Amazon +4K Rural | SNash +50% | Truckers No Translate

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Amazon to invest £40 billion in the UK over next three years at CNBC. “The company said it plans to spend the money on building four new fulfillment centers…as well as upgrades and expansions to its existing operations buildings across the country…also plans to open two new buildings at its corporate headquarters in East London.” Read more

 

Amazon plans to expand Same-Day and Next-Day Delivery service to more than 4,000 smaller cities, towns, and rural communities Press release

 

Truckers fear job loss as new English language rules take effect at AP. “In the past, some drivers used translation apps to communicate with federal inspectors. The updated policy bars the use of interpreters, smartphones, cue cards or other aids during interviews. Several truck drivers taking a break at Flying J Travel Center in New Jersey said they support Trump’s order…” Read more

 

At Amazon’s Biggest Data Center, Everything Is Supersized for A.I. NY Times subs.

 

How Visa and Mastercard Can Survive the Stablecoin Threat at WSJ. “Then there is the incentive question of why a consumer would want to transact directly in stablecoins over cards. The latter often pay out generous rewards to holders. Stablecoins have a potential mechanism to do something similar…But that reserve income goes to the coin issuers, not merchants who accept the payments.” WSJ subs.

 

**A note from Sensi Smart Thermostats. Critics agree – it’s a hit: Esquire – Best Smart Thermostat 2024. MSN – Best Overall User Experience 2024. Energy Star Partner of the Year 2020-2024. Website | info@eyeonretail.net

 

Walmart Deals will be a six day event Press release

 

In Chile’s Atacama, world’s driest desert, growing lettuces with fog at Reuters. “In Chile’s arid Atacama, the driest desert in the world, growers and researchers are looking to harness water from the very air itself to grow lettuces and lemons, using a net to catch drops of moisture from fog.” Read more

 

SpartanNash stock jumps 50% on C&S acquisition announcement Co. press release

 

Cramer: Goldman Sachs downgraded luxury furniture retailer RH to a sell rating from neutral and lowered its price target by $20 to $179…analysts worry that the company…will face difficult year-over-year comparisons and have some concerns on execution.

 

The Eternal Quest to Save Gap Bloomberg subs.

 

Kroger to close 60 stores in next 18 months – not releasing a list of which locations will be impacted at this time at Fox News

 

…list of Kroger stores that have recently closed or will close in the coming months at Fast Company

 

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Amazon Orders Relo | 280K Egg Heist | Farm Raids Back?

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Amazon Orders Employees to Relocate to Seattle and Other Hubs at Bloomberg/Financial Post. “Workers are being told to relocate to such cities as Seattle; Arlington, Virginia; and Washington DC…One of the people said the relocation policy will affect thousands of employees on several teams.” Read more

 

Insiders Spill the Secrets Behind a Bezos-Sized ‘Super-Wedding’ at WSJ. “Details about the Bezos-Sánchez wedding have remained largely under wraps. The couple hired the wedding planner Lanza & Baucina, a discreet London-based group that planned George Clooney’s 2014 wedding, and is reportedly tying the knot on a Venetian island. Protests against the couple using Venice for their event are already under way.” WSJ subs.

 

Shipping insurance costs spike in the Middle East at CNBC. “Marine insurers are now charging 0.2% of the value of a ship for journeys into the Gulf, according to data from insurance broker Marsh McLennan, up from 0.125%. There has also been an uptick in war risk insurance rates for the Red Sea, Marsh said, while cover relating to ports in Israel has more than tripled to 0.7%.” Read more

 

Tariffs Test Sam’s Club Strategy of Keeping Prices as Low as Possible at WSJ. “Sam’s Club…outlined more than 1,000 popular summer products on which it will hold prices until at least July 22, followed by promotional deals on those items July 23 through Aug. 17. They include 24-count beef hot dog packs, smashed burgers, cherry limeade, rotisserie chicken, paper towels, travel jogger pants, golf balls, street corn dip and organic fruit twists, all private-label goods.” WSJ subs.

 

Inside a low-key Walmart heir’s bid to save nature (while making a profit), after crediting it with helping him survive rare cancer diagnosis Fortune subs.

 

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NBCU Advertising Adds Walmart Data to Its Live Sports Playbook at Adweek. “Starting in Q4 2025, select advertisers will be able to reach targeted, strategic audiences and measure the impact of their streaming and linear media campaigns within NBCUniversal’s live sports moments. NBCU and Walmart completed a test last fall, with Walmart’s own campaigns resulting in a 4-times return on ad spend…” Read more

 

US to drop guidance to limit alcohol to one or two drinks per day, sources say at Reuters

 

280,000 eggs disappeared from America’s top producer. Then came a ransom note. at Washington Post. “With prices soaring, eggs of all brands were reported stolen from porches and farm stands. Two thieves were captured on camera sprinting through snow with more than 500 eggs from a Seattle cafe. A truck full of eggs was driven off an organic farm in Indiana. At one point, federal agents at the border were seizing eggs more often than fentanyl.” Read more

 

Amazon is gearing up to make as many as 10,000 robotaxis annually at a sprawling plant near Silicon Valley at The Hill

 

ICE raids and their uncertainty scare off workers and baffle businesses at AP. “Farmers, cattle ranchers and hotel and restaurant managers breathed a sigh of relief last week when President Donald Trump ordered a pause to immigration raids that were disrupting those industries and scaring foreign-born workers off the job. “There was finally a sense of calm,’’ said Rebecca Shi, CEO of the American Business Immigration Coalition. That respite didn’t last long…” Read more

 

HD Supply named the National Apartment Association’s 2025 Supplier of the Year Press release

 

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Retail Sls -0.9% | Prime Days 4 | Costco Gas First

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Retail sales fell 0.9% in May, worse than expected as consumers pulled back at CNBC. “However, excluding a series of items such as auto dealers, building materials suppliers, gas stations and others, sales increased 0.4%…miscellaneous retailers gained 2.9%, while online sales rose 0.9% and furniture stores increased sales by 1.2%.” Read more

 

The Aisle-Prowling Albertsons CEO Taking On Kroger at WSJ. “(Susan) Morris is presiding over a cost-cutting plan that aims to save $1.5 billion over the next three years. The company has laid off about 800 employees and shut nearly a dozen stores this year, and Morris said Albertsons would close more underperforming stores this year and next.” WSJ subs.

 

Amazon stretches Prime Day to four days – starting July 8 – and taps LeBron James to hype annual event at GeekWire. “…Amazon is stretching the savings to multiple other days…Prime members can shop deals on Amazon brands on July 1 or save on gas when they fuel up at participating locations Fourth of July weekend…deals from small- and medium-sized businesses start June 23 and run through July 6.” Read more

 

At Home Group files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy as part of restructuring at Fox News

 

Kraft Heinz will remove all artificial dyes from its foods at CNN

 

As grocery shortages persist, UNFI says it’s recovering from cyberattack at TechCrunch. “Food distribution giant United Natural Foods (UNFI) said it is making “significant progress” in recovering from a cyberattack that occurred almost two weeks ago, as grocery stores across North America reliant on the distributor continue to report food shortages.” Read more

 

Amazon testing tighter grocery bundling for same-day deliveries at GeekWire. “But I’m not sure I’ll keep using it. I’m not a big online grocery shopper — I prefer to pick my own produce if possible. The items came inside insulated bags and were somewhat cool on arrival, but the cucumbers had a weird look and weird smell. I ended up throwing them out…” Read more

 

Data shows food stamp spending shifts, with Walmart having the most share at Talk Business. “According to verified purchase data for SNAP users, Walmart leads in SNAP shopper spend (24%), followed by Kroger (8%), Costco (6%), Amazon (5%), and Sam’s Club (4%)…Among SNAP sales for top brands, 10.6% of Post Consumer brands utilized SNAP dollars, followed by 8.4% with Tyson…” Read more

 

Walmart and Amazon Are Exploring Issuing Their Own Stablecoins at WSJ. “The retailers’ final decisions would depend on a bill, called the Genius Act, which would begin to establish a regulatory framework for stablecoins. The bill recently passed another procedural hurdle but still needs to clear the Senate and House…Stablecoins could allow merchants to circumvent traditional payment rails, which cost them billions of dollars in fees each year…” WSJ subs.

 

Costco is building its first standalone gas station at USA Today. “…in the spring of 2026 in Mission Viejo, California. The coastal city, located outside of Los Angeles in neighboring Orange County, had its Planning and Transportation Commission in March approve plans for the 40-pump station, Costco’s largest to date.” Read more

Amazon Humanoid Delivery | Temu -52% | Costco +6%

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Costco May comp sales (ex. fuel & f/x) +6.0% Press release

 

Amazon is reportedly training humanoid robots to deliver packages at The Verge. “Citing an anonymous source “involved in the effort,” The Information says that Amazon has almost finished constructing an indoor “humanoid park” at one of the retail giant’s San Francisco offices that’s roughly the size of a coffee shop. The obstacle course reportedly contains one Rivian van for training purposes, with Amazon aiming to have humanoid robots “hitch a ride in the back of Amazon’s electric Rivian vans and spring out to deliver packages.” Read more

 

Five Below, Inc. Q1 comp sales +7.1% Press release

 

A long wait for the Nintendo Switch 2 launch, and very long lines at AP. “I’m just rolling the dice here,” said Edgar Huo, who was eighth in line of about 25 outside of a Target in the Tribeca neighborhood of Manhattan, New York. Many of those waiting for the store to open had ordered online, but a few like Huo hoped for a chance at purchasing any extra inventory the store had.” Read more

 

Dollar Tree, Inc. Q1 comp sales +5.4% Press release

 

Walmart’s disconnect—inside the retail media boom that’s splitting marketers at Ad Age. “Walmart’s retail media business is booming but behind the scenes, some top advertisers are pulling back. Frustrated by rising price tags, limited ROI transparency and aggressive asks for year-over-year spending increases, a growing number of marketers are backing out of deals…” Ad Age subs.

 

DoorDasher drives onto tarmac at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport at The Hill. “In surveillance video obtained by Nexstar’s WGN, the delivery driver’s red Hyundai Elantra is seen pulling up just behind and to the right of a United Airlines wide body jet parked at Terminal 1…” Read more

 

**A note from Sensi Smart Thermostats. Critics agree – it’s a hit: Esquire – Best Smart Thermostat 2024. MSN – Best Overall User Experience 2024. Energy Star Partner of the Year 2020-2024. Website | info@eyeonretail.net

 

Shein and Temu see U.S. demand plunge on ‘de minimis’ trade loophole closure at CNBC. “Temu’s U.S. daily active users (DAUs) dropped 52% in May versus March, before Trump’s tariffs were announced, while those at rival Shein were down 25%, according to data shared with CNBC by market intelligence firm Sensor Tower.” Read more

 

Chicago’s Grocery Tax Was Slated To End In 2026. Now, Mayor Wants To Keep It Going at Block Club Chicago

 

96% of Member’s Mark Food and Beverage Products Now Meet ‘Made Without’ Goals “The ‘Made Without’ list includes over 40 distinct ingredients, such as artificial colors, aspartame and high-fructose corn syrup…” Press release

 

Procter & Gamble to cut up to 7,000 jobs, or approximately 6% of its global workforce, over the next two years at AP

 

Here’s how tariffs could affect the price of goods like shoes and sweaters at CNBC. “Under a current 30% tariff, the price of a men’s cotton sweater and a pair of men’s shoes made in China would both rise about 19%, according to AlixPartners…Using a current 10% tariff on goods from Vietnam, the price of a sweater and shoes would both rise about 8%.” Read more

 

The Michaels Companies, Inc. Acquires JOANN Intellectual Property and Private Label Brands Press release

 

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D. Gen +2.4% | Grocery +Steel | 1/4 Finance Groceries

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Dollar General Q1 comp sales +2.4% “…2.7% increase in average transaction amount and a 0.3% decrease in customer traffic. Same-store sales…included growth in each of the consumables, seasonal, home products, and apparel categories.” Press release

 

Fortune Announces 2025 Fortune 500 List (Walmart #1, Amazon #2) Press release

 

Walmart CEO started his career unloading trailers at the warehouse—he says raising his hand led to his success at Fortune/Yahoo

 

Amazon Pharmacy updates include new caregiver feature and Medicare access for PillPack service at GeekWire. “The caregiver feature allows customers to invite trusted, verified individuals who can manage medications on behalf of loved ones through their own Amazon Pharmacy accounts.” Read more

 

Doritos, M&Ms Could Be Forced to Include Warning Labels in Texas at Bloomberg. “Texas Senate Bill 25, backed by Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is now awaiting the signature of Gov. Greg Abbott. Foods containing certain ingredients would require warning labels on new packaging beginning in 2027 in order to be sold in Texas…” Bloomberg subs.

 

Spike in steel tariffs could imperil Trump promise of lower grocery prices at AP. “Beyond the obvious products — canned foods like tuna, chicken broth and cranberry sauce — economists warn of a spillover effect that tariffs can have on a gamut of items. If the cost to build a store or buy a truck to haul food rise, the prices of products may follow.” Read more

 

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Lowe’s Completes Acquisition of Artisan Design Group Press release

 

Hudson’s Bay heads back to court to seek approval for Canadian Tire deal at Toronto Star. “If the ($30-million) deal gets the OK from Ontario’s Superior Court, Canadian Tire will be able to buy the rights to Hudson’s Bay’s intellectual property, which includes its name, its coat of arms and its iconic stripes.” Read more

 

Walmart using data to encourage healthier eating at Talk Business. “In addition to unveiling Everyday Health Signals, Walmart will allow millions of Medicare Advantage enrollees to add their benefits cards to their online accounts, which will highlight over-the-counter products that are eligible for their supplemental benefits.” Read more

 

Consumers Are Financing Their Groceries. What Does It Say About the Economy? at NY Times. “Stores and service providers also seem eager to offer the payment option, even though it’s fairly costly for merchants to do so. The fees that the pay-later companies charge are often more than double the “swipe” fees merchants pay to process transactions with credit card networks and banks.” Read more

 

Walmart quietly jacks up prices — despite Trump’s demand for retailer to ‘eat the tariffs’ at NY Post. “The price of toys, the bulk of which are made in China, were particularly impacted…The price on some office supplies also surged…Other notable hikes include a heating pad rising roughly 25%, from $19.98 to $24.96, and a fishing reel surging from $57.37 in April to $83.26 in May…” Read more

 

PriceSmart plans to open its sixth warehouse club in the Dominican Republic Press release

 

‘H-E-B coming soon’ sign stirs up Texas town in ultimate senior prank at MySA. “…Connor Wells and Landen Sodolak, created a fake “H-E-B coming soon” sign and placed it on an empty piece of land in the middle of the night. Their sign was so convincing that, by the next morning, it was posted all over Facebook with residents celebrating, sharing and tagging their friends.” Read more

 

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