Retail

SANTA ANA, Calif. - The explosion of DVD in the consumer marketplace fueled a $1 billion increase in Wal-Mart's home video software business in 2001, according to Video Store Magazine's annual "Top 100" ranking and analysis of the home video retail industry.

FRANKLIN, Mass. - BJ's Wholesale Club Inc., which operates in the eastern United States, today announced it will answer the growing consumer demand for self-checkout by installing NCR FastLane in its Franklin, Mass., store.

PARIS - French retailer Carrefour SA today denied a British press report that it may be considering an acquisition of U.K. competitor Safeway, Dow Jones newswire reports.

DETROIT - Kmart Corp. on Monday announced that it has hired Creative Artists Agency to provide entertainment-related marketing, The Associated Press reports.

AUSTIN, Minn. - Hormel Foods Corp. and Cargill Inc. announced today that Hormel and Excel Corp. have signed a letter of intent to form a joint venture to market nationally branded fresh case ready beef and pork.

ASHEVILLE, N.C. - Ingles Markets Inc. today said net sales for the March 2002 quarter increased 3.8 percent to $493.2 million from $475.2 million for the same quarter last year. Comparable store sales for the same period grew 4.7 percent.

DALLAS - Wal-Mart is planning to open the first of a new generation of urban stores with a two-story supercenter in Dallas, The Dallas Morning News reports.

NEW YORK - BrandAid Marketing Corporation today announced the signing of a national in-store marketing agreement with Safeway Inc.