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This holiday season will be both a splurge and save season for toys. Parents will splurge for one or two toys, but will round out their holiday shopping with less expensive items, according to Adrienne Appell, a spokesperson for the Toy Industry Association.


FRANKLIN, Tenn. — Pedigree’s new Dentastix line of oral care products for pets fights “dog breath.” These new Fresh Treats for dogs work to help banish bad breath and help with overall oral care, including tartar control.


Oral care is the No. 1 health issue veterinarians see in dogs. Research from The Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition indicates that bad breath can be a sign of such canine oral care issues as gum disease. Advanced, untreated gum disease can be associated with the development of heart and kidney disease, as well as some forms of cancer.

LONDON – The makers of Aquatina, the collapsible pocket drinks bottle, have launched its successor, Ohyo, the company announced on Thursday.

Ohyo, currently available from Ohyo.me, has a pop-out spout so the product can be used one-handed, making it suitable for children, commuters and gym users.

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. – Newcastle on Wednesday announced the first nationwide release of its limited edition beer, Newcastle Winter IPA. The Winter IPA will be on retail shelves and on draught in on-premise locations now through January 2013.

New Castle IPA features a copper color with a strong hop aroma, subtle caramel notes, a full body and a balanced finish, as is characteristic of traditional British-style IPAs.

ATLANTA — A majority of retailers say delivering a consistent customer experience is their top priority this holiday season, according to a new survey.

Supply chain and retail technology provider RedPrairie released results of its "Holiday Hiring Snapshot" survey of 250 big-box, specialty, grocery, convenience store and food service retailers based in the United States, finding that nearly 60% cited the importance of consistency, with 29% saying they would hire more seasonal workers this year than last year.

LOS ANGELES — Quest Nutrition on Tuesday launched Quest Cravings Peanut Butter Cups, a high-protein chocolate candy with 20 g of protein per serving. 

The peanut butter cups are made with non-Dutch processed 100% chocolate rich in amino acids, containing no soy, trans fats or sugar. Suggested retail price is $27.99 for a box of 12 packages, with two cups per package.

In September, Quest Nutrition introduced the Cravings line exclusively to Facebook fans. 

SAN DIEGO — Health warning labels on cigarette packages that use pictures to show the health consequences of smoking are effective in reaching adult smokers, according to the results of a new study published in the December issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 

BOSTON — Samuel Adams has once again stepped into the realm of "extreme beers" with its latest 10th anniversary release of Samuel Adams Utopias, the brewery's legendary barrel-aged beer. Aged to perfection — for some ingredients, 20 years — the new brew contains slightly more than 29% alcohol by volume, which compares with 5% ABV in Samuel Adams Boston Lager.