Seasonal

WASHINGTON - The government last week banned the import of the fruit Spanish clementines after larvae of the Mediterranean fruit fly were found in some of the fruit, Reuters reports.

NEW YORK - U.S. retailers reported the weakest sales growth for November since the recession of 1990, Reuters reports.

ORLANDO, Fla. - Fearing a Medfly outbreak, agriculture officials in Florida ordered Friday that all Spanish Clementines be pulled from grocery stores across the state, The Associated Press reports.

LONDON - Online shopping in the UK grew 142 percent in 2001, according to research published today by retail consultancy Verdict, Reuters reports.

LONDON - UK supermarket group J Sainsbury on Tuesday reported a small rise in underlying interim profits and said that sales in the first five weeks of the second half were encouraging, the Financial Times reported.

GOLDEN, Colo. - Known for its home-style meals, Boston Market Corporation is opening new stores for the first time since 1997 with a new store right outside of Boston, where the company started more than a decade ago.

NEW YORK - Online retailing is expected to fare only about as well or as poorly as the retail economy as a whole during the Christmas season, The New York Times reported today. That stands in contrast to a steady growth since 1998, when online sales kept surging despite less favorable economic trends or even normal seasonal patterns.

NEW YORK, Nov. 5 - The September 11 terrorist attacks have resulted in a number of changes in the life of the average American, according to a new poll. People are planning to scale back their holiday spending, reaching for more snack foods, and booking more quality time with family.