FOOD LION UNVEILS RENOVATIONS IN MID-ATLANTIC
n Maryland and Delaware debuted new looks last week following a marketwide store renovation program, the company here said. Much of the renovations focused on remodeling produce, meat and deli departments and will offer wider selection, improved lighting and better product presentation, Food Lion said. More than 40 of the 63 stores will include a new section called "Nature's Place" devoted to natural and organic products.
GIANT LAUNCHES NEW ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN
LANDOVER, Md. -- Giant Food here last week launched a new ad campaign focused on solving the everyday needs of Giant's primary shopper. The "Solved" campaign, created by Giant and Mullen, a Wenham, Mass.-based advertising agency, highlights everyday dilemmas facing "Mom" and how Giant's convenience and selection help to overcome them. In the first television ad, parents debate prices on natural and organic foods before finding "wallet-friendly organics" at a Giant store. The campaign also includes radio, direct mail and store signs.
PUBLIX FILES LAWSUIT AGAINST CARD COMPANIES
LAKELAND, Fla. -- Publix Super Markets here became the latest retailer to take Visa, MasterCard and their member banks to court, charging in a federal suit last week that they engaged in deceptive and anticompetitive practices with regard to interchange fees. Retailers and merchant associations have reported filing at least 14 similar suits against credit card companies this year. A seven-judge panel in Asheville, N.C., is considering combine several of the cases, reports said.
WEGMANS TO CLOSE HOME IMPROVEMENT
Chain ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Citing competition from big chains like Home Depot and Lowes, Wegmans Food Markets here said last week it would close a 14-store home improvement chain it has operated since 1974. Chase-Pitkin stores in Syracuse and Big Flats, N.Y., will close by the end of March 2006, with the remaining stores -- all located in New York state -- closing sometime after that on a timetable that has yet to be determined. "Chase-Pitkin is simply not big enough to compete successfully and grow the business," Robert Wegman, Wegmans' chairman, said in a statement.
