Mass Market Retailers articles from August 2006

Mass Market Retailers archives from August 2006

CVS nixes health plan.(Midwest Health Plan)(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... Citing what it says is an unreasonably low reimbursement rate, CVS Corp. said last month that it would no longer fill prescriptions for patients covered by Midwest Health Plan. The drug chain's decision comes a month after Walgreen Co. opted to...

Aldi Toledo units set.(industry news)(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... German discount grocer Aldi Group has unveiled plans to add two more stores in the Toldeo, Ohio, market. The new units, Aldi's sixth and seventh stores in the area, are scheduled to open in the middle-income suburbs of Sylvania and Rossford.

Meijer's E85 in Mich.(Meijer Inc. ethanol fueling station )(Meijer Inc. collaboration between General Motors Corp., CleanFUEL USA )(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... Meijer Inc. has opened its first E85 ethanol fueling station in Michigan. The single pump is part of a Meijer gas station in the city of Warren and is the first of 20 ethanol pumps the company plans to add to fueling stations across the state...

New Stater Bros. line.(Stater Brothers Markets Inc.)(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... Stater Bros. Markets has introduced a line of 110 all-natural and organic products called Full Circle. The line includes cereals, pastas, pasta sauces, peanut butter, fruit preserves, canned vegetables, rice, soy milk, coffee and tea. Stater...

Chicago sets wage rules for chains.(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... CHICAGO -- The City Council has passed an ordinance requiring big-box retailers by mid-2010 to pay a minimum wage of $10 per hour plus benefits worth $3 per hour. The measure, which passed by a vote of 35 to 14 after hours of intense debate,...

Walgreens makes plans for clinics.(Walgreen Co health care clinics)(partnership of InterFit Health and Pinnacle EasyCare)(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... DEERFIELD, Ill. -- Walgreen Co. plans to open health care clinics inside its stores in Chicago, Atlanta and Las Vegas, with more than a dozen set to open in each market, beginning with Chicago this fall. Walgreens opened 10 Health Corner...

Wal-Mart gets closer and closer to N.Y.C.
August 7, 2006... WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has increased its presence in the New York metropolitan area by opening a store in downtown White Plains, just a few miles north of New York City. The two-level store, situated in a space formerly...

Target never stops.(Target Corp new stores and growth)
August 7, 2006... MINNEAPOLIS -- Target Corp. added 29 stores to its roster last month, maintaining a robust expansion pace amid reports of softening sales growth. The latest batch of grand openings, on July 23, increased Target's store count to 1,444 in 47...

Metro to buy Wal-Mart's German stores.(Metro AG acquired Wal-Mart Stores Inc. )(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has agreed to sell its 85 Supercenters in Germany to Metro AG. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Wal-Mart had not achieved profitability since entering Germany eight years ago. It...

Judge sides with RILA in Md. suit.(Retail Industry Leaders Association)(Maryland)(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... BALTIMORE -- A federal judge has handed down a ruling that invalidates a Maryland law designed to force large employers to provide more generous health benefits. In his decision U.S. District Judge Frederick Motz ruled that the federal...

Kroger sets Cincinnati expansion.(Kroger Co. new stores )(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... CINCINNATI -- Kroger Co. plans to build eight to 10 more of its Marketplace stores in its home region here. The plans were announced by Geoff Covert, president of Kroger's Cincinnati/Dayton division, during a preview of Kroger's first...

New theft policy.(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... Wal-Mart has reportedly changed its policy on prosecuting shoplifters. Now first offenders will be let off with a warning, provided they take merchandise worth less than $25. The company says the change will allow it to focus on employee theft...

Gifts top $245 mil.(donations to charitable organizations )(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... Wal-Mart has announced that the chain gave more than $245 million in cash and in-kind donations to charitable organizations and causes in 2005. Most of the money was donated at the local level, company officials say. The company also...

Fuel-saving effort.(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... Wal-Mart is working with the nonprofit group Environmental Defense on the development of more fuel-efficient hybrids for its trucking fleet, which is one of the largest in the United States. Chief executive officer Lee Scott last year set the...

Stock downgraded.(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... Merrill Lynch & Co. downgraded Wal-Mart's stock to "neutral" from "buy," citing sales trends at recently opened stores as well as the threat posed by higher gasoline prices and the potential corresponding drop-off in consumer spending....

Pharmacy ad effort.(Wal-Mart Stores Inc. pharmacy advertising campaign)(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... Wal-Mart, in an effort to make itself more of pharmacy destination, has launched its largest-ever pharmacy advertising campaign, targeting mothers and seniors with television and radio commercials as well as in-store and online media.

Scoreboard.(retail trade economics)(Statistical table)
August 7, 2006... SCOREBOARD RETAILERS Quarter Dollar % Ended Sales Change A&P (1) 06/17 2.13 bil -37.1 Safeway (2) 06/17 9.37 bil +6.4 SDM (3) 06/17...

Biggest gainers.(money news)(Statistical table)
August 7, 2006... BIGGEST GAINERS Stock Close Change % 07/21/06 vs.06/30/06 Change Safeway 27.97 +1.97 +7.6 A&P 24.10 +1.38 +6.1 Kroger...

Biggest losers.(MONEY NEWS)(Statistical table)
August 7, 2006... BIGGEST LOSERS Stock Close Change % 07/21/06 vs.06/30/06 Change Best Buy 43.97 -10.87 -19.8 Circuit City 23.00 -4.22 -15.5 Smart &...

Most active.(stocks of supermarkets)(Statistical table)(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... MOST ACTIVE Stock Vol. (000) As a % Change vs. 1 Wk. Ended of Total 1 Wk. Ended 07/21/06 Shares 06/30/06 Target 44,101 9.3 ...

Costco plans stock buyback, announces dividend.(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... The board of directors of Costco Wholesale Corp. has declared a quarterly cash dividend of 13 cents per share of common stock, payable August 25 to shareholders of record at the close of business on August 1. Moreover, the board authorized a...

Nash Finch board declares quarterly dividend.(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... Nash Finch Co.'s board of directors has announced a regular quarterly cash dividend of 18 cents per share of common stock, payable September 1 to shareholders of record at the close of business on August 18. The announcement marks the 320th...

EPS estimates cut for Wal-Mart, Target, Costco.(earnings per share)(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... Citing a slowdown in consumer spending and "a growing accumulation of negatives in the consumer sector," ThinkEquity LLC analyst Edward Weller has reduced his fiscal-year earnings per share projections for Wal-Mart Stores Inc. to $2.90 from...

Weis markets board auhtorizes dividend.(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... The board of directors of Weis Markets Inc., based in Sunbury, Pa., has announced a quarterly dividend of 29 cents per share payable August 18 to shareholders of record as of August 4.

Net at Weis grows 5.9% in quarter.(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... SUNBURY, Pa. -- Fortified by this year's late Easter, Weis Markets Inc. managed to register a 5.9% bottom-line increase on a 4.9% sales gain for the second quarter of 2006. Net income for the 13 weeks ended July 1 grew to $15.5 million as...

Safeway on the rise.
August 7, 2006... PLEASANTON, Calif. -- Helped by a taxation adjustment, second quarter net income soared at Safeway Inc. Even adjusted results showed impressive improvement, beating Wall Street's expectations and propelling the company's share price to a...

SDM builds its market share.(Shoppers Drug Mart Corp.)(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... TORONTO -- Shoppers Drug Mart Corp. (SDM) kept its streak of solid growth going into the second quarter of 2006, ringing up an 18% bottom-line gain on an 8.9% increase in sales. Net income for the 12 weeks ended June 17 reached $94.4...

New-store costs take toll at Rite Aid.
August 7, 2006... CAMP HILL, Pa. -- Although sales growth turned up a notch, Rite Aid Corp. saw first quarter earnings plummet in the wake of increased costs associated with new and relocated stores. Net income for the 13 weeks ended June 3 plunged 67.2% to...

Retail sales advance at 99 cents only.(money news)(99 cents Only Stores)(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... CITY OF COMMERCE, Calif. -- Total sales rose 7.7% to $263.6 million for 99 cents Only Stores during the first quarter ended June 30. Retail sales gained 8.3% to $254 million, while the company's Bargain Wholesale division contributed $9.6...

Better results let Kroger reinstate dividend.
August 7, 2006... CINCINNATI -- Continuing solid sales growth once again lifted bottom-line results for Kroger Co. during the first quarter of fiscal 2006, despite a special charge to increase legal reserves. Based on the sustained top-line growth, management...

Rx comes together.(opinion)(pharmaceutical industry unites under the banner of Coalition for Community Pharmacy Action)
August 7, 2006... The establishment of the Coalition for Community Pharmacy Action (CCPA) earlier this month represents an important step forward for the profession. By formalizing an alliance that has been developing over the past several years, the National...

Retail elite is on winning streak.(mass market evaluation)(Editorial)
August 7, 2006... The chasm that separates America's, and the world's, best retailers from the pack widens by the day, with the predictable result that the vast majority of mass market retailers, once good enough to compete for business, are finding themselves...

Brands, variety motivate consumers.(Stanford Graduate School of Business new research from varied brands )
August 7, 2006... STANFORD, Calif. -- When it comes to merchandising, more is more. That's the upshot of new research from the Stanford Graduate School of Business, which found that consumers perceive varied brands as being superior to more homogeneous...

Cencosud adds 12 units to supermarket holdings in Chile.(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... SANTIAGO, Chile -- Chile's second-largest supermarket operator, Cencosud SA, has agreed to buy 12 stores from privately held Supermercados Economax for about $60 million. The deal is subject to the completion of due diligence by Cencosud. ...

Waitrose adds units.(Waitrose PLC purchased six stores from William Moralsons PLC )(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... Waitrose PLC has purchased six stores and a distribution center from William Moralsons PLC for about 80 million [pounds sterling] ($147.9 million). Morrisons employees will be retained by Waitrose.

Walmex cuts prices.(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... In a drive to further expand its market share, Wal-Mart de Mexico has cut prices on 10,000 items sold at its Bodega Aurrera, Superama and Wal-Mart stores. Analysts view the move as a response to increased competition from such smaller...

Comerci net surges.(Controladora Comercial Mexicana second quarter net income )(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... Controladora Comercial Mexicana, or Comerci, listed a 33.6% jump in second quarter net income to 298 million pesos ($26 million), as sales grew 12.5% to 10.45 billion pesos, ahead of analysts' expectations. Same-store sales rose a robust 6%....

Auchan fined for ads.(misleading advertisements )(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... French retailer Groupe Auchan SA has been fined 175,000 euros by the Hungarian competition authority for using misleading advertisements that violated the prohibition on unfair manipulation of consumer choice. The agency contended that Auchan's...

Albert Heijn strike.(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... About 200 employees at six distribution centers that are operated by Ahold NV's Albert Heijn chain in the Netherlands went on strike to protest failed negotiations for a collective labor agreement. The trade union is seeking a 2% increase in...

Coles has way to go.(Coles Myer Ltd.)
August 7, 2006... SYDNEY, Australia -- This is the curious story of John Fletcher, the chief executive officer of Australia's No. 2 mass market retailer. Since September of 2001 Fletcher has headed Coles Myer, the Australian retailer with perhaps the most...

Sales sluggish at Woolworths.(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... LONDON -- Discount chain Woolworths Group PLC found the retail environment in the United Kingdom challenging during the first half of fiscal 2006, reporting a 3.1% decline in total sales (monetary totals were not disclosed). On a...

Tesco, Metro buy Casino's Polish stores.(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... PARIS -- France's second-largest retailer, Groupe Casino SA, has prepared its exit from Poland by agreeing to sell its stores there to Germany's Metro AG and Tesco PLC, the United Kingdom's largest retailer. The deal, which is subject to...

Investments limit loblaws profits.(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... TORONTO -- Gross margin pressures and the lingering effects of its supply chain restructuring hurt Loblaw Cos. in the second quarter of fiscal 2006, with the chain reporting an 8% decline in net income to $194 million (Canadian). Total sales...

Carrefour cleans up China unit.(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... SHANGHAI -- The China operation of Carrefour SA has cracked down on corruption in its product-procurement process, according to People's Daily Online. The report quoted an unidentified company spokesman, who stated that the retailer was...

Discount grocers are on the rise in Britain.
August 7, 2006... LONDON -- A new study from research firm Allegra Strategies foresees rapid growth for discount grocery operators in the United Kingdom. The report, which focuses on German "deep discount" grocers Aldi Group and Lidl-Schwarz, projects that...

Clothing shop gets exclusive on target couture, a new line.(Target Couture)(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... LOS ANGELES -- Proof of Target Corp.'s hip reputation can be found in the trendy clothing shop Intuition, where a new line called Target Couture is available for sale. Target licensed its bull's-eye logo and name to the consulting firm...

Meijer.(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... A weekly circular for Rolling Meadows, Ill., good through Saturday, July 22, featured a four-for-$10 sale on six-packs of 24-ounce bottles of Coca-Cola Co.'s Coca-Cola Classic, Diet Coke or Sprite, all varieties, plus deposit where applicable;...

Longs.(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... A weekly circular for Granada Hills, Calif., good from July 14 to July 20, featured a "buy one, get one free" offer with an in-ad coupon for Revlon Consumer Products Corp.'s Super Lustrous lipstick or lip gloss or Moon Drops lipstick or lip...

Winn-Dixie.(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... The supermarket operator highlighted several offers in its online flyer for Miramar, Fla., that were good from July 12 through July 18. These specials, some of which required the use of the retailer's customer reward card, included two-for-$5...

Shopko.(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... An online circular for Provo, Utah, issued the week of July 16, featured Hershey Co.'s 11-ounce and 13-ounce Hershey's Kisses and miniatures, two for $4; and Del Laboratories Inc.'s Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear nail color, two for $4.

A new grocery model.
August 7, 2006... LAUREL, Md. -- This summer Food Lion LLC has launched a major push into the Washington, D.C., market with its discount format, Bottom Dollar Food. The company expects to have 14 outlets in the region by the end of this year. Food Lion unveiled...

Fred Meyer inks deal for health clinics.(SmartCare Family Medical Centers)(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo. -- SmartCare Family Medical Centers, an operator of retail health care centers, has signed agreements with Kroger Co. to open SmartCare Centers inside supermarkets in the Pacific Northwest and the Southeast. In a deal...

Albertsons exits online food retailing, delivery service.(Albertsons LLC shut down online shopping )(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... BOISE, Idaho -- Albertsons LLC has shut down its online shopping and delivery service. The move, which affects customers in greater San Francisco, Sacramento, Dallas/Fort Worth and Phoenix, was attributed to the need for the company to...

Wal-Mart reaches out to teens via web.(MySpace, Friendster)
August 7, 2006... BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc., seeking to raise its trendiness profile, has introduced its own version of the popular teen web sites MySpace and Friendster. Called the Hub, Wal-Mart's site (schoolyourway.walmart.com) includes...

NFI introduces nice array of O-T-C health care products.(over-the-counter)(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... NFI Consumer Products used Marketplace to display new skin care, bone and joint care, and weight-loss items. For skin care NFI offers Transdermis Scar Therapy, formulated with 100% emu oil to promote healing of scars. It is planning a...

Del heats up product pipeline with intros.(New & Noteworthy at Marketplace '06)
August 7, 2006... More attractive nails and more dazzling smiles are among the benefits promised by Del Laboratories Inc.'s latest products. The company has introduced Sally Hansen No Chip 10 Day nail color as a patented product with acrylic polymers that...

Adams Respiratory sees potential in pediatric arena.(New & Noteworthy at Marketplace '06)
August 7, 2006... This fall Adams Respiratory Therapeutics will enter the pediatric segment of the cough/cold category with a new children's line debuting under its Mucinex brand. Children's Mucinex will consist of four SKUs. Mucinex Mini-Melts are...

Agent CoolBlue.(New & Noteworthy at Marketplace '06)
August 7, 2006... Pfizer Consumer Healthcare has expanded its oral care franchise with a new mouth rinse that sells under the Listerine brand name. Listerine Agent CoolBtue plaque-detecting rinse, as its name indicates, is meant to help children brush their...

Health Enterprises targets 30 million hearing loss sufferers.(Audio-Kit Hearing Aid Cleaner, Dri-Eze Hearing Aid Dehumidifier)(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... The NACDS Marketplace provided a perfect venue for Health Enterprises Inc. to introduce two new hearing aid-maintenance products. "Hearing loss currently affects 30 million Americans, and that number could reach 78 million by 2030," says...

Jane builds value proposition with Bronzes.(New & Noteworthy at Marketplace '06)
August 7, 2006... Bronzers were among the products shown off by Jane & Co. at the recent Marketplace show in San Diego. The company showcased its Jane Gel Bronzers, for example, which are oil-free bronzing gels designed to give a user's face a luminous...

Periodontal disease meets its match in TheraBreath line.(New & Noteworthy at Marketplace '06)
August 7, 2006... TheraBreath has expanded its oral care offerings with the introduction of the PerioTherapy line, designed specifically for people with periodontal disease or who suffer from excessive bleeding of the gums. The line consists of PerioTherapy...

Absorbine Jr.(New & Noteworthy at Marketplace '06)
August 7, 2006... W.F. Young Inc. created buzz at Marketplace with a new spray version of its Absorbine Jr. pain reliever. It also featured its CharcoCaps brand of digestive products, which it acquired in September 2005. Introduced during the first quarter...

Health Care Products extends Diabetic Tussin line.(New & Noteworthy at Marketplace '06)
August 7, 2006... Health Care Products, the maker of Diabetic Tussin, the best-selling cough syrup that is safe for people with diabetes, has recently introduced its Diabetic Tussin for Children line. This new product includes three varieties: DM for cough and...

Energizer power.(New & Noteworthy at Marketplace '06)
August 7, 2006... Energizer Holdings Inc. is making sure that today s versatile cell phones have the power to deliver on an increasing number of tasks, from taking pictures to playing music and videos, and retrieving e-mail. The company used the most recent...

Lornamead brings new life to Finesse hair care line.(New & Noteworthy at Marketplace '06)
August 7, 2006... For Lornamead Brands Inc., this year's Marketplace show offered a chance to show off its recently acquired Finesse brand. "We were about 95% dedicated to Finesse this year," says Lornamead sales and marketing manager Jason Schwinger. ...

Dr. G's brand.(New & Noteworthy at Marketplace '06)
August 7, 2006... Woodward Laboratories captured the attention of health and beauty care buyers at NACDS Marketplace this year by introducing three new Professional Salon Strength Nail Treatment items under the Dr. G's brand. Dr. G's Liquid Diamond All...

Hershey appoints vp.(appointment of Mary Parsons )(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... Hershey Co. has named Mary Parsons vice president of snack platforms and tech center operations. Her responsibilities include overseeing research and product-development programs for the company's snack platforms as well as building on...

PepsiCo promotions.(appointment of Albert Carey and Randy Melville)(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... PepsiCo Inc. has named Albert Carey president and chief executive officer of its Frito-Lay North America (FLNA) division. In a related move, Thomas Greco succeeds Carey as president of PepsiCo sales. And Randy Melville has been promoted to...

Changes at Markwins.(resignation of Jim Koeppl)(appointment of Shawn Haynes and Tina Perez)(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... Markwins International Inc. has announced that Markwins North America president Jim Koeppl has resigned his post but will continue to participate for the next year as a consultant to the executive management team. In other moves: Shawn Haynes...

RILA vice president.(Retail Industry Leaders Association)(appointment of Allen Thompson )(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... The Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) has appointed Allen Thompson vice president for global supply chain policy. He will head RILA's efforts on supply chain security issues and help lead the Supply Chain Security Coalition, an ad hoc...

Attracting the best and brightest.(retirement of Jay Baker)
August 7, 2006... PHILADELPHIA -- The retailing business had been good to him, so when Jay Baker retired as president of Kohl's Corp. in 2000 he decided to return the favor by helping recruit new talent. "Retailing is a great industry, but lately it has...

Steen named a divisional vp at ShopKo.(appointment of Randy Steen)(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... GREEN BAY, Wis. -- ShopKo Stores Inc. has hired Randy Steen, a 30-year industry veteran, as its divisional vice president. In his new position Steen will have responsibility for the merchandising and profitability of the accessories, intimate...

CVS tabs price.(appointment of Paula Price)(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- Paula Price has joined CVS Corp. as senior vice president, controller and chief accounting officer. She will be responsible for financial reporting, accounting systems, internal controls and loss prevention, and will...

IT execs move up at Walgreens.(Charles Goodall and Brian DeMay)(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... DEERFIELD, Ill. -- Walgreen Co. has announced the promotion of two technology executives. Charles Goodall, who has been director of pharmacy technology services since 2000, has been appointed divisional vice president of pharmacy...

Young senior vp at Penn Traffic.(Greg Young)(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... SYRACUSE, N.Y -- Penn Traffic Co. has named Greg Young, a former executive with the company, senior vice president and chief marketing and distribution officer. Young is responsible for managing Penn Traffic's marketing and distribution...

Wal-Mart picks Dach to help burnish image.(Leslie Dach )(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- Leslie Dach has joined Wal-Mart Stores Inc. as executive vice president of corporate affairs and government relations. He will report to president and chief executive officer Lee Scott and will serve as a member of the...

CVS' purchase of MinuteClinic and Walgreens' announced intention to sell prestige European beauty care products.(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... CVS' purchase of MinuteClinic and Walgreens' announced intention to sell prestige European beauty care products are the twin topics of chain drug industry conversation.

While largely unheralded, Bob Miller's newly cast Albertsons chain could be the sleeper.(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... While largely unheralded, Bob Miller's newly cast Albertsons chain could be the sleeper in the dismantling of the old AIbertsons.

Meetings shows.(European Conferences on Research Methodology for Business Management )(Calendar)
August 7, 2006... AUGUST 2006 13-15--ECRM: Personal Care, Baby & Oral Care, The Phoenician, Scottsdale, Ariz. 15-18--ECRM: Health Care, The Phoenician, Scottsdale, Ariz. 20-23--ECRM: Hispanic & Multicultural Foods, Renaissance Houston Hotel,...

When checkout goes self-service.(point of sale systems)
August 7, 2006... FRANKLIN, Tenn. -- Self-checkout systems have hit their stride among mass market retail stores of all stripes. Many supermarketers, following such early adopters as Kroger Co., Stop & Shop Cos. and Shaw's Supermarkets Inc., are increasingly...

Congress eyes exchange rates.(Credit card industry's price fixing)(Merchants Payments Coalition)(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... WASHINGTON -- Retailers are contending that the way the big credit card companies set their credit and debit card exchange rates violates federal antitrust laws. Representatives of a group called the Merchants Payments Coalition (MPC)...

Coupons pack bigger punch.(freestanding insert )(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... NEW YORK -- The average value of freestanding insert (FSI) coupons has increased 8.6% to $1.18 for the first half of 2006, according to a report by Marx Promotion Intelligence. That represents the largest average face value on record for a...

NCPA forms Rx Coalition with NACDS.(National Association of Chain Drug Stores )(National Community Pharmacists Association )(Brief article)
August 7, 2006... ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- The National Association of Chain Drug Stores and the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) have created a new organization designed to let the nation's 55,000 community pharmacists speak with one voice on...

Ralphs guilty plea.(Ralphs Grocery Co.)(Brief article)
August 21, 2006... Facing a 53-count indictment for illegal conduct during the southern California grocery strike of 2003, Kroger Co.'s Ralphs Grocery Co. chain pleaded guilty in Los Angeles last month to charges that it illegally hired lockout workers. The...