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SEATTLE — Bartell Drugs is collecting donations of teddy bears to give to children in stressful and traumatic situations, the Seattle-based regional retail pharmacy chain said Monday.

Bartell said it would work with local radio statement Warm 106.9 FM in the annual "Teddy Bear Patrol" campaign, which will take place through March 30. The chain's 58 stores will collect donations of $7 "Bartell Bears" or new or gently used bears smaller than 12 in.

NEW YORK — The alleged health benefits of a Mediterranean diet have been touted for years, but a new study adds weight to the claims.

The study, published online Monday in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that a traditional Mediterranean diet — characterized as rich in extra-virgin olive oil, nuts, fruits and vegetables and including moderate wine consumption, as well as low intake of dairy products, red meat, processed meats and sweets — reduced the risk of cardiovascular disease.

YUBA CITY, Calif — Americans love to snack, but they don't always have to settle for treats sacrificing good taste for healthier ingredients. Sunsweet — a leading brand of dried plums, specialty dried fruits and fruit juices — bolsters that advice with its newest offerings: Amazin' Berry Blend and Amazin' Cranberries.

Both new blends include Plum Amazin's diced plums, which studies have shown can help fight osteoporosis by preventing bone mineral loss and contain potassium, copper, boron and vitamin K.

Omnichannel. It's one of the hottest topics in retail. It's seamless retailing in real-time. It's making sure that the brand experience coming out of a retailer is exemplary no matter how a consumer chooses to engage — on the e-commerce site, through an app for the tablet or smartphone, within the brick-and-mortar location or any two of those venues simultaneously.

Pet supplies may have had limited growth this past year, but the stars of the segment are healthcare-related products. Pet supplies saw a 2% increase, bringing sales to $11.1 billion, according to Packaged Facts. The market research firm projects that this year, pet supplies will grow 4% over 2012 sales.

GRAND RAPIDS. Mich. — Meijer is sourcing tomatoes from a greenhouse that can grow them year-round, including during the famously frigid winters of the Midwest, the mass merchandise retailer said Monday.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Mars Petcare will use responsible sourcing of fish for its fish-based Sheba product lines, the company said Monday.

The company said it plans to use only sustainably sourced fish by 2020, offering only fish that are farmed or wild-caught from environmentally sustainable sources. The new sourcing program is based on the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch program sourcing recommendations.

AVERY ISLAND, La. — Paul McIlhenny — chief executive of McIlhenny Co., makers of Tabasco sauce, and great-grandson of Edmund McIlhenny, who invented Tabasco sauce after the Civil War — passed away on Saturday. He was 68.

Paul Carr Polk McIlhenny was born in Houston on March 19, 1944, with his twin sister, Sara. He attended the Woodberry Forest School in Virginia and the University of the South in Tennessee, and served stateside in the Marine Corps Reserve.