Retail Daily

Tens of thousands of longshore workers are ready to strike. Amber Energy will acquire PDV Holding, the parent of refiner and marketer CITGO Petroleum. And the number of affluent customers shopping Walmart online for groceries grows.

Costco reports strong Q4 earnings. Kroger announces a customer appreciation sale. And Circle K and Kangaroo Express get the green light on tobacco loyalty promotions.

Spiced Coke is out. Balls Food Stores employees become owners. And QuikTrip expands further into the Midwest with a new travel center in Fairfield, Ohio.

Albertsons launches a new private-label wine brand. Convenience retailer Atlantis Management Group partners with DoorDash, Uber Eats and Grubhub. And usage of The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food benefits is on the decline.

Court proceedings in the Kroger, Albertsons merger case continue in Washington. Grocers continue to release private-label products to attract shoppers. And Weigel’s unveils its largest roster of name, image and likeness athletes to date.

California bans plastic bags – but not until 2026. EVgo deploys 400 fast charging stalls across the country. And Stop & Shop launches its own private-label line of coffee.

Market analysts are weighing in on the Kroger-Albertsons merger case. Phillips 66 is expanding its brand licensing to new regions. And Weigel’s opened its 80th store in Jefferson City, Tennessee.

A hardened economy has more shoppers putting the cost of necessities on credit cards. Target announced the appointment of longtime PepsiCo vet Jim Lee as its chief financial officer. And Juice Monster Rio Punch is the new flavor from Monster Energy.

Casey’s General Stores acquired four Oakcrest Market convenience stores. A third lawsuit has surfaced involving Boar’s Head and the Listeria outbreak. And the judge overseeing the Federal Trade Commission’s case against the Kroger-Albertsons merger said she would work as quickly as possible on her decision.

Whole Foods Market Daily Shop will open Wednesday. Legacy Markets has completed the acquisition of JH Reaben Oil and its Triangle Stop Food Stores. And Foxtrot Cafe and Market is reopening its second location Thursday in Chicago.

The grocery industry carries a negative overtone with U.S. consumers, Gallup says. Retail gasoline prices fell to $3.30 per gallon. And Town Pump Convenience Stores opened a new convenience store and gas station in Bozeman, Montana. 

Boar’s Head discontinues selling liverwurst following a listeria outbreak. Maverik opens its fifth California location. And new data from Placer.ai shows shoppers are flocking to Aldi.

Shoplifting declines for the quarter at Kroger. Stewart’s Shops doubles its Milk Club rewards. And the White House delays its planned ban on menthol cigarettes – until after the election.

Costco reports quarterly net sales of nearly $20 billion. Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores launches a private-label brand for travelers. And Instacart’s CEO says competition is – good.

Amazon announces a new discount private-label brand. The Federal Trade Commission launches an investigation into Alimentation Couche-Tard’s planned takeover of 7-Eleven. And Big Lots files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Alimentation Couche-Tard said it wants to continue its “friendly” pursuit of acquiring Seven & i Holdings. The Kroger-Albertsons antitrust merger trial continues. And Casey’s General Stores Inc. launches a new fall pizza.

Seven & i Holdings’ Board has rejected Alimentation Couche-Tard’s takeover bid. E-cigarette use among U.S. youth dropped to its lowest level in a decade. And rising costs on everything from the price of fuel to credit card swipe fees has driven the skyrocketing cost of food in grocery stores, Kroger’s CEO said.

Aldi goes on a hiring spree. Testimony continues in the Kroger, Albertsons merger case. And c-store chain Yesway creates its own holiday–focused on burritos.

CEOs get ready to take the stand in the Kroger, Albertsons merger case. It’s a tough time for dollar stores. And Buc-ee’s is headed to Arkansas.

Foxtrot Cafe & Market is set to reopen in Chicago. California bans plastic shopping bags. And Hy-Vee launches its solar power project.

Nine convenience-store companies made the Forbes’ Best Employers By State 2024 listing. U.S. Department of Agriculture reports reveal deplorable conditions at a Boar’s Head’s plant linked to a Listeria outbreak. And a c-store in Oregon is ending tobacco and nicotine sales in its store thanks to a public health grant.

Dollar General cuts its earnings projections for the rest of the year. The CDC reports six more deaths in a multistate Listeria outbreak caused by Boar’s Head deli meat. And the New Jersey Attorney General fines 19 retailers for selling illegal vape products.

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.