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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.

Carriers Flex Their Muscles During Negotiations

Ocean contract negotiations for cargo moving from Asia to the US are coming to an abrupt end. Negotiations in this market traditionally start in February and last until the end of April. The unprecedented demand in the market has drastically changed the negotiation timetable. Carriers have made it clear that shippers waiting to finalize contracts at the end of April in hopes of…

COVID-Related Legislative and Regulatory Changes for Employers

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…

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,…

Global Retail Intelligence – March

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…

Service 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…

U.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…

State 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…

Peter Giannetti Joins International Housewares Association

Industry veteran will lead news, content and education efforts at the Association ROSEMONT, IL (Feb. 18, 2021) –The International Housewares Association announced today that Peter Giannetti will join the organization as Director, Editorial, Content and Education. In this role, Giannetti will oversee development and delivery of industry-wide content and resources intended to…

Global Retail Intelligence – February

February 17 – Tesco Stores Renamed Across Southeast AsiaCP Group has renamed its Tesco stores across Southeast Asia to Lotus’s. The rebranding follows the USD 10.6 billion acquisition of Tesco’s Asian operations in Thailand and Malaysia in 2020. From Inside Retail February 15 – South Africa’s ShopRite Sees Profits GrowSouth Africa’s ShopRite Holdings announced that profits…