RETAIL NEWS

Chicago — SPINS on Thursday named Brian Gillis to lead its growing retail team to accelerate data-driven products and services for North American retailers.

CHICAGO — Morningstar, a provider of independent investment research, on Thursday named Jason Dubinsky CFO, effective July 24. Dubinsky joins Morningstar from Walgreens Boots Alliance, where he was SVP and CFO of planning and central operations and responsible for accounting and shared service functions for Walgreens’ U.S. operations.

CINCINNATI — Kroger on Friday filed litigation against Lidl US for infringing on the grocer's own private label program.

At issue is Lidl US' own brand "Preferred Selection," which Kroger charges is virtually indentical to that company's store label "Private Selection." "Lidl's actions herein have been willful and deliberate acts of infringement and unfair competition, which will cause irreparable harm and other damages to Kroger," Kroger stated in its suit filing.

Adult bath products offering a Zen-like experience are bubbling to the surface in mass stores and helping to perk up sales, along with Epsom salt soaks. Consumers are favoring products with a purpose over simply fragrant bath additives. That explains the 26% climb in volume of Dr. Teal’s, which offers a Pure Epsom Salt Soak, along with body wash and foaming bath. It is the No.1 selling SKU in the bath category.

A slew of at-home spa devices offer drug store retailers the opportunity to build incremental sales — while giving shoppers the chance to pamper themselves privately. Although visits to medical spas are up, not all women can spare the time or money for frequent visits. That’s fueled growth of the do-it-yourself gadget business. Today, chains can sell LED lights to fight acne or wrinkles, or to spur follicle growth — and they can do so even at price tags approaching $100.