Published on: July 8, 2009
• The
Los Angeles Times reports this morning that concerns about minors buying alcohol at self-serve checkouts has resulted in the California State Senate considering a bill that would require stores to have live checkout personnel process all alcohol sales. The bill already has been passed by the state Assembly, and has garnered significant community support.
According to the story, “If approved, the legislation would also would have an outsize effect on Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market stores. That chain, which uses self-service checkout exclusively, would have to adjust its model or give up lucrative alcohol sales.”
• The
Seattle Times reports that the city of Bellevue, Washington, is considering “an ordinance that would fine stores that don't collect carts, make taking a cart more than 100 feet from store property a civil infraction, and require signs to educate people about the law.” However, the story concedes that herding carts is roughly akin to herding cats … but the legislation is seen as necessary to resolve a problem that is perceived as having gotten out of control.
“In Portland,” the
Times writes, “grocers came together and started a cart collection service that sweeps the metropolitan area six days a week, 10 hours a day, and picks up 3,000 carts a month, said Joe Gilliam, the Northwest Grocery Association's president. If nongrocers with shopping carts joined the service, he estimates the number would grow to 6,000 a month.”
• Hawaii-based QSI Inc., the parent company of Times Supermarkets, which operates a dozen stores on Oahu, will acquire seven Star Markets - four on Oahu, two on Maui, and one on Kauai. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed.