General Merchandise

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart announced today that starting Sept. 21 consumers will be able to receive immediate credit toward the purchase of a new smartphone when they trade in their current smartphone at more than 3,600 participating Wal-Mart stores and Sam's Club locations across the United States. Wal-Mart's trade-in program offers an immediate credit from $50 to $300 for more than 100 smartphones.

Consumers are spending when it comes to pet care and grooming. "Overall, the humanization of pets is driving both the grooming and dental categories," said Brian Collier, a spokesman for Naturel Promise. "Pet parents are, more than ever, concerned about the well-being, comfort and health of their pets."

NEW YORK — E-cigarettes may be as effective as nicotine patches in helping smokers quit, according to a new study.

Researchers in Auckland, New Zealand, selected 657 smokers who were attempting to quit, dividing them into one group of 289 who received e-cigarettes, 295 who received nicotine patches and 73 who received placebo e-cigarettes without nicotine. The study was published online Monday in British medical journal The Lancet.

NEW YORK — More students in middle and high school are using electronic cigarettes, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report Friday, the CDC said that between 2011 and 2012, among students in sixth through 12th grades, e-cigarette use increased from 3.3% to 6.8%.

FREMONT, Neb. — Natura Pet Products brand California Natural is rolling out a new grain-free dog food option, Pork Meal and Sweet Potatoes Formula, along with a new packaging design to highlight the brand's philosophy of using limited ingredients.

NEW YORK — Are drug stores becoming the new convenience stores? A new survey by The Hartman Group indicates that for many shoppers, the drug store is a destination for convenient purchases — particularly, food and beverages.

In a survey of 1,900 adults in Seattle and Dallas, the Bellevue, Wash.-based research firm found that when respondents most recently visited drug stores, 24% of trips were for items for immediate consumption, while 29% were stocking up items. Significant percentages of purchases were for OTC, personal care and consumable items.

CINCINNATI — Febreze has launched the new Febreze Sleep Serenity collection, the brand’s first line of scents specifically designed for the bedroom to help consumers achieve better sleep, the company stated.