News Briefs

In a continued push to reduce single-use bag waste, the Consortium to Reinvent the Retail Bag — an industry collaboration managed by Closed Loop Partners’ Center for the Circular Economy — has launched the largest retail campaign of its kind in California, inviting customers to “Break Up With Single-Use Bags.” Supporting the initiative are Target, CVS Health and The Kroger Co., through its local banners Ralphs and Food 4 Less.

Now rolling out in nearly 1,000 stores across Southern California, the campaign significantly expands the Consortium’s reach and marks a milestone for bag reduction and reuse, engaging and inviting more than 10 million customers to reduce single-use bag waste and build a more circular future for their communities and the retail industry.

[RELATED: 10 Most Sustainable Grocers of 2025]

The campaign launches at a pivotal time, as major retailers recognize the need to support customer behavior change to meet waste reduction goals. California was the selected market for the campaign in anticipation of a significant policy shift: Beginning in January 2026, the state will ban all single-use and thicker plastic bags, offering paper as the only single-use bag option. This transition presents a key opportunity for impact, based on evidence that well-designed policies, paired with effective consumer engagement, can drive meaningful reductions in single-use bag waste.

The Consortium to Reinvent the Retail Bag is a multi-year industry collaboration across retail sectors that identifies, tests and implements viable design solutions and models that more sustainably serve the purpose of the current retail bag. The Consortium’s Beyond the Bag Initiative drives forward a circular future for retail by reducing single-use bag waste through education, incentives, nudges and policy. Target, CVS Health and Kroger are Strategic Leads of the Consortium, with Dollar Tree, Meijer and Walmart as Supporting Partners. 

SPAR Group, a provider of retail and brand services, is relocating its corporate headquarters from Auburn Hills, Mich., to Charlotte, N.C. (pictured). According to the company, the move places it in one of the country’s fastest-growing cities, offering a booming tech sector, a business-friendly environment, access to suitable talent, and an international airport. 

“Relocating our headquarters to Charlotte opens up new opportunities for SPAR and the business,” noted SPAR President and CEO Mike Matacunas. “This location is central to our clients and major retailers in the southeast, such as Walmart, Home Depot, Dollar Tree, Dollar General, Family Dollar, Lowe’s, Kroger and many more, while also providing us access to amazing talent and resources.”

[RELATED: FMI Presents 2025 Executive Leadership Awards]

Added Matacunas: “Our new headquarters is located at 110 East Boulevard, Charlotte, N.C., in the heart of the South End of the city, providing access for our associates to a vibrant and fast-paced area. We look forward to bringing our clients, business partners and prospects to spend time with us innovating and driving retail and brand performance.”

The move will occur in October 2025 as the company transitions out of its current location.

SPAR provides a broad range of services to retailers, manufacturers and distributors. With more than 50 years of experience, merchandising across the United States and Canada, an average of 30,000-plus store visits a week, and long-term relationships with top manufacturers and retail businesses, the company provides specialized capabilities across North America. 

The Reagan-Udall Foundation for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has published the "Roadmap to Produce Safety" report based on months of stakeholder dialogues to explore new strategies for produce safety and the development of a collaborative entity to drive progress. The foundation convened a wide range of stakeholders from agricultural communities, industry, academia, consumer groups and government to develop a shared understanding of the challenges and a vision for better protecting public health.

“FMI appreciates FDA’s continued commitment to improving produce safety as well as the agency’s ongoing efforts to engage with stakeholders,” said Hilary Thesmar, PhD, FMI – The Food Industry Association’s chief science officer and SVP, food and product safety programs. “FMI and our members deeply value collaboration, actively supporting and engaging with a wide range of produce safety stakeholders through participation in the Fresh Produce Coalition. We look forward to our continued work with FDA, state regulatory partners and the broader produce industry to ensure consumers have access to safe, affordable and abundant produce.”

[RELATED: National Grocers Association Wraps Up Fresh Summit 2025]

“While we stand ready to partner with our colleagues in industry and the FDA,” said Max Teplitski, PhD, chief science officer at International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA). “We also continue to advocate for the need to focus on risk-based and risk-appropriate approaches to food safety, investment into the development of detection tools and protocols that are robust and reproducible, using meaningful datasets to drive action plans, and for adequate allocation of federal and state resources to ensure the success of this collaboration.” 

“Swipe” fees that banks charge merchants to process credit card transactions will drive up the price of school and college supplies by $3 billion this year and cost the average family between $20 and $30, according to the Merchants Payments Coalition (MPC).

Averaging 2.35% of the transaction but ranging as high as 4%, swipe fees are most merchants’ highest operating cost after labor and have to be built into pricing. With few consumers using cash, and credit card rules making discounts difficult, all shoppers pay more because of swipe fees regardless of how they pay.

Swipe fees for Visa and Mastercard credit cards alone have more than quadrupled since 2010 to $111.2 billion last year, according to MPC, which added that total credit and debit card swipe fees hit a record $187.2 billion, driving up prices by nearly $1,200 a year for the average family.

[RELATED: Credit and Debit Card Swipe Fees Reach New Record in 2024]

“With swipe fees constantly rising, this hidden tax takes more out of families’ school supply budgets every year,” said MPC member and National Association of College Stores VP of Government Affairs Richard Hershman. “This is money that could go to children’s educations or helping families make ends meet, but it lines the pockets of credit card company executives and Wall Street bankers instead. Credit card companies get away with this because of lack of competition. Congress needs to stand up for families and their children by passing the Credit Card Competition Act.”

Under the bill, banks with at least $100 billion in assets would enable credit cards to be processed over at least one unaffiliated network like Star, NYCE or Shazam, in addition to Visa or Mastercard. The measure is expected to result in competition over fees, security and service that would save merchants and their customers $17 billion a year, the coalition contends.

Washington, D.C.-based MPC represents retailers, supermarkets, convenience stores, gasoline stations, online merchants, hotels and others fighting for a more competitive and transparent card system that’s fair to consumers and merchants.

LOC Software, a retail management software provider, and Diebold Nixdorf, a global provider of checkout technology solutions, have partnered to simplify self-checkout solution implementation for retailers and enhance customer experiences with a fast, efficient, user-friendly system.

Laval, Quebec-based LOC’s ThriVersA software runs natively on Diebold Nixdorf’s self-checkout and kiosk systems, which will be mainly manufactured at the latter company’s global headquarters in North Canton, Ohio. ThriVersA’s unique design allows stores to use a single database for transactions of Diebold Nixdorf’s self-service solutions, point-of-sale (POS) terminals, or mobile devices. Additionally, its flexible-screen design allows cashiers and customers to easily navigate through workflows, helping stores optimize retail performance.

[RELATED: Diebold Nixdorf Shores Up In-House Production of Checkout and Kiosk Systems]

Diebold Nixdorf’s retail technology allows grocery and C-store operators to confidently deploy self-service solutions. Its self-checkout and kiosk systems are highly modular and open. Diebold Nixdorf also prioritizes service support, employing more than 2,000 technicians in North America to provide expert service when necessary.

“The Open Retailing approach is a key element of Diebold Nixdorf’s self-service solution design, ensuring a smooth interaction of both solutions,” said Ed McCabe, head of retail sales North America at Diebold Nixdorf. 

Diverse solutions are immediately available.

Tops Markets LLC is helping consumers make the most out of summer while staying on budget. With the launch of its new Hot Spot for Summer Savings, the grocer is offering locked-in low prices on hundreds of brand favorites. 

“Customers are looking for both convenience and value — and that’s exactly what we’re delivering,” said Ron Ferri, Tops president. “We’re locking in low prices on key items all summer long with Hot Spot, while still offering the best weekly deals in town. It’s about giving families more ways to save, without giving up the brands they love.” 

Shoppers will find savings on essentials, including: 

• Grill favorites like lean ground beef, hot dogs and fresh rolls 

• Condiments and locally made sauces 

• Beverages, from sparkling water to lemonade 

• Paper goods and pantry basics 

Tops joins other grocers in lowering prices this summer. Wegmans, Meijer, The Save Mart Companies, Giant Food and El Rancho Supermercado are all offering their own deals on seasonal essentials.