Back to School

Giant Eagle is once again offering its popular back-to-school promotion that enables consumers to earn double fuelperks! rewards on other retailers’ gift card purchases at participating Giant Eagle and GetGo locations, as well as online at GiantEagle.com.

Despite continuing tough economic times, consumers won’t be skimping on school supplies this fall, according to data released last week by The Nielsen Company.

Whole Foods Market and Chef Ann Cooper, America’s “Renegade Lunch Lady,” have teamed up to remake school lunches with the “School Lunch Revolution” campaign.

Leaner inventories and a shift in state sales-tax holidays hampered U.S. chain store sales in July, which were off 5 percent on a same-store basis, compared with the same period last year, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC).

School supply aisles will feel the economy’s impact this year, according to Retail Forward’s latest “ShopperScape” report. The study finds that nearly one in four shoppers plans to spend less on back-to-school merchandise. This is up 19 percent from last year.

To accommodate children with peanut allergies and schools and child care facilities with strict rules against bringing peanut products as lunch or snacks, Loblaw Cos., Ltd. is spotlighting new and existing peanut-free items under its President’s Choice and no name brands.

Though it probably doesn’t gladden the hearts of kids, the back-to-school shopping season tends to give the economy an annual boost.

The often novel snacking choices of children are a big concern for parents, who want to make sure their offspring nosh more nutritiously between meals, according to a survey commission by Saint Simons Island, Ga.-based frozen snack manufacturer Farm Rich, a Rich Products Corp. brand.