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Big retailers’ fortunes are diverging as the holiday shopping season gets underway. On Wednesday, Target cited “lingering softness in discretionary categories” as a top factor in its disappointing third-quarter sales, as many budget-conscious shoppers continue to focus on necessities. It’s the latest sign that discounts will be the driving force this holiday season, as they’ve been for much of this year. “We’re starting to get back to normal here.”U.S. retail sales rose 0.4% overall in October, federal data showed last month, beating analysts’ forecasts. In the meantime, the steady expansion of e-commerce looks set to continue this holiday season.

Persons: ”, Brad Thomas, they’ve, TJ Maxx, John David Rainey, “ We’re, “ They’re, they’re, ” Thomas, Matthew Shay, TransUnion, Neil Saunders, Saunders, Helene, Milton, who’ve, ” Saunders Organizations: Target, Walmart, KeyBanc, Marshalls, CNBC, “, National Retail Federation, GlobalData, NBC

☆ Tom's of Maine toothpaste contained bacteria-contaminated water, FDA says
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-20 | by ( Marlene Lenthang | Marlene Lenthang Is A Breaking News Reporter For Nbc News Digital. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

Tom’s of Maine said in a statement Wednesday that it is working with the FDA and remedying issues raised from the May inspection. That water was used to manufacture Tom’s Simply White clean mint paste and for the final rinse of numerous equipment cleaning processes, the letter said. “Batches manufactured after these incidents were released based on the microbial testing of the finished OTC product despite the quality of the water used as a component or to clean the equipment,” the FDA letter said. The investigator “also observed powder residues at a stainless-steel tray” near a batch of Tom’s Silly Strawberry anticavity toothpaste. We are also making capital investments as part of an ongoing, significant upgrade of the Sanford plant’s water system."

Persons: —, insidiosa, yeei, “, Tom’s Organizations: FDA, Colgate, Palmolive, Centers for Disease Control, NBC News Locations: Maine, Sanford , Maine, Sanford

☆ A brief history of America's love affair with fluoridated water — and why it's now up for debate
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-12 | by ( Hilary Brueck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

Nearly 63% of the US population has fluoridated water flowing through their taps, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Hawaii is the only US state without any fluoride in municipal taps; fluoridated water is only available there on military bases. As such, fluoridated water is now mandated on any military base with more than 3,300 people. Rumors have circulated that drinking fluoridated water can lead to bone cancer (osteosarcoma), but long-term studies from both the UK and US haven't found any credible evidence of higher rates in areas where people drink fluoridated water. Their review concluded that some studies of fluoride consumption have found links between higher fluoride water levels and lower IQs in kids.

Persons: Trump, he'll, —, Robert F, Kennedy Jr, Donald Trump's, Biden, Kennedy, He's, Mark Ralston, Leonard Ortiz, Nina Simone, Michael Ochs, Matthias Balk, Anthony Kim, Frank Albert Charles Burke, Obama, Ashley Malin, Malin, Oliva Organizations: RFK Jr, Service, Centers for Disease Control, Prevention, Getty, MediaNews, Orange, NBC, Environmental Protection Agency, Michael Ochs Archives, US Public Health Service, Waimanalo Health Clinic, Honolulu Civil, Calgary, US Department of Defense, Fairfax Media, National Toxicology, University of Florida, Denver, EPA Locations: New York, California, Colorado, Zhijin county, China, AFP, Midwest, Colorado Springs , Colorado, Oakley , Idaho, Arkansas, Grand Rapids , Michigan, , New Mexico, Hawaii, Honolulu, Canada, Alberta, Australia, United States, India, Iran, Pakistan, Mexico, Grand Rapids

☆ Stores don’t sell your favorite product anymore. That’s on purpose
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-08 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

That’s just one example of companies eliminating an endless assortment of products to boost profit. Hormel is cutting some pepperoni products. Cutting products boosted companies’ profit margins by 0.9% compared to 2019, L.E.K. The strategy is going to make customers’ choices “a little simpler” and reduce re-stocking work for store employees, he said. Companies can upset customers who are loyal to a specific version of a product, pushing them to switch to another brand or stores’ private-label versions.

Persons: New York CNN — Pepperoni, Applegate, Jennie, Hormel, ”, That’s, Gene J, Rob Wilson, Levi’s, Todd Vasos, Scott Olson, Gina Goetter, Bob Eddy, Taco Bell, David Garfield, “ We’ve Organizations: New, New York CNN, CNN, Companies, L.E.K, Consulting, Starbucks, Hasbro, Dollar, BJ’s Wholesale, Walmart Locations: New York, Turkey, mayo, Asia

☆ In leaked internal meeting, Amazon retail chief says sales of cheaper items are surging
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-07 | by ( Eugene Kim | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Amazon's sales of cheap items are surging, driven by faster delivery speeds, executive says. Over 50% of those everyday essentials are now delivered on the same or next day, he added. "And these are especially the low-priced everyday essentials, the things that most households purchase every week." The goal has been to not only speed up deliveries, but also make it less expensive for the company to offer faster delivery. 'Real positive'During last month's analyst call, Jassy added that the growth of cheaper items is a "real positive" because it is predicated on faster delivery speeds.

Persons: —, Doug Herrington, Herrington, Amazon's, Andy Jassy, Jassy, Brian Olsavsky, Mark Mahaney, Mahaney Organizations: Service, Business, Reuters, Amazon, HH

☆ How to Brush Your Teeth, According to Dentists
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-06 | by ( Bethany Heitman | Bethany Heitman Is A Contributing Editor At Nbc Select. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +10 min

If you want to do everything you can to maintain good mouth health, there is a right way to brush your teeth. SKIP AHEAD What you need to brush your teeth | How to brush your teeth properly | Essentials for brushing your teethWhat you need to brush your teethWhen you think of brushing your teeth, a good toothbrush and some toothpaste is probably what comes to mind. But, according to experts, floss and mouthwash are also super necessary to keep your teeth and gums clean. How to brush your teeth properlyYou have your tools, now you’re ready to brush. For this story, she interviewed experts on how to properly brush your teeth.

Persons: ”, Scott Cardall, “, Aditi Gupta, ” Gupta, flossing, Gupta, “ It’s, It’s, Jordan Bowman, Bethany Heitman, TikTok Organizations: Dental, American Dental Association, Texas Dental Association, NBC, Delicious, CPC, Facebook, Twitter Locations: fester, Orem Orthodontics, Utah, Texas, Colgate

☆ Special mud rubbed on all MLB baseballs has unique, 'magical' properties, study finds
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-04 | by ( Evan Bush | Evan Bush Is A Science Reporter For Nbc News. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

The Summary For years, a special mud has been rubbed on every baseball before every major league game to make them less slippery. Called Lena Blackburne Baseball Rubbing Mud, it comes from a single source: a secret spot along the banks of a tributary of the Delaware River. The magic mud is applied to every ball used in Major League Baseball, including in this year’s World Series. The authors concluded that any attempt to create a synthetic substance to replace the mud — something Major League Baseball has explored — would be foolish. An undated photo shows Burns Bintliff, a prior owner of Lena Blackburne Rubbing Mud, with a can of mud.

Persons: Lena Blackburne, Jim Bintliff, ”, Doug Jerolmack, Mark Griffey, ” Jerolmack, Carl Mays, Ray Chapman, ’, ” Bintliff, Burns Bintliff, Blackburne, Bintliff, Shravan Pradeep, Paulo Arratia, Xiangyu Chen, Felipe Macera, Emanuela Del Gado, Del Gado, Rob Manfred Organizations: MLB, University of Pennsylvania, National Academy of Sciences, Major League Baseball, Penn Engineering, New York Yankees, Cleveland, National League, Baseball Hall of Fame, Philadelphia Athletics, Dodgers, Penn, Georgetown University’s Institute, Little League, National Football League teams, Dow Chemical Locations: Delaware, New Jersey

☆ Rise of Middle-Class Shoplifters: Americans Are Stealing From Stores
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-03 | by ( Emily Stewart | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +18 min

And before you ask, no, he doesn't feel bad about it, especially when he pilfers from Whole Foods. AdvertisementBut there's also a lot we don't know about retail theft. "No, I don't feel bad about stealing from Jeff Bezos," one 20-something occasional shoplifter in Washington, DC, told me. "It doesn't feel like a world in which I can really get by and build a life very easily anymore, " he said. Advertisement"If most of this is happening in Walgreens and Walmart and places like that, I don't know, is it a problem?"

Persons: Carson's, he's, Carson, He's, shoplifts, Jeff Bezos, there's, it's, Joshua Jacobson, California who's, —, that's, Ernesto Lopez, they've, Jeff Prusan, Joe Schmoes, they're, Keith, shoplifter, That's, Donovan, Donovan's, snagging, she's, Jacobson, Jeff Bezos isn't, David Johnston, we're, hasn't, Emily Stewart Organizations: Walmart, Foods, Amazon, National Association of, Criminal, Atlantic, Depot, Target, Guardian, National Retail Federation, Business Locations: New York, California, Washington ,, Atlanta, Texas, Illinois, Walgreens

☆ Hotels are leaning into their spookier sides to sell ‘rooms with a boo’
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-29 | by ( Blane Bachelor | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

Perhaps unsurprisingly, more and more hotels are happy to show off their spookier side as a result. “They ditched the [premise of], ‘Oh, people may be scared,’ and said, ‘Wow, people will come and I can market it, so we’re a haunted hotel,’” said Melchiorri. The inspiration for Stephen King’s novel-turned-film “The Shining,” the 420-room grande dame, whose imposing facade is nearly as dramatic as its Rocky Mountains backdrop, is arguably the world’s most famous haunted hotel. From a messaging and marketing perspective, hotels should share their ghost stories or spooky lore “in a way that they don’t surprise anyone,” Orr said. “My experience is, whether they will admit it or not, most hotels have something that goes bump in the night,” Hunnings said.

Persons: Brian Hunnings, you’re, “, Anthony Melchiorri, ”, Katherine Orr, Elizabeth Harlow, Stephen King's, Helen H, Richardson, ’ earshot, ’, ’ ”, Stephen King’s, Stephen King Suite, –, Steve Azar, Vincent Alban, Hunnings, ” Hunnings, ” Steven Azar, Gifford, Azar, Don’t, ” Azar, Kumar Sriskandan, ” Orr, chambermaid Sallie White, Orr Organizations: CNN, Red Cliffs, CNN Travel, Hotels of America, Hospitality, Hyatt, Marriott, Denver Post, National Retail Federation, Stanley Film Center, Boston Globe, Cliffs, of Film, Western Heritage, “ Cornell Hospitality Quarterly, Alamo Locations: Red, Moab , Utah, Colorado, Estes Park , Colorado, Gifford, Provincetown, Moab, Provincetown , Massachusetts, San Antonio , Texas

☆ Earnings will drive the stock market in the week ahead. That's a good thing
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-13 | by ( Kevin Stankiewicz | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

In Friday's look at wholesale inflation, the producer price index was unchanged month over month . We'll hear from Club holdings Morgan Stanley and Abbott Laboratories on Wednesday morning. Morgan Stanley: The ongoing recovery in investment banking will be front and center. That was a key theme in the second quarter , and the hope is that the July-to-September period showed a continuation of the trend for Morgan Stanley. Morgan Stanley has been strong lately, though.

Persons: Jim Cramer, Jim, Gamble, — Wells, industrials, Goldman Sachs, ASML, Morgan Stanley, Morgan Stanley's, Louis, Abbott, Charles Schwab, Johnson, JB Hunt, Kinder Morgan, Huntington, Jim Cramer's, Charly Triballeau Organizations: Club, Dow Jones, Nasdaq, Procter, Federal, JPMorgan, —, Tech, . Utilities, UnitedHealth, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Labs, NEC, Abbott, Food and Drug Administration, Walgreens Boots Alliance, Citigroup, Bank of America, United Airlines, Interactive, US Bancorp, Citizens, Alcoa, PPG Industries, CSX, Truist, Netflix, Crown Holdings, American Express, Gamble, CNBC, New York Stock Exchange, Financial, Afp, Getty Locations: Wells, U.S, Wells Fargo, St, Taiwan, New York City

☆ Earnings playbook: The first big week of the season includes reports from Netflix and big banks
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-13 | by ( Fred Imbert | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Last quarter: Bank of America jumped after saying a rebound in net interest income was coming . What history shows: Bank of America shares have risen in 10 of the last 12 earnings days, according to Bespoke Investment Group. What history shows: Netflix tends to struggle on earnings days, averaging a slight decline, according to Bespoke. Shares have also fallen in two of the last three earnings days, including a 9.1% drop in April. What history shows: Bespoke data shows Procter & Gamble beats earnings expectations 85% of the time.

Persons: Goldman Sachs, Wells, Hugh Son, Goldman, Leslie Josephs, Wednesday Morgan Stanley, Morgan Stanley, Bryan Kraft, Kraft, Procter & Gamble, Procter, Lauren Lieberman Organizations: Netflix, Procter, Gamble, Big, Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, BlackRock, Tuesday Bank of America, CNBC, Investment, LSEG, JPMorgan, United Airlines, U.S, Delta, Wednesday, Deutsche Bank, Procter &, Barclays Locations: Wells Fargo, U.S, China

During the Amazon Prime Day sale today October 8th and 9th, you can snag one of these at-home kits at a fraction of the price. There's certainly no shortage of teeth whitening products to choose from these days, but Crest 3D Whitestrips remain the number one dentist-recommended option. New York City orthodontist Dr. Janet Stoess-Allen, DMD, previously told Business Insider that she often suggests her patients try Crest Whitestrips. The good news: there's a Crest Whitestrips deal for everyone during the Prime Day sale. Check out our roundup of all of the best Prime Day deals, or browse Amazon's website for the full selection.

Persons: There's, Dr, Janet Stoess, Allen, DMD, Stoess, there's, it's Organizations: Business, Amazon Prime, Prime Locations: York City

One of the best discounts we've seen is the Arm & Hammer Power Sheets Laundry Detergent, marked 50% off, an all-time low price. Below, we've curated the best Prime Day household essential deals. For other categories, visit our Prime Day deals hub. View at AmazonThe best Amazon Prime Day deals on bathroom essentialsThe best Amazon Prime Day deals on health essentialsiHealth COVID-19 Antigen Rapid Test, 5 Tests $27.44 $44.95 Save 39% Unfortunately, COVID season is upon us and now is the time to stock up on COVID tests before holiday travel. Check out our roundup of all of the best Prime Day deals, or browse Amazon's website for the full selection.

Persons: we've Organizations: Business

The widespread use of toothpaste and mouthwashes with added fluoride in recent decades appears to have diminished the known public health benefits of water fluoridation, a new study suggests. Hundreds of U.S. communities, from Amery, Wisconsin, to Union County, North Carolina, are opting out of water fluoridation. Still, she noted, “contemporary studies are showing that water fluoridation is beneficial.”Before fluoride toothpastes were widely available to consumers, adding the mineral to water provided a clear benefit to teeth. Fast-forward to 2024: About 75% of the U.S. population has tap water with added fluoride at recommended levels of 0.7 milligrams per liter of water. “Water fluoridation is still effective at reducing cavities,” he said.

Persons: “, ”, Anne, Marie Glenny, That’s, ” Glenny, Johnny Johnson, Janet Clarkson, Clark Organizations: University of Manchester, U.S . Environmental, Agency, Cochrane, American Dental Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, Centers for Disease Control, Society, University of Dundee Locations: United Kingdom, U.S, Amery , Wisconsin, Union County , North Carolina, California, Australia, Grand Rapids , Michigan, Scotland

Furniture and other manufactured goods, especially machinery like farm equipment, vehicles and auto parts, could also be disrupted, the lobbying group said. “There’s no reason for people to go out and do like we did during Covid and hoard,” Ellen said. There’s no reason for people to go out and do like we did during Covid and hoard. “There’s no reason to panic,” he said, adding that many companies and freight operators have spent months preparing for the strike. Agresta advised consumers to consider similar products and local options if shortages arise for perishable goods, including produce.

Persons: feedstocks, ” Ellen, Andy Ellen, Joseph Agresta, tammytheblackprepper, Agresta, ”, Ron Vachris, “ Organizations: North Carolina Retail, Rutgers Business School, Walmart, Costco Locations: Canada, Mexico, West Coast

☆ Here are Monday's biggest analyst calls: Nvidia, Amazon, Tesla, Meta, Disney, Apple, Uber, JPMorgan Chase & more
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-30 | by ( Michael Bloom | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Morgan Stanley upgrades Blackline to overweight from equal weight Morgan Stanley said the software company is undervalued. Morgan Stanley upgrades US Bancorp to overweight from equal weight Morgan Stanley said U.S. Bancorp is well-positioned going forward. Barclays reiterates Tesla as equal weight Barclays says it's not sure the EV maker's upcoming robotaxi day will be a game changer. Morgan Stanley reiterates Apple as overweight Morgan Stanley says the iPhone 16 cycle remains "unchanged" for now for Apple. Morgan Stanley downgrades JPMorgan to equal weight from overweight Morgan Stanley sees better value elsewhere than shares of JPMorgan.

Persons: Wolfe, Hess, Brent, Morgan Stanley, reprice, Cantor Fitzgerald, Cantor, Tesla, it's, Uber, Apple, Goldman Sachs, Goldman, JPMorgan, Piper Sandler, Piper, Forman, Gamble, TD Cowen Organizations: Chevron, Bancorp, U.S, MU, Autodesk, Barclays, Citi, Meta, Apple, Pro, Westlake, Resources, JPMorgan, DIS, Brown, Barclays downgrades Procter, Accenture, UBS, Brookfield, Partners Locations: AVGO, ASML, TER, OW, 4Q24

☆ A retired boomer splits his time between Nebraska and Mexico. He says life is affordable in Puerto Vallarta and there's a lively LGBTQ+ community.
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-26 | by ( John Towfighi | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

MacKenzie, 67, owns a condo in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, with his husband, Darin Templeton. AdvertisementMacKenzie said it was important to visit Mexico and become accustomed to the lifestyle before committing to buying a condo there. In fact, they vacationed in Puerto Vallarta multiple times over six years before purchasing a condo in 2017. He said it feels like "there are more gay bars and clubs" in Puerto Vallarta than in Manhattan, adding that Puerto Vallarta is considered a top LGBTQ+ destination in Latin America. A dinner on Bill MacKenzie's terrace in Puerto Vallarta Courtesy of Bill MacKenzieMacKenzie said Puerto Vallarta has an active foreign population, and his condo complex has residents from Canada, Australia, Panama, and more.

Persons: —, Bill MacKenzie, MacKenzie, Darin Templeton, Templeton, Nebraska MacKenzie, Templeton —, Bill MacKenzie MacKenzie, Mexico MacKenzie, Mackenzie, Bill Organizations: Service, Business, Social Security Administration, Nebraska, Creighton University, Nebraska — Locations: Mexico, Puerto Vallarta, Omaha, San Diego, Sarpy, Nebraska, Bluffs , Iowa, Omaha . Iowa, California, Florida , Texas, Arizona, Florida, Southern California, Manhattan, America, Canada, Australia, Panama, American

☆ America’s stores are winning the war on shoplifting
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-13 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

New York CNN —A year ago, America’s stores declared a shoplifting epidemic. Target also closed nine stores, saying “theft and organized retail crime” threatened worker and customer safety and made business unsustainable. Many retailers’ merchandise losses have stabilized or improved, and chains have publicly dialed back their rhetoric. Their shrink rate — lost inventory as a percentage of sales — is their best estimate for items that go missing. The shoplifting rate in the first half of 2024 was also 10% higher than in the first half of 2019.

Persons: Target, “, Michael Fiddelke, Lindsey Nicholson, Gavin Newsom, ”, Michael Baker, DA Davidson, Donald Trump, William Blair, Walgreens ’, James Kehoe, ” Neil Saunders, “ That’s, it’s, Baker, ” Baker, David Johnston, Duane Reade, Angela Weiss, Ernesto Lopez, Edgar Dworsky, “ We’ve, ” Johnston Organizations: New, New York CNN, Target, Getty, “, DA, CNN, Companies, National Retail Federation, Criminal, Retailers Locations: New York, Queens , New York, California, New York City

☆ Why people are taking photos of their airport trays now
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-08 | by ( Maureen O'Hare | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

However, the trend is ruffling more than a few feathers, due to the airport security line being one of the top places in the world where it’s imperative to avoid dilly-dallying. Let’s also not forget that with all those shoes passing through security trays, you may as well be laying your items straight out on the floor. In 2018, a European study found that airport trays are the least hygienic part of the airport, carrying more germs than toilets. So while hand sanitizer doesn’t typically feature in these airport tray photos and videos, it should probably play a key part in the aftercare. “As long as the staged glamor photos are not causing delays or issues with other passengers in the checkpoint, there are no issues.

Persons: ”, “, Louis Vuitton, yall, Let’s, Faber, Piper Taich, Gen Organizations: CNN, New York Post, TSA, Metro, Adidas Gazelles, Chelsea, Amazon, US Transport Security Administration Locations: bookshelves, “, JFK, New York, Chicago

☆ Amazon aggregators Branded and Heyday plan to merge as once-booming industry continues to shrink
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-26 | by ( Annie Palmer | In Annierpalmer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Amazon aggregators Branded and Heyday plan to merge, CNBC has learned, as a segment of the e-commerce industry that boomed during the Covid era continues to consolidate. The new name will be officially rolled out in the coming days, and the combined companies are expected to generate annual revenue of $400 million, Rymarz wrote. Heyday and Branded are part of the crowded and turbulent market of Amazon seller aggregators. Prior to the deal with Paris-based Branded, Heyday explored a possible tie-up with Dragonfly, whose backers include L Catterton, before the talks fell apart, CNBC previously reported. WATCH: What's behind the hype and billion-dollar aggregators buying Amazon sellers

Persons: Sebastian Rymarz, Rymarz, Aggregators, Jared Kushner's, highflier Thrasio, aggregators Organizations: CNBC, Apollo Global Management, BlackRock, Bloomberg, Companies, Jared Kushner's Affinity Partners Locations: New York, Silicon Valley, BlackRock, Paris

SKIP AHEAD Best at-home teeth whitening products | How I picked the best teeth whiteners | Which teeth whitening product is right for you? The best at-home teeth whitening productsWith expert guidance in mind, I rounded up a handful of at-home teeth whitening products across types and price points. Best teeth whitening strips and traysIf you have sensitive teeth, I recommend Lumineux’s whitening strips since they don’t contain peroxides or bleaches that can be painful for those with sensitive teeth, according to the brand. Whitening toothpaste: Whitening toothpaste primarily relies on abrasives to help remove surface stains on teeth, according to the ADA. Teeth whitening trays: Teeth whitening trays are similar to whitening strips — they adhere to teeth and whiten using active ingredients while you wear them.

Persons: Ilona Casellini, Matt Messina, you’ve, ”, Messina, TikTok Organizations: Colgate, Burt's Bees, NBC, ADA, Apple, The Ohio State University College of Dentistry, Arlington Dentistry, Facebook, Twitter Locations: Los Angeles , California, Ohio, Arlington, Messina, “

☆ Locked-up merchandise is turning off shoppers at CVS, Walgreens, and other big drugstores
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-11 | by ( Alex Bitter | Dominick Reuter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Read previewDrugstores like CVS, Walgreens, and Rite Aid have long been the spots where you can pick up essentials like a can of soup or some Tylenol in addition to your prescriptions. Another appears to show a Rite Aid store with an even wider selection of locked-up merchandise, including tortilla chips and microwavable ramen. Rite Aid did not immediately respond to a request for comment. She said she even avoids taking orders that involve shopping at one particular Walgreens store due to all the locked-up goods there. Do you work at CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid, or another drugstore chain and have a story idea to share?

Persons: —, that's, Neil Saunders, Saunders, Duane Reade, Walgreens execs, Tim Wentworth, GlobalData's Saunders, dreuter@businessinsider.com Organizations: Service, Walgreens, Rite, Business, Global, CVS, Rite Aid, Companies, Walmart, Target Locations: Brooklyn , New York, Nevada

☆ Perfumes, Candles, Toothpaste — Vanilla Is in Everything. And It’s Under Threat. - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-04 | by ( Aimee Nezhukumatathil | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Once you notice vanilla, you’ll smell it everywhere. From custard to candles, we live in a world suffused with vanilla. Extracted from the bean pod of a delicate orchid, vanilla must be grown under exceptionally precise conditions along a very narrow band of the earth, between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. In 2017, a Category 4-equivalent cyclone decimated an estimated 30 percent of the vanilla vines in Madagascar, which produces 80 percent of the vanilla used around the globe. As a result, the price of vanilla bean pods surged to nearly $300 a pound.

Organizations: University of Oxford, Karolinska Institute, Cancer Locations: Sweden, Madagascar, Mexico, Tahiti

☆ Costco just increased its membership prices — here are 8 things that make the annual fees worth it, as an employee
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-29 | by ( Veronica Thatcher | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

From saving money by bulk-buying groceries to taking advantage of executive membership rewards, there are tons of reasons it's beneficial to shop at the warehouse. AdvertisementThe warehouse has a very flexible return policy on most merchandiseCostco has a flexible return policy with guaranteed customer satisfaction. The executive membership, in particular, offers great perksI love the rewards I earn through my Costco executive membership. On the other hand, the executive membership gives customers 2% cash-back rewards on qualified purchases. I'd say my family of four saves almost $1,000 each year, not including the 2% cash-back rewards I accumulate through my executive membership.

Persons: —, Veronica Thatcher, Veronica Thatcher Costco Organizations: Service, Costco, Business

☆ A boomer living on $1,680 Social Security and SNAP struggles to afford food: 'It has kept me very isolated.'
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-25 | by ( Allie Kelly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

What's more, her $23 in SNAP doesn't go very far at the grocery store — maybe it covers a few packages of frozen vegetables, a carton of milk, and some chicken. AdvertisementShe relies on her Social Security for income — an amount that comes out to $1,680 a month, according to documents viewed by BI. AdvertisementOn her limited income, Rita said she can feel lonely. Are you living paycheck to paycheck on Social Security? Have you chosen to take Social Security early or delay benefits?

Persons: —, Rita hasn't, Rita, She's, it's, wouldn't, hadn't, she's Organizations: Service, SNAP, Business, Social, BI, Income, Northwestern Mutual, Social Security, Security Locations: Pekin , Illinois, Chicago, Pekin

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