Industry

Supermarkets have slashed their fuel prices as a result of a worldwide plunge in oil prices in the wake of the terror attacks on the US.

VNU Business Publications USA announced on Monday that it will merge its leading food retail publications, Supermarket Business and Progressive Grocer, in order to create the largest magazine serving the food retailing industry.

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 4, 2001--Sara Lee Corporation today announced revised earnings per share (EPS) guidance for its first quarter and full year for fiscal 2002 due to the adoption of new accounting rules concerning the amortization of goodwill and intangibles. The adoption of the new rules will increase net income by approximately $109 million for the full year and increaseEPS by approximately $.13, evenly split during the year.

Food Distributors International (FDI) and the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade Inc. (NASFT) announced that they have agreed on an initiative to develop strong inter-organizational ties under which FDI will provide services to all of the specialty food organization's members.

The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California in Fresno found that the USDA acted arbitrarily and capriciously and exceeded its statutory authority when it decided in June 2000 to allow Argentine citrus into the United States, according to Pierre Tada, co-chair of the U.S. Citrus Science Council (USCSC).

The terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon have caused consumers in the Northeast to forego eating in restaurants and return to supermarkets, increasing sales of home meal replacement items and comfort foods.

Priceline.com chairman and CEO Richard S. Braddock announced on Friday that he has cancelled plans to sell shares of priceline.com stock over the next 12 months and has elected instead to purchase 750,000 additional shares through the exercise of stock options.

ConAgra Foods, one of the world's largest packaged food companies, reported record first quarter sales and earnings for the period ending August 26, 2001.