USA: Wal-Mart plans to develop a worldwide sustainable product index following a meeting with 1,500 of its suppliers, associates and sustainability leaders at its Arkansas head office. The index is intended to establish a single source of data for evaluating the sustainability of products.
"Customers want products that are more efficient, last longer and perform better," said president Mike Duke. "And increasingly they want information about the entire lifecycle of a product so they can feel good about buying it."
The retailer said it would begin by surveying its more than 100,000 suppliers around the world on their factories, water use and waste.
AUSTRALIA: Woolworths, Australia's largest supermarket chain, has reported a 7.5% rise in sales, in line with its own forecasts. But its shares fell nearly 1% as investors had expected more after bullish predictions from retail rivals. Woolworths, which also owns Big W discount stores and the Dick Smith electronics chain, said continued sales growth highlighted the strength of the Australian economy, which has so far avoided recession. Total sales for the year rose to A$49.6bn (£25.6bn).
GERMANY: The roof of a Rewe supermarket near Berlin collapsed just 20 minutes after the shop closed for the day. The store manager - who was the only person left in the building - escaped uninjured. The store is in the Akazienhof shopping centre in Berlin.
USA: Whole Foods Market has had each of its 273 US stores individually certified to comply with stricter federal regulations on organic certification. Before November 2008, chains could be certified en masse but each store must now be assessed individually.
"Our leadership unanimously decided to commit the resources to comply with the USDA's enhanced guidance for retail certification," said Margaret Wittenberg, vice-president of quality standards and public affairs for Whole Foods Market. "Our stores are an organic product's last step in the journey from farm to shopping cart. It's important for Whole Foods Market to maintain its certification."
"Customers want products that are more efficient, last longer and perform better," said president Mike Duke. "And increasingly they want information about the entire lifecycle of a product so they can feel good about buying it."
The retailer said it would begin by surveying its more than 100,000 suppliers around the world on their factories, water use and waste.
AUSTRALIA: Woolworths, Australia's largest supermarket chain, has reported a 7.5% rise in sales, in line with its own forecasts. But its shares fell nearly 1% as investors had expected more after bullish predictions from retail rivals. Woolworths, which also owns Big W discount stores and the Dick Smith electronics chain, said continued sales growth highlighted the strength of the Australian economy, which has so far avoided recession. Total sales for the year rose to A$49.6bn (£25.6bn).
GERMANY: The roof of a Rewe supermarket near Berlin collapsed just 20 minutes after the shop closed for the day. The store manager - who was the only person left in the building - escaped uninjured. The store is in the Akazienhof shopping centre in Berlin.
USA: Whole Foods Market has had each of its 273 US stores individually certified to comply with stricter federal regulations on organic certification. Before November 2008, chains could be certified en masse but each store must now be assessed individually.
"Our leadership unanimously decided to commit the resources to comply with the USDA's enhanced guidance for retail certification," said Margaret Wittenberg, vice-president of quality standards and public affairs for Whole Foods Market. "Our stores are an organic product's last step in the journey from farm to shopping cart. It's important for Whole Foods Market to maintain its certification."
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