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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.

U.S. Retail Intelligence – February

January 30 – Dollar General Surpasses Milestone of 5,000 Stores Nationwide Offering Fresh Produce. Dollar General has surpassed its latest milestone, now offering fresh produce options in more than 5,000 stores across the country. From: Drugstore News January 30 – Lowe’s Taps TikTok to Connect with Existing and Potential Employees The Lowe’s TikTok account includes more…

U.S. Retail Intelligence – January

December 29 – Holiday Spending Up 3% Over Last Year Retail holiday spending during the 2023 holiday season rose just over 3% year over year, according to data from Mastercard SpendingPulse. From: Hardware Retailing December 27 – Container Store Names Chief Digital Officer; Senior VP of Stores The Container Store has made two additions to its executive leadership team.…

IHA Government Affairs Achievements

IHA has had a number of government affairs achievements in the last four years with some of the more notable victories discussed below. New UPU Agreement: The housewares industry realized a victory when the Universal Postal Union (UPU) agreed to revise international postal rates to stop discriminating against U.S. shippers. Founded in 1875, the UPU sets postal rates among…

U.S. Retail Intelligence – December

November 30 – Get Ready for More ALDI Stores in December According to the company, its disciplined approach to operating with simplicity and efficiency is able to provide customers with the products they want at the lowest possible prices. From: Progressive Grocers November 30 – Kroger Q3 Beats Wall Street Despite Consumer Spending Reluctance Despite tighter consumer…

ADA Website Lawsuit Developments

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) became law in 1990 and its primary focus is Title III, which concerns accessibility for those with disabilities in public accommodations and commercial “brick and mortar” facilities. But the ensuing arrival of the internet and its new platform for selling products was seized upon by trial lawyers as a “target rich environment” for ADA…

U.S. Retail Intelligence – November

October 30 – Tractor Supply Q3 Earnings Beat Street As Sales Lag Despite lower revenue than expected, Tractor Supply beat a Wall Street earnings estimate in the third quarter. From: HomePage News October 30 – Kroger-Albertsons Proposed Mega-Merger Is a Threat to Workers and Shoppers Alike Union rep weighs in on implications of pending high-profile deal. From:…

New Workforce Regulations for Employers

Three workforce regulations from the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) could have a big impact on IHA members and employers across the country. All of them are controversial and could be challenged in court by business organizations. On Oct. 27, the NLRB published a final rule addressing the Standard for…

Renew the GSP Program and Refund Duties

The Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) program was created to encourage economic development for emerging economies in qualifying countries by reducing tariff burdens on U.S. companies to encourage investment and partnerships in those places. The program has been regularly renewed but lapsed in 2021 and Congress has not been able to reach an agreement on renewal for a…

U.S. Retail Intelligence – October

September 29 – Spooky Season Kicks Off with New Trends Grocers aiming to scare up sales during the Halloween selling season are tapping into trends to meet shopper interests and needs. From: Progressive Grocer September 29 – Kohl’s Hires Former Tuesday Morning Chief Hand To Lead Store Operations Kohl’s announced the appointment of former Tuesday Morning CEO Fred Hand to…