RETAIL NEWS

 SAN ANTONIO — H‑E‑B on Wednesday laid its claim as the largest privately held employer in the state of Texas and one of the largest privately held retailers in the nation with more than 100,000 employees. H‑E‑B employs more than 90,000 partners in 332 Texas stores and more than 10,000 partners in 56 stores throughout Mexico.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens on Thursday announced the addition of NYX Professional Makeup products to its cosmetics selection, marking the latest enhancement as part of Walgreens’ beauty differentiation program. NYX Professional Makeup products will be available in nearly 2,000 Walgreens stores across the U.S. and Puerto Rico by this fall, the retailer noted.

PITTSBURGH — Larry J. Merlo, president and CEO of CVS Health, will be the featured speaker for the University of Pittsburgh’s graduate student commencement convocation at 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 29. Merlo, a Pitt alumnus and University trustee, was named Pitt’s 2016 Distinguished Alumni Fellow, the University’s premier alumni honor, which recognizes extraordinary professional achievements. In 2010, he received Pitt School of Pharmacy’s Distinguished Alumni Award, and in 2008 was named a Legacy Laureate.

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario — Adapt Pharma Canada, the makers of Narcan Spray 4mg, on Tuesday announced that the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care and the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services have taken steps to provide access to naloxone through public health centers, pharmacies and correctional facilities.

PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y. — More than two-thirds of Americans shopped at Walmart, Target, Walgreens, Dollar Tree and CVS, either online or in-store, according to a new index from The NPD Group.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart has fired another shot at Amazon.

In a move that leverages the retail giant’s vast store and delivery networks and expanding online capabilities, Walmart, starting April 19, will begin offering a discount on merchandise that customers buy online and have shipped to a Walmart store for pickup. Walmart’s new Pickup Discount program will initially be available only on about 10,000 items, but will be expanded to more than one million of the chain’s most popular items by the end of June.

WASHINGTON – The Natural Products Association on Tuesday opened nominations for its board of directors. The recent association bylaws change, approved by the membership, reduces the size of the board to nine members.

"Recent changes have ensured NPA is stronger and better positioned to serve its members than at any point during the association's history," stated Dan Fabricant, CEO and executive director, NPA. Open positions include board chair, vice chair, treasurer, secretary, three supplier seats and two retailer seats.