Retail News

S&P Dow Jones Indices, which manages the Dow Jones industrial average of 30 stocks, will remove Kraft Foods Inc. from the index effective Sept.

Food prices rose 1.7 percent last month with higher dairy product prices representing about one-third of the increase, which was the largest since November, Reuters said.

Beef Products Inc., a maker of lean, finely textured beef, has filed a defamation lawsuit and is seeking $1.2 billion in damages from ABC News for allegedly making 200 false, misleading and defamatory statements about its products, the

After shedding some 80 stores since its bankruptcy filing in December 2010, A&P said it will sell its 16 Food Emporium stores based in Manhattan, and the company has begun looking for a buyer,

PepsiCo President John Compton, who has worked for the company for more than 28 years, is leaving the publicly traded giant to run Pilot Flying J, a private company based in Tennessee that operates truck stops and restaurants with annual sales totaling $30 billion,

Walgreen Co. will launch a Balance Rewards loyalty program Sept. 16 at Walgreens and Duane Reade stores, and the company has begun open enrollment online for the program,

As the Northern California grocery retail market becomes more competitive, privately held Raley's is increasing online shopping options and expanding private label products to turn around sales, which declined about 8 percent in 2010 from 2008,

Skokie-based Internet grocery retailer Peapod is going in a new direction by opening three pickup sites for customers in the Chicago suburbs this fall, the Chicago Tribune said.

Hershey has agreed to buy the remaining stake in Godrej Hershey from partner Godrej Industries and another minority shareholder as it seeks to accelerate growth in India,

Tony Vernon, who will lead Kraft Foods Group when it officially launches as a separate entity Oct. 1 said he would focus on increased marketing, particularly advertising, to prevent the company's brand from being lumped with commodities,

Little General Store added four West Virginia locations and its first store in Ohio,

Kroger reported net earnings of $279.1 million or 51 cents per share in the second quarter, compared with $280.1 million or 46 cents a share a year ago, while total sales rose 3.9 percent to $21.73 billion, Reuters said.