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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.

After years of ignoring warnings that sun exposure poses a health risk and hastens aging, consumers are starting to see the light. In fact, overall category sales rose 6.7% for the 52-week period ended May 14 across multi-outlets, according to IRI. Lotions and oils advanced almost 7%, and sunscreens and bug repellants jumped 3.5%.

But retailers and marketers said much more needs to be done. A recent Marist Institute for Public Opinion Poll said only 1-in-10 people apply sunscreen regularly.

There is a potential white space opportunity for retail clinics in advancing point-of-care diagnostic offerings on site. In 2015, combined sales of POC tests, clinical chemistry and immunoassay laboratory tests and vaccines to retail clinics reached $240 million, with vaccines accounting for a greater share than POC tests or laboratory tests. This reflects total annual growth of more than 26% per year since 2010, when retail clinics accounted for about $75 million in purchases of these products.

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.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart continues to explore new ways to make it easier for customers to pick up goods purchased online.

The discounter is expanding its deployment of a giant self-service kiosk, which it calls a Pickup Tower, that spits out online orders to users of Walmart's buy-online-pickup-in-store service. Walmart debuted the technology last fall, in a store in Bentonville, Ark., close its headquarters.

MATTHEWS, N.C. — Kroger's Harris Teeter banner announced Monday it is donating $1 million to the USO, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting America’s service members and their families. The donation was made possible through contributions from Harris Teeter shoppers and valued associates during the company’s sixth annual Support Our Troops donation card campaign.