Walmart

WASHINGTON -- WakeUpWalMart.com, a union-led initiative to change Wal-Mart's employee relations practices, said Friday it was holding a series of public actions at Wal-Mart locations in 84 cities and 26 states as part of the "Nothing's Scarier than Not Having Health Care" campaign to help uninsured Wal-Mart workers.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- Despite its efforts to craft a more positive public image, Wal-Mart here is the target of a new, critical documentary that will premiere next month nationwide at unconventional venues: religious institutions.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- Following a test that resulted in a reduction of stock-outs, improved store efficiency, and increased sales, Wal-Mart yesterday selected a supply chain management provider to help improve store efficiency through its Remix program.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. ¿ The world¿s largest retailer is going to start taking more responsibility for the business standards of its global suppliers, by holding them more accountable for environmental and social standards at factories overseas, citing rising public expectations.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- D&W Food Centers Inc. here is eliminating 150 jobs in an effort to remain competitive. The staff cuts amount to about 10 percent of the regional grocer's workforce, and include positions at the executive level and corporate facilities, as well as in 20 retail locations in West Michigan that are owned by the Robert Woodrick family.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- Further legitimizing its commitment to supplier diversity, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. said it will invest $25 million to establish a private equity fund that will directly issue equity investments in up to nine women- and minority-owned business enterprises. The world's largest retailer unveiled the new fund on Monday at the 2005 National Association of Investment Companies (NAIC) conference in San Diego.

TAMPA, Fla. ¿ Paskert Distribution Co., a family-owned ethnic and specialty food distributor based here, has expanded its distribution area to include the greater Miami market, including Publix¿ conventional units, as well as its Hispanic format, Publix Sabor.

BENTONVILLE, Ark., -- Wal-Mart customers found items they wanted in stock more often due to the retailer's use of electronic product codes (EPCs) powered by radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, according to an independent University of Arkansas study's initial findings.