On March 11, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 into law. The $1.9 trillion “ARP” is different than the $2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act that passed with bipartisan votes in March 2020 and initiated the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and new tax breaks. Aside from targeted financial programs for…
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U.S. Retail Intelligence – March
March 27 – Star Market Goes Big in FenwayThe retailer is planning a 50,000-square-foot store for a mixed-use development as part of an expansion at 401 Park. From: Win sight Grocery Business March 26 – J.C. Penney's Interim Chief Sees Signs of GrowthJ.C. Penney is seeing weekly improvements, especially in specific growth categories including workout wear and home goods,…
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March 19 – Alibaba Launches a Self-Driving Robot for DeliveriesAlibaba group will launch a self-driving delivery vehicle across 15 universities in China in March. Each self-driving robot will be capable of making 500 daily deliveries, for which students can make appointments for the deliveries to be made directly to their dorms. With demand of deliveries on the rise and China…
CONTINUE READINGService Contracts Underway for Asia to US Cargo
Shippers moving containers from Asia to the US are in the midst of very tough service contract negotiations. As anticipated, the carriers are demanding very strict container commitment guidelines, reductions in free time and significant rate increases. Finding sufficient carriers to meet your forecasted container demand has been the biggest challenge for shippers since 2021…
CONTINUE READINGU.S. Retail Intelligence – February
February 26 – Meijer Plans Supplier Diversity Event In MayMeijer in May will host a supplier diversity event, giving businesses nationwide the opportunity to showcase their offerings for interested merchants at the retailer. From: HomeWorld Business February 26 – Qurate Beats Wall Street Q4 Earnings EstimateQurate Retail beat a Wall Street Q4 earnings estimate as sales…
CONTINUE READINGState Legislation Looks to Manufacturers to Fund Recycling Costs
In recent months, a barrage of state-level bills has been introduced throughout the country seeking to generate revenue from product manufacturers for the costs of recycling their products and packaging. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) bills seek to extract funding from manufacturers to cover the escalating costs of recycling materials. Traditionally, these…
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