General Merchandise

MIAMI — Green Innovations on Monday expanded its recently formed strategic advisory board, the company announced.

Joining the advisory board is Mark DeFilippo, a 20-year category management veteran from Walgreens. DeFilippo managed several categories across the front end, including candy and batteries, and OTC products such as cough-cold, pain and sleep remedies.  

ST. LOUIS — A group of former executives from Save-A-Lot, Grandpa's Stores and Deals: Nothing Over a Dollar has teamed up to create a new business venture that they said would combine wholesale, retail and e-commerce components.

CHICAGO — Most Valentine's Day celebrants plan to shop a week or less before the holiday, and many wait until Feb. 13 or 14 to make their final purchases, according to research by the NPD Group, a leading global information company.

RICHMOND, Va. — MeadWestvaco Corporation on Thursday launched its inaugural consumer satisfaction study, “Packaging Matters.” The study explores the role of packaging in product satisfaction as consumers purchase, transport, use and dispose of products across 10 different categories. 

CAMP HILL, Pa. — Rite Aid is promoting itself as a Valentine's Day shopping destination for women, the retail pharmacy chain said.

OMAHA, Neb. — Sergeant's Pet Care Products on Wednesday embarked on an awareness campaign alerting pet owners on how to keep their pets healthy. 

CHICAGO — With the path to purchase evolving, merchandising has increased across just more than half of CPG categories and declined in 47% of categories, SymphonyIRI Group reported Tuesday. 

The drug channel has seen the most erosion in merchandising support, with declines in 60% of the categories within the channel in 2012.

VALDOSTA, Ga. — Spiker International Corporation has released the Spiker Beach Beverage Holder, a product made in the USA.

The Spiker Beach Beverage Holder is easy to use: simply spike it into the ground next to your beach chair or towel. It can be used to keep your drinks off the hot sand or to hold your travel items to keep them from accumulating sticky grains of sand.