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IHA’s blog features informative posts written to keep the housewares industry educated and informed about key strategic issues and IHA member services.

Global Retail Intelligence – December

December 14 – Auchan Declares No Discussions about Tie-Up with Carrefour Previously reported discussions between France’s Auchan and Carrefour to tie-up the two retailers are now reported to be over, with Auchan declaring that there is no contact between the two families that control Auchan (AUCH.UL) and Carrefour (CARR.PA). From Reuters December 14 – UK’s Marks &…

U.S. Retail Intelligence – November

November 29 – Walmart CFO to Step Down in January 2023; Company Starts Search for Successor The retail giant announced that executive VP and CFO Brett Biggs will step down on January 31, 2023, after 22 years with the retailer. From: Chain Store Age November 26 – Giant Food to Open a New Store in Manassas, Va. The nearly 60,000-square-foot store at 10864 Sudley Manor Dr.…

Rates Expected to Remain at Inflated Levels in 2022

It is conceivable that spot ocean rates will slowly decline through December 31, 2021. While this is welcome news for shippers, the decline is likely to be short lived. In order to sustain reduction in rates, there needs to be major changes in the Asia to U.S. market. The recent reduction in rates is being attributed to temporary production issues in Asia. Blackouts due to…

Biden Administration COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing Mandates

On Sept. 9, 2021, President Biden announced a series of Executive Orders (EOs) for new policies to combat the COVID-19 virus. One EO expanded an earlier order requiring that federal employees be vaccinated by Nov. 22 to federal contactors with a deadline for them now set at Jan. 18, 2022. Another EO directed the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to issue its…

Global Retail Intelligence – November

November 17 – Moderna Rolls Out Maxi Store Format With 170 stores, located in the Campania, Basilicata, Calabria and Puglia regions of Italy, Italy’s Moderna 2020 Rolls Out Maxi Store Format in Pompei. Moderna 2020 is a leading company in the organized retail distribution sector in Southern Italy and a partner in retail consortium Gruppo VéGé. From European Supermarket…

Challenges to Sec. 301 Tariffs Make Headway in U.S. Court of International Trade

In September 2020, Americans for Free Trade (AFT), the coalition IHA participates in to fight the Sec. 301 tariffs on Chinese products imposed by the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), provided a forum for a lawsuit brought by vinyl floor importer HMTX Industries in the U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT). The lawsuit challenges the List 3 and List 4a China 301 tariffs as…

US Supply Chain Participants Feel Defeated

One word best describes the US supply chain: BROKEN. There is the sense among supply chain experts that it’s too late for any meaningful solutions to be implemented that will positively impact getting goods delivered to store shelves for the upcoming holiday season. If such solutions existed, they would have already been implemented. Six months ago, it was thought that…

U.S.Retail Intelligence – October

October 29 – Amazon Forecasts Modest 4th-Quarter GrowthHuge expenses ahead related to labor and supply chain challenges. From: Progressive Grocer October 29 – Popular Pet Products Private Brand Gets its Own StorePetco has unveiled a boutique dedicated to its urban-inspired store brand in NYC. From: StoreBrands Today October 29 – Independent Grocers Attain Record Sales,…

Shippers Scrambling to Meet Holiday Season Demand

The US supply chain delays have reached critical mass. The delays have reached a point where some shippers haven given up hope that their product will be available for the holiday season. This will be especially devastating to small shippers that rely heavily on holiday sales to survive. Three months ago, the big obstacle was finding space on container ships. While space is…