Retail Daily

Seven & i Holdings tries to block a takeover bid from a competitor, Fred Meyer grocery workers in Portland begin a one-week strike, and Walmart deals with an apple juice recall.

Kroger and Albertsons face the Federal Trade Commission in court. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau reports that shoppers are paying millions in “cash back” fees at large retail stores. And Amazon drivers in California join the Teamsters union.

Fischer’s Neighborhood Markets is acquiring the Mini Mart c-store chain. Grocery retailer Stop & Shop will stop selling all cigarettes and tobacco products at its 360 stores. And Rutter’s has launched a private-label beer for fall.

The Federal Trade Commission accuses Albertsons executives of destroying evidence in its proposed merger with Kroger. The National Grocers Association calls on the federal government to enforce antitrust law. And Casey’s General Store brings back the Ultimate Waffle Breakfast Sandwich.

7-Eleven launches a new venture with vertical farming company Plenty Unlimited. Walmart teams up with Burger King. And Amazon expands its grocery delivery service.

The Department of Labor accuses Promised Land Truck Stop of wage theft. Target increases its financial outlook for the rest of the year. And a Seattle tech company sues Albertsons for theft of trade secrets.

There’s another lawsuit in the Kroger, Albertsons merger – this time from Kroger. Kwik Trip deploys electronic shelving labels. And Food Lion remodels 167 stores.

Grocery workers in the Portland, Oregon, authorize a strike. Alimentation Couche-Tard announces a proposal to buy 7-Eleven. And Perdue Foods recalls 167,000 pounds of chicken nuggets.

Huge delivery discounts by retailers including Walmart and Instacart helped boost grocery ecommerce sales in July. The U.S. Department of Labor finished its investigation into a shooting at a Circle K in Orlando, Florida. And presidential candidate Kamala Harris said she’ll ban price gouging at grocery stores if elected.

SpartanNash is changing the shopping experience as it looks to future growth. Major League Baseball Players Inc. is suing the Sheetz convenience-store chain. And the price for at-home food increased in July.

Mars Inc. has agreed to acquire Kellanova for $35.9 billion. C&S Wholesale Grocers restated its commitment to honor all union contracts if the Kroger and Albertsons deal goes through. And Core-Mark has launched a line of savory sandwiches. 

Two U.S. senators accuse Kroger of using digital price tags to squeeze consumers. Major Oil LLC purchased two Cenex-branded retail locations in Missouri. And ShopRite Pharmacy is jumping on the Grocery TV retail media network.

The U.S. average retail gasoline price has dropped. Maverik has rebranded 27 stores in Colorado Springs since its acquisition of Kum & Go. And a farm bill passed by the House Agriculture Committee would lead to up to $30 billion in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit cuts. 

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration classifies a candy recall as the most severe, 7-Eleven announces a major expansion of its 7FLEET Diesel Network, and Costco reports robust sales in July as it begins installing membership card scanners at the entrances of stores.

Walgreens looks at selling stake in VillageMD, Kroger’s egg lawsuit is dismissed, and Casey’s General Stores is holding its first ever Casey’s Innovation Summit.

Instacart shines in Q2, Illinois governor signs grocery tax elimination bill into law, and a famous Tik-Tok family finds space at convenience stores for popcorn brand.

Walmart captures more of the U.S. online grocery market. Shell beats analysts’ second quarter forecasts, reporting $6.3 billion in profits. And Instacart rolls out its AI-power smart carts in Europe.

Stinker stores gets ready to release a new app. Target pulls out of Palo Alto, California. And as many as 36 million people could be using GLP-1 weight loss drugs like Ozempic over the next few years.

Walgreens Boots Alliance has sold shares of Cencora. There’s a new Slurpee flavor at 7-Eleven. And QuikTrip has opened a new travel center.

FEMSA has entered into definitive agreements with Delek US Holdings to acquire Delek’s retail operations. An independent retailer in Utah is replacing most of its traditional shopping carts with Instacart’s Caper Carts. And Murphy USA reported a net income of $144.8 million for the second quarter of 2024.

Walmart continues to be on top of the leaderboard when it comes to grocery retailers by dollar share. Maverik has a new CEO. And nearly two years have passed since Kroger announced its plan to acquire one of its biggest rivals, Albertsons. 

Casey’s acquisition of Fikes Wholesale opens up a new territory for the regional c-store retailer. Walmart is partnering with Denali. And 7-Eleven has settled a lawsuit that it filed in November against Seven Eleven Law Group.

QuikTrip is coming to Kentucky. Walmart released the inaugural State of the Adaptive Retail Report. And SpartanNash recently celebrated its independent grocer customers' achievements.

Casey’s agrees to acquire 198 CEFCO Convenience Stores. Acosta Group completes its acquisition of Crossmark.  And the USDA predicts food inflation will decelerate for the rest of the year. 

A Colorado judge puts the Kroger, Albertsons merger on hold. Consumer confidence inches upward. And boneless wings are among the biggest c-store sellers, according to a new Technomic report.