for Voltaren gel, a treatment for osteoarthritis pain. Voltaren gel (diclofenac sodium) received its approval from the...

Sandoz and Teva have introduced their newest product, ciprofloxacin injection, a generic version of the antibiotic Cipro.(Supplier News)(Brief article)
April 21, 2008... Sandoz and Teva have introduced their newest product, ciprofloxacin injection, a generic version of the antibiotic Cipro. The drug will be available in 2 mg/mL, 200 mg and 2 mg/mL, 400 mg. Teva is marketing the drug in flexible plastic...

'Time is right' for phase two of Project Destiny.(CHAIN PHARMACY)
April 21, 2008... WASHINGTON--The time is right for Project Destiny, according to results from the first phase of this initiative. Project Destiny is an ambitious plan to make community pharmacies viable resources for patients in managing their medications...

Study shows Part D boosts Type 2 diabetes drug compliance.(CHAIN PHARMACY)(Survey)
April 21, 2008... WASHINGTON -- Part D has improved drug coverage and lessened the financial burden for many beneficiaries with Type 2 diabetes, according to a new study by Avalere Health, an advisory company focused on business strategy and public policy. The...

APhA hails success of 10-city diabetes tour.(CHAIN PHARMACY)(American Pharmacists Association Foundation)
April 21, 2008... SAN DIEGO -- Clinically trained pharmacists working directly with patients, and in collaboration with other members of those patients' healthcare teams, can have a significant impact on the rising diabetes epidemic and its enormous financial...

Walgreens promotes colon cancer education.(CHAIN PHARMACY)(Colon Cancer Alliance )
April 21, 2008... DEERFIELD, Ill. -- Walgreens is partnering with the Colon Cancer Alliance to educate consumers about colon cancer and encourage them to seek screening for the disease. Timed to coincide with Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, Walgreens'...

Health Mart expands wellness outreach efforts.(CHAIN PHARMACY)
April 21, 2008... SAN FRANCISCO -- Building on its fast-growing status as a national name in community pharmacy, pharmacy franchise operator Health Mart rolled out a mobile wellness tour in mid-March that broadened recognition of the Health Mart logo while it...

Walqreens wins Prime PBM contract.(CHAIN PHARMACY)(Prime Therapeutics Inc.)(pharmacy benefit manager)
April 21, 2008... DEERFIELD, III. -- Scale matters. In a clear sign of its increasing leverage as a powerful national pharmacy retailer, Walgreens has won a contract to be the exclusive specialty pharmacy provider for Prime Therapeutics. In March, the...

New delivery systems advance pain management medications.(CHAIN PHARMACY)
April 21, 2008... Advances in the pharmaceutical industry regarding pain management have made life easier for people living with chronic pain and have provided relief for consumers suffering from simple aches to severe pain. One of the more recent...

Medco breaks ground on world's largest pharmacy.(CHAIN PHARMACY)(Medco Health Solutions Inc.)
April 21, 2008... ANSON, Ind. -- Medco Health Solutions has broken ground here on what will be the world's largest automated pharmacy, scheduled to be operational by early next year. This is Medco's third automated pharmacy, and it will be the most advanced...

Tike-sized allergy sufferers as common as adults.(OVER THE COUNTER)(Survey)
April 21, 2008... SAN DIEGO -- Allergies are prevalent among children, according to a recent survey, titled Pediatric Allergies in America, sponsored by Sepracor. According to the survey, conducted by Schulman, Ronca and Bucuvalas, 14 percent of all children...

Paternity tests find new market at retail.(OVER THE COUNTER)
April 21, 2008... SALT LAKE CITY -- Rite Aid last month was the first to merchandise take-home paternity tests, potentially creating a new diagnostics category in the mass channel. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Rite Aid picked up the tests, marketed by...

First lawsuit filed for marketing kids cough-cold products.(OVER THE COUNTER)
April 21, 2008... LOS ANGELES -- In what may be the first of what could potentially become a slew of class-action suits, a California mother, Kelly Carter, last month sued Novartis for marketing its pediatric cough-cold brand, Triaminic, to children under the...

Adult vitamins go gummy.(WHAT'S HOT)(Brief article)
April 21, 2008... BLOOMFIELD, N.J. -- The Cosrich Group introduced in January a line of four gummy vitamins under its Infinit8 banner designed to appeal more to adults than kids, to begin shipping in March with at least one major drug retailer. ...

Media roundtable clarifies uses for probiotics.(OVER THE COUNTER)
April 21, 2008... NEW YORK -- Biocodex last month sponsored a media roundtable on the use of probiotics in light of the recent popularity of late surrounding the beneficial bacteria, featuring Dr. Lynne McFarland, who wrote "The Power of Probiotics," along with...

The Council for Responsible Nutrition.(Supplier News)(Brief article)
April 21, 2008... The Council for Responsible Nutrition secured a Mercury Award last month for its "Life... supplemented" Web site in helping to raise health awareness. "We are pleased to receive this honor and are extremely encouraged that the 'Life......

Natural Products Expo West/Supply Expo 2008.(Supplier News)(Brief article)
April 21, 2008... More than 52,000 retailers, manufacturers and industry professionals attended the country's largest natural, organic and health products trade show, Natural Products Expo West/Supply Expo 2008, last month, representing an increase of 11 percent...

Kellogg Co.(Supplier News)(Brief article)
April 21, 2008... Kellogg Co. is breaking out of the cereal aisles and into the meal replacement arena with a new line of protein products--All-Bran Fiber Bars and All-Bran Drink Mix. "Kellogg's move into the diet and nutrition aisle represents our ongoing...

Fuze beverages.(Supplier News)(Brief article)
April 21, 2008... FUZE Beverages will make its entry into the energy shot market with the launch of NOS PowerShot in May. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] According to the company, the energy shot category is one of the fastest-growing beverage categories,...

CHPA: affirming drug safety, efficacy key in OTC category.(OVER THE COUNTER)(Consumer Healthcare Products Association)
April 21, 2008... WASHINGTON -- While the conversion of pseudoephedrine and the abuse of dextromethorphan are still hot-button issues, it's what's happening in the Washington suburb of Rockville, Md., at the Food and Drug Administration headquarters, that may...

Iowa legislature tries to further restrict PSE.(OVER THE COUNTER)(pseudoephedrine)
April 21, 2008... DES MOINES, Iowa -- It's the practice of "smurfing'--where criminals attempting to convert the coughcold ingredient pseudoephedrine into methamphetamine go on a shopping spree, buying their monthly limit of PSE at multiple retailers in the...

Smoking cessation sales fall as diet aids rise.(OVER THE COUNTER)(Survey)
April 21, 2008... ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- So much for New Year's resolutions. A Harris Poll released last month found that while the number of active American smokers has reached an all-time low, there are more Americans who can be defined as obese today as compared...

NAD decides Centrum label claims valid.(OVER THE COUNTER)(National Advertising Division)(Brief article)
April 21, 2008... NEW YORK -- The National Advertising Division of the Council of Better Business Bureaus affirmed that Wyeth Consumer Healthcare can support claims related to the "balanced" formula of Centrum Silver and Centrum brand vitamins. NAD, the...

Back battling the bulge: Jennifer McGhee, Atkins.(Q&A)(Interview)
April 21, 2008... Two years following its emergence from bankruptcy, and only four months after being acquired by North Castle Partners, Atkins is ready to take the meal-replacement arena by storm again, only this time without the low-carb message. In its place,...

As green movement grows, organic product standards emerge.(BEAUTY CARE)
April 21, 2008... The green movement shows little signs of slowing as consumer demand for natural and organic personal care products continues to drive the shift from niche distribution channels to mass-market retail. However, along with the increased sales...

Survey: consumers prefer eco-friendly packages.(BEAUTY CARE)(Survey)(Brief article)
April 21, 2008... SCHAUMBURG, Ill. -- More than half of U.S. consumers would give up all forms of packaging provided for convenience purposes if it would benefit the environment but are less included to forgo packaging for protective and hygiene purposes,...

Procter & Gamble.(SUPPLIER NEWS)(American Society of Dermatologic Surgery)(Brief article)
April 21, 2008... In recognition of Skin Cancer Awareness Month in May, Procter & Gamble's Olay and the American Society of Dermatologic Surgery announced that for the second year in a row "Desperate Housewives" actress Marcia Cross will be the spokeswoman for...

Lubriderm.(SUPPLIER NEWS)(Brief article)
April 21, 2008... Lubriderm, a skin care brand from Johnson & Johnson Consumer Products is launching its Lubriderm Intense Skin Repair Body Lotion with Itch Relief. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The lotion promises to instantly relieve extra dry, itchy skin...

Bio-Oil splashes as skin fix.(WHAT'S HOT)(Brief article)
April 21, 2008... Bio-Oil, a versatile skin care product hailed from Cape Town, South Africa and available in the United States as of 2007, is making waves in the skin care aisle as it has been shown to treat multiple skin concerns, including old scars. ...

Mass market beauty pioneer Acker dies at 78.(BEAUTY CARE)(Stanley Acker)(Obituary)
April 21, 2008... NEW YORK -- Stanley Acker, a pioneer in the mass-market beauty industry and creator of the Wet n' Wild value cosmetics brand, died March 6. He was 78 years old. Known for his marketing know-how, business acumen and entrepreneurial spirit,...

Optimism unblemished at Physicians Formula.(BEAUTY CARE)(Physicians Formula Cosmetics Inc.)(Financial report)
April 21, 2008... AZUSA, Calif. -- While acknowledging that the soft consumer environment likely will continue well into 2008, executives at beauty company Physicians Formula remain optimistic as it closes out a solid fourth quarter and enters 2008 with new...

Sally Hansen teams with Carmindy to launch natural makeup collection.(BEAUTY CARE)(Carmindy Bowyer )(Brief article)
April 21, 2008... NEW YORK -- Looking to further leverage the trend toward natural ingredients, Sally Hansen has teamed up with makeup artist Carmindy from TLC's hit show "What Not to Wear" to launch a new makeup collection known as Sally Hansen Natural Beauty...

Innovation is in style to capture African-American hair business.(BEAUTY CARE)
April 21, 2008... The African-American population is expanding and some industry observers estimate that their buying power is expected to top $1 trillion by 2012. Is the hair care segment at mass poised to take advantage of the growth? Unlike years ago,...

DSE Healthcare Solutions.(SUPPLIER NEWS)(Brief article)
April 21, 2008... DSE Healthcare Solutions, the makers of Certain Dri antiperspirant, has developed new Certain Dri FEET Moisture Control Pads and Certain Dri FEET Microsponge Powder. When used together, the products promise to offer maximized results for...

L'Oreal Paris.(SUPPLIER NEWS)(Brief article)
April 21, 2008... L'Oreal Paris has launched its L'Oreal Kids "Horton Hears A Who!" collection of shampoos. The launch coincided with the March release of the movie, in which the makers of the blockbuster animated hit "Ice Age" team with comedians Jim...

Scunci.(SUPPLIER NEWS)(Brief article)
April 21, 2008... Scunci has introduced its Scarfband Collection. Each set includes two interchangeable slotted headbands and three different scarves to thread through openings. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The scarves can be threaded through any or all of...

Beauty.com.(SUPPLIER NEWS)(Beauty.com, a subsidiary of drugstore.com Inc. taps fashion designer Jenni Kayne )(Brief article)
April 21, 2008... Beauty.com, which is a subsidiary of drugstore.com, has tapped fashion designer Jenni Kayne to create a bag that doubles as a cosmetics case or clutch. Customers receive the limited-edition designer bag, filled with 12 product samples from...

Salon-quality products add body to hair care.(BEAUTY CARE)
April 21, 2008... Salon-quality, or near salon-quality, hair care products have brought some lift to the hair care segment thanks to consumers' desire for luscious locks, and manufacturers continue to heed the call, developing innovative products that promise to...

Toddler bath products launch with multiscreen splash.(BEAUTY CARE)
April 21, 2008... DALLAS -- Kimberly-Clark has launched a multiscreen campaign for Huggies Cleanteam, a bath and body product line for toddlers that appeals to mothers. The campaign is unique in its approach, reaching out to mothers and toddlers through online...

Fruit, nuts grow as snack leaders.(CONSUMABLES)
April 21, 2008... Fruits and nuts as a category are growing. Across all three channels, dried fruit sales were up nearly 7 percent, but in the drug channel, the category had explosive growth of 30 percent for the 52 weeks ended Feb. 24, 2008, according to...

More grocery stores branding rBST-free milk.(CONSUMABLES)(Recombinant bovine somatotropin )
April 21, 2008... The popularity of milk from nonhormone-supplemented cows is growing, and grocery and mass retailers are responding. Several chains in the northern United States already have released their own lines of hormone-free milk, and it's a trend that...

Movie buzzes bee products.(WHAT'S HOT)(Golden Heritage Foods)
April 21, 2008... HILLSBORO, Kan. -- Golden Heritage Foods has released its newest line of honey products, just in time for the buzz of "Bee Movie's" DVD release. Each of the Dreamworks licensed products was designed to look like a character from "Bee...

Snacks and beverages: Laurie Demeritt, The Hartman Group.(Q & A)(Interview)
April 21, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Drug Store News spoke with Laurie Demeritt, group president and chief operating officer of consumer-insight firm The Hartman Group, about what consumers want from the snack and beverage categories and how drug stores...

Flavored water leads beverages.(CONSUMABLES)
April 21, 2008... Flavored and enhanced products continue to boost bottled water sales, but to keep the category profitable, retailers will need to stay focused on changing consumer habits. Sales of bottled water increased 49 percent between 2002 and 2007,...

What claims make the best sellers?(CONSUMABLES)
April 21, 2008... Clearly, more vendors think that "better for the consumer" is better for their products. Yet, understanding just what consumers mean by better is important. In baby food, organic is critical. According to the Nielsen Co., baby food dollar...

Parents demand more organic baby options.(CONSUMABLES)
April 21, 2008... The latest home and health trend for new parents is scouting for organic baby accessories. From organic snacks and formulas, to safer, more earth-friendly bottles and pacifiers--even bath and beauty products--everything baby is going organic....

AOL has teamed with retailers including Kroger and such manufacturers as Kimberly-Clark, Kraft Foods and General Mills to start offering downloadable coupons that never have to be printed out.(Retailer News)(Brief article)
April 21, 2008... AOL has teamed with retailers including Kroger and such manufacturers as Kimberly-Clark, Kraft Foods and General Mills to start offering downloadable coupons that never have to be printed out. With the launch of the new Shortcuts system,...

Safeway.(Retailer News)(Brief article)
April 21, 2008... According to media releases, Safeway president and chief executive officer Steve Burd has said that over the next two years Safeway will push "better everyday value" as an incentive to shoppers over promotions pricing. Burd said cost reductions...

Tropicana.(Supplier News)(Tropicana Products Inc. developed Tropicana Pure Valencia)(Brief article)
April 21, 2008... Tropicana Pure Valencia 100 percent orange juice will begin appearing on shelves nationwide this month. Made from the top 3 percent of oranges selected from Tropicana's groves, Tropicana says its Pure Valencia line was created in response to...

PepsiCo.(Supplier News)(Brief article)
April 21, 2008... PepsiCo has redesigned its line of Aquafina Alive nutrient-enhanced water beverages in response to consumer demands for Aquafina Alive waters better high-performance sports and energy beverages. The new Aquafina Alive varieties now contain...

Crayons Inc.(Supplier News)(Brief article)
April 21, 2008... Crayons Inc. has launched a line of low-sugar, low-sodium sports drinks for children. Crayons' new sports drinks feature electrolytes for added energy and are flavored with small amounts of organic evaporated cane sugar and sea salt. They also...

On March 19, Campbell Soup Co. completed the sale of Godiva Chocolatier to Yildiz Holding A.S. for $850 million.(Supplier News)(Brief article)
April 21, 2008... On March 19, Campbell Soup Co. completed the sale of Godiva Chocolatier to Yildiz Holding A.S. for $850 million. Campbell sold the company it acquired in 1967 to focus more attention on its core business of healthful snacks and soups. Campbell...

Pace Foods.(Supplier News)(Brief article)
April 21, 2008... Food makers are tempting consumers with garnishes and condiments for more satisfying sales in 2008. Pace Foods is introducing five specialty salsas made with such exotic ingredients as asadero cheeses, guajillo peppers, queso blanco, tomatiUos...

Sweet makers are hoping to appeal to the buyer's indulgence tooth.(Supplier News)(Jelly Belly Candy Co.)(Brief article)
April 21, 2008... Sweet makers are hoping to appeal to the buyer's indulgence tooth. Jelly Belly brand jelly beans and Cold Stone Creamery ice cream makers have linked up to Ice Cream Parlor mix create ice cream-inspired jelly bean flavors. Jelly Belly will...

Card vendors turn to consumers to create 'customer-ized' greetings.(GENERAL MERCHANDISE)
April 21, 2008... Jumping into the trend of user-generated content, greeting card companies are asking consumers to help them create new card lines as they look for novel ways to grow the $7.5 billion U.S. greeting card business. American Greetings, for...

The market for gifts and home decor generated $65.2 billion in sales in 2007, according to a new study from Unity Marketing.(Supplier News)(Brief article)
April 21, 2008... The market for gifts and home decor generated $65.2 billion in sales in 2007, according to a new study from Unity Marketing. Unity said the market grew by 72 percent since its last major study conducted in 2002, when gift and decor accents...

Hallmark.(Supplier News)(Brief article)
April 21, 2008... Hallmark exited the online gift and flower business citing a less-than-acceptable return on investment. The move resulted in the loss of about 100 jobs at its corporate headquarters and distribution center in Memphis, Tenn., though Hallmark...

Mega-Brands.(Supplier News)(Brief article)
April 21, 2008... Mega-Brands in March recalled 2.4 million action figures made in China due to concerns about magnets attached to the toys. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has received 44 complaints about magnets coming loose posing a danger to...

Suppliers do best work for Mom.(GENERAL MERCHANDISE)(American Greetings Corp. provides varieties of greeting card for mother's day)(Brief article)
April 21, 2008... Mother's Day ranks as the third-biggest holiday for greeting cards after Christmas and Valentine's Day and, as usual, card suppliers are using it to roll out some of their most innovative creations. American Greetings has more than 3,000...

Making cents with Great Value cards.(WHAT'S HOT)(American Greetings Corp. has a line of great value cards)(Brief article)
April 21, 2008... Given the state of the economy, everyone is looking for a bargain, and now people can find it in the greeting card aisles with 99-cent cards. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] American Greetings has a line of Great Value cards that sell for an...

As economy dogs, pet-supply segment looks to remain strong.(GENERAL MERCHANDISE)
April 21, 2008... SAN DIEGO -- Retailers worried about a recession and slower sales can count on one area to remain strong in 2008: pet supplies. At least that's the forecast from the industry's leading trade association. The American Pet Product...

Clean Earth.(Supplier News)(Brief article)
April 21, 2008... A new, environmentally safe odor-eliminator called PureAyre debuted in Walgreens and Petco stores nationwide last month. Created by Clean Earth, the product kills odors naturally and is the only food-grade air freshening formula in the United...

Sergeant's Pet Care.(Supplier News)(Sergeant's Pet Care Products Inc. acquires Virbac Corp.)(Brief article)
April 21, 2008... Sergeant's Pet Care has acquired the consumer brands division of Virbac Corp. The company specializes in pet health products for dogs and cats, including the WormXPlus that treats and prevents round and tapeworm infestations and a dental care...