Instacart Debuts White-Label AI Shopping Chatbot in Enterprise Push at Bloomberg. “The company said Tuesday that its AI shopping assistant will be offered as part of its white-label e-commerce service, which powers the online shopping sites for some grocery chains like Sprouts Farmers Market Inc. and Publix Super Markets Inc. The chatbot will be tested on Sprouts’ website and app over the coming months, Instacart said in a statement on Tuesday. It will also be available on Kroger Co.’s iPhone app, it said.” Bloomberg subs.

 

Sex Dolls, Boycotts, Protests: Furor in France as Shein Opens Paris Store at WSJ. “The escalation comes ahead of the planned opening Wednesday in BHV Marais, an iconic yet struggling Parisian department store…Dozens of brands pulled their items from the department store’s shelves, while employees have protested outside the building’s entrance. The state-owned Bank of Territories pulled out of talks with Société des Grands Magasins, owner of BHV Marais, to buy the building.” WSJ subs. / AP

 

Walmart boss warns of AI shake-up at HBR event Daily Mail. “Speaking at a Harvard Business Review event Monday, McMillon said the company was going on ‘the offense’ with AI…’Every job we’ve got is going to change in some way – whether it’s getting the shopping carts off the parking lot, or the way our technologists work, or certainly the way leadership roles change,’ McMillon said.” Read more

 

USDA tells grocery stores: No special discounts for SNAP recipients at The Hill. “National Grocers Association (NGA) Vice President David Cutler confirmed to The Hill Monday that the email was sent to grocers…notice states that unless a store has a waiver allowing it to bypass the program’s equal treatment requirement, “offering discounts or services only to SNAP paying customers is a SNAP violation.” Read more

 

The Amazonification of Whole Foods Is Finally Here at WSJ. “A new feature lurks in the backroom of a Whole Foods Market in suburban Philadelphia: the ShopBots, a group of robots that fetch Tide Pods and Pepsi for shoppers who aren’t fully satisfied by Whole Foods’s selection of organic kale and craft beer…In a separate trial in Chicago…Amazon has cleared the coffee shop and seating area of the city’s flagship Whole Foods, installing in its place a 3,800-square-foot grocery kiosk called Amazon Grocery filled with brands like Kraft Mac & Cheese and Chips Ahoy.” WSJ subs.

 

Publix Q3 comp sales +3.4% Press release

 

Nintendo reports zooming sales and profit on its hit Switch 2 machine at AP. “Nintendo’s net profit jumped 85% in April-September from the year before, as its sales more than doubled following the launch of its hit Switch 2 console in June…” Read more

 

Amazon’s new subsea internet cable Fastnet will connect Maryland’s Eastern Shore with County Cork, Ireland at CNBC. “Without subsea you’d have to rely on satellite connectivity which can work,” (Rehder) said. “But satellite has higher latency, higher costs and you just can’t get enough capacity or throughput to what our customers and the internet in general needs.” Read more

 

Kroger asks customers for exact change during penny shortage at Cincy Enquirer/USA Today

 

Prepared pasta sold at major grocers tied to 6 deaths, over 2 dozen illnesses at Fox Business. “As of Oct. 30, 27 people across 18 states have been infected with listeriosis, with 25 going to the hospital. Six people have died, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)…” Read more

 

Target employees say messy layoffs are latest signal of culture shift Minneapolis Star Tribune subs.