Daily Archives: October 19, 2016

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eBay Collective: eBay launches new destination for curated inventory of furniture, antiques, contemporary design and fine art

eBay Collective: eBay launches new destination for curated inventory of furniture, antiques, contemporary design and fine art
eBay Collective: eBay launches new destination for curated inventory of furniture, antiques, contemporary design and fine art

Media and syndication partnership with Architectural Digest provides inspiration for shoppers.
San Jose, California, 2016-Oct-20 — /EPR Retail News/ —Today (Oct 17, 2016), eBay launched a new destination, eBay Collective, an elevated shopping experience to provide interior designers and consumers with curated inventory of furniture, antiques, contemporary design and fine art. The bespoke experience has been specifically developed for eBay’s 164 million active buyers looking for sought-after products from trusted dealers and galleries. Dealers featured on the destination have been invited by eBay, and they meet eBay’s criteria to ensure a high-quality shopping experience.

“eBay’s brand is about helping every person find their version of perfect. Following our launch of eBay Wine this spring, eBay Collective is another example of how we’re committed to providing our consumers with curated experiences that are complemented with unique inventory and increased scope of choices to shop from,” said Jill Ramsey, eBay’s Vice President of Soft Goods. “Whether you are looking for a unique piece of furniture from a specific time period or one-of-a-kind piece of artwork for your home that reflects your own style, eBay Collective will help shoppers to find that perfect piece.”

eBay has also integrated “Shop the Look” Artificial Intelligence technology that is powered by Corrigon – which is in the process of being acquired by eBay. With “Shop the Look,” image recognition technology allows shoppers to hover over an image and the tool searches eBay Collective listings to surface inventory that matches or is a close match to that particular portion of the image.

The inventory on eBay Collective spans one-of-a-kind objects that can traditionally only be found in independent brick-and-mortar stores, while showcasing the incomparable selection that eBay offers, in an inspired, dedicated destination.

eBay will be syndicating select editorial stories from both Architectural Digest and Archdigest.com about decorating, shopping, and industry happenings—providing access to curated content, and inspiring customers to shop eBay Collective based on the latest trends in the design world.

“eBay’s partnership with Architectural Digest is yet another example of how eBay is providing a truly inspiring shopping experience,” said Suzy Deering, eBay’s Chief Marketing Officer of North America. “By aligning eBay’s unmatched inventory with Architectural Digest’s imagery and content, we’re creating a one-stop destination where inspiration leads to purchase on the same platform.”

Key categories of eBay Collective are design furniture, antiques, decorative objects, and fine art. Premium storefronts provide dealers with additional opportunities to build their brands and enable easy repeat shopping. eBay’s make-an-offer functionality provides the flexibility for dealers to offer trade discounts on their fixed-price selection. In addition, eBay has developed a white-glove managed shipping service that offers flat rates on continental US freight to simplify transactions. The platform is also available on mobile devices.

eBay by the Numbers:

  • eBay Inc. has 164 million active buyers
  • 1 billion listings at any given time
  • Most are backed by eBay Money Back Guarantee

Contact:

United States: press@ebay.com
Canada: canada.press@ebay.com

Source: eBay

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eBay launches personalized shopping assistant ShopBot Beta

eBay launches personalized shopping assistant ShopBot Beta
eBay launches personalized shopping assistant ShopBot Beta

 

San Jose, California, 2016-Oct-20 — /EPR Retail News/ — Powered by Artificial Intelligence and debuting on Facebook Messenger, ShopBot is a smart personal shopping assistant that’s there whenever you need it.

With more selection available to online shoppers than ever before, finding items that are perfect for you and your budget can be time consuming. At eBay, our focus is to help shoppers find their version of perfect and simplify the shopping experience. In addition to major enhancements we’ve been making to our core platform, we’ve also been hard at work on a new commerce experience powered by artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, and human judgment. We’re starting to bring this experience to life with eBay ShopBot, which debuts today in beta on Facebook Messenger.

eBay ShopBot is a personalized shopping assistant that helps people find the best deals from eBay’s one billion listings. Our vision is to make shopping with eBay as easy as talking to a friend, whether you are looking for something specific or just browsing for inspiration.

Shoppers have complex needs, which are often not fully met by traditional search engines. While offline retailers can offer human experts to help, there aren’t enough experts around to help us with everything we want and need.

The science of AI provides contextual understanding, predictive modeling, and machine learning abilities. Combining AI with eBay’s breadth of inventory and unique selection will enable us to create a radically better and more personal shopping experience for virtually anyone that owns a mobile phone.

You can beta test the early beginnings of eBay ShopBot by texting, talking or snapping a picture to tell eBay ShopBot what you are looking for. The bot will then ask you questions to better understand your intent, and make personalized recommendations.

eBay ShopBot still has a lot to learn. While many shopping journeys with ShopBot will be delightful, many of them will also stump the bot and won’t work perfectly at first; that’s the nature of AI. It will learn everyday from shoppers and about the rich inventory in our catalog. The more that people use it, the smarter eBay ShopBot will get. We’re excited to continue iterating, while inviting our customers to help us shape the future of commerce.

We are integrating eBay ShopBot with popular messaging platforms, and debuting on Messenger where more than 1 billion people are having conversations every month.

To join the beta test and say “Hello” please go to shopbot.ebay.com, or just search for eBay ShopBot in Messenger.

To learn more about the science, technology, and vision behind this new platform, and where it goes from here dive into our medium post here.

Contact:

United States: press@ebay.com
Canada: canada.press@ebay.com

Source: eBay

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DESPAR Partner Ergon brings trash compactors for plastic bottles and detergent containers at INTERSPAR and EUROSPAR in Sicily

AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands, 2016-Oct-20 — /EPR Retail News/ — It is increasingly common in Italy for recycling to be available at supermarkets. DESPAR Partner Ergon has partnered with the local environmental organisation Ricicla Ragusa, to make available two trash compactors for plastic bottles and detergent containers at INTERSPAR Le Dune in Ragusa and EUROSPAR in Marina di Ragusa in Sicily.

Consumers have welcomed the possibility to be more active in environmental issues and the easy location of the recycling facilities is much appreciated. Furthermore, SPAR customers receive a discount voucher against each bag of waste submitted, which they can directly redeem at the checkout. Customers who scan their National Healthcare card when recycling plastic waste can also obtain a reduction on municipal waste collection tax.

For each plastic bottle which is recycled, a 2 eurocent discount is earned at the check-outs. Greater recycling results in greater discounts which encourages even more participation.

“Our group has introduced this innovation at a supermarket level for the first time in the Ragusa province”, explains Concetta Lo Magno, marketing manager of Ergon group. “It offers Ragusa inhabitants an opportunity to obtain discounts on their local taxes and at the checkouts of our SPAR stores. Ergon group is always committed towards meeting the needs of the local communities and protecting the environment.

“For years, Ergon has implemented a ´green project´ through a number of policies aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions. For example, on the roof of eleven SPAR stores, solar systems have been installed which generate the energy that is being used in the stores themselves. More over, we have installed charging units for electrical cars at our car parks,” he added.

Mr Zanotto, the member of the Ragusa City Council in charge of the Environment, praised the commitment of DESPAR Ergon, which is in line with the drive of the City to roll out a variety of waste collection schemes throughout the urban area in the near future.

Contact:

SPAR International
Email: info@spar-international.com
Tel: +3120 626 6749

Source: Spar International

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The first SPAR China Congress kicked off in Weihai

Weihai,China, 2016-Oct-20 — /EPR Retail News/ — The first SPAR China Congress kicks off today (Tuesday 18 October) in Weihai, a beautiful coastal city on the tip of the Shangdong Peninsula. SPAR International Board members, SPAR colleagues from across China, as well as guest speakers and strategic partners have been invited to join the Congress, the most significant event for SPAR China Managing Director, Yoep Man, since taking office in January.

The three-day long Congress is a distinguished gathering of retail experts and senior management from China and abroad. SPAR China Partners will have an opportunity to share best practice from each other and the international SPAR Partners. Also in attendance are Graham O’Connor, Chairman of SPAR International & SPAR South Africa; Peter Blakemore, Chairman of A F Blakemore UK, Tobias Wasmuht, Managing Director of SPAR International, Paul Klotz, Chairman of SPAR Italy and Knut Johansson, Chairman of SPAR Norway. Over 200 delegates representing more than ten nationalities are gathered in this city.

Delegates will visit a number of SPAR stores and the food production centre in Weihai, a great opportunity to see the rapid expansion of formats and instore product offer which is inherent to the market. Since entering China in 2004, SPAR has adhered to the brand philosophy of freshness, choice, value and service, focusing on the development of the SPAR Hypermarket, SPAR Supermarket, SPAR Neighborhood and SPAR Express formats. Great support has been received from many of the SPAR Partners around the world during the development of the strong SPAR operation which has continued to show excellent results year-on-year and is ranked fifth amongst global SPAR Partners in turnover terms (2015 results €1.9 billion). Investment continues in not only retail with today 360 stores trading but also supply chain expansion across all of the regions in which SPAR trades.

“We seek to grow and expand in unity with all our SPAR Partners by sharing our resources and knowledge, ‘Better Together’, just like the theme of the SPAR China Congress. The success of the Congress will help drive the booming growth of our partners and the China retail market,” said Yoep Man.

A SPAR International Board meeting is also taking place this week in Weihai, enabling the Board of Directors to meet with the Partners from SPAR China and see the development of the brand in this high potential market first-hand.

SPAR now has a presence in the provinces of Shandong, Guangdong, Shanxi & Inner Mongolia, Beijing (city), Sichuan, Henan and Hebei. The central office is located in Shanghai.

Contact:

SPAR International
Email: info@spar-international.com
Tel: +3120 626 6749

Source: Spar International

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Zalando releases trading update for third quarter of 2016

BERLIN, 2016-Oct-20 — /EPR Retail News/ — Zalando SE, Europe’s leading online platform for fashion, grew group revenues in the third quarter of 2016 to EUR 827-841 million or by 16-18% (Q3 2015: EUR 713 million), according to preliminary figures. Zalando expects to achieve an adjusted EBIT of EUR 8-25 million, corresponding to an adjusted EBIT margin of 1.0-3.0% (Q3 2015: EUR -24 million, -3.3%). In the first nine months of 2016 Zalando achieved revenues of EUR 2,540-2,554 million, growing by around 22% (first nine months 2015: EUR 2,090 million). Adjusted EBIT for the first nine months is expected to come in at EUR 109-126 million, a margin of around 4.6% at the mid-point of the range (first nine months 2015: EUR 36 million, 1.7%).

Rubin Ritter, co-CEO, said: “In the third quarter we outperformed a sluggish fashion market and improved our profitability significantly, allowing us to increase our guidance for the full-year EBIT margin. We remain on track to reach our targeted revenue growth for the full year. This proves again our ability to find the adequate tradeoff between growth and margin, depending on market conditions.”

As a result, Zalando reiterates its growth ambition for the next few years with 2016 coming in towards the higher end of the 20-25% growth corridor and increases full-year adjusted EBIT margin guidance for 2016 to 5.0-6.0%.

All figures reported herein are preliminary and unaudited. Full financial disclosure for the third quarter will be published on November 10, 2016.

ABOUT ZALANDO
Zalando (https://corporate.zalando.com) is Europe’s leading online fashion platform for women, men and children. We offer our customers a one-stop, convenient shopping experience with an extensive selection of fashion articles including shoes, apparel and accessories, with free delivery and returns. Our assortment of over 1,500 international brands ranges from popular global brands, fast fashion and local brands, and is complemented by our private label products. Our localized offering addresses the distinct preferences of our customers in each of the 15 European markets we serve: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Poland and the United Kingdom. Our logistics network with three centrally located fulfillment centers in Germany allows us to efficiently serve our customers throughout Europe. We believe that our integration of fashion, operations and online technology give us the capability to deliver a compelling value proposition to both our customers and fashion brand partners. Zalando’s shops attract over 160 million visits per month. In the second quarter of 2016, around 65 per cent of traffic came from mobile devices, resulting in 18.8 million active customers by the end of the quarter.

CONTACT:
René Gribnitz
VP Communications
rene.gribnitz@zalando.de
+49 30 20968 2022

Source: Zalando

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Tops Friendly Markets celebrates Re-Opening of its 450 West Avenue location on October 19

WILLIAMSVILLE, N.Y., 2016-Oct-20 — /EPR Retail News/ — Tops Friendly Markets, a leading full-service grocery retailer in New York, northern Pennsylvania, western Vermont, and north central Massachusetts, will hold a ribbon cutting celebration for the Re-Grand Opening of its 450 West Avenue location on Wednesday, October 19 at 10:00 am. As a part of a renovation project, shoppers will notice a completely refreshed interior and exterior décor. From painting, duct work, and new lighting to a completely renovated deli department and new cases in the meat and dairy departments the stores renovations are impressive.

Additionally, Tops philosophy of Neighbors Helping Neighbors will again take center stage the day of the ribbon cutting. Three local organizations; the Rochester Police Foundation, Rochester Fire Department, and the Ronald McDonald House will each be presented with $500 Tops gift cards. This is just one of the many ways Tops gives back to local organizations to say thank you for their service to the community. Later this month residents will also be able to enjoy a free safe trick or treating event by stopping by the store on Saturday, October 29 from 12:00-2:00 for sweet treats, donuts, and more!

Tops Markets, LLC, is headquartered in Williamsville, NY and operates 172 full-service supermarkets with five additional by franchisees under the Tops banner. Tops employs over 16,000 associates and is a leading full-service grocery retailer in New York, northern Pennsylvania, western Vermont, and north central Massachusetts. For more information about Tops Markets, visit the company’s website at www.topsmarkets.com.

CONTACT: 

Kathy Romanowski
716-635-5577

Source:Tops Friendly Markets

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Accessible prescription label service now available for visually impaired customers at Bartell Drugs

SEATTLE, 2016-Oct-20 — /EPR Retail News/ — Bartell Drugs is now offering three solutions for persons with visual impairment who cannot read the print on their prescription drug container labels.

Patients can receive either ScripTalk audible labels, ScripView large print labels, or Braille labels based on their need.  Accessible prescription labels help low-vision patients safely and independently manage their medications and communicate more effectively with their pharmacist about their prescription needs.

“It’s extremely important that patients know and understand the instructions for their medications,” says Bartell Drugs’ Vice President of Pharmacy Operations and Clinical Services, Billy Chow. “This can be challenging for our patients with visual impairments. Having this system guarantees those individuals full and unhindered access to accurate information in a format that is tailored for their needs.”

ScripTalk is an audible prescription reader.  The ScripTalk label is embedded with a microchip and is programmed with all the printed label data. The patient places the container onto a small hand-held reader, and with the press of a button, is able to listen to the information including patient name, drug name and instructions, pharmacy contact information, warnings and more. Deaf-Blind users can request ScripTalk User software to export text to their Braille browser display.  The ScripTalk reader is provided free by En-Vision America, Inc.

ScripView is a large-print, booklet-style label attached to the prescription container. It provides easy access to the prescription label for those with low vision. The label contains all the same information as the pharmacy’s regular label, but in large print.  The pharmacist can edit the font size based upon the need of the patient.

Braille label tape can be added to a prescription with basic medication information.

The accessible label service is free to those who request it.  To receive ScripTalk, ScripView or Braille labels, patients should discuss which accommodation would be best for them with their local Bartell Drug pharmacist.

About Bartell Drugs:

Family-owned since 1890, Seattle-based Bartell Drugs is proud of its more than 125-year history based here in the Northwest. Four generations of the Bartell family have continuously focused on the future — and how the drugstore chain can better serve its customers. With exceptional customer service, locally made products and a focus on your overall wellbeing, Bartell Drugs is here to help. Operating 64 locations in King, Snohomish and Pierce counties, it is the nation’s oldest family-owned drugstore chain.  For more information on Bartell Drugs, visit www.bartelldrugs.com.

About En-Vision America: En-Vision America, Inc. is provides products aimed at solving problems for those with visual impairments.  Founded by Philip C. and David B. Raistrick in 1996, they began by inventing products to help blind family members.  The cornerstone of the company is to provide customers with greater independence through technology.  For more information about ScripAbility products or to find the pharmacy nearest you, contact En-Vision America at 800-890-1180 or visit www.ScripAbility.com

Media Contact:

Ric Brewer
Senior Communications Manager
Bartell Drugs
206-933-9416 (office)
206-276-5200 (cell)
ric.brewer@bartelldrugs.com

Source: Bartell Drugs

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Hannaford Supermarkets to acquire the Bud’s Shop ‘n Save stores in Newport and Dexter

SCARBOROUGH, Maine, 2016-Oct-19 — /EPR Retail News/ — Hannaford Supermarkets has reached an agreement to purchase the Bud’s Shop ‘n Save stores in Newport and Dexter.

Bud’s has been a wholesale customer of Hannaford for 63 years and carries a wide array of Hannaford-brand items. The transaction is expected to be complete in early December. Dean Homstead, owner of Bud’s, will continue to own and operate the Bud’s Shop ‘n Save store in Pittsfield, 101 Somerset Plaza.

“Bud’s Shop ‘n Save in Newport and Dexter would like to thank the surrounding communities for their patronage during these past 63 years,” Homstead said. “We also thank our associates for their dedication and commitment, which has been the foundation for our success.”

Hannaford does not anticipate significant changes at the stores. Both are full-service grocery stores.

“Hannaford is pleased to have the opportunity to serve customers in Newport, Dexter and surrounding communities,” said Todd Bullen, a director of operations for Hannaford. “We have been proud to support these stores as a wholesale supplier for many years and we look forward to serving customers with a familiar team, local products and Hannaford-brand items.”

As a company, Hannaford is committed to partnering with local communities, through ongoing food donations to hunger relief, involvement with school and civic groups, and contributions to local charities.

The Newport location, Newport Plaza at 44 Moosehead Trail, is 32,600-square-foot store. The Dexter location, 37 Church Street, is a 24,500-square-foot store.

About Hannaford Supermarkets
Hannaford Supermarkets, based in Scarborough, Maine, operates 179 stores in the Northeast. Stores are located in Maine, New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Hannaford employs more than 26,000 associates. Additional information can be found at www.hannaford.com.

Contact:  
Eric Blom
207-885-3132

Source: Hannaford Supermarkets

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Hannaford donates $10,000 to Boys & Girls Club of Rutland County to support drug and alcohol prevention program

RUTLAND, Vermont, 2016-Oct-19 — /EPR Retail News/ — The Hannaford Charitable Foundation today (Oct. 17, 2013) announced a $10,000 donation to support the Smart Directions drug and alcohol prevention program at the Boys & Girls Club of Rutland County.

The donation will allow the Boys & Girls Club of Rutland County to expand the Smart Directions initiative and teach more local youth about the dangers of opiate and heroin use. The program is expected to reach more than 100 local children, ages 6 to 14, during the 2016-17 school year.

“Hannaford is committed to encouraging health and wellness in the communities we serve. The Smart Directions program provides local children with the preventative education, resources and awareness they need to combat drug use in Rutland County,” said Hannaford Supermarkets Regional Community Relations Specialist Brian Fabre. “Hannaford commends the Boys & Girls Club of Rutland County for its dedication to helping our local youth maintain a healthy lifestyle.”

The grant from Hannaford is the second in as many years for the Boys & Girls Club of Rutland County. In 2015, the Hannaford Charitable Foundation donated $10,000 to support the Smart Directions drug and alcohol prevention program.

“Rutland has gained regional and national notoriety about the opiate and heroin problem. Project Vision is our response to the problem. This grant from Hannaford allows us to expand the prevention piece that is run through the Boys & Girls Club of Rutland County. The community is very grateful to Hannaford,” said Boys & Girls Club of Rutland County CEO Larry Bayle.

The Smart Directions drug and alcohol prevention program is designed to teach youth about the dangers of opiate and heroin use through role play, the practice of resistance, decision-making and refusal skills, and the analysis of media and peer influence. For the younger members the course focuses on self-esteem and peer pressure.

The program is part of the Project VISION program, a coalition of local government, organizations, businesses and individuals working to build a brighter future for Rutland through a three-pronged strategy approach of prevention, treatment and enforcement.

For more information about the Boys & Girls Club of Rutland County, visit www.rutlandbgclub.org.

About Hannaford Supermarkets
Hannaford Supermarkets, based in Scarborough, Maine, operates 179 stores in the Northeast. Stores are located in Maine, New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Hannaford employs more than 27,000 associates. Additional information can be found at www.hannaford.com.

Contact: (800) 213-9040

Source: Hannaford Supermarkets

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Overstock.com kicked off its holiday season with its Black Friday Sneak Peek event

SALT LAKE CITY, 2016-Oct-19 — /EPR Retail News/ — Overstock.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:OSTK) today (Oct. 18, 2016) kicked off its holiday season with its Black Friday Sneak Peek event, allowing customers to fulfill their holiday shopping even earlier at even more affordable prices. The online retailer will be offering hand-curated doorbuster deals along with additional discounts of up to 70 percent on area rugs, bedding and bath, home décor, jewelry and watches, and other top-selling categories – creating a convenient, one-stop-shop for holiday needs.

“We know that holiday shopping can take an insurmountable toll on finances and family time,” said Saum Noursalehi, president of Overstock.com. “By offering Black Friday value earlier, Overstock.com is enabling consumers to realize savings sooner and spread out the costs associated with the holidays – not to mention, spend more time with family and friends.”

Something for Everyone on the List

Doorbuster deals start Tuesday, Oct. 18 with items such as Beats by Dre Solo 2 On-ear Headphones for $129.99* and Fitbit Blaze Smart Fitness Watch for $169.99*. Other doorbuster deals – such as GoPro HERO4 Black Edition Camera 64GB, Riviera 2.4GHz RC Pathfinder Small Hexacopter Drone, Sealy 12-inch Queen-size Memory Foam Mattress and Michael Kors Women’s ‘Parker’ Logo Dial Rosetone Watch – will be included along with hundreds of other products discounted as part of the sales event running through Thursday, Oct. 27.  With everything from drones to jewelry to home décor, there’s something for everyone on your list.

As part of the event, Overstock.com will also be offering chances to win some of the hottest items in daily giveaways – including Beats by Dr. Dre Executive Over the Ear Headphones, a Christopher Knight Home Hariata Fabric Contour Chair and an Apple 13.3-inch MacBook Air laptop computer. Shoppers can enter to win at www.overstock.com/sweepstakes.

Convenient, On-the-go Shopping Experience with Overstock.com Mobile App

This holiday season, shoppers are expected to increase their digital shopping by 25 percent. With mobile shopping on the rise,Overstock.com is primed to be the go-to online shopping destination this year for Black Friday and the holiday season. Its mobile app, which won best shopping app from Web Marketing Association for four years in a row, makes it easier to search, keep track of and make payments (including Apple Pay or Google Wallet) on your gifts.

A Financial Peace of Mind

Holidays are a time when many consumers go into debt. Not only is Overstock.com helping ease the financial burden by offering savings even earlier, but it also offers an easy way to pay with the Overstock.com store card. The Overstock.com store card offers up to 24 months of special financing available with no interest or annual fee, making it easier than ever to purchase and pay off your holiday shopping list. Additionally, Club O loyalty members can earn 5 percent reward dollars and free shipping on all orders.

*quantities are limited

About Overstock.com
Overstock.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:OSTK) is an online retailer based in Salt Lake City, Utah that sells a broad range of products at low prices, including furniture, rugs, bedding, electronics, clothing, and jewelry. Additional stores within Overstock include Worldstock.com, dedicated to selling artisan-crafted products to help developing nations around the world and Main Street Revolution, supporting small-scale entrepreneurs in the U.S. by providing them with a national customer base. Other community-focused initiatives include Farmers Market and pet adoptions.  Forbes ranked Overstock in its list of the Top 100 Most Trustworthy Companies in 2014. Overstock sells internationally under the name O.co and regularly posts information about the company and other related matters under Investor Relations on its website.

O, Overstock.com, O.com, O.co, Club O, Main Street Revolution, Worldstock and OVillage are registered trademarks of Overstock.com, Inc.  O.biz and Space Shift are also trademarks of Overstock.com, Inc.  Other service marks, trademarks and trade names which may be referred to herein are the property of their respective owners.

This press release contains certain 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. Such forward-looking statements include all statements other than statements of historical fact.  Additional information regarding factors that could materially affect results and the accuracy of the forward-looking statements contained herein may be found in the Company’s Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2016, which was filed with the SEC on August 4, 2016, and any subsequent filings with the SEC.

Media Contact:
Kirstie Burden
Overstock.com, Inc.
+1 (801) 947-3564
pr@overstock.com

Investor Contact:
Mark Harden
Overstock.com, Inc.
+1 (801) 947-5409
ir@overstock.com

Source: Overstock.com, Inc./globenewswire

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Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation supports health and wellness causes through $1.6 million grant to nonprofit organizations

PHOENIX, 2016-Oct-19 — /EPR Retail News/ — Sprouts Farmers Market (Nasdaq:SFM) today (Oct. 18, 2016) announced that the Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation will award $1.6 million to nonprofit organizations that support health- and wellness-related causes this fall. The Foundation, which launched in 2015 and distributed $1.3 million in to nonprofit organizations in its first year, focuses its giving in promoting health education and nutrition, food security and hunger relief, and helping people living with disabilities and health concerns. Giving back to the community has been part of the Sprouts culture since its inception. Through the Foundation, the company intends to increase its charitable giving and community engagement by creating partnerships with dozens of local nonprofits through its Neighborhood Grants program, fulfilling larger-scale Impact Grants and encouraging team member volunteerism.

“As Sprouts continues to grow from coast to coast, we remain committed to providing affordable access to healthy food. The Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation enables us to take our commitment to healthy living one step further by providing financial assistance to health and wellness organizations that support the needs of the local community,” said Sprouts chief executive officer, Amin Maredia.

Top nonprofit partners include:

  • REAL School Gardens – Support of new garden installations, the creation of a school-based health nutrition curriculum and the launch of a new REAL School Gardens region.
  • Vitamin Angels – Helps at-risk populations in need—specifically pregnant women, new mothers and children under five—gain access to lifesaving and life-changing vitamins and minerals. Through the course of our four year partnership, we have helped more than 3 million children.
  • Autism Speaks – Resources for children and adults affected by autism.

Additionally, the Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation will award more than $400,000 in Neighborhood Grants to 54 local organizations in the 13 states in which Sprouts operates.

“Our Neighborhood Grants program is designed to support local nonprofit organizations that directly impact the communities where we operate,” said Lyndsey Waugh, executive director of the Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation. “Through this grant program, we’re able to directly connect with local nonprofits that contribute to health and wellness, providing funding, visibility and awareness for their important work. The grants are funded through our in-store ‘community round-up’ campaign, plus dollars from the Foundation. It’s a great opportunity to partner with our team members and customers to support others on their healthy living journey.”

Full list of 2016 Neighborhood Grants recipients by state:
Alabama

  • CAST for Kids Foundation
  • YMCA of Metropolitan Huntsville

Arizona

  • Boys and Girls Club of Metro Phoenix
  • Council for Jews with Special Needs
  • Educational Enrichment Foundation
  • First Place AZ
  • Girl Scouts – Arizona Cactus Pine Council
  • Sharing Down Syndrome Arizona

California (North)

  • Bakersfield Arc
  • Healthy Aging Association
  • Hoffmann Hospice
  • United Way of Stanislaus County
  • Wellspring Women’s Center
  • YMCA of San Francisco

California (South)

  • Boys & Girls Club of South Coast Area
  • Fit Kids
  • Los Angeles Community Garden Council
  • National Multiple Sclerosis Society of Southern California and Nevada
  • Orangewood Foundation

Colorado

  • Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes (at University of CO Medical Campus)
  • Care and Share, Inc.
  • Groundwork Denver, Inc.
  • Healthy Learning Paths
  • Loveland Youth Gardeners
  • Muscular Dystrophy Association of Colorado
  • STRIVE

Georgia

  • Atlanta Children’s Shelter
  • Boys & Girls Club of Metro Atlanta
  • Center for Helping Obesity in Children End Successfully (CHOICES)
  • Girls Incorporated of Greater Atlanta
  • Special Olympics Georgia
  • Variety – the Children’s Charity of Georgia
  • Wylde Center

Kansas

  • Just Food of Douglas County
  • Van Go, Inc.

Missouri

  • Autism Works
  • Harvesters – the Community Network
  • Kansas City Community Gardens

New Mexico

  • La Semilla Food Center
  • Meals on Wheels

Nevada

  • Edward Kline Memorial Homeless Veterans Fund
  • Future Smiles
  • Ogden Foundation

Oklahoma

  • Oklahoma City Beautiful
  • Positive Tomorrows

Tennessee

  • Mid-Cumberland Human Resource Agency
  • Progress, Inc.

Texas

  • Comal Senior Citizen Foundation
  • McKinney Rotary Foundation
  • New Day
  • Recipe for Success Foundation
  • YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas

Utah

  • Community Action Services & Food Bank
  • Green Urban Lunchbox

The 2016 Neighborhood Grant application was available May through August and award recipients were notified in September. For details on next year’s application, please visit sprouts.com/neighborhoodgrants.

About Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation
Founded in 2015, the Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation supports health and wellness related causes that directly impact the neighborhoods where Sprouts customers and team members live, work and play. Through the passion of Sprouts’ team members and generosity of vendors and customers, the Healthy Communities Foundation supports nonprofit organizations that are making the world a better place. The Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation focuses on giving locally in promoting health education and nutrition, food security and hunger relief and helping people living with disabilities and health concerns.

About Sprouts Farmers Market
Sprouts Farmers Market, Inc. is a healthy grocery store offering fresh, natural and organic foods at great prices. Sprouts offers a complete shopping experience that includes fresh produce, bulk foods, vitamins and supplements, packaged groceries, meat and seafood, deli, baked goods, dairy products, frozen foods, natural body care and household items catering to consumers’ growing interest in health and wellness. Headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, Sprouts employs more than 24,000 team members and operates more than 250 stores in 13 states from coast to coast. For more information, visit www.sprouts.com or @sproutsfm on Twitter.

Contact:

media@sprouts.com
602-682-1536

Source: Sprouts Farmers Market/globenewswire

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FoodMaxx opens bigger store in Sacramento suburb of North Highlands

North Highlands, CA, 2016-Oct-19 — /EPR Retail News/ — FoodMaxx opened a bigger store in the Sacramento suburb of North Highlands today (Oct 17, 2016). The new location at 7477 Watt Avenue offers approximately 10,000 square feet more than the former location a mile away in Antelope. Mike Flowers has been named Store Manager. In addition to bringing all employees over from the Antelope location to the new store, Flowers has hired about 30 more people.

“FoodMaxx is committed to meeting the needs of a community that wants more deals to stretch its food dollar,” said Frank Capps, General Manager of FoodMaxx, one of the brands operated by The Save Mart Companies. “The bigger space allows us to bring in more products at amazingly low prices.”

To highlight FoodMaxx’s commitment to the area, the store made a donation to its adopted school, North Country Elementary, and to Creative Connections Arts Academy. Each will receive $500.

The Community is invited to attend our Family Fun Day, which includes games, prizes, food sampling and mascot visits.

Family Fun Day
Saturday, October 22
11:00 am – 3:00 pm

The Grand Opening comes just as FoodMaxx celebrates its 30th anniversary. Its first store debuted in October of 1986 in Bakersfield. The brand stands 52 stores strong today with two more slated to open in Carson City and Sparks later this year, as FoodMaxx enters the Northern Nevada marketplace for the first time.

Contact:

Nannette Miranda
925.833.6136

Source: Foodmaxx

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Kroger supports Hurricane Matthew relief efforts with nearly $450,000 total contribution

CINCINNATI, 2016-Oct-19 — /EPR Retail News/ — The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) announced today (Oct. 18, 2016) its family of companies has raised nearly $106,000 from customer and associate contributions to assist Hurricane Matthew relief efforts. Kroger and its subsidiaries have also delivered in-kind contributions of food and water valued at $235,000 to local food banks and Red Cross relief stations, and $52,000 in pet food to animal shelters, in storm-impacted areas. In addition, Kroger has committed to a corporate gift of $50,000 for a total contribution of more than $443,000 to support hurricane relief efforts.

“We are grateful to our customers and associates for their generous support of the Hurricane Matthew relief efforts,” said Jessica Adelman, Kroger’s group vice president of corporate affairs. “Our combined efforts will help our communities recover more quickly in the aftermath of such devastating storms.”

Many Kroger and Harris Teeter stores in the southeast and mid-Atlantic regions are helping customers donate through a variety of ways including coin boxes at registers.

Every day, the Kroger Family of Companies makes a difference in the lives of eight and a half million customers and 431,000 associates who shop or serve in 2,781 retail food stores under a variety of local banner names in 35 states and the District of Columbia. Kroger and its subsidiaries operate an expanding ClickList offering – a personalized, order online, pick up at the store service – in addition to 2,240 pharmacies, 785 convenience stores, 323 fine jewelry stores, 1,423 supermarket fuel centers and 38 food production plants in the United States. Kroger is recognized as one of America’s most generous companies for its support of more than 100 Feeding America food bank partners, breast cancer research and awareness, the military and their families, and more than 145,000 community organizations including schools. A leader in supplier diversity, Kroger is a proud member of the Billion Dollar Roundtable.

SOURCE: The Kroger Co.

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Walgreens collected and safely disposed more than 10 tons of medication through its safe medication disposal kiosks nationwide

Walgreens collected and safely disposed more than 10 tons of medication through its safe medication disposal kiosks nationwide
Walgreens collected and safely disposed more than 10 tons of medication through its safe medication disposal kiosks nationwide

 

DEERFIELD, Ill., 2016-Oct-19 — /EPR Retail News/ — Walgreens today ( October 18, 2016) announced it has reached its goal of installing more than 500 safe medication disposal kiosks this year at its pharmacies in 35 states and Washington D.C. The program, first announced in February, is the first ongoing national effort of its kind by a retailer to combat drug abuse and will expand to two additional states, Nevada and Maryland, by early November.

Since the installation began earlier this year, more than 10 tons of medication have been collected and safely disposed. The kiosks provide a year-round, safe and convenient way to dispose of unwanted, unused or expired prescriptions, including controlled substances, and over-the-counter medications at no cost.

Safe medication disposal kiosks are available during regular pharmacy hours (24 hours a day at most kiosk locations) and offer one of the best ways to ensure medications are not accidentally used or intentionally misused by someone else.

(An interactive map of stores with a safe medication disposal kiosk is available at Walgreens.com/CombatDrugAbuse)

In addition to offering a year-round solution for individuals to dispose of their medications, Walgreens continues to participate in DEA sponsored National Prescription Drug Take Back Days, serving as a collection point in communities for law enforcement to collect unwanted, unused or expired medications for safe disposal. The next DEA sponsored National Prescription Drug Take Back Day will be held on Oct. 22.

Walgreens has also made naloxone, a lifesaving opioid antidote, available without requiring a prescription in more than 3,800 pharmacies in 20 states in accordance with state pharmacy regulations. Next week, Walgreens will begin offering naloxone without a prescription at pharmacies in Colorado, Oregon and Utah and will continue to make the medication more accessible and easier to obtain in states where regulations allow.

“Walgreens has taken an important first step to reduce the misuse of medications throughout the country and curb the rise of overdose deaths,” said Richard Ashworth, Walgreens president of pharmacy and retail operations. “We are committed to being part of a comprehensive solution to reverse this epidemic and will continue our effort to make naloxone more accessible and easier to obtain.”

In states where a prescription is required for naloxone, Walgreens is available and eager to work with regulators to help update rules to allow for dispensing without a prescription. When implementation of the program is complete under current state pharmacy regulations, naloxone will be available without requiring a prescription in more than 7,000 of Walgreens nearly 8,200 stores.

When naloxone is dispensed instructions are provided on how to administer the medication, which includes calling 911 as naloxone is not a substitute for medical care, and anyone who is administered the medication should seek immediate medical attention.

Drug abuse continues to be a public health and safety risk. More Americans die every day from drug overdoses than from motor vehicle crashes, according to the Office of National Drug Control Policy. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, nearly 19 million Americans misused a prescription drug in 20151. More than half of individuals who misused a prescription drug obtained it from a friend or relative.2

States where Walgreens Safe Medication Disposal Program has been implemented:

Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland*, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Nevada*, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin

*Installation has begun and is expected to be complete in early November.

States where Walgreens offers naloxone without requiring a prescription:

Alabama, Colorado*, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York (including Duane Reade pharmacies), North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon**, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Utah*,Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin

*Will begin offering naloxone without requiring a prescription on Monday, Oct. 24.

**Will begin offering naloxone without a prescription on Wednesday, Oct. 26.

About Walgreens

Walgreens (www.walgreens.com), one of the nation’s largest drugstore chains, is included in the Retail Pharmacy USA Division of Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (NASDAQ: WBA), the first global pharmacy-led, health and wellbeing enterprise. More than 8 million customers interact with Walgreens each day in communities across America, using the most convenient, multichannel access to consumer goods and services and trusted, cost-effective pharmacy, health and wellness services and advice. Walgreens operates 8,173 drugstores with a presence in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Walgreens omnichannel business includes Walgreens.com and VisionDirect.com. More than 400 Walgreens stores offer Healthcare Clinic or other provider retail clinic services.

1 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health http://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/NSDUH-FFR2-2015/NSDUH-FFR2-2015.htm

2 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health http://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/NSDUH-FFR2-2015/NSDUH-FFR2-2015.htm

Contacts:

Phil Caruso
847-315-2962
philip.caruso@walgreens.com
http://news.walgreens.com
@WalgreensNews
facebook.com/Walgreens

Source: Walgreens

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Walgreens offers customers the option to pick up their online purchase at neighborhood Walgreens store

DEERFIELD, Ill., 2016-Oct-19 — /EPR Retail News/ — Walgreens customers now have the option to pick up eligible online and mobile app retail orders in-store at more than 7,600 locations, with free shipping and no minimum order required. The new offering allows customers to shop the retailer’s expanded online product selection and pick up their order at a convenient neighborhood Walgreens or Duane Reade store.

“Our new Ship to Store program provides value to our customers by giving them access to a wide range of products that are typically not found in-store,” said Joe Hartsig, Walgreens senior vice president, merchandising. “With Ship to Store, customers have the ability to ship orders to their preferred Walgreens store if their residence or workplace isn’t a secure option.”

When shopping for eligible items on Walgreens.com or through the Walgreens mobile app, customers can select the Ship to Store free delivery service. Orders typically arrive within one to three business days, and customers will be notified via e-mail once their order is ready for pickup. Walgreens paperless coupons, Balance® Rewards benefits and other digital promotions can also be used for Ship to Store orders and seamlessly applied online before payment.

“As a leading omni-channel retailer, we’re continually looking for innovative ways to provide anytime, anywhere convenience by offering the best health, wellness and beauty products with just a few clicks,” added Hartsig. “And with Walgreens stores within five miles of 75 percent of the U.S. population, this service is another way we can offer convenience by providing more choices to improve the shopping experience for our customers.”

Free shipping to a customer’s home or other address is also available for eligible online orders over $35.

For more information, visit: http://www.walgreens.com/shiptostore.

About Walgreens

Walgreens (www.walgreens.com), one of the nation’s largest drugstore chains, is included in the Retail Pharmacy USA Division of Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (NASDAQ: WBA), the first global pharmacy-led, health and wellbeing enterprise. More than 8 million customers interact with Walgreens each day in communities across America, using the most convenient, multichannel access to consumer goods and services and trusted, cost-effective pharmacy, health and wellness services and advice. Walgreens operates 8,173 drugstores with a presence in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Walgreens omni-channel business includes Walgreens.com and VisionDirect.com. More than 400 Walgreens stores offer Healthcare Clinic or other provider retail clinic services.

Contacts:
Scott Goldberg
(847) 315-7649
http://news.walgreens.com
@WalgreensNews
facebook.com/Walgreens

Source: Walgreens

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Walgreens and Vitamin Angels announce milestone of providing 100 million children and mothers with essential vitamins

DEERFIELD, Ill., 2016-Oct-19 — /EPR Retail News/ — Just over two years into its collaboration with the charity, Vitamin Angels, Walgreens has reached its goal of helping to provide 100 million children and mothers with essential vitamins and supplements they need to help prevent blindness and other serious conditions in undernourished children around the world.  The company announced the milestone more than a year ahead of its original goal to achieve it by the end of 2017.

Since June 2014, through its commitment to Vitamin Angels, Walgreens has donated 1 percent of retail sales from vitamin and supplement purchases. As of the end of September 2016, Walgreens has helped raise more than $25 million for the charity, which is providing the vitamins to at-risk populations in nearly 50 countries, including the U.S. Walgreens collaboration with Vitamin Angels will continue to provide more life-changing vitamins to children and mothers in need.

“We’re extremely proud of our Walgreens employees and customers’ support of and participation in the Vitamin Angels program as together we are making a difference, helping impact lives around the world,” said Robert Tompkins, Walgreens group vice president and general merchandise manager, health and wellness. “It’s great to see how we’ve helped millions of people in need through this program, which also supports our efforts to improve population health, particularly within underserved communities.”

Last year, select Walgreens team members joined Vitamin Angels on several trips to experience and observe the distribution of essential vitamins.

“These field trip experiences gave us an opportunity to see first-hand the impact our support is making as well as the continued need for vitamins both here in the U.S. and around the world,” added Tompkins.

Vitamin Angels helps at-risk populations in need – specifically pregnant women, new mothers and children under 5 – gain access to lifesaving and life changing vitamins and minerals. Vitamins, minerals and nutrients address chronic malnutrition and the resulting morbidity and mortality caused by vitamin deficiencies. The organization mobilizes public sector organizations, private sector resources and motivated individuals to reach these underserved children and mothers domestically and internationally. Vitamin Angels has a four-star rating from Charity Navigator for Financial Health, Accountability and Transparency.

“Walgreens has shown us the heart of a great organization and what is possible when good people come together in a concerted effort to change things!” said Howard Schiffer, Vitamin Angels’ president and founder. “When Walgreens says ‘Buy vitamins here, Change lives everywhere,’ they could not be more accurate. Walgreens has given millions of children and moms a chance for a better life and a brighter future!”

For more information, visit: www.walgreens.com/vitaminangels.

About Walgreens
Walgreens (www.walgreens.com), one of the nation’s largest drugstore chains, is included in the Retail Pharmacy USA Division of Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (NASDAQ: WBA), the first global pharmacy-led, health and wellbeing enterprise. More than 8 million customers interact with Walgreens each day in communities across America, using the most convenient, multichannel access to consumer goods and services and trusted, cost-effective pharmacy, health and wellness services and advice. Walgreens operates 8,173 drugstores with a presence in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Walgreens omni-channel business includes Walgreens.com and VisionDirect.com. More than 400 Walgreens stores offer Healthcare Clinic or other provider retail clinic services.

Contact:

Tel: 847-315-2921.
Email: media@walgreens.com

Source: Walgreens

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Nordstrom Rack to open at Portofino Shopping Center in Shenandoah, Texas

SEATTLE, 2016-Oct-19 — /EPR Retail News/ — Seattle-based Nordstrom, Inc. (NYSE: JWN) announced today (Oct. 18, 2016) plans to open a Nordstrom Rack at Portofino Shopping Center in Shenandoah, Texas. The approximately 27,000-square-foot store is scheduled to open in spring 2018. The property is owned by Kite Realty Group.

Nordstrom Rack at Portofino Shopping Center will be located conveniently just off Interstate 45, north ofThe Woodlands and about 30 miles north of downtown Houston. The new store will join Sam’s Club, DSW, TJ Maxx, PGA Superstore, Michael’s, Old Navy, Men’s Wearhouse, several restaurants, and more.

“We’ve enjoyed getting to know this community since opening our full-line store at The Woodlands in 2014,” said Geevy Thomas, president of Nordstrom Rack. “Our customers here have let us know they’d love a more convenient way to shop Nordstrom Rack – rather than fighting traffic to our other nearby locations – so we’re very excited to bring them great brands at great Rack prices closer to home.”

This will be the sixth Rack location in the Houston area, the most recent of which opened at Willowbrook Mall in September of 2014. The company also operates a full line location at the Woodlands Mall, which opened in 2014.

“We are excited to welcome Nordstrom Rack to our Portofino Shopping Center,” said John Kite, CEO of Kite Realty Group Trust. “The addition of Nordstrom Rack is part of our broader redevelopment project which includes significantly enhancing tenant mix and reconstructing the existing layout to optimize space and improve customer experience. Nordstrom Rack joins a strong lineup of national retailers and shops and adds to the high-quality merchandising mix at our 385,000-square-foot power center. We look forward to further strengthening our relationship with Nordstrom, Inc. in the future.”

Nordstrom Rack is the off-price retail division of Nordstrom, Inc., offering customers a wide selection of on-trend apparel, accessories and shoes at an everyday savings of 30 to 70 percent off regular prices. The Rack carries merchandise from Nordstrom stores and Nordstrom.com, as well as specially purchased items from many of the top brands sold at Nordstrom. The Rack is designed to provide the ultimate treasure hunt to style-savvy customers.

About Nordstrom
Nordstrom, Inc. is a leading fashion specialty retailer based in the U.S. Founded in 1901 as a shoe store in Seattle, today Nordstrom operates 341 stores in 40 states, including 122 full-line stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico; 210 Nordstrom Rack stores; two Jeffrey boutiques; and one clearance store. Additionally, customers are served online through Nordstrom.com, Nordstromrack.com and HauteLook. The company also owns Trunk Club, a personalized clothing service serving customers online at TrunkClub.com and its six clubhouses. Nordstrom, Inc.’s common stock is publicly traded on the NYSE under the symbol JWN.

About Portofino Center
Portofino Shopping Center is adjacent to the suburban community of Shenandoah / The Woodlands, located 30 miles north of downtown Houston, Texas. The Woodlands is listed as one of the Top 50 Best Selling Master Planned Communities in the nation. Over the last three decades, the 28,000-acre community has also become a thriving center for business, commerce and tourism. The center features ornate Venetian-influenced architecture, contributing to Portofino’s unique appeal. The center is located in a growing affluent area of suburban Houston with an average household income of $115K per year.

About Kite Realty Group
Kite Realty Group Trust is a full-service, vertically integrated real estate investment trust engaged in the ownership, operation, management, leasing, acquisition, construction, redevelopment and development of neighborhood and community shopping centers in selected markets in the United States. As of June 30, 2016, the Company owned interests in a portfolio of 121 operating, development and redevelopment properties totaling approximately 24 million total square feet across 20 states.

MEDIA CONTACT: 
Jessica Canfield
Nordstrom, Inc.
(206) 303-4250
Jessica.Canfield@nordstrom.com

Maggie Daniels
Kite Realty Group
(317) 713-7644
mdaniels@kiterealty.com

SOURCE: Nordstrom, Inc.

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2000 Carrefour stores in 10 different countries participate in the fourth international food collection campaign

2000 Carrefour stores in 10 different countries participate in the fourth international food collection campaign
2000 Carrefour stores in 10 different countries participate in the fourth international food collection campaign

 

Taiwan, 2016-Oct-19 — /EPR Retail News/ — The Carrefour Foundation is launching its fourth international collection campaign with support from the European Federation of Food Banks and The Global FoodBanking Network. Teams from nearly 2000 stores will be involved in the event which will run for more than 2 months across 10 countries: Taiwan, followed by Romania, Poland, Spain, France, Italy, Argentina, Brazil, China and Belgium. Employees, customers and volunteers will all be drawing on all their resources and focusing on helping the world’s poorest people. Their target will be to beat last year’s result – the equivalent of 10 million meals donated and then redistributed to local branches of Food Banks.

From Taipei to Brussels – nearly 2000 Carrefour stores are participating in 10 different countries

Carrefour Taiwan’s teams will start collecting donations on 16 October – World Food Day; and they’ll continue until the end of December. Then on 1 November, Carrefour Romania will launch its campaign. Starting on 25 November, the teams will be joined by Carrefour Poland, Carrefour Spain and Carrefour France. The next day, the campaign will get under way at Carrefour stores in Italy, Argentina and Brazil, before commencing in China. In Belgium, it will run from 15 to 18 December.

Nearly 1500 Carrefour employees will participate in the campaign in stores, alongside volunteers from the Food Banks, in order to raise customer awareness, collect and sort the donations so these products can be easily redistributed via the Food Banks’ warehouses.

In 2015, the equivalent of 10 million meals were donated and then redistributed to charities which help people in need.

Give every day:
the equivalent of 100.5 million meals donated by Carrefour stores throughout the world

Carrefour has been a partner of the Food Banks every day since 1994. Indeed, alongside these collection campaigns, Carrefour, also donates foodstuffs to various associations on a daily basis – fresh produce in particular. In 2015, these donations amounted to the equivalent of 100.5 million meals throughout the world, and the initiative is very much in line with Carrefour’s campaign to tackle food waste,  launched since 2013 – not just in France, but also in Belgium, Brazil, Argentina, Taiwan and many other countries.

Give effectively: logistics support
The Carrefour Foundation gives the Food Banks logistics support: it provides vehicles for transporting products – including fresh products – and cold rooms for storing them. In 2016, a €357,070 grant financed the purchase of 13 refrigerated vehicles and a cold storage room. It was also used to develop training programmes about hygiene and food safety for managers, volunteers and the Food Bank Federation’s partner associations. Since 1994, Carrefour has funded the purchase of 233 facilities for the Food Banks throughout the world. These include 157 refrigerated vehicles, 31 cold rooms and refrigeration cabinets.

For all request about the Carrefour Group (sales, financial results, governance, international,…), please contact the Carrefour Group media relations office:

. By phone:

Switchboard: +33 (0)1 41 04 26 00

For journalists: +33 (0)1 41 04 26 17

. By e-mail: presse_groupe@carrefour.com

Source: Carrefour

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Amazon today introduces new features to the Prime Photos service

Amazon today introduces new features to the Prime Photos service
Amazon today introduces new features to the Prime Photos service
  • Bringing valued memories together, Family Vault creates a private, easily-accessible home for photos and videos from multiple family members and devices
  • U.S. Prime members can now invite up to five people to join their Family Vault and access the benefits of unlimited photo storage, at no additional cost
  • Quickly find and rediscover your favorite moments across an entire photo collection with smart search technology

SEATTLE, 2016-Oct-19 — /EPR Retail News/ — Amazon today (Oct. 18, 2016) introduced new features to the Prime Photos service in the U.S., designed for Prime members and their family. Prime members can now invite up to five family members or friends to join their Family Vault, which includes access to Prime Photos benefits including unlimited storage of photos, plus an additional 5 GB for videos and other files. With the all-new Family Vault, bringing family photos together is as easy as one-click or swipe from a computer or mobile device. Customers can start using the new features of Prime Photos today at http://www.amazon.com/photos or through Prime Photos mobile apps.

“Prime members love the benefit of unlimited photo storage but often struggle to collect and organize photos across multiple devices and accounts into a single, shareable archive,” said David Nenke, Director of Prime Photos,Amazon. “We launched the Family Vault to make it easy for family members to safely store and share all their favorite moments.”

New Prime Photos features include:

  • Family and friend access to Prime Photos, at no additional cost: To ensure all the great moments and memories are preserved, regardless of who captured them, Prime members can now share their Prime Photos benefit of unlimited photo storage and 5 GB for videos and other files with up to five family members or friends.
  • Simple, private sharing through the Family Vault: FamilyVault members can add their favorite photos and videos individually with a click or swipe, or set their account to automatically add all their photos and videos to the Family Vault.
  • Smart search technology: Prime Photos’ new search technology makes finding photos based on people, places, or things a snap. Gone are the days of customers wading through thousands of photos to find a specific image. Looking for pictures from a vacation or wedding? Search for “sunset” or “wedding” and relevant photos will show up. Customers can also browse photos of individual family members and friends in the People view as well as search and filter by location or date.
  • Photo printing with free delivery for Prime Members: Customers can now order photo books, cards, and prints directly on the web from their Prime Photos account. Offering a variety a ways to preserve memories, Amazon Print products start at just nine cents a print, and ships with free delivery for Prime members. Customers can learn more and order prints today by visiting www.amazon.com/printing.

More to Prime

Tens of millions of Prime members around the world enjoy the many benefits of Prime. In the U.S., that includes unlimited Free Two-Day Shipping on more than 30 million items across all categories, unlimited Free Same-Day Delivery on more than a million items in 27 metro areas and one and two-hour delivery with Prime Now on tens of thousands of items available in more than 25 metro areas. In addition to fast, free shipping, members have access to unlimited streaming of tens of thousands of movies and TV episodes with Prime Video, more than one million songs and thousands of curated playlists and stations with Prime Music, early access to select Lightning Deals all year long, free secure unlimited photo storage with Prime Photos and one free pre-released book a month with Kindle First. For more information, visit www.amazon.com/prime.

About Amazon

Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit www.amazon.com/about.

Media Hotline:

206-266-7180
Amazon-pr@amazon.com
www.amazon.com/pr

Source: Amazon.com, Inc.

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Amazon Web Services announces availability of the US East (Ohio) Region

SEATTLE, 2016-Oct-19 — /EPR Retail News/ — Amazon Web Services, Inc. (AWS), an Amazon.com company (NASDAQ:AMZN), today (Oct. 17, 2016) announced the availability of the US East (Ohio) Region to customers looking to build their businesses and run applications on infrastructure on the AWS Cloud. Along with US East (N. Virginia), the US East (Ohio) Region provides low latency across the eastern and central United States (US). With this launch, AWS now provides 38 Availability Zones across 14 technology infrastructure regions globally. In the United States alone, AWS now has 16 Availability Zones across five regions. AWS has announced that another nine Availability Zones and four regions in Canada, the UK, France, and China are planned to come online in the coming months. Starting today, developers, startups, enterprises, government agencies, and non-profit organizations around the world can sign up and get started using the US East (Ohio) Region at: http://aws.amazon.com.

For more than a decade, AWS has changed the way organizations acquire technology infrastructure. AWS customers are not required to make any up-front financial or long-term commitments. They can turn capital expense into variable operating expense, scale quickly and seamlessly by adding or shedding resources at any time, get to market much more quickly with new and critical ideas, and free up scarce engineering resources from the undifferentiated heavy lifting of running backend infrastructure—all without sacrificing operational performance, reliability, or security. This has led to more than a million customers adopting the AWS Cloud in over 190 countries around the world.

“Our customers tell us that by running their applications in the AWS Cloud, they are able to move faster, operate more securely, and save substantial costs–all while leveraging the scale and performance of AWS,” said Peter DeSantis, Vice President, Infrastructure at AWS. “Now with five highly scalable regions across the United States, AWS customers have multiple options for providing US-based end users low-latency access to cloud applications, as well as the opportunity to architect a variety of inter-region backup and disaster recovery operations for even greater availability.”

The US East (Ohio) Region consists of three separate Availability Zones at launch. Availability Zones refer to data centers in separate, distinct locations within a single region that are engineered to be operationally independent of other Availability Zones, with independent power, cooling, and physical security, and are connected via a low latency network. AWS customers focused on high availability can architect their applications to run in multiple Availability Zones to achieve even higher reliability and fault tolerance. For customers looking for inter-region redundancy, the new AWS US East (Ohio) Region, in conjunction with the US East (Northern Virginia), US West (Oregon), and US West (N. California) Regions gives them flexibility to architect across multiple AWS Regions within the United States.

Recognizing that the AWS Cloud has become the new normal for companies of all sizes, and across all industries, to deploy their business-critical applications and drive increased agility, Ohio Governor John Kasich was quick to welcome the new AWS Region. In a video statement released by the Governor’s office, Kasich stated, “It’s clear that the world’s economy is moving to digital technologies and cloud computing. And Amazon Web Services’ commitment here demonstrates the leading role that we hope Ohio can play in that world. …Ohio is not just embracing the new knowledge economy, we’re also advancing the technologies on which that economy will thrive.”

Customers welcome the new AWS US East (Ohio) Region

Cardinal Health is a global integrated healthcare services and products company, providing customized solutions for hospital systems, pharmacies, ambulatory surgery centers, clinical laboratories, and physician offices worldwide. Fuse by Cardinal Health focuses on technology and innovation to improve the future of health and wellness. “Fuse leverages services including Amazon EC2, Amazon RDS, Amazon S3, Amazon Glacier, Amazon Redshift, Amazon EBS, and Elastic Load Balancing to more quickly market test ideas and deploy features to our customers,” said Michael Swartzbaugh, Director of Engineering for Fuse by Cardinal Health. “AWS is a market leader in cloud solutions and enables us to use agile methodologies to drive our innovations and platforms. At Fuse, we are able to quickly execute on our IT journey by using the AWS Cloud, and are thrilled to have additional Availability Zones nearby that will provide higher bandwidth and capacity for our customers.”

Socrata is the market leader in cloud-based data democratization solutions that help governments achieve meaningful social and economic impact by making public data easily shared, discovered, used, and actionable. “Socrata hosts the 2017 White House Budget in the Socrata Public Finance Data Cloud, which includes detailed budgeting of over $4 trillion dollars, and allows users to visually explore this data by program area and agency, and create, analyze, and share interactive charts and graphs,” said Kevin Merritt, CEO of Socrata. “Simple and accessible visualizations of this complex data set has allowed for unprecedented citizen engagement. We’ve stopped operating our own data centers and have gone all-in on AWS because it allows us to innovate more rapidly, scale more flexibly, and allocate more of our engineering resources to developing features and capabilities that directly benefit our customers.”

APPRISS is a Louisville, Kentucky-based company leveraging data and analytics solutions in the health, retail, and public safety markets to explore new ways to keep communities safe and informed. “PMP AWARxE, a solution for prescription monitoring programs, provides states with the tools to monitor prescriptions for federally controlled substances,” said Brian Oldham, CIO of APPRISS. “Thirty states are currently onboarding to the program and hosting it on the AWS Cloud enables us to have the uptime and resilience that is necessary to satisfy their needs. We are thrilled to have an additional US region to rely on in the future as we continue to expand our use of the AWS Cloud.”

NaviStone, headquartered in Cincinnati, provides direct and digital marketers with a revolutionary way to target the right web browsers and include them in direct marketing campaigns. Tom White, CTO of Navistone states, “Our big data business would not exist without our ability to leverage AWS’s scale to our clients’ advantage. Our clients include major retailers with multi-channel operations across online, catalog, and brick-and-mortar locations. We can dream big and experiment with innovative products like our web-to-print technology, which helps our clients more accurately target customers and increase conversions. The speed, flexibility, and low cost of AWS enables NaviStone to experiment at a small scale knowing we can bring a product from prototype to full scale rapidly using the AWS Cloud. Navistone has been an AWS customer for the past three years and now are 100 percent all-in on AWS. We welcome AWS’s expansion in Ohio as this will continue to expand the community of professionals dedicated to building big data businesses at a time when every organization is becoming more data driven.”

Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland is one of the country’s leading private research institutions, offering a unique combination of forward-thinking educational opportunities in an inspiring cultural setting. With about 11,000 students, the university’s nationally recognized programs include arts and sciences, dental medicine, engineering, law, management, medicine, nursing, and social work. “University Technology, at Case Western Reserve University has begun to re-think and re-design its legacy and enterprise systems, using the AWS Cloud to deliver more agile administrative, teaching, learning, and research support,” said Sue B. Workman, VP University Technology/CIO. “We are further enabling faculty and student success by providing access to AWS’s industry-leading cloud technology and enabling greater return on investment (ROI) on our technology costs. The agility and flexibility provided by AWS gives our students the ability to set up technology systems quickly and with more understanding, allows our researchers to easily set up and tear down experiments, and improves the effectiveness with which we manage our enterprise systems. The commitment AWS is making to Ohio demonstrates its confidence that Ohio is a driver for innovation and technology advancement.”

Investing in Ohio

The AWS US East (Ohio) Region is yet another investment AWS is making in the State of Ohio. Amazon Wind Farm US Central, located in Paulding County, Ohio, is a 100 megawatt (MW) wind farm that is currently under construction. When operational, which is expected by May 2017, Amazon Wind Farm US Central will produce 320,000 megawatt hours of wind energy annually directly onto the grid powering the data centers in the AWS US East (Ohio) Region and other current and future AWS data centers. For more information on Amazon Wind Farm US Central, watch the video or visit AWS’s Sustainability website to learn more about the company’s other wind and solar projects across the US.

In conjunction with the launch of the AWS US East (Ohio) Region, AWS is working with the Ohio Academic Resources Network (OARnet), a state-funded IT organization that provides member organizations with intrastate networking and other IT services. AWS and OARnet have agreed to work together to explore AWS Direct Connect access to Ohio’s 100-gigabit research backbone network called OARnet. By using OARnet’s unique high-speed backbone, colleges, schools, medical research hospitals, and state government can readily take advantage of high-speed network connection to AWS to further advanced research and discovery.

About Amazon Web Services

For 10 years, Amazon Web Services has been the world’s most comprehensive and broadly adopted cloud platform. AWS offers over 70 fully featured services for compute, storage, databases, analytics, mobile, Internet of Things (IoT) and enterprise applications from 38 Availability Zones (AZs) across 14 geographic regions in the U.S., Australia, Brazil, China, Germany, Ireland, Japan, Korea, Singapore, and India. AWS services are trusted by more than a million active customers around the world — including the fastest growing startups, largest enterprises, and leading government agencies — to power their infrastructure, make them more agile, and lower costs. To learn more about AWS, visit http://aws.amazon.com.

About Amazon

Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit www.amazon.com/about.

Media Hotline:

206-266-7180
Amazon-pr@amazon.com
www.amazon.com/pr

Source: Amazon Web Services, Inc.

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Macy’s introduces Brookstone products in stores and online this holiday season

Macy’s introduces Brookstone products in stores and online this holiday season
Macy’s introduces Brookstone products in stores and online this holiday season

 

NEW YORK, 2016-Oct-19 — /EPR Retail News/ — This week, Macy’s launches a new partnership with specialty retailer Brookstone, to bring uniquely designed, high-quality gifts to 347 stores and macys.com this holiday season.

“Brookstone is a brand known for exceptionally innovative products that aim to improve your quality of life and Macy’s is the premiere destination for holiday gifts,” said Tim Baxter, Macy’s Chief Merchandising Officer. “By offering Brookstone at Macy’s – from headphones and speakers to kitchen gadgets or the perfect massage – their extraordinary items will add to our electronic offerings just in time for the holiday shopping season.”

“Macy’s is the perfect showcase for Brookstone, and we’re proud to be in their wonderful stores,” said Brookstone CEO, Steven Goldsmith. “Macy’s has always been about giving customers high-quality brands, exciting products and enjoyable shopping experiences. These are values Brookstone and Macy’s share, and we’re thrilled to bring Brookstone innovations to Macy’s customers in time for the 2016 holiday gift season.”

Brookstone products are designed to do amazing things in surprising ways and make everyday moments more interesting – for music and massagers, toys and tech, gadgets, gizmos, gear and gifts. For those who like to stand out in a crowd, quirky Cat Ear Headphones are the perfect way to enjoy music privately, or through the cat ear speakers when sharing songs with friends. Big Blue Party™ indoor-outdoor speakers are wireless, weatherproof and deliver exceptional, omnidirectional sound. The Nap™ Massaging Wrap uses soothing vibration and ultra-soft fabric to bring neck massage to a whole new level, while the Towel Warmer ensures no one ever has to step out of the shower in the cold again.

Additional Brookstone products available at Macy’s include:

  • 6-in-1 Tool Pen; $14.99
  • 5-in-1 Gardener’s Tool; $24.99
  • Snackman™ Motion-Sensing Snack Dispenser; $39.99
  • Auto Emergency Tool and Flashlight; $19.99
  • Grill Alert Bluetooth® Cooking Thermometer; $69.99
  • Big Blue Mini™ Wireless Travel Speaker; $49.99
  • Wireless Mobile Projector; $299.99
  • Flight Force™ Stunt Drone; $59.99
  • Original Sånd by Brookstone; $19.99
  • Aperto Auto-sensing Wine Opener; $39.99

Macy’s will carry more than 30 Brookstone items in store and online at macys.com, priced from $14.99 to $299.99, beginning in mid-October.

About Macy’s

Macy’s, the largest retail brand of Macy’s, Inc. (NYSE:M), delivers fashion and affordable luxury to customers at approximately 734 locations in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam, as well as to customers in the U.S. and more than 100 international destinations through its leading online store at macys.com. Via its stores, e-commerce site, mobile and social platforms, Macy’s offers distinctive assortments including the most desired family of exclusive and fashion brands for him, her and home. Macy’s is known for such epic events as Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks® and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade®, as well as spectacular fashion shows, culinary events, flower shows and celebrity appearances. Macy’s flagship stores — including Herald Square in New York City, Union Square in San Francisco, State Street in Chicago, and Dadeland in Miami and South Coast Plaza in southern California — are known internationally and are leading destinations for visitors. Building on a more than 150-year tradition, and with the collective support of customers and employees, Macy’s helps strengthen communities by supporting local and national charities giving more than $69 million each year to help make a difference in the lives of our customers.

For Macy’s media materials, including images and contacts, please visit our online pressroom at macys.com/pressroom.

About Brookstone, Inc.

Founded in 1965, Brookstone is a U.S.-based product developer and retailer of wellness, entertainment, and travel products that are fun to discover, smart to use and beautiful in design. Brookstone products are available at its 200+ retail locations at malls and airports throughout the U.S., online at Brookstone.com, via its Brookstone catalog and through select premium retailers.

Brookstone is a member of Sanpower Group Company. Sanpower Group Co., Ltd. is a private conglomerate whose primary businesses are engaged in technology and modern service industries. With big data serving as its core competitive advantage, Sanpower is rapidly building up an industrial ecosystem across the finance, health and commerce sectors. The company now has an excess of RMB 100 billion in both total assets and annual gross sales, and a controlling stake in more than 100 subsidiaries. Through this diverse set of businesses, Sanpower provides growth opportunities for a 90,000-strong global workforce, including 30,000 staff from its non-Chinese enterprises.

Macy’s Media Relations:
Holly Thomas
646-429-5250
holly.thomas@macys.com

Julie Strider Fukami
646-429-5213
julie.striderfukami@macys.com

Source: Macy’s

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Macy’s and Clothes4Souls to host annual “Buy 1 & We’ll Donate 1” campaign from Oct. 25 through Oct. 30

NEW YORK, 2016-Oct-19 — /EPR Retail News/ — Macy’s and Clothes4Souls will partner again this fall season for the annual “Buy 1 & We’ll Donate 1” campaign. From Tuesday, Oct. 25 through Sunday, Oct. 30, Macy’s will donate one new coat, up to 35,000 coats, to Clothes4Souls, for every coat purchased in the men’s, women’s, juniors’ and children’s outerwear departments at Macy’s stores and macys.com. Since the program’s start in 2013, Macy’s has donated 130,000 new coats, with retail value of more than $5.2 million.

To help customers save while giving back, Macy’s will offer 40 to 50 percent off a large selection of outerwear during the campaign.

“Our program with Clothes4Souls is one that our customers and employees look forward to every fall season,” said Holly Thomas, Macy’s group vice president of Cause Marketing. “With 130,000 new coats donated to date, we’ve seen incredible impact in our local communities. It’s an honor to partner with Clothes4Souls to once again bring brand new coats to people in need, and we hope to be able to deliver another 35,000 coats this year.”

Clothes4Souls, a division of Soles4Souls, is a not-for-profit global social enterprise committed to fighting poverty through the collection and distribution of clothing. Clothes4Souls works with non-profit partners including homeless shelters, after school programs, international relief and disaster relief organizations to provide clothes to those who need them most, domestically and globally.

“It’s such a privilege to be working with Macy’s for the fourth year in a row,” said Buddy Teaster, Soles4Souls President and CEO. “The fact that we have been able to put 130,000 coats into the hands of people who need them most is extraordinary. A new coat can help provide much needed warmth during the harsh winter months and can bridge the economic gap for thousands across America. Macy’s and its customers understand the power they have to make a difference and we couldn’t be happier to be a partner in this work.”

Coats donated through the program average in retail price from $40 to $100 and distribution will take place in cities across America, beginning in November. To view this year’s outerwear assortment to participate in “Buy 1 & We’ll Donate 1,” visit macys.com.

About Macy’s

Macy’s, the largest retail brand of Macy’s, Inc. (NYSE:M), delivers fashion and affordable luxury to customers at 734 locations in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam, as well as to customers in the U.S. and more than 100 international destinations through its leading online store at macys.com. Via its stores, e-commerce site, mobile and social platforms, Macy’s offers distinctive assortments including the most desired family of exclusive and fashion brands for him, her and home. Macy’s is known for such epic events as Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks® and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade®, as well as spectacular fashion shows, culinary events, flower shows and celebrity appearances. Macy’s flagship stores — including Herald Square in New York City, Union Square in San Francisco, State Street in Chicago, and Dadeland in Miami and South Coast Plaza in southern California — are known internationally and are leading destinations for visitors. Building on a more than 150-year tradition, and with the collective support of customers and employees, Macy’s helps strengthen communities by supporting local and national charities giving more than $69 million each year to help make a difference in the lives of our customers.

For Macy’s media materials, including images and contacts, please visit our online pressroom at macys.com/pressroom.

About Clothes4Souls:

Clothes4Souls, a division of Soles4Souls, is a not for profit global social enterprise committed to fighting poverty through the collection and distribution of clothing. The organization advances its anti-poverty mission by collecting new and used clothing from individuals, schools, faith based institutions, civic organizations and corporate partners, then distributing those clothes both via direct donations to people in need and by provisioning qualified micro-enterprise programs designed to create jobs in poor and disadvantaged communities. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, Clothes4Souls is committed to the highest standards of operating and governance. Please visit www.clothes4souls.org for more information.

Macy’s Media Relations:
Julie Strider Fukami
646-429-5213
julie.striderfukami@macys.com

Tracy Davis
646-429-7470
tracy.davis@macys.com

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Macy’s and Clothes4Souls to host annual “Buy 1 & We’ll Donate 1” campaign from Oct. 25 through Oct. 30
Macy’s and Clothes4Souls to host annual “Buy 1 & We’ll Donate 1” campaign from Oct. 25 through Oct. 30

 

Source: Macy’s, Inc.

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MIGROS CHURWALDEN FEIERT ERÖFFNUNG

Gossau, Switzerland, 2016-Oct-19 — /EPR Retail News/ — Am 25. Oktober öffnet an der Hauptstrasse 146 in Churwalden die neue Migros erstmals ihre Türen. Der Busterminal wird von Postauto Graubünden am 29. Oktober erstmals angefahren.

In sieben Monaten Bauzeit ist an der Hauptstrasse in Churwalden ein moderner Supermarkt entstanden, dessen Konstruktion zu 95 Prozent aus Schweizer Holz besteht. Auf einer Fläche von 390 m2 finden die Kundinnen und Kunden ein einladendes und frisches Sortiment für den täglichen Bedarf. Ebenfalls ins Gebäude mit den markanten Fassadenschwertern integriert, ist der neue Busterminal. Dadurch wird der Komfort beim Einkaufen mit den öffentlichen Verkehrsmitteln auf ein neues Level gehoben. 21 unentgeltliche Kundenparkplätze runden das Angebot ab.

Team als Fundament der Filiale
Daniel Pfiffner kümmert sich in Churwalden gemeinsam mit seinem Team um die Belange der Kundschaft. Der 32-Jährige fasste nach seinem Betriebsökonomiestudium an der HTW Chur in der Detailbranche Fuss und zeigte sich als regionaler Verkaufsleiter für fünf Filialen verantwortlich. Vor 14 Monaten ist Daniel Pfiffner in die Migros eingetreten. Seither sammelt er als stellvertretender Geschäftsführer und Bereichsleiter Frische im Migros Gäuggeli Erfahrungen. „Ich kann aus dieser Zeit viel mitnehmen, vor allem was die Migros-Prozesse angeht“, sagt der zukünftige Filialleiter. Aber auch im Bereich der Unternehmenskultur habe er ein gutes Gespür dafür bekommen, was die Vorstellungen der Migros seien und wie die Kultur gelebt werde.

Bei der Zusammenstellung seines Teams, welches aus neun Mitarbeitenden besteht, hat Daniel Pfiffner verschiedene Aspekte berücksichtigt. „Ich habe darauf geachtet, dass verschiedene Kompetenzen gegeben sind und sich die einzelnen Mitarbeiterinnen und Mitarbeiter mit ihrem jeweiligen Fachwissen gut ergänzen.“ Als zentrale Komponente komme das Zwischenmenschliche hinzu. „In einer kleinen Filiale ist dies enorm wichtig“, weiss der Churer aus eigener Erfahrung. Der Eröffnung in Churwalden blickt Daniel Pfiffner gespannt entgegen. „Ich freue mich auf den neuen Laden, das neue Team und darauf, eigene Ideen einbringen und umsetzen zu können.“ Dass er von Beginn weg ins Projekt integriert gewesen sei und an Bausitzungen seine Meinungen und Inputs anbringen durfte, habe er sehr geschätzt.

Nachhaltigkeit – ein zentrales Thema
Die Konstruktion der Migros Churwalden, dessen Design der Feder des Churer Architekturbüros Ritter Schumacher entstammen, besteht zu 95 Prozent aus Schweizer Holz. Ein Grossteil davon kommt aus Churwalden. Neben der Regionalität lag ein besonderer Fokus auf einer nachhaltigen Bauweise. So wurde die Beleuchtung beispielsweise mit LED-Leuchten realisiert. Die Vorteile liegen auf der Hand: eine höhere Lebensdauer bei gleichzeitig kleinerem Energieverbrauch und weniger Abwärme. Die Kühlmöbel gehören der neusten Generation an und sorgen dank mehr Effizienz für weitere Energieeinsparungen. Mit der Abwärme der Kälteanlagen wird der Supermarkt beheizt.

Busterminal Churwalden
Nur vier Tage nach der Eröffnung der Migros Churwalden wird das erste Postauto den neuen Busterminal anfahren. Ab dem 29. Oktober 2016 wird die Haltestelle in den Postauto-Betrieb integriert. Zudem steht für den Billettkauf am Busterminal ein Billettautomat zur Verfügung, an welchem Fahrausweise für über 1100 verschiedene Bus- und Bahndestinationen gelöst werden können.

Kundschaft profitiert
Vom Donnerstag bis Sonntag, 27. bis 30. Oktober 2016, feiert die Migros Churwalden Eröffnung. Kundinnen und Kunden profitieren an allen vier Tagen von zehn Prozent Rabatt beim Einkauf im Supermarkt. Für nur 2.50 Franken gibt es jeweils ab 10.30 Uhr (ausser sonntags) eine Bratwurst vom Grill mit Bürli, dazu ein Aproz-Mineralwasser. Zudem darf sich die Kundschaft auf eine süsse Überraschung freuen – es het solang‘s het.

Contact:
Genossenschaft Migros Ostschweiz
Herr Nico Canori
Abteilung
Kommunikation / Kulturprozent / Sponsoring
Industriestrasse 47
9201 Gossau
TEL: 071 493 24 54
FAX: 071 493 27 89
E-MAIL: nico.canori@gmos.ch

Source: Migros

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Die Migros Zuzwil ist der erste PlusEnergie-Supermarkt der Schweiz

Die Migros Zuzwil ist der erste PlusEnergie-Supermarkt der Schweiz
Die Migros Zuzwil ist der erste PlusEnergie-Supermarkt der Schweiz

 

Gossau, Switzerland , 2016-Oct-19 — /EPR Retail News/ — Die Migros Zuzwil ist der erste PlusEnergie-Supermarkt der Schweiz. Das bedeutet, dass sie mehr Energie produziert als sie selbst verbraucht. Am 18. Oktober wird die Filiale mit dem Schweizer Solarpreis-/PlusEnergieBau-Diplom ausgezeichnet.

„Seit Generationen sind wir mit unseren Ideen, Zielen und Projekten der Zeit voraus“ heisst es in der Migros-Nachhaltigkeitskampagne Generation M. Ein guter Beweis dafür ist die Migros Zuzwil. Anfang November 2015 wurde mit der Filiale in Zuzwil der erste PlusEnergie-Supermarkt der Schweiz eröffnet. Die Photovoltaikanlage auf dem Dach des Supermarktes produziert jährlich rund 257‘700 Kilowattstunden. Dies entspricht dem durchschnittlichen Stromverbrauch von 65 Vierpersonenhaushalten während eines Jahres. Die Migros Zuzwil produziert damit mehr Strom als sie selbst verbraucht. Diese positive Bilanz wird erreicht dank verschiedener Massnahmen, die den notwendigen Energiebedarf reduzieren: energieeffiziente Geräte, LED-Lampen sowie modernste klimafreundliche CO2-Kältetechnik mit saisonaler Nutzung der Abwärme zur Gebäudeheizung und Rückkühlung der gewerblichen Kälte im Sommer. In Zuzwil erfolgt die Rückkühlung erstmals über die Bodenplatten in der Einstellhalle.

Nachhaltigkeitsziele auf Kurs
Die Migros Zuzwil zeigt exemplarisch, wie die übergeordnete Strategie der Migros im Bereich Umwelt und Nachhaltigkeit Anwendung finden kann. Einerseits wird versucht, möglichst viel Energie zu sparen. Andererseits werden erneuerbare Energien gefördert, um den noch anfallenden Energiebedarf möglichst umweltschonend zu decken. „Mit der Migros Zuzwil halten wir die Generation-M-Versprechen, Stromverbrauch und CO2-Ausstoss zu senken sowie erneuerbare Energien zu fördern, voll ein“, freut sich Giuseppe Perrino, Leiter Haustechnik bei der Migros Ostschweiz. Der überschüssige Strom wird ins Netz eingespiesen, als Solarstrom zertifiziert und durch die Migros wieder eingekauft. „Mit dem erwarteten Solarstromüberschuss von durchschnittlich 25‘000 Kilowattstunden pro Jahr können 20 Elektroautos jährlich je 12‘000 Kilometer CO2-frei fahren“, nennt Giuseppe Perrino einen Vergleich.

Gebäude als Stromproduzenten
Die Auszeichnung der Solar Agentur Schweiz ist für Giuseppe Perrino und sein Haustechnik-Team eine Anerkennung für die geleistete Arbeit. „Sie erfüllt uns mit Stolz.“ Die Filiale Zuzwil beweise, dass ein Projekt ökologisch und gleichzeitig ökonomisch sein könne. Das sei wichtig für die Migros, sagt Perrino. „Gebäude werden zu Stromproduzenten. Mit Projekten wie in Zuzwil kann man zeigen, dass dies funktioniert – nicht nur beim Einfamilienhaus, sondern auch bei einem Supermarkt mit höherem Stromverbrauch.“

1990 schloss die Migros in Davos ihre erste Solaranlage ans Netz an und gehörte damit zu den Pionieren der Schweiz. Nach Photovoltaikanlagen in Tägerwilen, Bischofszell, Abtwil (Hotel Säntispark) und Zuzwil nahm die Migros Ostschweiz in jüngster Zeit Anlagen auf den Dächern des Do it + Garden Migros Pfungen, der Chickeria Pfäffikon sowie der Migros-Supermärkte in Beringen, Turbenthal und Münchwilen in Betrieb. „Jedoch decken nicht alle dieser Filialen ihren eigenen Energiebedarf zu 100 Prozent“, präzisiert Giuseppe Perrino. Beim Bau von zukünftigen Supermärkten steht vor allem die Effizienzsteigerung im Vordergrund. „Wir tüfteln ständig weiter, denn wir können und wollen uns noch verbessern“, betont der Leiter Haustechnik. Ein Beispiel: Bei der Feinabstimmung von neuen Anlagen wie derjenigen in Zuzwil optimieren die Energiebewirtschafter der Migros Ostschweiz den Verbrauch in den ersten zwei Jahren um bis zu 15 Prozent.

Schweizer Solarpreis
Die Solar Agentur Schweiz, die den Schweizer Solarpreis sowie die Solarpreis-/PlusEnergiebau-Diplome vergibt, wurde 1990 als gemeinnützige Arbeitsgemeinschaft Solar 91 für eine energieunabhängigere Schweiz gegründet. Ihr Ziel: Mindestens eine Solaranlage von 1 Kilowatt bis 10 Megawatt in jeder Schweizer Gemeinde. Mit dem Schweizer Solarpreis würdigt sie Solarprojekte von Gemeinden, Privatunternehmungen oder Einzelpersonen.

Migros Zuzwil: Zahlen und Fakten
Verkaufsfläche:                                         950 m2
Dachfläche:                                                2573 m2
Fläche Photovoltaikanlage:                    1799 m2
Ausrichtung Photovoltaikanlage:          Südwest/-ost
Gesamtenergiebedarf:                             229‘541 kWh/Jahr
Eigenenergieversorgung:                        257‘686 kWh/Jahr
Solarstromüberschuss:                            28‘145 kWh/ Jahr
Solarstromüberschuss in Prozent:        12 Prozent
Gesamtinvestition:                                   7,5 Millionen CHF

Contact:

Genossenschaft Migros Ostschweiz
Frau Natalie Brägger
Kommunikation / Kulturprozent / Sponsoring
Industriestrasse 47
9201 Gossau
Tel: 071 493 24 46
Fax: 071 493 27 89
Email: natalie.braegger@gmos.ch

Source: Migros

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WARENRÜCKRUF: MIGROS LUZERN RUFT ZUGER WILDSPITZ KÄSE

WARENRÜCKRUF: MIGROS LUZERN RUFT ZUGER WILDSPITZ KÄSE
WARENRÜCKRUF: MIGROS LUZERN RUFT ZUGER WILDSPITZ KÄSE

 

Gossau, Switzerland, 2016-Oct-19 — /EPR Retail News/ — Aus Sicherheitsgründen ruft die Genossenschaft Migros Luzern den Zuger Wildspitz Käse «Aus der Region. Für die Region.» zurück: Zuger Wildspitz Käse «Aus der Region. Für die Region.» mit dem Migros-Data verkaufen bis 02.11.16 verbrauchen bis 07.11.16 (Artikel-Nummer 2104.307.242). Der Artikel wird nur in Migros-Filialen der Genossenschaft Luzern verkauft.

Aufgrund eines Produktionsfehlers ist nicht auszuschliessen, dass Glasteile im Produkt gelandet sind. Aus diesem Grund bittet die Genossenschaft Migros Luzern ihre Kunden, den Käse nicht zu essen, sondern das Produkt in eine Filiale der Genossenschaft Migros Luzern zurückzubringen. Der Verkaufspreis wird rückerstattet.

Kontakt für Kunden: M-Infoline

Montag bis Freitag 08.00 – 18.00 Uhr
info@migrosluzern.ch
Tel. 0800 84 08 48

Contact:

Genossenschaft Migros Luzern
Frau Antonia Reinhard
Unternehmenskommunikation
Industriestrasse 2
6036 Dierikon
Tel: 041 455 73 51
Email: antonia.reinhard@migrosluzern.ch

Source: Migros

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Institut des Métiers d’Excellence starts new school year

Paris, 2016-Oct-19 — /EPR Retail News/ — The third class at the Institut des Métiers d’Excellence (IME) began the school year on October 18. Bernard Arnault spoke to the 178 apprentices in this year’s cohort, joined by representatives of the schools and LVMH Maisons that are part of the vocational training program.

In 2014 LVMH founded the Institut des Métiers d’Excellence, a work/study program in partnership with vocational schools that are leaders in their disciplines. Among these prestigious schools are the École de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture, the École Boulle applied arts and design school, and the Ferrandi Paris culinary institute. This initiative enables LVMH to guarantee the transmission to young generations of expertise and savoir-faire unique to the world of luxury. The IME emphasizes the key role played by master artisans and tutors in valorizing and ensuring the future of métiers centered on craftsmanship, creativity and retail. The underlying objective is to preserve and enrich this heritage.

The results for the second IME cohort illustrate the success of this program: every one of the 64 students obtained their degree in 2016, the second year in a row with a 100% success rate. What’s more,  82% of them went on to find a job, an apprenticeship, or pursue their studies. Among them, 26 apprentices earned a professional distinction. This year LVMH Houses are providing 120 apprenticeship contracts.

Chantal Gaemperle, Group Executive Vice President, Human Resources and Synergies, said: “The Institut des Métiers d’Excellence preserves traditional skills, ensures a vibrant future for unique savoir-faire, and develops employment for talented artisans. Above all, this program makes a dynamic contribution to creating jobs and ensuring the employability of young people.”

Two new courses have been added to the 16 degrees already offered by the IME: Culinary Arts in association with Ferrandi Paris, and Watchmaking, in collaboration with the new LVMH École d’Horlogerie in Switzerland. These new courses join existing training programs in Jewelry, Couture Flou and Couture Tailleur, Leather Goods, Vineyards and Winemaking, Retail Design and Sales.

Contact:

LVMH Moët Hennessy – Louis Vuitton
22, avenue Montaigne, 75008 Paris – France
Tel: +33 (0)1 44 13 22 22
Fax: +33 (0)1 44 13 22 23

Source: LVMH

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Fondation Louis Vuitton hosts new exhibition: Icons of Modern Art. The Shchukin Collection

Fondation Louis Vuitton hosts new exhibition: Icons of Modern Art. The Shchukin Collection
Fondation Louis Vuitton hosts new exhibition: Icons of Modern Art. The Shchukin Collection

 

Paris, 2016-Oct-19 — /EPR Retail News/ — The exhibition Icons of Modern Art. The Shchukin Collection, which runs at the Fondation Louis Vuitton until February 20, 2017, pays tribute to Sergei Shchukin, one of the most influential patrons of the arts of the 20th century. A portrait of this visionary philanthropist, an ardent supporter of avant-garde art and an early proponent of the cubofuturist, suprematist and constructivist movements.

The third in a family of ten children, Sergei Ivanovitch Shchukin was born into a family of textile merchants in Moscow in 1854. He would later take control of the family firm, Shchukin & Sons, becoming one of the leading textile traders in Moscow. He traveled extensively to Central Asia and India, seeking materials to satisfy demand in Russia for patterned fabrics. The well-known industrialist married Lydia Koreneva in 1884 and moved to the Trubetzkoy Palace in Moscow to raise their family. Shchukin began collecting art during this period, acquiring paintings by Norwegian, German and English artists, and met prominent art dealers including Paul Durand-Ruel, Ambroise Vollard and Berthe Weill.

Between 1897 and 1907 he put together an already impressive collection that counted 13 Monets – including “Le Déjeuner sur l’Herbe” – eight Cézannes, 16 Gauguins from the painter’s Tahitian period, four Van Goghs, three Renoirs, five Degas and a host of other works. In addition to collecting, Shchukin also focused on composing how the paintings were displayed, notably the Gauguins, which he hung side by side, evoking the style of Orthodox icons. The striking collection soon drew an enthusiastic following among intellectual and avant-garde circles.

In 1908 he began opening his collection to the public every Sunday morning. Art lovers flocked there, and his bold choices were applauded by Russia’s avant-garde artists. The display of his collection played a seminal role in inspiring a revolution in Russian pictorial art, giving birth to Russian cubism, suprematism and constructivism. That same year Matisse introduced Shchukin to Picasso, nearly 50 of whose works the collector subsequently acquired.

The Russian Revolution in 1917 overthrew the monarchy, and the new era was welcomed by Moscow’s artistic community. Shchukin was lauded as a visionary by progressive artists and his exemplary collection embodied the most radical art of the times. Destiny, however, separated him from his collection in 1918 after Lenin came to power and the government seized the Shchukin estate. His collection was declared “the property of the people”.

The Trubetzkoy Palace subsequently became the first museum of modern Western painting in the country. Shchukin died in Paris in 1936 and thus did not see his collection split in 1948 between the Pushkin Museum in Moscow and the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg.

The Shchukin collection has now been reunited and displayed for the first time outside Russia at the Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris.

Contact:

LVMH Moët Hennessy – Louis Vuitton
22, avenue Montaigne, 75008 Paris – France
Tel: +33 (0)1 44 13 22 22
Fax: +33 (0)1 44 13 22 23

Source: LVMH

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Argos opens ‘Pop-Up’ Store at Milton Keynes’ biggest shopping centre, centre:mk

Milton Keynes, UK, 2016-Oct-19 — /EPR Retail News/ — Christmas has come early for shoppers at centre:mk thanks to Argos’ latest innovative digital offering.

Visitors to Milton Keynes’ biggest shopping centre will come face to face with a revolutionary Argos ‘Pop-Up’ Store in the centre of the mall, which offers choice, value and convenience for customers.

Technological enhancements means products can be supplied from local stores so that bargain hunters can order gifts, continue with their shopping and then return to pick them up within as little as an hour.

Alternatively if their hands are full, they have limited time or the items are too heavy to carry, products can be delivered to a customer’s home or work address using Argos’ award-winning Fast Track delivery service.

The store, measuring 400sqft, will be at the heart of the centre for just 12 weeks with six million shoppers anticipated during this time.

Steve Carson, Argos’ Director of Retail and Customer Operations, said: “As a leading local employer and digital retailer we wanted to give something back to the City and its shoppers.

“By combining hourly drop-offs of products from our Milton Keynes Stores and online collection point functionality, this pioneering concept will enable us to be even more convenient, helping put a smile on the faces of our customers in the run up to Christmas.”

Kevin Duffy, Centre Director at centre:mk, added: “We are delighted to welcome one of the UK’s most popular high street retailers to centre:mk.

“The Argos ‘Pop-Up’ is a fantastic addition to centre:mk’s already strong and diverse retail offer. The combination of innovation, convenience and the Argos brand is sure to be a hit with our visitors, particularly during our peak Christmas trading season.”

Argos’ lease on the space runs until 15 January 2017.

Argos Press Office:
0845 120 4365
email: media.relations@argos.co.uk
Follow us on Twitter at @argos_pr

Source: Argos

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Sainsbury’s launches new and improved desserts in stores this month

Sainsbury’s launches new and improved desserts in stores this month
Sainsbury’s launches new and improved desserts in stores this month

 

London, 2016-Oct-19 — /EPR Retail News/ — This month, Sainsbury’s customers will see a range of show stopping desserts in store. The 120-strong range of new and improved desserts, all in a brand new design, focusses on incorporating customers’ favourite flavours as well as introducing trend-led ingredients like quinoa, yuzu and the ever-popular, salted caramel.

There has also been an investment in the quality of ingredients across both the by Sainsbury’s and Taste the Difference ranges, with all of the desserts made using British cream and free-range eggs.

With autumn fast approaching and cosy nights in on the rise, customers can look forward to enjoying this new range with single, twin pack and sharing options. Some highlights from the revamped range are below:

  • Taste the Difference Sticky Gingerbread & Yuzu Pudding x2 £2.75 – All butter, date, oat and ginger sponge puddings with ginger and yuzu sauce; finished with crystallised ginger pieces
  • Taste the Difference Raspberry & Coconut Quinoa Crumble x2 £2.75 – Heritage raspberry compote topped with a butter-enriched quinoa, coconut and honey crumble
  • by Sainsbury’s Salted Caramel Profiterole Stack £2.50 – 12 choux buns arranged in a stack, filled with fresh cream, topped with a delicious salted caramel sauce and finished with a sprinkling of white chocolate decorations
  • by Sainsbury’s Banoffee Pie £3.50 – Digestive biscuit crumb base, topped with a banana & toffee sauce and fresh cream, finished with milk chocolate shavings and cocoa powder. The base is crispier than ever, with an increased banoffee layer – giving an even more intense hit of banoffee flavour

Other key improvements within the range include; improving our Taste the Difference pastry – with an increased buttery taste which delivers an even more crisp pastry. We have also improved the custard within all of our trifles for a more creamy texture and flavour.

Press Enquiries:
press_office@sainsburys.co.uk
020 7695 7295.

Source: Sainsbury

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IKEA broke ground for its future Indianapolis-area store slated to open Fall 2017 in Fishers, Indiana

FISHERS, IN, 2016-Oct-19 — /EPR Retail News/ — With company representatives, Congresswoman Susan Brooks, Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness, local officials, and community leaders on-hand, IKEA, the world’s leading home furnishings retailer, today (Oct 18 ,2016) officially broke ground for its future Indianapolis-area store that is slated to open Fall 2017 in Fishers, Indiana. Until the store opens, customers can shop at the Cincinnati-area store in West Chester, OH; Chicago-area IKEA Bolingbrook and IKEA Schaumburg; or online at IKEA-USA.com.The 289,000-square-foot future IKEA Fishers and its 1,000 parking spaces will be built on 35 acres along the eastern side of Interstate 69, just south of the E. 116th Street exit, approximately 15 miles northeast of downtown Indianapolis. IKEA has contracted with Pepper Construction to build the project, and store plans reflect the same unique architectural design for which IKEA stores are known worldwide. In addition, IKEA will evaluate potential on-site power generation to complement its current U.S. goal of a renewable energy presence at nearly 90% of its U.S. locations.

“This location will help bring the unique IKEA family-friendly shopping experience closer to many Indianapolis-area customers who currently can shop only at IKEA stores elsewhere or online,” said Lars Petersson, IKEA U.S. president. “The store also will attract new customers from throughout Indiana who value good design, good function and affordable prices, but have not had a chance yet to shop at IKEA.”

IKEA Fishers will feature nearly 10,000 exclusively designed items, 50 inspirational room-settings, three model home interiors, a supervised children’s play area, and a 325-seat restaurant serving Swedish specialties such as meatballs with lingonberries and salmon plates, as well as American dishes. Other family-friendly features include a ‘Children’s IKEA’ area in the Showroom, baby care rooms, play areas throughout the store, and preferred parking. In addition to the more than 500 jobs that are expected to be created during the construction phase, approximately 250 coworkers will join the IKEA family when the new store opens. IKEA Fishers also will provide significant annual sales and property tax revenue for state and local governments and schools.

Candidates interested in working at this employer of choice can begin applying online Spring 2017 at IKEA-USA.com for diverse positions available in home furnishings sales, interior decoration, customer service, safety and security, cashiers, maintenance, goods flow, receiving, warehouse and stock replenishment. Among its total coworkers, IKEA Fishers also will offer more than 50 food service opportunities in its Restaurant, Swedish Foodmarket, Café Bistro and coworker cafeteria.

Since its 1943 founding in Sweden, IKEA has offered home furnishings of good design and function at low prices so the majority of people can afford them. There are currently more than 380 IKEA stores in 48 countries, including 42 in the U.S. IKEA has been included in rankings of “Best Companies to Work For” and, as further investment in its coworkers, has raised its own minimum wage twice in two years. IKEA incorporates sustainability into day-to-day business and supports initiatives that benefit children and the environment. For more information see IKEA-USA.com, @IKEAUSA, @IKEAUSANews, or IKEAUSA on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Pinterest.

Contact:

Joseph Roth
Property Public Affairs
(610) 834-0180, ext. 6500

Source: IKEA