Walmart

NEW YORK -- It looks like health care costs are going up for Big Apple retailers. The New York City Council yesterday passed the Health Care Security Act, Int. 468-A, which requires the city's grocers and other food retailers to provide health care for their workers. The legislation also applies to big-box stores that sell groceries. As a result, New York becomes the first municipality in the United States to impose such a law.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- Wal-Mart continues to find growth in food, with supercenter food sales growing 17 percent for the second quarter, compared to total sales growth of 10.4 percent for the Wal-Mart division as a whole -- including supercenters, discount stores, and neighborhood markets.

CARLISLE, Pa. -- After a call from a concerned customer, Giant Food Stores, LLC here has voluntarily moved to ban the sale of diet supplements to consumers under the age of 18. The ban took effect Sunday, Aug. 14, across the entire operation, the chain said yesterday.

LONDON -- Over the weekend, Carrefour SA denied a report in a U.K. newspaper here that Wal-Mart might be considering a bid to a takeover the French mega-retailer.

NEW YORK -- A plunge in low-carb product sales overall and a declaration of bankruptcy earlier this month is not deterring Atkins Nutritionals from looking forward to the "evolution" of its brand beyond the carb-conscious product niche. "Our focus is on better food, better nutrition," noted Atkins marketing director Beth Neumann in an interview with Progressive Grocer.

WASHINGTON D.C. -- The Wal-Mart bashers are at it again, this time with a concerted campaign seizing on the opportunity of the approaching back-to-school season to protest what they allege is Wal-Mart's failure to oppose child labor.

FRANKLIN, Tenn. -- As self-service shopping has gone mainstream in supermarkets, supercenters, and home improvement centers, self-checkout systems will generate transactions worth $161 billion in 2005, according to a new study from retail technology consulting firm IHL Consulting Group here.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said yesterday it has named Doug McMillon president and c.e.o. of its Sam's Club chain, effective immediately. He replaces Kevin Turner, whom Microsoft Corp. recruited to be its c.o.o.