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It’s been another week with far more retail news than there is time in the day. Below, we break down some things you may have missed during the week and what we’re still thinking about.
From Pop-Tarts collaboration with spicy seasonings to Amazon’s latest union vote, here’s our closeout for the week.
What you may have missed
Home Depot wants to find you a job
In order to help address the skilled labor shortage in the U.S., The Home Depot on Tuesday announced that it launched a new jobseeker marketplace in order to connect tradespeople to people hiring in the construction and home improvement industries.
Jobseekers can go to PathtoPro.com and create a profile, upload their resume and add photos of their work. The site features skill badges that visually indicate if a person seeking work has accredited training, is a veteran or has graduated from The Home Depot’s training program.
“The Path to Pro Network was designed to provide jobseekers with new career networking opportunities in the trades,” Eric Schelling, vice president of global talent acquisition at The Home Depot, said in a statement. “Building a profile in the Path to Pro Network is the best way to showcase to potential employers that you have what it takes to work in the skilled trades.”
California axes the Pink Tax
A new law in California now bans companies from charging a higher price on products based on gender, commonly known as the Pink Tax. Studies have shown that products marketed to women cost more than similar products targeted at men.
The bill was signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom and, “prohibits a business establishment from discriminating against a person because of the person’s gender with respect to the price charged for services of similar or like kind.”
Peloton’s chief people officer announces departure
The at-home fitness brand’s Chief People Officer Shari Eaton is leaving Peloton, according to a LinkedIn post this week.
Eaton thanked CEO Barry McCarthy in the post, saying “Thank you Barry McCarthy for believing in me and trusting me to work alongside you during this important transformational time…I do not want my departure to call into question how much I believe in the power of this brand and the goodness it brings to 7 million members worldwide.”
The news follows Peloton’s announcement earlier this month that it would cut 500 jobs after losing more than $100 million on retail last year. The brand’s head of marketing and the chief commercial officer also departed the company over the past several weeks.
Retail Therapy
Have you considered hot sauce on Pop-Tarts?
In a collaboration that could change breakfast flavor profiles, toaster pastry brand Pop-Tarts is releasing a limited-edition curated box with spicy seasoning brand Tajín, according to a company press release.
The box will include Tajín’s classic spicy seasoning known for being sprinkled on fruit, its new fruity hot sauce and three types of Pop-Tarts, including Peach cobbler and Frosted Strawberry.
"With fall upon us, Pop-Tarts is a warm and new way to experience this universal product," Javier Leyva, director of Tajín USA, said in a statement. "Our well-balanced blend of mild chili peppers, sea salt and dehydrated lime and the new Fruity Chamoy Hot Sauce pair perfectly with Pop-Tarts' fruit flavored filling, frosting and flaky crust."
Each box will cost $10 and are available for purchase starting next Tuesday. Nothing will wake you up in the morning quite like a breakfast pastry with hot sauce on it.
What we’re still thinking about
+28%
Visits to Target stores were up nearly 28% year over year during its October Deal Days sales event, according to data from foot traffic analytics firm Placer.ai. Early holiday sales seem to have become a permanent feature of the retail calendar since the pandemic started. This year, consumers are on the hunt for a good deal.
Amazon and others have also held early holiday sales. While Target traffic was up over last year's October sale, it fell short of its Labor Day sale, as Amazon's October event was estimated to have fallen short of Prime Day in July (while still taking plenty of revenue).
-31%
That's the decline of operating profit in Hasbro's consumer products segment in the third quarter compared to 2021. The toy giant attributed the profit hit to costs and markdowns tied to inventory overhangs. The overages come after the company stocked up on inventory earlier in the year to manage supply chain bottlenecks, only to run into a sudden change in demand as consumers pulled back on discretionary purchases. Executives said their goal is to work through the inventory by the end of the year.
What we’re watching
Labor leaders may appeal after Amazon warehouse workers overwhelmingly reject union in New York
The Amazon Labor Union plans to appeal the results of a Monday union election at an Albany, New York-area warehouse facility, according to a report from pro-labor publication More Perfect Union retweeted by ALU leader Christian Smalls. Warehouse workers voted 406 to 206 to reject organizing, according to a tally conducted Tuesday by the National Labor Relations Board.
Neither the union nor Smalls immediately responded to a request for comment on the election or a possible appeal.
“We’re glad that our team in Albany was able to have their voices heard, and that they chose to keep the direct relationship with Amazon as we think that this is the best arrangement for both our employees and customers,” Amazon Spokesperson Kelly Nantel said in an emailed statement. “We will continue to work directly with our teammates in Albany, as we do everywhere, to keep making Amazon better every day."
The union prevailed in April at a Staten Island warehouse, but has struggled elsewhere, including at another Staten Island facility and in two attempts in Bessemer, Alabama. The efforts are part of a larger wave of labor organization at a time of rising support of unions in the U.S. Many retailers including Amazon say they recognize collective bargaining as a civil right. However, Amazon last year paid consultants nearly $4.3 million to help it defeat union efforts.
via https://www.aiupnow.com
Retail Dive Staff, Khareem Sudlow
