The Hershey reported a net sales increase of nearly 6%, driven by core brand volume. Consolidated net sales were $1.8 billion for the first quarter ended March 31, compared with $1.7 billion for the same period last year.

Virtual Piggy, an online service that allows parents to monitor their children's online shopping behavior, has appointed Iain Herd as global mobile product director.

Allow me to be the group historian for a minute. Does anyone remember, in 1984, the "Crafted with Pride in the U.S.A." advertising campaign, spearheaded by the late Roger Milliken, and funded by a consortium of fiber, chemical and textile companies? This was supposed to have instilled enough patriotism in the consumer to buy goods made in America at a furious enough rate to keep manufacturing here on our soil.

Target strengthened its sustainability rep recently with the addition of EcoScraps, a provider of organic, chemical- and manure-free lawn and garden products, to its lineup.

A report released Friday by the National Retail Federation and Hackett Associates estimated that retail imports will increase 8.5% in February, after a contract deal between the East Coast and Gulf Coast dockworkers is finalized.

U.S. commissaries could face severe cuts if Congress fails reach a budget, leaving many military families without the benefits they rely on to make ends meet, according to the Coalition to Save Our Military Shopping Benefits.

CVS Caremark executives expressed optimism going into 2013 and outlined its strategic growth framework, which leverages the company’s unique integrated model, during its annual Analyst Day held on Thursday in New York City.

Walmart is introducing a first-of-its-kind Centers of Excellence program that will offer its associates quality health care with no out-of-pocket cost for heart, spine and transplant surgeries at six of the leading hospital and health systems in the United States.

Macy’s and Toys"R"Us -- likely the two retailers most associated with Christma -- have joined together for a unique retail partnership.

Same-store sales at Target increased 2.1% during September, in line with expectations for a low single-digit increase, and the company said it would discontinue reporting monthly results in 2013.

Whirlpool took the top spot amongst major appliance companies in the 2012 annual American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI).