Walmart

ROSEMONT, Ill. - Americans bought $62.2 billion worth of housewares at retail in 2003, according to the "2004 State-of-the-Industry Report" from the International Housewares Association (IHA). U.S. households spent an average of $578 each on housewares, a higher amount than that spent on fruits and vegetables ($563) or dairy products ($335).

BENTONVILLE, Ark. - Next month, more than 100 of Wal-Mart¿s suppliers will begin shipping product cases and pallets bearing electronic product codes (EPCs) to three distribution centers in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex. In preparation for heightened interest in the initiative, Wal-Mart has prepared a fact sheet on its Web site for consumers.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. - Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. said yesterday it would begin matching up to $1 million in donations from Salvation Army kettles at its stores.

LONDON - Supermarket groups in the United Kingdom are being forced to defend their online prices after the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) here said it was investigating allegations of overcharging.

MINNEAPOLIS - Wal-Mart Stores has said that it intends to open its first three supercenters in the Minneapolis/St. Paul suburbs by early 2006, according to published accounts.

NEW YORK - Struggling Southeast grocer Winn-Dixie has made the right choice by hiring noted "people person" and former Albertsons' executive Peter Lynch as its new president and c.e.o., observers agreed late last week.

STELLARTON, Nova Scotia ¿ Sobeys, Inc., Canada's No. 2 supermarket chain, reported yesterday an increase in second-quarter profit that fell short of analysts¿ expectations, and acknowledged the need for continuous cost-cutting in such a highly competitive market.

TOKYO - A Wal-Mart spokeswoman here confirmed yesterday that Wal-Mart is interested in acquiring Daiei, a cash-strapped Japanese supermarket operator that is undergoing government-guided rehabilitation.