Bath & Body Works introduces employee tuition program

The company’s new “Investing in You” program delivers a number of benefits, including an education reimbursement of up to $3,000 annually.

L Catterton acquires Naomi Watts’ Stripes Beauty

As part of the deal, the brand has named ex-Revlon CEO Debra Perelman as executive chair.

Do retailers need active assailant insurance?

Stores and shopping centers are increasingly vulnerable to the death and destruction caused by mass shooters in the U.S.

Under Armour to pay $434M to settle lawsuit that claimed Kevin Plank misled investors

If approved, the agreement requires the retailer to keep its CEO and chair roles separate for three years and install a performance-based condition for some executive stock benefits.

J.C. Penney Q1 loss widens as sales fall 8%

The department store’s start to the year was fairly weak, though improvements to merchandise and some stores have paid off, GlobalData said.

Nike veteran Tania Flynn jumps to Athleta as head of design

Flynn — who spent nearly two decades at the sports giant, most recently as creative director of apparel design — called the move “an exciting step.”

Monos opens second retail store as it plots US expansion

The DTC luggage brand opened a store in Toronto and has plans for eight U.S. locations next year.

DTC EBIT margins ‘meaningfully below’ wholesale, per report

BMO Capital Markets found that brands that grew DTC did not see a notable increase in revenue, merchandise margins, EBIT margins or EBIT dollars.

Arc’teryx, Stanley among fastest-growing outdoor brands

A report from Circana found the two brands led the apparel and equipment accessories segments, respectively, with strong year-over-year growth.

J.C. Penney spends $40M on distribution center upgrades

The retailer installed new automation technology at its plant in Reno, Nevada, as part of a larger investment strategy.

New Balance launches trade-in program in nearly 100 stores

In partnership with Archive, the brand is scaling its Reconsidered program where customers bring in gently worn footwear to receive a voucher toward their next purchase.

Eastern Mountain Sports, Bob’s Stores file for bankruptcy

The chains, in a “liquidity crisis” since their bank found them to be in default, required emergency funding to make payroll Friday.

Dollar General names Walmart vet as chief marketing officer

The retailer also announced the appointment of six others to leadership roles in merchandising, store operations and asset protection. 

Online shoppers are shifting habits in the face of inflation

Nearly two-thirds of respondents said they had changed behaviors as a result of higher prices, according to a recent survey.

Bark leads initiative for dog toy safety

The pet retailer, known for its Super Chewer and Bark Box subscriptions, is working alongside international standards organization ASTM.

Beyond Meat launches next product in fourth generation formula lineup

The plant-based pioneer is furthering its mission to make cleaner-label products by offering new sausage varieties.

Target to roll out generative AI chatbot for store employees

The new tool, dubbed Store Companion, is designed to answer on-the-job process questions and support store operations.

Nike, Converse sue 52 ‘counterfeiting networks’

The businesses named in the lawsuit collectively operate 98 websites and 267 social media handles, and allegedly sell “thousands” of fakes.