Daily Archives: November 23, 2015

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Alibaba Group Holding Limited announced the official launch of its Entrepreneurs Fund for Hong Kong

Hong Kong,  2015-11-23 — /EPR Retail News/ — Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE: BABA) today announced the official launch of its Entrepreneurs Fund for Hong Kong, with the objective to support the aspirations of entrepreneurs who wish to take advantage of the resources offered by Alibaba’s ecosystem in e-commerce, logistics, mobile platforms, cloud computing and financial services.

The Hong Kong Entrepreneurs Fund is a not-for-profit initiative of Alibaba Group. The mission of the Fund is to help entrepreneurs realize their dreams and visions for a Hong Kong that is vibrant and engaged regionally and globally.

The Fund will invest in qualifying companies in the start-up, growth and expansion phases of the company life cycle. Qualifying businesses will leverage the platforms in the Alibaba ecosystem to offer products and services to mainland China and the world. HK$1 billion has been earmarked for the Hong Kong Fund.

A number of accomplished business and community leaders will join the board of directors of the Fund. They will oversee the governance and provide strategic direction of the Fund. The board of directors of The Hong Kong Entrepreneurs Fund includes Dr. Allan Zeman, founder and chairman of Lan Kwai Fong Group; Mr. Bernard Chan, president of Asia Financial Group and Asia Insurance, and Mr. Savio Kwan, an independent business consultant who was instrumental in developing Alibaba as president and chief operating officer from 2001 to 2003.

Ms. Cindy Chow will serve as the executive director of the Fund. Cindy joined Alibaba Group in 2007 and has worked in the financial control and planning capacity, most recently as senior director of international finance.

“At Alibaba our mission is to make it easy to do business anywhere,” said Mr. Joe Tsai, executive vice chairman of Alibaba Group. “We are passionate about fostering entrepreneurial spirit and hope the resources provided by the Fund will help unleash potential for innovation and entrepreneurship in Hong Kong. I am delighted to have the support from the Fund’s directors who share our vision and passion. Together we will help aspiring entrepreneurs realize their dreams.”

The Fund will engage independent professional firms (the “Investment Managers”) to manage the investment program. The Fund has selected its first Investment Manager, Gobi Partners, to manage a portion of the investment program and expects to make further selections of Investment Managers for the remaining portions of the program. Gobi Partners was established over ten years ago, focusing on home-grown innovation that was emerging from IT, TMT convergence, and the digital media revolution in China. Gobi now manages six funds with offices across Asia. For over a decade, Gobi invested in over 100 innovative companies in China and Southeast Asia.

Interested parties may visit the www.ent-fund.org for details about the investment programs.

The Fund will also provide 200 internship opportunities each year for graduates and final year students of local tertiary education institutions to work for a period of six to 12 months at Alibaba or companies in the Alibaba ecosystem in mainland China. The Fund’s board of directors will establish the policies of the internship program, which is expected to accept applicants who will complete their undergraduate degrees in 2016.

Media Contacts

Crystal Chan
Alibaba Group
+852 9313 5060
crystal.chan@alibaba-inc.com

Crystal Liu
Alibaba Group
+852 6378 5626
crystal.liu@alibaba-inc.com

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Alibaba Group Holding Limited announced the official launch of its Entrepreneurs Fund for Hong Kong

Members of the Governing Board of The Hong Kong Entrepreneurs Fund officiated the Fund’s launch ceremony. From left to right: Mr. Joe Tsai, Dr. Allan Zeman, Mr. Bernard Chan and Mrs. Cindy Chow

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Alibaba Group Holding Limited announces the official launch of its Entrepreneurs Fund for Taiwan

Taipei, TAIWAN, 2015-11-23 — /EPR Retail News/ — Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE: BABA) today announced the official launch of its Entrepreneurs Fund for Taiwan, with the objective to support the aspirations of entrepreneurs who wish to take advantage of the resources offered by Alibaba’s ecosystem in e-commerce, logistics, mobile platforms, cloud computing and financial services.

The Taiwan Entrepreneurs Fund is a not-for-profit initiative of Alibaba Group. The mission of the Fund is to help entrepreneurs realize their dreams and visions for a Taiwan that is vibrant and engaged regionally and globally.

The Fund will invest in qualifying companies in the start-up, growth and expansion phases of the company life cycle. Qualifying businesses will leverage the platforms in the Alibaba ecosystem to offer products and services to Greater China and the world. NT$10 billion has been earmarked for the Taiwan Fund.

A number of accomplished business and community leaders will join the board of directors of the Fund. They will oversee the governance and provide strategic direction of the Fund. The board of directors of The Taiwan Entrepreneurs Fund includes Mr. Charles Yen, co-founder and principal of the AAMA Taipei cradle program, Mr. Joseph Tsai, senior executive vice president of Cathay Financial, and Mr. Danny Chiu, chairman and CEO, Morrison Express Corp.

Mr. Andrew Lee, former chief financial officer of EnTie Bank, will serve as executive director of the Taiwan Fund. Highly experienced in finance and management, Mr. Lee served international and Taiwan financial institutions. He specializes in fundraising, mergers & acquisitions, organizational development, and financial and risk management.

“At Alibaba our mission is to make it easy to do business anywhere,” said Mr. Joe Tsai, executive vice chairman of Alibaba Group. “We are passionate about fostering entrepreneurial spirit and hope the resources provided by the Fund will help unleash potential for innovation and entrepreneurship in Taiwan. I am delighted to have the support from the Fund’s directors who share our vision and passion. Together we will help aspiring entrepreneurs realize their dreams.”

The Fund will engage independent professional firms (the “Investment Managers”) to source and evaluate business proposals and manage the investment program. The Fund has selected its first Investment Manager, a subsidiary of China Development Industrial Bank, to manage a portion of the investment program and expects to make further selections of Investment Managers for the remaining portions of the program.

With over 50 years’ experience, China Development Industrial Bank’s (CDIB) principal investment business commands 30% of the market share, giving it a leading position in Taiwan’s market. In recent years, CDIB has been leveraging its strengths and experience accumulated over the years assisting companies in Taiwan to be actively engaged in fundraising and management of private equity funds and strive toward its objective of becoming a world-class private equity fund manager based in the Asia Pacific Region.

Interested parties may visit the www.ent-fund.org for details about the investment programs.

Media Contacts

Shunna Hsieh
Alibaba Group
+886 988 566 310
shunna.hsieh@alibaba-inc.com

Crystal Chan
Alibaba Group
+852 9313 5060
crystal.chan@alibaba-inc.com

SOURCE: Alibaba Group Holding Limited

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Alibaba Group Holding Limited announces the official launch of its Entrepreneurs Fund for Taiwan

Alibaba Group Holding Limited announces the official launch of its Entrepreneurs Fund for Taiwan

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Accenture UK Holiday Shopping Survey: spending on Christmas purchases is set to increase this year

  • One in five shoppers plan to spend more this Christmas season than last year, and almost half (43 percent) of UK shoppers feel optimistic about their financial situation
  • Over half (53 percent) of respondents anticipate doing the majority of their Christmas shopping online
  • Barriers to continued growth in mobile shopping, include concerns about privacy or security
  • Food and drink has overtaken clothing as the most popular items for shoppers to buy as a gift

LONDON, 2015-11-23 — /EPR Retail News/ — With less than five weeks until gifts are unwrapped across the country, spending on Christmas purchases is set to increase this year, with one in five consumers planning to spend more than last year. A further two thirds (68 percent) plan to maintain their levels of spending, according to new research from Accenture.

Almost half (43 percent) of UK shoppers surveyed are either confident about how much they have to spend this Christmas, or feel optimistic about their financial situation more generally, pointing to a promising period for retailers.

Now in its second year, the Accenture UK Holiday Shopping Survey offers insights into consumer buying patterns during the Christmas period. It gives an indication of retail performance expectations both on the high street and online at a key time for the sector. Over 1,500 UK shoppers from around the country were surveyed about their Christmas shopping intentions.

While spending is set to increase, British shoppers still can’t resist a bargain with a quarter (24 percent) of shoppers seeing a discount of between 20 percent – 29 percent as enough to convince them to buy a product. Almost half (48 percent) of respondents report that in-store promotions enhance their shopping experience.

“The intention of consumers to spend more this Christmas points to what should be a strong trading period for retailers,” said Matt Prebble, managing director, Retail, Accenture UK & Ireland. “We found that 35 percent of consumers have already started purchasing their Christmas gifts, giving retailers an extended period to drive revenue. To ensure they capitalise on this opportunity, retailers should make sure they are offering a seamless experience with targeted offers and promotions extending across all of the digital and physical channels.”

Over half (53 percent) of the respondents anticipate doing the majority of their Christmas shopping online with 44 percent planning to do the majority of shopping in-store. The growth of mobile shopping, in particular, is set to have an impact on spending this holiday season, with 41 percent of consumers citing better discounts and deals as a reason to shop using a mobile, smartphone or tablet.

There are barriers to continued growth in mobile shopping, however. More than a third (39 percent) of consumers are concerned about privacy or security, with an additional 31 percent citing concerns about the fact that not all sites are mobile enabled. Given the increasing prevalence of mobile, this presents both an opportunity and a risk for retailers over the holiday season.

“Consumers want to shop via any channel, at any time,” said Prebble. “So it is critical that retailers begin to think with a mobile first approach to ensure they provide services in a way that the customer wants, or they could risk losing trade to their competition.”

Increased levels of spending seem set to be driven by an increased demand for food and drink gifts, with almost two thirds (64 percent) of shoppers planning on buying such items, up from 49 percent last year.

However, the survey delivered potentially bad news for those hoping for a new Christmas jumper. In an indication of shifting consumer trends, only half (51 percent) of consumers are planning to buy clothing as a present this holiday season, down from two thirds (64 percent) in 2014.

Despite the confidence and increased spending intentions, consumers are still worried about external factors potentially impacting their Christmas budget. More than a third (39 percent) are concerned about an unexpected emergency reducing how much they have to spend on Christmas gifts, with energy bills (32 percent) and rising food bills (30 percent) also having the potential to cut into Christmas spending.

Methodology
Accenture conducted an online survey with Coleman Parkes using a representative sample of 1,513 UK consumers in September and October 2015.

About Accenture
Accenture is a leading global professional services company, providing a broad range of services and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital, technology and operations. Combining unmatched experience and specialized skills across more than 40 industries and all business functions – underpinned by the world’s largest delivery network – Accenture works at the intersection of business and technology to help clients improve their performance and create sustainable value for their stakeholders. With more than 358,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries, Accenture drives innovation to improve the way the world works and lives. Visit us at www.accenture.com.

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Contact:

Molly McDonagh
Accenture UK
+ 44 (0)7825 023 622
molly.mcdonagh@accenture.com

SOURCE:  Acccenture

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US expands presence at MAPIC 2015

CANNES, 2015-11-23 — /EPR Retail News/ — International leaders from the world’s retail real estate industry met at Cannes this week for MAPIC 2015. A multi-faceted focus on digital, a significantly enlarged presence from the United States – MAPIC’s Country of Honour – and a plethora of new retailtainment specialists setting up shop in a pavilion that has doubled in size since 2014, were the high points of this year’s event.

Reflecting the increasing role of digital in the retail industry, the MAPIC Innovation Forum hosted a series of conferences and pitching sessions to discuss omnichannel retail, the increasing use of big data to manage retail outlets and the growing trend for online retailers to move into brick-and-mortar stores.

Discussing the development of omnichannel retailing, Karen Harris, Managing Director of INTUDIGITAL told MAPIC delegates, “All the research demonstrates that the multi-channel shopper is three times more valuable to the retailer than the pure brick-and–mortar shopper.”

At a time when boundaries between physical and virtual stores are increasingly fading, MAPIC witnessed another key trend for the future of the retail market: the online to offline phenomenon. Online retail specialists such as Spartoo.com – which recently opened its first store in Grenoble and plans to open 50 by 2017 – are starting to develop a physical presence through pop-up stores, showrooming and dedicated corners in shopping centres and cities. “The opening of brick-and-mortar shops gives us the opportunity to develop proximity with our customers and bring people into the shopping experience to generate brand preference,” explained Boris Saragaglia, Founder and CEO of Spartoo.com at a conference session. “To present a specific offer adapted to each of our stores, we use data collected via our platform to identify the best-sellers of a given region,” he added.

With the United States as this year’s Country of Honour, the US presence in Cannes was significantly increased with over 136 companies in town, including 29 exhibitors. Among the major US companies attending MAPIC were Thor Equities, Vornado Realty Trust, Simon Property and Kimco, with first-time appearances from Related Companies (promoting Hudson Yards), RFR Realty, SL Green and Archaio.

According to data released by JLL during MAPIC, the US market offers major opportunities and is characterised by the fact that while shopping malls and high streets play an important role, “most retail is spread across suburban shopping centres and freestanding buildings.” JLL reported that a growing number of US consumers are treating lifestyle centres – combining department store anchors, speciality retailers and aspirational luxury brands – as the new high street.

Regarding the direction that US shopping malls are now taking, Webber Hudson, Executive Vice President at Related Urban felt that, “it’s all about the great emporiums offering an assortment that has relevant price points to all shoppers. You have to continually curate your assortment and you have to continually look to new ideas.”

New York or not New York? That was the question which generated great debate from the panel at the US Conference taking place on November 18. Enrique Nehme, VP International Business Development of Charming Charlie, highlighted the fact that, “entering New York is about creating a brand that is bigger than the business.”

“While New York is a great city, the US is about a lot of great cities” said Sam Polese, Executive Vice President of Thor Equities. “Austin, Nashville, Portland, San Diego and above all Houston (which many tend to forget is the 4th biggest city in the United States), are the next big cities for retailers to be focusing on. We are spending a lot of time looking at 18-hour cities as an alternative investment strategy to the high cost of acquisition in major global cities like New York or San Francisco.”

The rapid development of retailtainment was clearly visible at MAPIC 2015, with the dedicated pavilion doubling in size this year to host 20 market leaders. Speaking at the packed retailtainment conference session entitled ‘When Shopping Malls become Amusement Parks’, Nicole Carter, Retail Development and Entertainment Executive of DreamWorks Animation explained how exclusivity was at the core of DreamWorks’ retailtainment strategy, “Customers’ expectations have changed; they want to engage and experience something unique. For us, it is important to work with the concept of exclusivity with shopping malls. Creating a truly exclusive and unique destination will enable these malls to draw traffic from other competitors.” She further added that for the DreamWorks Dream Place: a 2000sq-ft Christmas holiday cottage attraction that was launched in eight malls Stateside in 2014, some families reportedly drove for 2-3 hours to visit the attraction.

MAPIC hosted some 8,100 delegates this week, including 2,000 retail executives and 470 brands attending for the first time. With 73 countries represented at the event, MAPIC continues to expand its international footprint with a host of major shopping centres being showcased. Underlining the diversity of countries represented, MAPIC welcomed Majid Al Futtaim (UAE), Place Vendôme (Qatar), Iran Mall (Iran), South Energyx (Nigeria) and the giant Wanda Group (China). Major European companies included Klépierre (France), Unibail-Rodamco (France), Hammerson (UK), Westfield (UK), ECE Projektmanagement (Germany) and Sonae Sierra (Portugal/UK).

Commenting on the events in Paris on November 13, Reed MIDEM CEO Paul Zilk said, “MAPIC has taken place without incident and we are extremely grateful for the support we received from our clients. Our thoughts are with all those who were affected by this tragedy.”

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MAPIC 2016 will take place 16-18 November, 2016

MAPIC Italy 2016 will take place 24-25 May, 2016

For editors:
Founded in 1963, Reed MIDEM is a leading organiser of professional, international tradeshows. Reed MIDEM events have established themselves as key dates in professional diaries. The company hosts MIPTV, MIPDOC, MIPCOM, and MIPJUNIOR for the television and audio-visual and digital content industries, MIDEM for music professionals, MIPIM, MIPIM Asia, MIPIM UK, MIPIM Japan for the real estate industry and MAPIC, Retail Real Estate Market powered by MAPIC in Shanghai and MAPIC Italy in Milan for the retail real estate sector.

Reed MIDEM is a division of Reed Exhibitions, the world’s leading event organiser, with over 500 events in 43 countries. In 2014 Reed brought together over seven million event participants from around the world generating billions of dollars in business. Today Reed events are held throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific and Africa and organised by 41 fully staffed offices. Reed Exhibitions serves 43 industry sectors with trade and consumer events. It is part of the RELX Group plc, a world-leading provider of information solutions for professional customers across industries. www.reedexpo.com

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AD & MONOQI Design Award – Auszeichnung internationaler Nachwuchsdesigner & Exklusives Award-Dinner in Berlin

BERLIN, 2015-11-23 — /EPR Retail News/ — MONOQI, die Online-Destination für handverlesenes Design und das renommierte Interiormagazin AD verliehen am gestrigen Abend erstmalig den „AD & MONOQI Design Award“ an fünf vielversprechende Jungdesigner aus dem Interior Bereich. Mit der Auszeichnung unterstreicht MONOQI die bestehende Philosophie, den talentierten Design-Nachwuchs zu fördern und einem designaffinen Publikum vorzustellen.

Die Gewinner des ersten „AD & MONOQI Design Award“ wurden am 19. November im Rahmen eines exklusiven Dinners mit mehr als 50 ausgewählten Gästen der internationalen Design-Szene geehrt. Den passenden Ort für die Preisverleihung bot das Wohn- und Galeriehaus des Schweizer Galeristen Juerg Judin. Der Kunstsammler verwandelte vor wenigen Jahren eine Tankstelle aus dem Jahr 1956 in Berlin-Schöneberg in einen außergewöhnlichen Ort der Kunst, Kreativität und Architektur. Die „Tankstelle“ gilt als
architektonische Perle zeitgenössischer Baukunst und bot die perfekte Umgebung für die Veranstaltung. Durch die Verleihung führte Moderator Ole Tillmann.

Die Jury, bestehend aus MONOQI-Gründer Simon Fabich, AD-Chefredakteur Oliver Jahn, Leiter des Interior Design BMW i Jochen Paesen, De Pury & De Pury-Mitbegründerin Dr. Michaela de Pury sowie Susanna und Alessio Minotti, Vertreter von Minotti S.p.A. Italy, wählte aus internationalen Jungdesignern die Preisträger in den Kategorien „Vintage Reloaded“, „Fast Forward“, „Arts & Crafts“ und „Modern Minimal“. In der fünften Kategorie, dem „Reader´s Award“ stimmten MONOQI-Fans und Leser des Interiormagazins AD für ihren Favoriten online ab.

Die Preisträger des „AD & MONOQI Design Awards“
• Kategorie „Readers‘ Award“: Muller Van Severen
Fien Muller und Hannes van Severen, Belgien
• Kategorie „Fast Forward“: Rosie Li, USA
• Kategorie „Arts & Craft“: Nick Ross, Schweden
• Kategorie „Modern Minimal“: Studio WM
Maarten Collignon und Wendy Legro, Niederlande
• Kategorie „Vintage Reloaded“: Atelier Areti Gwendolyn und Guillane Kerschbaumer, ansässig in Großbritannien

Mit dem „AD & MONOQI Design Award“ unterstreicht MONOQI die Förderung junger Design-Talente und bietet vielversprechenden Newcomern die Chance, ihre Werke weltweit einem designaffinen Publikum zu präsentieren. Die prämierten Designs werden im Januar 2015 in einem exklusiven Sale auf MONOQI.com erhältlich sein. Jeder Preisträger wird außerdem im Rahmen eines persönlichen Portraits im Award-Special der Dezember/Januar-Ausgabe der AD gefeatured. Zu guter Letzt werden die Nachwuchs-Designer im Juni 2015 Gäste im Minotti-Headquarter im italienischen Brianza sein und dabei von AD-Chefradakteur Oliver Jahn begleitet.

Über MONOQI:
MONOQI ist die Online-Destination für handverlesenes Design. Neben dem Bereich „Verkäufe“, der wöchentlich exklusive Designneuheiten vorstellt, bietet der „Bestseller/Christmas Shop“ eine umfangreiche Sammlung der meist verkauften Designprodukte mit regelmäßigem Angebotszuwachs dauerhaft an. Seit Oktober 2014 bringt MONOQI auf dem weltweit ersten B2B Marktplatz für kuratierte Designprodukte Retailer und Designunternehmen zusammen, für den sich bereits mehr als 100 Brands entschieden haben, u.a. die zwei renommierten Designunternehmen Seletti und Bang & Olufsen.

Über AD:
Das renommierte Interiormagazin AD Architectural Digest gibt es seit 1997 in Deutschland. AD steht für Interior Design auf Weltniveau und lädt ein, das Beste aus den Bereichen Design und Einrichtung, Architektur, Kunst und anderen Aspekten der gehobenen Lebenskultur zu entdecken. Als globale Marke pflegt AD ein internationales Netzwerk mit bekannten Fotografen, Innenarchitekten, Designern und Kreativen. Zum Markenkosmos zählen neben den digitalen Angeboten mehrere Supplements und Line-Extensions.

Bei Fragen zu MONOQI und dem „AD & MONOQI Design Award“ stehe ich gerne zur Verfügung.
—
BIRGIT BÖTTCHER
K-MB AGENTUR FÜR MARKENKOMMUNIKATION GMBH
AM NORDBAHNHOF 3
10115 BERLIN | GERMANY
T + 49 30 695 972 83 39| F + 49 30 695 97 289
BIRGIT.BOETTCHER@K-MB.DE

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AD & MONOQI Design Award - Auszeichnung internationaler Nachwuchsdesigner & Exklusives Award-Dinner in Berlin

AD & MONOQI Design Award – Auszeichnung internationaler
Nachwuchsdesigner & Exklusives Award-Dinner in Berlin

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SpartanNash Company declares quarterly cash dividend of $0.135 per common share

Byron Center, MI, 2015-11-23 — /EPR Retail News/ — SpartanNash Company (the “Company”) (Nasdaq: SPTN) today announced that its Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.135 per common share. The dividend will be paid on December 30, 2015 to shareholders of record as of December 7, 2015. As of November 18, 2015, there were 37,596,354 common shares outstanding.

About SpartanNash
SpartanNash (SPTN) is a Fortune 400 company and the largest grocery distributor serving U.S. military commissaries and exchanges in the world, in terms of revenue. The Company’s core businesses include distributing grocery products to military commissaries and exchanges and independent and corporate-owned retail stores located in 46 states and the District of Columbia, Europe, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Bahrain and Egypt. SpartanNash currently operates 164 supermarkets, primarily under the banners of Family Fare Supermarkets, Family Fresh Markets, D&W Fresh Markets, and SunMart.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains “forward-looking” statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Although SpartanNash expects to continue to pay a quarterly cash dividend, adoption of a dividend policy does not commit the Board of Directors to declare future dividends. Each future dividend will be considered and declared by the Board of Directors at its discretion. The ability of the Board of Directors to continue to declare dividends will depend on a number of factors, including SpartanNash’s future financial condition and profitability and compliance with the terms of its credit facilities.

SpartanNash Company
Investor Contact:
Dave Staples
Executive Vice President & COO
(616) 878-8793
or
Media Contact:
Meredith Gremel
Vice President Corporate Affairs and Communications
(616) 878-2830

SOURCE: SpartanNash

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Coop setzt bei Neutrogena ab sofort auf Parallelimport

Coop kämpft weiter für tiefere Preise

BASEL, Switzerland, 2015-11-23 — /EPR Retail News/ — Coop hat genug von den ungerechtfertigten Preisunterschieden zum benachbarten Ausland für Körperpflegeprodukte. Ab nächstem Montag ist bei Coop in einem ersten Schritt das gesamte Neutrogena-Sortiment mit rund 20 Artikeln um bis zu 40 % günstiger. Die Verhandlungen mit dem Lieferanten Johnson & Johnson verliefen für Coop nicht zufriedenstellend. Darum hat sich die Basler Detailhändlerin entschieden, Neutrogena-Artikel ab sofort parallel zu importieren und die dadurch erzielten tieferen Preise 1:1 an die Kunden weiterzugeben.

Coop ist seit Monaten mit verschiedenen Markenartikel-Lieferanten in Verhandlung mit dem erklärten Ziel, die teils massiven Preisabstände zum benachbarten Ausland kontinuierlich zu reduzieren. Die Verhandlungen mit Johson & Johnson, dem Lieferanten der bekannten Hautpflegeprodukte der Marke Neutrogena, sind dabei für Coop nicht zufriedenstellend verlaufen. Deshalb hat sich die Basler Detailhändlerin entschieden, Neutrogena-Artikel ab sofort parallel zu importieren. Das gesamte Neutrogena-Sortiment mit rund 20 Artikeln wird dadurch um bis zu 40 % günstiger.

Keine Kompromisse mit Lieferanten
Philipp Wyss, Leiter Marketing / Beschaffung bei Coop, will die teils massiven Preisunterschiede zum benachbarten Ausland nicht mehr länger hinnehmen: «Wir haben den Druck auf unsere Markenartikel-Lieferanten erhöht. Unsere Kunden sollen in der Schweiz zu korrekten und vorteilhaften Preisen einkaufen können.» Coop werde auch weiterhin erzielte Preisvorteile uneingeschränkt in Form von tieferen Verkaufspreisen weitergeben und dort, wo nötig, weitere Auslistungen vornehmen.

Unter anderem werden folgende Produkte ab Montag, 23. November 2015 günstiger

Bilder zum Download

Kontaktpersonen

Denise Stadler, Leiterin Medienstelle
Tel. +41 61 336 71 10

Ramón Gander, Mediensprecher
Tel. +41 61 336 71 67

Urs Meier, Mediensprecher
Tel. +41 61 336 71 39

Nadja Ruch, Mediensprecherin
Tel. +41 61 336 71 87

 

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Coop setzt bei Neutrogena ab sofort auf Parallelimport

Coop setzt bei Neutrogena ab sofort auf Parallelimport

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Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals at Starbucks and Teavana stores

SEATTLE, 2015-11-23 — /EPR Retail News/ — On Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Starbucks and Teavana invite customers to shop for deals at participating stores in the U.S. and online at Starbucks.com/shop and Teavana.com, where they will find something for everyone on their list, including themselves.

Thanksgiving and Black Friday Deals at Starbucks Retail Stores and Starbucks.com/shop

The budding barista at home will appreciate the Verismo® System 600 this holiday season. The Verismo® System by Starbucks is a premium at-home brewing system. Brew Starbucks® coffee, chai tea or espresso beverage – consistently and conveniently – one cup at a time.  From November 26 through November 29 purchase the Verismo® System 600 for $79, at participating Starbucks® stores, and receive one free box of Verismo® pods while supplies last. This offer is available online at Starbucks.com/shop starting at 3 p.m. PST on November 25.

A Reusable Coffee and Tea Refill Tumbler is perfect for coffee and tea lovers this holiday season, available at Starbucks stores on November 26 and online at Starbucks.com/shop at 3 p.m. PST on November 25, while supplies last. Present this16 oz. stainless steel tumbler ($40) for one free Grande brewed hot coffee or tea every day in January 2016 at participating Starbucks stores (limit one refill per day). This offer excludes iced coffee, iced tea, customizations, Starbucks Reserve® coffees and Teavana® Oprah Chai teas.

Put the finishing touches on a tea drinker’s stocking with Teavana Joy 2015. Enjoy 20 percent off all packaged tea from November 26 through November 29.  Additionally, Tazo and Teavana tea will be 20 percent off on Starbucks.com/shop from November 25 at 3 p.m. PST through November 29 at 2:59 p.m. PST.

Thanksgiving and Black Friday Deals at Teavana Retail Stores

In advance of holiday and Black Friday shopping, visit Teavana retail stores November 23 through November 25, and again on November 29, to buy one/get one 50 percent off pre-packed teas, select gift sets and tumblers from Teavana’s holiday collection, while supplies last and some exclusions apply. For Black Friday, starting November 26 through November 28, buy one and get one free of equal or lesser value on select holiday best-selling teas and gift sets, while supplies last at participating Teavana retail stores.

Cyber Monday Deals on Starbucks.com/shop

Shopping for the holidays online? Visit Starbucks.com/shop for its biggest offer of the year.  Starting November 29 at 3 p.m. PST through November 30 11:59 p.m. PST, receive $25 off an order of $60 of qualifying merchandise, plus free standard shipping. Some exclusions apply.

Cyber Monday Deals on Teavana.com

If shopping online for a tea enthusiast, visit Teavana.com starting November 29 at 3 p.m. PST through November 30 11:59 PST, and enjoy $25 off any $60 of qualifying merchandise, plus free shipping. Some exclusions apply.

For more information on this news release, contact us.

SOURCE: Starbucks Corporation

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Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals at Starbucks and Teavana stores

Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals at Starbucks and Teavana stores

 

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Carrefour: Atacadão launches “Sans Form” campaign to tackle food wastage

BRAZIL, 2015-11-23 — /EPR Retail News/ — Brazil is one of the world’s leading producers of fruit and vegetables – but around a third of what it produces is discarded every day.

Some of what it throws away is food of a very high quality, but food with imperfections that render it “ugly” and not appealing enough to be considered for sale.

As part of its current drive to tackle wastage, Atacadão has launched its “Sans Form” campaign: every Wednesday in several stores around the country, fruit and vegetables with imperfections are sold at discounts of up to 40%.

SOURCE: Carrefour

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Carrefour awards ten winners of its “Major Climate Challenge For Suppliers”

First international edition of the “Major Climate Challenge For Suppliers”, Carrefour rewards ten of its suppliers for what they are doing to curb climate change

Boulogne-Billancourt, FRANCE, 2015-11-23 — /EPR Retail News/ — On 19 and 20 November 2015, Carrefour hosted an event in Paris for the ten winners of its “Major Climate Challenge For Suppliers”. An opportunity for all of its partners from ten of the Group’s integrated countries to adopt a collective policy for tackling climate change.

As we gear up for the COP21 conference, the “Major Climate Challenge For Suppliers” showcases companies that have developed concrete initiatives designed to tackle climate change, such as reducing waste or greenhouse gas emissions, protecting the planet’s biodiversity and developing eco-responsible products.

The ten prize-winners were all selected in their respective countries by panels made up of experts, journalists and NGO representatives who assessed the innovative solutions developed to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and the results that these solutions yielded.

This ” Major Climate Challenge For Suppliers ” has helped Carrefour to identify and promote exemplary initiatives which are in line with its aim of reducing its carbon emissions by 70% between now and 2050.

Carrefour is continuing to support suppliers, helping them to develop innovative and environmentally-friendly products for its stores that meet customers’ requests. What’s more, supporting its partners is – alongside tackling waste and preserving the planet’s biodiversity – the third key area in which Carrefour’s CSR policy is focused.

SOURCE: Carrefour

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Walmart’s Cyber Monday savings will be available to customers starting Sunday evening, Nov. 29 at 8 p.m. ET.

Millions of customers can finally sleep well the night before Cyber Monday as all of Walmart’s Cyber Monday Deals Launch Early on Sunday

SAN BRUNO, Calif., 2015-11-23 — /EPR Retail News/ — For the first time ever, all of Walmart’s Cyber Monday savings will be available to customers starting Sunday evening, Nov. 29 at 8 p.m. ET. The change is aimed at providing a simpler and more convenient experience for customers who are searching the Web on Sunday night and often waiting up past midnight to do their shopping. Google searches for the term “Cyber Monday” clearly surge on Monday, but there is also a significant spike on Sunday evening. And, historically, when Walmart released select Cyber Monday deals on Sunday evening, traffic increased significantly.

Cyber Monday originated as consumers waited to get back to work after Black Friday to continue their holiday shopping online where they had a high-speed connection. As faster Internet spread to more homes and smartphones, consumers began staying awake past midnight Sunday to access the best specials as they came online. Walmart’s earlier start time breaks with that “tired” tradition and reflects a commitment to make shopping easier for customers without asking them to stay up into the wee hours or checking online every few minutes on Monday.

“It can be exhausting for working parents and millenials to stay up past midnight to shop online, only to wake up early the next day to get ready for work,” said Fernando Madeira, President and CEO, Walmart.com. “By starting ‘Cyber Monday’ hours earlier on Sunday evening and quadrupling the number of Cyber Monday specials, we’re making it easier for customers to get ahead of the busiest online shopping day of the year and save on the best gifts.”

Savings All Weekend Long

On the heels of Black Friday, Walmart begins Cyber Week on Saturday, Nov. 28 with key items available for free in-store pick up. The savings continue with Walmart’s biggest Cyber Monday ever beginning at 8 p.m. ET on Sunday, Nov. 29, with incredible deals on thousands of items, including:

  • LG 65” 4K Ultra HDTV – $799 ($500 savings) + free shipping
  • Microsoft Surface Pro 3 – $599 ($200 savings) + free shipping
  • Air Hogs Star Wars Remote Control X-34 Landspeeder – $19 ($15 savings) + free shipping to store
  • 14-ft. Trampoline with Enclosure – $189 (nearly $80 savings) + free shipping
  • Porter Cable 3-Tool Combo Kit – $79 (Special Buy) + free shipping
  • Air Hogs Video Drone – $75 ($34 savings) + free shipping

Deeper Inventory and the Best Deals on Items Customers Want Most

Walmart.com merchants closely watched customer search and demand trends in the months leading up to the holidays and significantly expanded the assortment for Cyber Monday in the most sought-after categories. For example, in the past week, searches for Star Wars, 4K TVs, drones, Beats by Dre headphones, Fitbit and 3D printers are all up more than 100 percent compared to the same time last year. Walmart.com has increased its assortment of these key items and will offer triple the number of Star Wars toys, three times as many 4K TVs, 15X more drones, and 350 percent more 3D printers and accessories compared to last year.

Fast, Free Shipping on Millions of Items

Last year, nearly 90 percent of the orders placed on Walmart.com between Thanksgiving Day and Cyber Monday shipped for free. Millions of items ship for free to Walmart stores across the country, and Walmart offers free shipping to home on orders of $50 or more.

More Opportunities to Shop with the Return of Evening Edition

Walmart plans to bring back the popular “Evening Edition” which launched last year on the evening of Cyber Monday to give working moms, dads and millennials another opportunity to get the best gifts at low prices. If customers are unable to shop on Sunday evening, they have a second chance on Monday after work. Last year, Walmart saw a sharp increase in visits to Walmart.com during this time period. Cyber Week will continue through Friday, Dec. 4 with 2,000 online specials offered each day. More information on the Evening Edition will be unveiled before Cyber Monday.

More information and a sneak peek of additional Cyber Week specials are available by visiting www.walmart.com/cybermonday.

About Walmart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) helps people around the world save money and live better – anytime and anywhere – in retail stores, online and through their mobile devices. Each week, more than 250 million customers and members visit our 11,462 stores under 71 banners in 27 countries and e-commerce websites in 11 countries. With fiscal year 2015 sales of nearly $486 billion, Walmart employs more than 2 million associates worldwide. Walmart continues to be a leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting http://corporate.walmart.com on Facebook at http://facebook.com/walmart and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/walmart. Online merchandise sales are available at http://www.walmart.com and http://www.samsclub.com.

SOURCE: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

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Chipotle Mexican Grill: Investigation continues into E. coli incident in 11 Chipotle restaurants in Washington and Oregon

DENVER, 2015-11-23 — /EPR Retail News/ — Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG) continues to work closely with state and federal health officials, as the investigation continues into an E. coli incident initially linked to 11 Chipotle restaurants in Washington and Oregon.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reduced the number of cases connected to Chipotle from 50 to 37 cases onNovember 18 (with 24 in Washington and 13 in Oregon). This reduction of nearly 25% was based upon more sensitive testing which revealed the cases were not related to Chipotle. The CDC has informed Chipotle that it identified six additional cases in which initial testing matches the E. coli strain involved in the Washington and Oregon incident. Although one of the individuals has no known link to Chipotle, five individuals did report eating at Chipotle, including two in Turlock, Calif., one in Akron, Ohio, one in Amherst, NY, and one in Burnsville, Minn.

Investigators have suggested that in incidents like this, it is not unusual to see additional cases after the initial incident as the investigation moves forward. The source of the problem appears to have been contained during a period in late October. Forty-two of the 43 cases linked to Chipotle, reported visiting one of the restaurants in question between October 13 and October 30. One person reported having eatenNovember 6.

In response to this incident, Chipotle has taken aggressive steps to make sure its restaurants are as safe as possible. There have been no reported new cases in Washington or Oregon since Chipotle put its remediation plan into effect.

Specifically, the company conducted deep cleaning at the restaurants that have been linked to this incident, replacing ingredients in those restaurants, changing food preparation procedures, providing all necessary supply chain data to investigators, and surveying employees to be sure none have had any symptoms of illness (note: no Chipotle employees in any states have been ill related to this incident). Similar actions are immediately being taken in response to these newly reported cases.

Chipotle is also taking significant steps to be sure all of its food is as safe as possible. Specifically, the company is expanding testing of key ingredients, examining all of its food-safety procedures to find any opportunity for improvement, and is working with two renowned food safety scientists to assess all of its food safety programs, from the farms that provide its food to its restaurants.

“We take this incident very seriously because the safety of our food and wellbeing of our customers is always our highest priority,” saidSteve Ells, chairman and co-CEO of Chipotle. “We are committed to taking any and all necessary actions to make sure our food is as safe as possible, and we are working diligently with the health agencies.”

“We offer our sincerest apologies to those who have been affected,” said Ells. “We will leave no stone unturned to ensure the safety of our food – from enhancing the safety and quality assurance program for all of our fresh produce suppliers, to examining all of our food safety procedures from farm to restaurant, and expanding testing programs for produce, meat and dairy items before they are sent to our restaurants.”

According to the CDC, there are about 48 million cases of food-related illness in the U.S. annually, including 265,000 cases of E. coli.

Additional information about this incident is available online at Chipotle.com/update.

About Chipotle

Steve Ells, founder, chairman and co-CEO, started Chipotle with the idea that food served fast did not have to be a typical fast food experience. Today, Chipotle continues to offer a focused menu of burritos, tacos, burrito bowls (a burrito without the tortilla) and salads made from fresh, high-quality raw ingredients, prepared using classic cooking methods and served in a distinctive atmosphere. Through our vision of Food With Integrity, Chipotle is seeking better food from using ingredients that are not only fresh, but that—where possible—are sustainably grown and raised responsibly with respect for the animals, the land, and the farmers who produce the food. In order to achieve this vision, we focus on building a special people culture that is centered on creating teams of top performers empowered to achieve high standards. This people culture not only leads to a better dining experience for our customers, it also allows us to develop future leaders from within. Chipotle opened with a single restaurant in 1993 and operates more than 1,900 restaurants, including 17 Chipotle restaurants outside the US, 11 ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen restaurants, and is an investor in an entity that owns and operates three Pizzeria Locale restaurants. For more information, visit Chipotle.com.

Source: Chipotle

Chipotle
Chris Arnold, 303-222-5912
chris.arnold@chipotle.com

SOURCE: Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc.

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Dollar General launches seven straight days of exclusive savings between Nov. 22 and Nov. 28

Retailer offers quality and value on major holiday categories

  • Days of savings include incredible savings on Thanksgiving Day both online and at more than 12,000 retail locations.
  • Three days of toy savings of buy one, get one 75 percent off on Nov. 26-28; 70 percent of toy assortment is licensed and branded.
  • Specials begin on Sunday, Nov. 22 and continue through Saturday, Nov. 28 on all major holiday categories including electronics, toys, gifts, apparel and food.

GOODLETTSVILLE, Tenn., 2015-11-23 — /EPR Retail News/ — Customers can take advantage of seven straight days of exclusive savings for their holiday shopping at more than 12,000 Dollar General retail locations and online at www.dollargeneral.com between Sunday, Nov. 22 and Saturday, Nov. 28.

“Dollar General is excited to offer customers great savings and value on this season’s most popular items including toys, electronics, home décor and foods,” said Jim Thorpe, Dollar General’s executive vice president and chief merchandising officer. “Our commitment to helping customers stretch their budget this holiday is reflected throughout our stores with low prices in every category to ensure our customers can celebrate affordably.”

Shoppers looking to take advantage of in-store sales may shop stores from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day and 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Black Friday. Normal hours of operation resume on Saturday, November 28, 2015.

Highlights of items featured during the seven days of savings include:

Four-Day Savings (Sunday, Nov. 22 through Wednesday, Nov. 25)

  • Select Coca-Cola® 2 liter products: Three for $3 (Must purchase three to get discounted price)
  • Craig® Lighted Bluetooth Tower Speaker: $25
  • Disney® Infinity 3.0 Edition Starter Pack: $45
  • Sylvania® DVD player: $14
  • DG® Home heavy duty or alkaline batteries: Buy one, get one free (Must purchase two to get discounted price)
  • Libby’s® canned vegetables: Three for $1

Thanksgiving Day-Only Specials on Thursday, Nov. 26

  • 50 percent off all trees, ornaments and tree toppers
  • All ASOTV® items: Buy one, get one free (Must purchase two to get discounted price)
  • Alcatel Onetouch® Pixi Glitch™: $1
  • Sylvania® seven-inch portable DVD player: $34
  • Seven-inch family tablet: $32
  • Emerson® Action Camera: $18
  • Sega® or Atari® gaming consoles: $28
  • Men’s Open Trails® denim jeans: $7
  • Frozen Olaf waffle maker: $10
  • Indoor/Outdoor 100-count mini lights: $1
  • Ladies’ or girls’ faux suede classic boots: $5

Three-Day Savings (Thursday, Nov. 26 through Saturday, Nov. 28)

  • Toys: Buy one, get one 75 percent off Must purchase two to get discounted price; Excludes ASOTV®, electronics and Disney® Infinity Figures and Starter Packs.
  • Disney® Infinity individual figures: Two for $15 (Must purchase two to get discounted price)
  • Fiber optic decorations: 25 percent off
  • All licensed comforters: $25
  • All candles or wax warmer gift set: 50 percent off
  • Pillow pals: $15
  • Toastmaster® appliances: $15
  • Men’s and ladies’ Gildan® fleece crewnecks or pants: Two for $10 (Must purchase two to get discounted price)

In addition to in-store savings, Dollar General will offer e-commerce shoppers free shipping with any pre-tax purchase of $40 or more. Customers who sign up to receive Dollar General emails can also receive additional discounts on shipping rates. Visit www.dollargeneral.com for more information.

Additional information, photographs, stock footage and story ideas are available online at Dollar General’s newsroom or by contacting the Media Relations Department at 1-877-944-DGPR (3477) or via email at dgpr@dg.com.

About Dollar General Corporation
Dollar General Corporation (NYSE: DG) has been delivering value to shoppers for over 75 years. Dollar General helps shoppers Save time. Save money. Every day!® by offering products that are frequently used and replenished, such as food, snacks, health and beauty aids, cleaning supplies, clothing for the family, housewares and seasonal items at low everyday prices in convenient neighborhood locations. Dollar General operates 12,396 stores in 43 states as of October 30, 2015. In addition to high quality private brands, Dollar General sells products from America’s most-trusted manufacturers such as Clorox, Energizer, Procter & Gamble, Hanes, Coca-Cola, Mars, Unilever, Nestle, Kimberly-Clark, Kellogg’s, General Mills, and PepsiCo. For more information on Dollar General, please visit www.dollargeneral.com.

Contact(s):

Dollar General Corporation
Media Hotline: 1-877-944-DGPR (3477)
dgpr@dg.com
or
Dan MacDonald, 615-855-5209
or
Crystal Ghassemi, 615-855-5210

About Dollar General Corporation
Dollar General Corporation (NYSE: DG) has been delivering value to shoppers for over 75 years. Dollar General helps shoppers Save time. Save money. Every day!® by offering products that are frequently used and replenished, such as food, snacks, health and beauty aids, cleaning supplies, clothing for the family, housewares and seasonal items at low everyday prices in convenient neighborhood locations. With 12,396 stores in 43 states as of October 30, 2015, Dollar General is America’s largest small-box discount retailer offering multi-price point merchandise. In addition to high quality private brands, Dollar General sells products from America’s most-trusted manufacturers such as Clorox, Energizer, Procter & Gamble, Hanes, Coca-Cola, Mars, Unilever, Nestle, Kimberly-Clark, Kellogg’s, General Mills, and PepsiCo. For more information on Dollar General, please visit www.dollargeneral.com.

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Price Chopper and Market 32’s Check Out Hunger campaign and Holiday Toy Drive kicked off and will run until December 12

Schenectady, NY, 2015-11-23 — /EPR Retail News/ — Price Chopper and Market 32’s Check Out Hunger, a campaign that raises dollars and food donations for designated food banks and their affiliated kitchens and pantries and the annual Holiday Toy Drive kicked off this past weekend and will run for four weeks through Saturday, December 12.

Check Out Hunger gives shoppers the opportunity to add a small monetary donation to their grocery bill (bringing the total to the next whole dollar amount) through the Round Up Your Change program and to purchase a set-price Food Package, a $5, $10 or $15 selection of pantry essentials.

The annual Holiday Toy Drive, in partnership with The Salvation Army, offers toy collection sites at every Price Chopper and Market 32 throughout the six-state service area, with the goal of distributing the toys to children in need within the communities where the toys were donated. In addition to the toy drive, the Golub Foundation will make a donation to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Northeast New York for each toy donated.

“Check Out Hunger and the Holiday Toy Drive help us raise awareness about and funds and food for those of our neighbors who may need a little help to get through the end of the year,” said Mona Golub, vice president of public relations and consumer services. “Price Chopper, Market 32, and the Golub Foundation are proud to lend the accessibility of our stores and are thankful for the collective generosity of our teammates, shoppers and partners for their support of these annual efforts.”

Last year’s campaigns raised more than $47,000 and 29 tons of food that were distributed to a dozen area food banks and more than 2,600 toys that were distributed locally.

Both Check Out Hunger and the Holiday Toy Drive are annual giving programs that are available at all 136 Price Choppers and Market 32s throughout the chain’s six state footprint (CT, MA, NH, NY, PA and VT.)

About The Golub Corporation: Based in Schenectady, NY, the Golub Corporation owns and operates 136 Price Chopper and Market 32 grocery stores in New York, Vermont, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. The American owned, family-managed company prides itself on longstanding traditions of innovative food merchandising, leadership in community service, and cooperative employee relations. Golub’s 22,000 teammates collectively own more than 47% of the company’s privately held stock, making it one of the nation’s largest privately held corporations that is predominantly employee-owned. For additional information, visit www.pricechopper.com

Contact:
Mona Golub
Price Chopper
518.379.1480
or
Jonathan Pierce, APR
Pierce Communications
518.427.1186

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Diebold to launch voluntary public tender offer for all of Wincor Nixdorf’s outstanding shares

  • Companies have entered into a business combination agreement in which Diebold will launch a voluntary public tender offer for all of Wincor Nixdorf’s outstanding shares
  • Brings together leading global innovators in banking and retail technologies in rapidly transforming industries
  • Combined company will deliver fully integrated and transformative solutions in value-added services, branch automation and omnichannel experiences
  • Both companies share a common strategic focus on growing services and software, and have highly complementary offerings, geographic presence and customer bases
  • Diebold will offer Wincor Nixdorf shareholders €38.98 in cash plus 0.434 Diebold common shares per Wincor Nixdorf share (1)
  • Transaction values Wincor Nixdorf, including net debt, at approximately $1.8 billion, or €1.7 billion (2)
  • Transaction expected to yield approximately $160 million of annual cost synergies, and the combined company will target non-GAAP operating margin (3) in excess of 9 percent by the end of the third full year following completion of the transaction

NORTH CANTON, Ohio and PADERBORN, Germany, 2015-11-23 — /EPR Retail News/ — Diebold, Incorporated (NYSE:DBD), a global leader in providing self-service delivery, value-added services and software primarily to the financial industry, and Wincor Nixdorf AG (FWB: WIN), a leading provider of IT solutions and services to banks and the retail industry, today announced that the companies have entered into a business combination agreement. Pursuant to the business combination agreement, Diebold will launch a voluntary public tender offer to all shareholders of Wincor Nixdorf. Under the terms of the agreement, Diebold will offer Wincor Nixdorf shareholders €38.98 in cash plus 0.434 Diebold common shares per Wincor Nixdorf share (1). This transaction values Wincor Nixdorf, including net debt, at approximately $1.8 billion, or €1.7 billion (2).

The combined company had pro forma revenue of approximately $5.2 billion, or €4.8 billion (4), for the trailing 12 months ended Sept. 30, 2015, excluding revenue attributable to Diebold’s North America electronic security business, which it recently agreed to divest. Following completion of the offer and subject to certain approvals, the combined company will be named Diebold Nixdorf, with common shares publicly listed on the New York Stock Exchange and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. The combined company will have registered offices in North Canton, Ohio, U.S. and will be operated from headquarters in North Canton and Paderborn, Germany.

The combination brings together leading innovators in value-added services, branch automation and omnichannel experiences to create an industry leader focused on the entire value chain — consult, design, build and operate — to help financial institutions and retailers succeed in their business transformation journey. The combined company will build upon the two companies’ shared vision that services and software drive the consumer experience and enable customers to differentiate themselves in an evolving industry. The combined company will pursue a growing total addressable market of approximately $60 billion, according to independent market estimates and Diebold internal analysis.

Combined Company to Deliver More Services and Innovation to the Market

“The rate of change we see in our industry is unprecedented, and by leveraging innovative solutions and talent from both organizations we will have the scale, strength and flexibility to help our customers through their own business transformation,” said Andy W. Mattes, Diebold president and chief executive officer (CEO). “Our new company will be well positioned for growth in high-value services and software — particularly in the areas of managed services, branch automation, mobile and omnichannel solutions — across a broader customer base. This combination was made possible through the successes we have had and continue to create in the Diebold 2.0 transformation plan. We have a history of collaboration with Wincor Nixdorf, and our shared approach will help drive a successful integration and minimize disruption. I am very excited about the many opportunities we will create together.”

“The combination of Diebold and Wincor Nixdorf is an exciting opportunity for both companies to shape the future of banking and retail solutions. Together, we can even better leverage the potential of a rapidly changing banking and retail market due to our strong combined R&D expertise. With our complementary geographic presence, we will be even closer to customers worldwide. Our common view of omnichannel software solutions will enable us to create a best-in-class customer experience to support banks and retailers to cope with challenges of digitalization,” said Eckard Heidloff, CEO, Wincor Nixdorf. “Furthermore, we are convinced that our employees will benefit from being part of an even stronger, more global organization that is well positioned for the age of digitalization.”

Highly Complementary Geographies, Customers and Solutions

The two companies share a complementary geographic reach across the Americas, EMEA and within Asia, along with strong, trusted brands backed by best-in-breed engineering. Diebold is a leading player in the Americas, whereas Wincor Nixdorf is a leading player in Europe. These two regions are also key drivers for innovation and digital transformation — both in banking and retail.
The combined company’s collective capabilities and established global market presence will offer a broader range of services and solutions across its customer base. Growth in both the software and services segments is expected to be accelerated by the combined, expanded installed base of nearly one million automated teller machines (ATMs) worldwide to the benefit of the customers. The combined company’s strong service presence will also benefit Wincor Nixdorf’s retail business.

Agreement Approved by Boards of Both Companies

Under the terms of the business combination agreement, which has been approved by Diebold’s board of directors and Wincor Nixdorf’s supervisory board, Diebold will launch a voluntary public tender offer for all outstanding shares of Wincor Nixdorf. The offer consideration will consist of €38.98 in cash plus 0.434 Diebold shares per Wincor Nixdorf share.

Based on the volume-weighted average share price of Diebold shares over the last five trading days prior to Oct. 17, 2015, the day on which the companies confirmed entry into a non-binding term sheet for a proposed business combination, the total offer consideration represented an implied value of €52.50 per Wincor Nixdorf share. This implied value represents a premium of approximately 35 percent over Wincor Nixdorf’s closing share price as of Oct. 16, 2015, and a premium of approximately 42 percent over the volume-weighted average price per share over the last three months preceding that date. The corresponding enterprise value including net debt amounts to approximately $1.8 billion, or €1.7 billion, under these terms.

Under the business combination agreement, the existing transformation program at Wincor Nixdorf will be supported by Diebold and will proceed as planned. The parties have agreed that there will be no material workforce reductions in Germany beyond this existing program as a result of the transaction. Furthermore, all labor-related laws and regulations will be respected and co-determination on the German supervisory board level shall remain unchanged.

Following the completion of the transaction, the combined company plans to deliver approximately $160 million of annual cost synergies and will target a non-GAAP operating margin in excess of 9 percent by the end of the third full year. In addition, the transaction is expected to be accretive to non-GAAP earnings per share (5) in the second year, excluding integration costs.

The terms of the voluntary public tender offer were subject to thorough analysis by Wincor Nixdorf’s supervisory board and management board as required by their fiduciary duties. The management board and supervisory board of Wincor Nixdorf consider the offer consideration proposed by Diebold fair for shareholders and the overall agreement in the best interest of Wincor Nixdorf, its shareholders, employees and other stakeholders and therefore intend to recommend the offer.

Equal Representation on the Executive Committee

Diebold’s Mattes, 54, will be CEO of the combined company. Wincor Nixdorf’s Heidloff, 59, will be president. Christopher C. Chapman, 41, the current Diebold chief financial officer (CFO), will serve as CFO of the combined company, and Jürgen Wunram, 57, Wincor Nixdorf CFO, will serve as chief integration officer and will represent the retail business in the executive committee. In total, the combined company’s executive committee of eight will be equally represented by business leaders from both Diebold and Wincor Nixdorf, including the four executives mentioned above.

Following the closing it is anticipated that along with the existing Diebold board members, three new directors will join the board of the combined company: Dr. Alexander Dibelius, chairman of the supervisory board of Wincor Nixdorf, Dr. Dieter Düsedau, member of the supervisory board of Wincor Nixdorf, and Eckard Heidloff. Also, to facilitate the integration, it is intended that three Diebold executives will join the supervisory board of Wincor Nixdorf upon closing.

Transaction Structure

The transaction will be implemented through a voluntary public tender offer for all outstanding shares of Wincor Nixdorf. Diebold expects the offer to commence during the first quarter of 2016 after filing of Diebold’s registration statement on Form S-4 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and approval of the offer document by the German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (Bundesanstalt fuer Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht / BaFin). The offer is subject to certain closing conditions, including regulatory approvals and a minimum acceptance threshold of c. 67.6 percent of all existing Wincor Nixdorf ordinary shares (this corresponds, after deduction of treasury shares held by Wincor Nixdorf which will not be tendered, to c. 75 percent of all current voting stock (outstanding shares)).

Given that the mixed consideration consisting of cash and stock is offered by a US corporation, Diebold, Inc. does not expect that German withholding tax will apply to Wincor Nixdorf shareholders who are not tax-resident in Germany (unless the Wincor Nixdorf shares are held as part of business assets in Germany). For Wincor Nixdorf shareholders tax resident in Germany, the tax treatment of the voluntary public tender offer will follow generally applicable German tax principles, which may include German taxation of the cash component of the consideration as a dividend for certain shareholders tax-resident in Germany. A general summary of material tax consequences related to the participation in the voluntary public tender offer will be published as part of the offer documentation. For an individual analysis of their personal tax situation in connection with the acceptance of the voluntary public takeover offer, Wincor Nixdorf shareholders are advised to consult their tax advisors.

Upon successful completion of the offer and regulatory approvals, Diebold will consolidate the financial results of Wincor Nixdorf, and Diebold’s earnings will reflect its proportionate share of Wincor Nixdorf’s earnings.

Financing the Transaction
Diebold has committed financing in place. In addition to cash on hand, Diebold expects to raise approximately $2.8 billion to fund the transaction, refinance existing debt of both companies and provide liquidity. This permanent financing is expected to be comprised of a $0.5 billion senior secured revolver and $2.3 billion of senior secured term loans and unsecured notes.

Following the transaction close, the pro forma balance sheet is expected to have net debt/EBITDA of approximately 4x (6). The combined company intends to shift its capital allocation plans to focus on deleveraging the balance sheet to be consistently below 3x net debt/EBITDA by the end of year three. Commensurate with this approach and after the transaction closes, the combined company intends to pay a dividend per share at a rate of approximately one-third of Diebold’s current annual cash dividend per share, subject to market and other conditions. Moving forward, paying a dividend remains a part of the combined company’s philosophy of returning value to shareholders.

Credit Suisse and J.P. Morgan acted as financial advisers to Diebold, along with Sullivan & Cromwell LLP, who served as legal adviser. J.P. Morgan and Credit Suisse are also providing committed financing for the transaction. Goldman Sachs acted as financial adviser to Wincor Nixdorf, along with Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, who served as legal adviser.

Details for Joint Press Call

The companies will jointly present their plans for the business combination on a media call taking place today at 10:00 a.m. CET (4:00 a.m. EST). The media call will take place in German. Participants should ask to join the “Diebold and Wincor Nixdorf Media Call”. Details on the call are as follows:

Germany Toll free: 0800 673 7932
US/CAN Toll free: 1 866 966 5335
UK Toll free: 0808 109 0700
Int’l Toll: +44 (0) 20 3003 2666

Diebold Analyst Call Details

Diebold will hold an analyst conference call to present this business combination during a webcast and conference call today at 8:00 a.m. EST (2:00 p.m. CET). Both the presentation and access to the call are available via Diebold’s website at http://www.diebold.com/DieboldWincor. A replay of the call will also be available on this website. The conference call will last approximately one hour. Participants should plan to dial in 10 minutes prior to the session. Details on the call are as follows:
US/CAN Toll free: 1 877 545 1403
Int’l Toll: +1 719 325 4893
Conference ID:6742172

Wincor Nixdorf Analyst Call Details

Wincor Nixdorf will hold an analyst conference call to present this business combination today at 11:30 a.m. EST (5:30 p.m. CET). The dial-in number is as follows:

Int’l Toll: +49-(0) 69-271340171

Diebold Contacts

Media Relations
Mike Jacobsen, APR
+1 330 490 3796
michael.jacobsen@diebold.com

Felix Morlock, Brunswick Group (Germany)
+49 69 2400 5510
fmorlock@brunswickgroup.com

Cindy Leggett-Flynn, Brunswick Group (U.S.)
+1 212 333 3810
clf@brunswickgroup.comInvestor Relations
Steve Virostek
+1 330 490 6319
stephen.virostek@diebold.com

Wincor Nixdorf Contacts

Media Relations
Andreas Bruck
+49 5251 693 5200
andreas.bruck@wincor-nixdorf.comInvestor Relations
Dr. Sabine Brummel
+49 5251 693 5050
sabine.brummel@wincor-nixdorf.com

About Diebold

Diebold, Incorporated (NYSE: DBD) provides the technology, software and services that connect people around the world with their money – bridging the physical and digital worlds of cash conveniently, securely and efficiently. Since its founding in 1859, Diebold has evolved to become a leading provider of exceptional self-service innovation, security and services to financial, commercial, retail and other markets.

Diebold has approximately 16,000 employees worldwide and is headquartered near Canton, Ohio, USA. Visit Diebold at www.diebold.com or on Twitter: http://twitter.com/DieboldInc.

About Wincor Nixdorf
Wincor Nixdorf is one of the world’s leading providers of IT solutions and services to retail banks and the retail industry. The main focus of the group’s comprehensive portfolio lies on business process optimization, especially in the branch operations of both sectors. Wincor Nixdorf has established a presence in around 130 countries around the globe, giving it an outstanding profile when it comes to customer proximity. The parent company has subsidiaries in 42 countries. The company also places great importance on building close relationships with sales partners that have an excellent knowledge of the local requirements and conditions on the customer side. Wincor Nixdorf has a total workforce of around 9,000 people. Over half of those are based outside Germany.

NOTES
(1) Calculated using fixed exchange ratio and five-day volume weighted average price of Diebold shares prior to Oct. 17, 2015 announcement that both companies had signed a non-binding term sheet regarding a potential business combination. Diebold’s five-day volume weighted average price was converted to euros using an exchange rate of 1.07 U.S. dollars to the euro. Shareholders of Wincor Nixdorf are advised to consult their tax advisors regarding the tax consequences in connection with the acceptance of the voluntary public tender offer.
(2) The exchange rate used to calculate total consideration and transaction value was 1.07 U.S. dollars to the euro.
(3) Non-GAAP operating margin is the percentage of GAAP operating profit margin adjusted for restructuring and non-routine items.
(4) Diebold prepares its financial statements in accordance with US GAAP while Wincor Nixdorf prepares its financial statements in accordance with IFRS. Revenues are derived from the combined revenues of both companies for the trailing 12 months, before making adjustments to convert Wincor Nixdorf’s financial results from IFRS to US GAAP. Wincor Nixdorf revenue has been converted at an exchange rate of 1.09 U.S. dollars to the euro.
(5) Non-GAAP earnings per share is GAAP earnings adjusted for restructuring and non-routine items compared to the combined company’s outstanding shares.
(6) Net debt/EBITDA is defined as long-term debt plus short-term debt minus cash and cash equivalents divided by earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization adjusted for restructuring and other non-recurring items for the trailing 12 months. This ratio assumes that the North American Electronic Security business has been divested.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR INVESTORS AND SHAREHOLDERS
In connection with the proposed business combination transaction, Diebold intends to file a Registration Statement on Form S-4 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) that will include a prospectus of Diebold to be used in connection with the offer by Diebold to acquire all outstanding Wincor Nixdorf shares. When available, Diebold will disseminate the prospectus to Wincor Nixdorf shareholders in connection with Diebold’s offer to acquire all of the outstanding shares of Wincor Nixdorf. Diebold also intends to file an offer document with the German Federal Financial Supervisory Authority (Bundesanstalt fuer Finanzdienstleistungsaufsicht) (“BaFin”).

INVESTORS AND SHAREHOLDERS ARE URGED TO READ THE PROSPECTUS AND THE OFFER DOCUMENT, AS WELL AS OTHER DOCUMENTS THAT WILL BE FILED WITH THE SEC OR BAFIN OR PUBLISHED AT DIEBOLD’S WEBSITE AT WWW.DIEBOLD.COM UNDER THE INVESTOR RELATIONS SECTION, REGARDING THE PROPOSED BUSINESS COMBINATION TRANSACTION AND THE OFFER BECAUSE THESE DOCUMENTS WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION.

You will be able to obtain a free copy of the prospectus and other related documents filed by Diebold with the SEC on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. The prospectus and other documents relating thereto may also be obtained for free by accessing Diebold’s website at www.diebold.com under the Investor Relations section. Following approval by BaFin, you may obtain a free copy of the offer document on BaFin’s website at www.bafin.de, and, along with an English translation thereof, at Diebold’s website at www.diebold.com under the Investor Relations section. Further you may obtain a copy of the offer document from Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft, Taunusanlage 12, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany, for distribution free of charge (also available from Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft via e-mail to dct.tender offers@db.com or by telefax to +49 69 910 38794). In addition an English language press release and its German language translation will be published via an electronically operated information distribution system in the United States.
This document is neither an offer to purchase nor a solicitation of an offer to sell shares of Wincor Nixdorf or Diebold. Final terms and further provisions regarding the public offer will be disclosed in the offer document after the publication has been approved by BaFin and in documents that will be filed with the SEC. Investors and holders of Wincor Nixdorf shares, or of such instruments conferring a right to directly or indirectly acquire Wincor Nixdorf shares, are strongly encouraged to read the offer document and all documents in connection with the public offer as soon as they are published because these documents will contain important information.
No offering of securities will be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and applicable European regulations, including the German Securities Acquisition and Takeover Act (Wertpapiererwerbs- und Übernahmegesetz) and the German Securities Prospectus Act (Wertpapierprospektgesetz). Subject to certain exceptions to be approved by the relevant regulators or certain facts to be ascertained, the public offer would not be made directly or indirectly, in or into any jurisdiction where to do so would constitute a violation of the laws of such jurisdiction, or by use of the mails or by any means or instrumentality (including without limitation, facsimile transmission, telephone and the internet) of interstate or foreign commerce, or any facility of a national securities exchange, of any such jurisdiction.

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT ABOUT FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
Certain statements contained in this communication regarding matters that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements (as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995). These include statements regarding management’s intentions, plans, beliefs, expectations or forecasts for the future including, without limitation, the proposed business combination with Wincor Nixdorf and the offer. Such forward-looking statements are based on the current expectations of Diebold and involve risks and uncertainties; consequently, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in the statements. Such forward-looking statements may include statements about the business combination and the offer, the likelihood that such transaction is consummated and the effects of any transaction on the businesses and financial conditions of Diebold or Wincor Nixdorf, including synergies, pro forma revenue, targeted operating margin, net debt to EBITDA ratios, accretion to earnings and other financial or operating measures. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that may or may not occur in the future. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results of operations, financial condition and liquidity, and the development of the industries in which Diebold and Wincor Nixdorf operate may differ materially from those made in or suggested by the forward-looking statements contained in this document. In addition, risks and uncertainties related to the contemplated business combination between Diebold and Wincor Nixdorf include, but are not limited to, the expected timing and likelihood of the completion of the contemplated business combination, including the timing, receipt and terms and conditions of any required governmental and regulatory approvals of the contemplated business combination that could reduce anticipated benefits or cause the parties not to consummate, or to abandon the transaction, the ability to successfully integrate the businesses, the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the business combination agreement or the contemplated offer, the risk that the parties may not be willing or able to satisfy the conditions to the contemplated business combination or the contemplated offer in a timely manner or at all, risks related to disruption of management time from ongoing business operations due to the contemplated business combination, the risk that any announcements relating to the contemplated business combination could have adverse effects on the market price of Diebold’s common shares, and the risk that the contemplated transaction or the potential announcement of such transaction could have an adverse effect on the ability of Diebold to retain and hire key personnel and maintain relationships with its suppliers, and on its operating results and businesses generally. These risks, as well as other risks associated with the contemplated business combination, are more fully discussed in a prospectus that will be included in the Registration Statement on Form S-4 that will be filed with the SEC in connection with the contemplated business combination and the offer. Additional risks and uncertainties are identified and discussed in Diebold’s reports filed with the SEC and available at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. Any forward looking statements speak only as at the date of this document. Except as required by applicable law, neither Diebold nor Wincor Nixdorf undertakes any obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
This communication outlines certain key German tax principles related to the participation in the voluntary public tender offer that may be or may become relevant to holders of shares of Wincor Nixdorf. The discussion of German tax considerations is of a general nature only and does not constitute a comprehensive or definitive explanation of all possible aspects of German taxation that may be relevant for shareholders of Wincor Nixdorf. Furthermore, this communication does not address non-German tax considerations that may apply to a shareholder that is a tax resident of a jurisdiction other than Germany. This press release is based upon domestic German tax laws in effect as of the date hereof. It is important to note that the legal situation may change, possibly with retroactive effect, and that no assurance can be given regarding the tax treatment of this transaction by fiscal authorities and the courts.

SOURCE: Wincor Nixdorf AG
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Lawson Inc. denies media reports on banking business ventures

TOKYO, JAPAN, 2015-11-23 — /EPR Retail News/ — Some reports in the media, dated November 20, 2015, have stated that Lawson Inc. was considering or preparing to enter the banking business. We would like to make it clear that these reports are not based on any official announcement made by Lawson itself.

Lawson is always ready to explore a variety of management and business options in order to improve customer satisfaction and boost its own corporate growth. However, in this case, nothing has been decided, and we have nothing concrete to disclose at this stage regarding any potential participation by Lawson in the banking business.

Lawson will continue to consider a range of business opportunities that could help satisfy customers’ needs and maximize our company’s core strengths.

In the interests of swift disclosure of pertinent changes in corporate strategy, Lawson will announce any new concrete business developments as and when they are determined.

SOURCE: Lawson, Inc.

 

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BESTSELLER LAUNCHES ANNUAL SUSTAINABILITY REPORT

TODAY (20 November 2015), BESTSELLER’S ANNUAL SUSTAINABILITY REPORT IS LAUNCHED. READ ABOUT THE INITIATIVES BESTSELLER HAS TAKEN TOWARDS BECOMING A MORE SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS AND THE RESULTS ACHIEVED SO FAR.

Brande, Denmark, 2015-11-23 — /EPR Retail News/ — In the Sustainability Strategy ’20by20’ BESTSELLER has defined 20 broad goals, which will guide the sustainability work towards 2020. In the Sustainability Report 2014/15, BESTSELLER presents the results of the work carried out so far and addresses some of the issues and challenges BESTSELLER meets on the way.

“In general we are satisfied with this year’s results. We have been working hard within a wide range of fields, and we have made good progress on most of our goals, but we acknowledge that there is still a lot of work to be done.” says Mogens Werge, Sustainability Director in BESTSELLER.

The core of BESTSELLER’s sustainability work is to ensure responsible supply chain management in all production countries, and this year 669 audits have been carried out by external and own auditors. As of 31 July 2015, 95% of the factories are in compliance with BESTSELLER’s Code of Conduct, and the rest are under remediation.

“We are very satisfied with the factory compliance level, and we believe that the collaboration between our suppliers, our own local sustainability colleagues and third party auditors has been essential for creating these positive results.”

Besides BESTSELLER’s general work with the audit programme, a lot of resources have been dedicated to meeting the requirements of the Bangladesh Accord on Fire and Building Safety. By the end of the financial year, all BESTSELLER’s 47 supplier factories in Bangladesh had been assessed according to the standards of the Accord.

“None of our suppliers’ factories had immediate risks to remediate, but some important issues, like missing or inadequate sprinkler systems, were found. Our suppliers are now working in close collaboration with our local sustainability team in Bangladesh to remediate these issues.”

BESTSELLER has also joined a social dialogue pilot project as well as engaged with the Danish union 3F’s local representative in Bangladesh to promote better workplace dialogue.

“By promoting the Scandinavian model for social dialogue we encourage workers and factory management to sit down together and discuss workplace related issues and negotiate better working conditions.”

Another important focus for this year was to provide consumers with more sustainable collections and increase the use of sustainable cotton (see below facts box).

“In the coming year, we will strengthen the collaboration with other textile companies. Within the industry network Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) we will focus on implementing the HIGG tool for assessing social and environmental impact of our business as well as on developing a common audit protocol,” Mogens finishes.

Read BESTSELLER’s Sustainability Report 2014/15 at www.bestseller.com/sustainabilityreport

Watch BESTSELLER’s sustainability film here.

FACTS FROM THE REPORT
• On 31 July 2015, 95% of the factories BESTSELLER collaborates with were in full compliance with BESTSELLER’s Code of Conduct, and the last 5% were under remediation

• More than 12,100 women in Bangladesh and India have benefitted from the HER Project – a workplace training programme that aims at increasing women’s health awareness and access to health services

• Today, 1/6 of all cotton used for BESTSELLER products comes from sustainable sources

• 25% of the cotton used for JACK & JONES and SELECTED HOMME products is Better Cotton

• This year, NAME IT has sold more than 4.9 million pieces of clothes made from organic cotton

• This year, VERO MODA has sold 1,500,000 pieces of GREEN ATTITUDE products which is an increase of 50% in comparison to last year

• At JACK & JONES, 24% of the jeans are now categorised as Low Impact Denim

SOURCE: BESTSELLER

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DeCA director: commissary is the place to go to save on holiday groceries

FORT LEE, Va., 2015-11-23 — /EPR Retail News/ — The holidays are right around the corner and special in-store promotions make the commissary the place to go to save on holiday groceries, according to the Defense Commissary Agency’s director of sales.

“We have some great promotions lined up for the holiday season,” said Tracie Russ, DeCA sales director. “Thanks to our industry partners, our patrons will be able to save quite a bit of money for their holiday entertainment and meal needs.”

Patrons can find out more details on holiday promotions and other discounted items in their commissary by going to the Sales & Events page.

Throughout December, DeCA’s industry partners – vendors, suppliers and brokers – are collaborating with stateside stores to offer discounts on holiday specials beyond everyday savings. Overseas stores may have substitute events for certain promotional programs. Customers are asked to check their local commissary for details on dates and times for the following promotions:

  • Customers can use coupons from the 16-page turkey coupon booklet through Dec. 21 for their holiday turkey dinners. The coupons provide commissary shoppers with greater than normal savings or free turkeys when purchasing their holiday meal essentials using the coupons. Terms and conditions are on the coupons. The vendors include Kraft Heinz Company, Kellogg’s, General Mills, P&G, Nabisco, Ritz, Hefty/Reynolds Wrap, Fresh Express and Johnsonville & Frito Lay. This turkey coupon booklet also includes preparation tips and holiday recipes.
  • Throughout December, commissary deli departments stateside and in the Far East will be offering an additional 15 percent off on combination 16-inch party trays of various luncheon meats and cheeses, and holiday cookies.
  • From Dec. 1 through Jan. 15, Commissary Rewards Cards will be preloaded with coupon savings on several products. Terms and conditions apply. Participating items include $3 off on certain Unilever items, Country Crock Spread, Lipton Soup Secrets, Lipton Recipe Secrets, Knorr Bouillon, Knorr Soup, Knorr Pasta Sides or Rice Sides, Knorr Gourmet Gravy and Lipton Superfruits Teas. Patrons can also save $1 off Kaytee Wild Bird Food, until Dec. 4, and $.50 cents on any Melt Organic item through Dec. 15.

“We want our patrons to remember their commissary benefit for their holiday needs,” Russ said. “More importantly, the Defense Commissary Agency wishes you and your family, here and abroad, a very happy, healthy, and safe holiday season.”

About DeCA: The Defense Commissary Agency operates a worldwide chain of commissaries providing groceries to military personnel, retirees and their families in a safe and secure shopping environment. Authorized patrons purchase items at cost plus a 5-percent surcharge, which covers the costs of building new commissaries and modernizing existing ones. Shoppers save an average of more than 30 percent on their purchases compared to commercial prices – savings amounting to thousands of dollars annually. A core military family support element, and a valued part of military pay and benefits, commissaries contribute to family readiness, enhance the quality of life for America’s military and their families, and help recruit and retain the best and brightest men and women to serve their country.

Media Contact:
Kevin L. Robinson
(804) 734-8000, Ext. 4-8773
kevin.robinson@deca.mil

SOURCE: The Defense Commissary Agency

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Paradies Lagardère announces the opening of first Scoreboard in the USA in Terminal 4 at JFK

NEW YORK, NY, 2015-11-23 — /EPR Retail News/ — Paradies Lagardère and JFKIAT, the company which manages Terminal 4 at John F. Kennedy International Airport, announced today that The Scoreboard, the popular local team sports store, has opened in Terminal 4 at JFK, its third location in North America and first in the USA.

The Scoreboard, one of Paradies Lagardère’s fastest growing concept store, makes its American debut in the country’s most populated city and in one of the most active sports markets in the world. Die-hard fans and out-of-town travelers will be treated to an array of authentic apparel, accessories and trinkets and treasures from all major professional sport leagues (NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA and MLS), and will include an assortment of Giants, Jets, Yankees, Mets, Rangers, Islanders, Devils, Nets, Knicks, NY Red Bulls and New York City Football Club merchandise.

“We are so proud to have opened The Scoreboard at JFK’s Terminal 4, a valued airport partner of ours,” said Gerry Savaria, Executive Vice President, Paradies Lagardère Travel Retail. “Not only is this one of the busiest airports in North America, it is an exciting sports market that is truly passionate about its players, teams and regional rivalries. I am certain that The Scoreboard will match the passion of local sports fans and provide fans with authentic merchandise from major sporting events throughout the year.”

In addition to officially licensed products from all of New York’s major sports teams, The Scoreboard will also provide products related to the moment’s hottest sports trends, thanks to a flexible section dedicated to the most popular sporting events. From major international competitions to the 2016 Olympic Games, passengers in Terminal 4 will enjoy popular, quality sports gear and souvenirs all year round.

“Our passengers were asking for a unique and official sports merchandise store and we are pleased to be delivering just that with the introduction of The Scoreboard,” said Gert-Jan de Graaff, President and CEO of JFKIAT.

“Our local sports teams are a big draw for visitors to New York,” added Edward Midgley, Vice President of Concessions Management at JFKIAT. ”This store is another fantastic way in which New Yorkers and all fans from around the world can come together through the power of sport.”

With more than 19 million passengers traveling through Terminal 4 each year, it is one of the largest and most active air terminals in the country and a major North American global gateway.

CONTACT

60 East 42nd Street, Suite 3410
New York, NY
10165
212-477-7373

SOURCE: LS travel retail North America

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Advance Auto Parts, Inc. announces the appointment of Eugene “Gene” I. Lee, Jr. to its Board of Directors

ROANOKE, Va., 2015-11-23 — /EPR Retail News/ — Advance Auto Parts, Inc. (NYSE: AAP), a leading automotive aftermarket parts provider in North America, serving both professional installer and do-it-yourself customers, today announced that Eugene “Gene” I. Lee, Jr., who currently serves as President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and member of the Board of Directors for Darden Restaurants, Inc. (Darden), has been appointed to Advance’s Board of Directors. Mr. Lee’s appointment will be effective November 20, 2015.

“We are pleased to welcome Gene to our Board of Directors,” said John Brouillard, Executive Chairman of the Board for Advance Auto Parts. “His experience and leadership skills align well with Advance’s strategic business objectives as we work to serve our customers better than anyone else and become the best parts supplier in the automotive aftermarket. We look forward to his contributions to our board and our company.”

Mr. Lee has served in his current role with Darden, the owner and operator of Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse,Bahama Breeze, Seasons 52, The Capital Grille, Eddie V’s and Yard House restaurants in North America, sinceFebruary 2015. Prior to that, Mr. Lee served as Darden’s President and Interim CEO from October 2014 to February 2015, and President and Chief Operating Officer from September 2013 to October 2014. He served as President of Darden’s Specialty Restaurant Group from October 2007 to September 2013 following Darden’s acquisition of RARE Hospitality International, Inc., where he had served as President and a member of the Board of Directors since 2001.

About Advance Auto Parts
Headquartered in Roanoke, Va., Advance Auto Parts, Inc., a leading automotive aftermarket parts provider in North America, serves both the professional installer and do-it-yourself customers. As of October 10, 2015 Advance operated 5,240 stores and 118 Worldpac branches and served approximately 1,300 independently owned Carquest branded stores in the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Canada. Advance employs approximately 75,000 Team Members. Additional information about the Company, employment opportunities, customer services, and on-line shopping for parts, accessories and other offerings can be found on the Company’s website at www.AdvanceAutoParts.com.

Source: Advance Auto Parts, Inc.

Advance Auto Parts, Inc.
Media Contact
Laurie Stacy, 540-561-8452
laurie.stacy@advanceautoparts.com
or
Investor Contact
Zaheed Mawani, 919-573-3848
zaheed.mawani@advanceautoparts.com

 

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T Galleria by DFS opens its fourth outpost in Macau at Studio City

Featuring new beauty hall concept and sunglasses boutique, T Galleria by DFS is the latest DFS store to launch in Macau this year

HONG KONG, 2015-11-23 — /EPR Retail News/ — T Galleria by DFS, the Traveler’s Luxury Department Store, officially opened its fourth outpost in Macau at Studio City on October 27. Corresponding with the grand opening of the Hollywood-themed Studio City resort, T Galleria by DFS includes its new beauty hall concept T Galleria Beauty by DFS as well as a T Galleria by DFS sunglasses boutique in The Boulevard at Studio City shopping district.

“We’re thrilled to bring the T Galleria by DFS experience to this brand new fusion of entertainment and retail at Studio City Macau,” said Benjamin Vuchot, Region President, North Asia for DFS Group. “Macau continues to be an exciting market for travelers and we’re confident that visitors from all over the world will be delighted by our expansive selection of the leading beauty and sunglasses brands they’ve come to expect from DFS.”

Focused on cosmetics, skincare and fragrances, T Galleria Beauty by DFS is a holistic, multi-brand beauty hall bringing customers a world of personal beauty experiences in one prestigious location. This is the third T Galleria Beauty by DFS store to launch in 2015, the first opening at Galaxy Macau on May 27 and the second in Hong Kong in Causeway Bay on July 10.

The 7,580 square feet T Galleria Beauty by DFS store at Studio City features an expertly-curated selection of 28 world-renowned beauty brands and 10 fragrance brands including Estée Lauder, Giorgio Armani, Hermès, La Mer, La Prairie and Lancôme. In addition, T Galleria Beauty by DFS will also feature popular Japanese and Korean brands including SK-II, Shiseido, Laneige and Sulwhasoo, catering to growing demand for the Korean beauty trend throughout the region.

T Galleria Beauty by DFS will also introduce cult-favorite Fresh in Macau for the first time, offering the full range of the beauty brand’s popular fragrance, skin, body and hair care products. Dedicated to natural ingredients, rich textures and addictive scents, Fresh specializes in creating a sensorial beauty experience. T Galleria Beauty by DFS will stock the brand’s best sellers including Fresh’s signature Sugar Face Polish, Black Tea Instant Perfecting Mask, Rose Face Mask and Soy Face Cleanser.

DFS brings its famed Beauty Concierge to T Galleria Beauty by DFS at Studio City. The Beauty Concierge is a complimentary highly-bespoke service which focuses on the customer’s personal needs and preferences. Customers will discover tailored services covering skin analysis, skin treatments, makeup consultation, personalized services and specialty massages.

The T Galleria by DFS sunglasses boutique, an award-winning sunglasses store design concept named Best New Store Environment at the 2014 TFWA Cannes Awards, features 16 brands including Ray-Ban, Céline, Dior, Fendi and Gucci. Highlights also include the full Karen Walker eyewear collection and as well as MCM sunglasses, a first for any T Galleria by DFS store in Macau.

T Galleria by DFS features the LOYAL T by DFS program, the world’s most extensive global luxury rewards program covering over 700 brands in 26 airport and T Galleria by DFS stores in 10 countries across three continents. The multi-tier program connects loyal members with an extraordinary array of increasing benefits and exclusive experiences including personal shopping assistance, concierge services, and pre-order and pre-sale of new beauty brands.

Customers of T Galleria by DFS stores, like all DFS customers around the world, are provided a 100% Global Guarantee, ensuring that all merchandise is completely authentic and that after-sales service centers will refund, repair and accept the return of merchandise worldwide.

T Galleria by DFS at Studio City marks the fourth DFS launch in Macau, and the second in 2015. Three other stores include T Galleria by DFS at Shoppes at Four Seasons, City of Dreams and Galaxy Macau.

Download high resolution store photos here.

MEDIA CONTACTS
press.enquiries@dfs.com

SOURCE: DFS Group Limited

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T Galleria by DFS opens its fourth outpost in Macau at Studio City

T Galleria by DFS opens its fourth outpost in Macau at Studio City

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DFS Group renews its partnership with Make-A-Wish® International

THE LUXURY TRAVEL RETAILER BRINGS JOY TO YOUR WORLD THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

HONG KONG, 2015-11-23 — /EPR Retail News/ — The gift of giving takes on a deeper meaning this holiday season as DFS Group (DFS), the world’s leading luxury travel retailer, renews its partnership with Make-A-Wish® International (www.worldwish.org) for a second year. Throughout the month of December, the #JoyToYourWorld charity campaign by DFS hopes to bring joy to the world of children battling life-threatening medical conditions by helping to grant their special wishes.

“Here at DFS, we’re committed to the communities where we live and work and the holiday season is the perfect time to give back to those in need,” said Jay Frame, DFS Group’s Vice President Corporate Communications and CSR. “We are thrilled to partner with Make-A-Wish International for the second year in a row and share the goodwill of our customers, employees and partners to help these children’s wishes come true.”

Crowdsourcing and social media come together in this charity campaign: DFS customers can help grant wishes by following @DFSOfficial and liking posts tagged with #JoyToYourWorld. For every #JoyToYourWorld post that receives 1,000 “likes,” DFS will donate to Make-A-Wish International to help grant up to nine wishes to children around the globe.

In honor of DFS’ 55th anniversary, 55 celebrity ambassadors have signed up this year to help support the campaign, including past DFS campaign spokespeople Godfrey Gao, Ming Xi, Caroline de Maigret and Perry Liu.

The mission of Make-A-Wish is to grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. Since its inception in 1980, Make-A-Wish has collectively granted the wishes of more than 350,000 children in nearly 50 countries. Each wish that comes true inspires these seriously ill children to persevere against their illnesses.

“We are proud to renew our partnership with DFS and its ambassadors this holiday season to help grant even more wishes to deserving children facing serious illnesses,” said Make-A-Wish International President and CEO, Jon Stettner. “It’s through the support of partners like DFS and its customers around the globe that make these life-changing wishes possible.”

Last year, DFS helped to grant wishes to children around Asia like Evan, an eight-year-old from Hong Kong battling acute lymphoblastic leukemia, whose wish to be an astronaut was granted when he attended NASA’s Space Camp in Alabama, US. Or like Mostafa, a 17-year-old from Japan who suffers from congenital biliary atresia and pancreatic cancer, whose wish to be a racecar driver came true when he sat in a Ferrari 138 driven by two-time Formula 1 champion Fernando Alonso.

This year, DFS and Make-A-Wish International will grant wishes to children like Wang-yau, a nine-year-old boy from Hong Kong battling spinal muscular atrophy who wishes to travel abroad, or Joanna, a 10-year-old girl from Singapore in treatment for medullablastoma, who wishes to become a pastry chef.

Donation boxes will also be placed in T Galleria by DFS stores worldwide for shoppers to make a contribution to Make-A-Wish International’s important cause:

·         T Galleria Beauty by DFS, Hong Kong, Causeway Bay

·         T Galleria by DFS, Hong Kong, Canton Road

·         T Galleria by DFS, Hong Kong, Tsim Sha Tsui East

·         T Galleria by DFS, Macau, City of Dreams

·         T Galleria by DFS, Macau, Shoppes at Four Seasons

·         T Galleria by DFS, Macau, Macau Studio City

·         T Galleria by DFS, Macau, Galaxy Macau Store

·         T Galleria by DFS, Singapore

·         T Galleria by DFS, Auckland

·         T Galleria by DFS, Okinawa

·         T Galleria by DFS, Hawaii

·         DFS  Galleria, Cairns

·         DFS Galleria, Sydney

Follow @DFSOfficial and @MakeAWishIntl starting December 1 to help grant wishes to children in need.

MEDIA CONTACTS
press.enquiries@dfs.com

SOURCE: DFS Group Limited

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DFS Group renews its partnership with Make-A-Wish® International

DFS Group renews its partnership with Make-A-Wish® International

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Kunden und REWE spenden Waren im Wert von 2,1 Millionen Euro

Köln, Germany, 2015-11-23 — /EPR Retail News/ — Der Bundesverband Deutsche Tafel und REWE freuen sich über eine enorme Spendenbereitschaft in Deutschland. Denn unter dem Slogan „Gemeinsam Teller füllen.“ hatte REWE in den ersten beiden Novemberwochen (02.11. – 14.11.) die Kunden dazu aufgerufen, in den Supermärkten (REWE, nahkauf) vorbereitete Spendentüten mit lang haltbaren Lebensmitteln zu kaufen und an die örtlichen Tafeln zu spenden. REWE selbst legte einen Grundstock an Waren über 200.000 Euro. Insgesamt sind die Lebensmittel in Tüten, die so über den Aktionszeitraum zusammengekommen sind 2,1 Millionen Euro wert und 1.260 Tonnen schwer. Das Ziel, Waren im Gesamtbetrag von einer Million Euro zur Verfügung stellen zu können, wurde somit weit übertroffen.

„409.434 gespendete Tüten voll mit Lebensmitteln – eindrucksvoller kann man Zusammenhalt und Nächstenliebe in diesen Zeiten nicht zeigen, wie dies unsere Kunden während unserer Aktion ‚Gemeinsam Teller füllen.’ getan haben“, sagt Lionel Souque, im REWE Group-Vorstand verantwortlich für die bundesweit 3.500 REWE-Märkte in Deutschland, über das Spendenergebnis. Durch die Tafel-Aktionswochen haben Kunden und REWE seit 2009 Lebensmittel im Wert von 8,7 Millionen Euro zusätzlich gespendet. „Wir sind sehr stolz, seit mittlerweile 19 Jahren die Tafeln unterstützen zu können“, betont Souque.

Deutschland ist eines der reichsten Länder Europas. Dennoch gibt es immer mehr Menschen in unserer Gesellschaft, bei denen das Haushaltseinkommen gerade so für das Nötigste reicht. Für sie ist eine gesunde und ausgewogene Ernährung nicht selbstverständlich. Ihnen helfen bundesweit mehr als 900 Tafeln. „Die Tafeln brauchen Unterstützung, um helfen zu können. Wir sind sehr froh, dass wir dafür starke Partner aus der Wirtschaft an unserer Seite haben. Mit dem Engagement gibt REWE jedem die Gelegenheit, mit kleinem Aufwand wichtige Hilfe zu leisten, sagt Jochen Brühl, Vorsitzender des Bundesverbandes Deutsche Tafel e.V. „Wir bedanken uns daher herzlich bei allen Kundinnen und Kunden sowie bei REWE und nahkauf für das überragende Spendenergebnis für die Tafeln.“

Die Tafeln unterstützen mittlerweile regelmäßig bis zu 1,5 Millionen bedürftige Menschen – an sie werden die gespendeten Lebensmittel weitergeben. Unter ihnen sind sehr viele Alleinerziehende mit ihren Kindern und immer mehr Senioren. Im Fokus der Aktion standen Lebensmittel, die aufgrund ihrer langen Haltbarkeit eher selten gespendet werden, wie Spaghetti, Kartoffelpüree, Bockwürstchen, Weinsauerkraut, Tomatencremesuppe, Tee, Schokolade und Salzstangen. Die vollen Spendentüten waren zu einem Preis von 5 Euro erhältlich und wurden in einer Aktionsbox im Supermarkt gesammelt. Ehrenamtliche Tafel-Mitarbeiter holten die Lebensmittel ab und verteilten diese an Bedürftige. Die Kundenspenden wurden von REWE nach Abschluss der Aktion um weitere lang haltbare Lebensmittel und Drogerieartikel, die sich die Tafeln gewünscht haben, noch mal deutlich erhöht.

Mit der Aktion „Gemeinsam Teller füllen.“ führt REWE das langjährige gesellschaftliche Engagement für Menschen, die in Armut leben, fort. So spenden die Märkte und Läger des Handelsunternehmens bereits seit 1996 täglich Lebensmittel an die Tafeln. Dabei handelt es sich hauptsächlich um Frischeprodukte, die zwar nicht mehr verkauft, aber dennoch bedenkenlos verzehrt werden können. Damit ist das Unternehmen einer der größten Unterstützer der Tafeln in Deutschland.

Mit einem Umsatz von 16,9 Mrd. Euro (2014), mehr als 90.000 Mitarbeitern und weit über 3.000 REWE Märkten gehört die REWE Markt GmbH zu den führenden Unternehmen im deutschen Lebensmitteleinzelhandel. Die REWE Märkte werden als Filialen oder durch selbstständige REWE-Kaufleute betrieben.

REWE gehört zur genossenschaftlichen REWE Group, einer der führenden Handels- und Touristikkonzerne in Deutschland und Europa. Im Jahr 2014 erzielte das Unternehmen einen Gesamtaußenumsatz von über 51 Milliarden Euro. Die 1927 gegründete REWE Group ist mit ihren 330.000 Beschäftigten und 15.000 Märkten in 12 europäischen Ländern präsent. In Deutschland erwirtschafteten im Jahr 2014 rund 228.000 Mitarbeiter in rund 10.000 Märkten einen Umsatz von 37 Milliarden Euro.

Für Rückfragen:
Raimund Esser
REWE Group-Unternehmenskommunikation
Tel.: +49 221 149 1050
Mail: presse@rewe.de

SOURCE: REWE Group

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Kunden und REWE spenden Waren im Wert von 2,1 Millionen Euro

Kunden und REWE spenden Waren im Wert von 2,1 Millionen Euro

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Big Lots extends holiday hours

COLUMBUS, OHIO, 2015-11-23 — /EPR Retail News/ — Big Lots is extending its “Black Friday” to offer great deals every day on seasonal décor, gifts and entertaining goods. Big Lots makes shopping easier by extending holiday hours and offering the best values of the season.

Big Lots will be open 7a.m. – midnight on Thanksgiving and Black Friday from 6 a.m. through 11 p.m. The store will be open from 8 a.m. through 11 p.m. for most of December and from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. the week of Christmas.

“Big Lots is thrilled to be offering some of the best deals of the season with Black Friday Deals Every Day,’ said Andrew Stein, Senior Vice President, Chief Customer Officer, Big Lots. “The holidays can be stressful, but with our extended store hours, and great deals every day in November and December, Big Lots makes shopping easier and fun, even for customers on a budget.”

With a fashionable assortment of furniture, home and seasonal décor, namebrand toys, and the best deals on Black Friday, Big Lots has everything customers need to make the holiday special for their friends and family.

Some of the Black Friday Every Day deals available in store this week are:

  • Buy any Serta mattress, get the matching box spring free
  • Android 7” Tablet $29
  • 20% off Pre-lit Urn Trees

Thanksgiving Day Deals

  • Select 2pc sectionals $589 (Save $110)
  • Simmons recliners $189 (save $96)
  • 2pc Vanity table with tri-fold mirror $99 (save $60)
  • 60” Console Fireplaces $389 each (save $110)

Three-Day Deals (valid Nov. 26-28)

  • Buy One, Get One 50% off Electronic Accessories, including ALL headphones & earbuds, ALL cell & tablet accessories, ALL cell & tablet chargers
  • Dyson $175
  • Radio Control Drone $24 (save 40%)
  • Buy One, Get One 50% off Toys, including Monster High Dolls, Fisher Price, Mega Bloks, Playdoh, WWE Action Figures and Marvel Avengers Action Figures

To learn more about Big Lots’ extended hours, speak with a company representative or arrange a store visit this holiday season, contact Colleen Cleary at 631-921-5320.

*Big Lots stores in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Maine will not be open on Thanksgiving Day, per their respective state laws. Stores will open Friday at 1am, and the one-day only Thanksgiving deals will be available on Wednesday. Customers can check http://local.biglots.com/ to confirm the hours of their neighborhood Big Lots.

About Big Lots, Inc.
Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, Big Lots, Inc. (NYSE: BIG) is a unique, nontraditional, discount retailer operating 1,463 BIG LOTS stores in 47 states with product assortments in the merchandise categories of Food, Consumables, Furniture, Seasonal, Soft Home, Hard Home, and Electronics & Accessories. Our vision is to be recognized for providing an outstanding shopping experience for our customers, valuing and developing our associates, and creating growth for our shareholders. Big Lots supports the communities it serves through the Big Lots Foundation, a charitable organization focused on four areas of need: hunger, housing, healthcare and education. For more information about the company, visit www.biglots.com or call the Big Lots Holiday Hotline at 1-877-251- 0243.

Media Contact: Colleen Cleary 1-631-921-5320 Colleen.Cleary@havasww.com

SOURCE:  Big Lots, Inc.