Research Topic

LAKELAND, Fla. - Publix on Friday said its sales for the third quarter of 2002 increased by 3.5 percent. The Lakeland, Fla.-based chain reported that sales reached approximately $3.8 billion, compared to last year's $3.7 billion.

New products, line extensions, indulgent ingredients, and packaging innovations are turning the cookie category into even more of a powerhouse.

WASHINGTON - Retailers have a lot on their minds these days with an uncertain holiday season before them. Their concern is evident in the latest Retail Executive Opinion Survey, a new monthly index by the National Retail Federation and the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi Ltd., which shows slightly weaker results for October.

CHICAGO - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. increased its lead over Safeway Inc. in the 2002 Power Rankings, a key performance survey that examines how retailers and manufacturers rate each other in areas that are most important to their ongoing relationships, such as strategy, service and profitability.

NEW YORK - Retailers hoping for positive holiday sales might not like the latest report from New York-based The Conference Board, which reports that its already declining Consumer Confidence Index deteriorated even further in October.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. District Court in Michigan has ruled as unconstitutional a national pork promotional program, famous for its TV ads with the catch-phrase "The Other White Meat", the U.S. Agriculture Department said on Monday.

CHICAGO -- Target Corp. plans to open 94 new Target stores in 2003, with capital spending expected to be about $3.3 billion to $3.5 billion, analysts who attended a Target meeting said on Friday.

WASHINGTON -- The Food Marketing Institute (FMI) recently named Big Y Foods, Springfield, Mass., the winner of the first-ever Awards of Excellence competition, in recognition of the company's successful practices and accomplishments in human resources and training and development fields of the food retail industry.