Costco Wholesale Corp.

Spurred by reports that the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) used customer loyalty cards to glean crucial information on salmonella-tainted pepper in salami that sickened almost 250 people in 44 states, the Center for Science in the Public Interest is recommending that all retailers avail themselves of this “valuable tool” when alerting their customers that food items they’ve purchased have been recalled.

Approximately 3,500 Costco Teamsters in New Jersey, New York, Maryland and Virginia have ratified a new three-year agreement that includes wage increases and annual guaranteed bonuses that the labor union said will maintain the members’ distinction as the highest-paid retail workers in the country.