Retail

Bloomberg Amazon.com Inc shares gained after a report said the company plans to expand its Whole Foods grocery stores in the US. The e-commerce giant aims to add locations to suburbs and other areas where the organic grocer is adding more customers since it was bought by Amazon last year, according to the Wall Street Journal, which cited a person …

Bloomberg It’s not going to get much easier for the restaurant industry. After facing stagnant sales and weak customer traffic in 2018, US restaurants will encounter more headwinds this year, including rising food and wage costs, that may stall profit and hinder efforts to jump start growth. Even the industry stalwarts are dealing with such issues in a fiercely competitive …

Bloomberg Hold the ground chuck: Nestle SA sees the future in a meat-free burger made from soy and wheat protein. Soon you may be able to wash it down with purple walnut milk or a spirulina latte. The Swiss company is gearing up for its biggest push yet into the booming vegan market: the Incredible Burger, to be introduced under …

Bloomberg Dick’s Sporting Goods is choosing to end its partnership with the United States Olympic Committee when their contract expires this month, a decision that comes as Team USA continues to deal with fallout from the a scandal surrounding former gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar. The company cited “a new investment focus” in a statement and didn’t mention Nassar. The decision …

Bloomberg It’s been a big year for the companies that sell coffee, but not so much for the growers that supply them. That could start to change in 2019. Historically low prices for coffee beans in 2018 will likely reduce the incentive for farmers to expand supplies, said Rodrigo Costa, the US-based coffee director for Brazilian trading company Comexim. That …

Bloomberg Canada Goose Holdings Inc rose 6 percent in early trading before US markets opened after the company opened its flagship store in Beijing over the weekend. The store had been delayed since December 15 amid escalating tensions between Canada and China following the arrest of Huawei Technologies Co.’s chief financial officer in Vancouver. The luxury jacket maker is expanding …

Bloomberg India’s new rules for foreign e-commerce platforms may be designed to protect local companies from Amazon.com Inc. and Walmart Inc., but consumers are likely to suffer the collateral damage. Online marketplaces must treat all vendors equally by providing the same terms, India’s trade ministry said. In practice, this means barring e-commerce companies from forcing a seller to feature products …

Bloomberg Sears Holdings Corp. got another chance at survival after Chairman Eddie Lampert put together a last-minute, last-ditch bid to buy the retailer out of bankruptcy. Lampert persuaded three lenders to finance the $4.4 billion offer, according to a statement from ESL Investments. The plan includes keeping 425 stores open and a $1.3 billion financing commitment, the statement said. Bank …

Bloomberg Gap Inc. plans to shutter one of its major New York stores next month. The clothing retailer, which said in November that it may close hundreds of underperforming Gap stores, will shutter a three-story location at 680 5th Avenue on January 20, the company confirmed in an email. Chief Executive Officer Art Peck also said last month that the …

Bloomberg The UK is planning to double the charge on disposable plastic bags issued by the country’s largest retailers to 10 pence as part of a drive to protect the environment. The fee will also be extended to all small shops, according to the plans published by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. The proposals are subject to …