Perimeter

UNITED KINGDOM -- In a move that U.S. retailers may likely copy, Wal-Mart-owned Asda in the United Kingdom said it is removing salt from its entire range of canned vegetables. As a result, customers will consume 168 metric tons less salt each year.

SETPEMBER 6, 2005 -- One week after Hurricane Katrina's fury was unleashed on the Gulf Coast region -- leaving thousands homeless, hungry, and worse -- retailers continue looking for ways to help. Several companies late last week were sending truckloads -- and even planeloads -- of product to local relief agencies and needy refugees, while many more are jumping in to collect customer donations for American Red Cross and other organizations.

CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Piggly Wiggly Carolina Company here is expanding and renovating its supermarket at The Plaza at Shelter Cove shopping center in Hilton Head, a popular resort area in coastal South Carolina, to keep up with its customers' upscale tastes.

From HEB to Publix and beyond, the grocers most committed to Hispanics are learning not to get lost in the translation.

CARTERET, N.J. -- Just in time for the long Labor Day weekend, Pathmark will open a 55,500-square-foot prototype store in an ethnically diverse part of Philadelphia, featuring what the company says are many new merchandising concepts.

With an emphasis on good nutrition, innovative products, and savvy merchandising, retailers and manufacturers of natural/organic branded and private label RTE cereals are proving that health sells.

As the devastation grows in Hurricane Katrina's wake, grocers in the South and beyond do their best to cope, and to help. Here are some of the latest developments.

General merchandise and HBC have gone from grocery's stepchildren to leading players in Stop & Shop's prototype format.