Retailers Can Expect 2.5% Increase In 2010 Sales - Report - WSJ

By Andria Cheng


Helped by positive economic signals and improved consumer confidence, retailers should see a 2.5% pick-up in sales this year after a drop by the same percentage amount last year, according to trade group National Retail Federation.



Key economic indicators such as the housing market and employment are beginning to show positive signs, which will lift consumer confidence throughout the year, the Washington-based trade group said Tuesday.



Other factors including strong exports, a turnaround in the inventory cycle, and federal government spending also should aid retailers' results, NRF said. Consumer spending will lag behind overall economic growth, Wells estimated, but will continue to expand at a modest 2% to 2.5% rate.



"While we still expect shoppers to continue to be frugal with their discretionary spending, retailers will soon be able to reap the benefits of leaner, smarter inventories and a year and a half of pent-up consumer demand," said NRF's Chief Economist Rosalind Wells.



The outlook came after retailers reported better-than-expected holiday season sales and limited the profit-eroding discounts that had hurt their performance in 2008 following the fallout of the financial markets.



Retailers from Kohl's Corp. (KSS) and TJX Cos. (TJX) to Saks Inc. (SKS) and Tiffany & Co. (TIF) have either reported better-than-expected holiday sales with some raising their profit outlooks while Target Corp. (TGT) said this month that it's resumed repurchase of its shares, in a move that analysts said signaled the retailer's improved confidence about its outlook.



Still, there are headwinds facing retailers, including higher gasoline prices and an unemployment rate still at a 10% high.



While the percentage of consumers who said bills and debt have caused them to spend less declined to 23.1% from 33.2% last year, those citing gas and home heating bills as causing them to cut spending rose to 18.9% from 8.2% a year ago, according to an America's Research Group and UBS survey of 1,000 shoppers conducted earlier this month. On a bright note, respondents said they are feeling more secure in their jobs, 69.4% versus 54.7% in November, which may be further supportive of improved consumer spending, UBS said. The percentage of shoppers who purchased a new item not on sale also jumped to 15.5% from 4.8% last year.



The survey also showed many consumers are choosing to pay for purchases with cash-type payments instead of a credit card to remain disciplined in shopping.



"The consumer is beginning to loosen up their wallets with incremental discretionary spending likely driven by a sense that the worst of the economic downturn is over, yet consumers seemingly remain very disciplined in their shopping behavior," UBS said in a report Tuesday.



The brokerage firm said the data led it to be selective with exposure to retailers selling non-essential things. Retailers that cater to higher-income female customers--AnnTaylor Stores Corp. (ANN), Chico's FAS Inc. (CHS), Talbots Inc. (LB), J. Crew Group Inc. (JCG), and Anthropologie owner Urban Outfitters Inc. (URBN)--will likely fare well. Teen retailers such as American Eagle Outfitters Inc. (AEO) that focused on denim should also do well.



On the branded apparel and shoe side, Nike Inc. (NKE) is expected to be a winner with the percentage of shoppers who said they plan to buy Nike as part of their athletic apparel and footwear purchase rising to 45% from 34%, UBS said.



Among other retailers, UBS sees Home Depot Inc. (HD) taking share from Lowe's Cos. (LOW). It also favors Target, which it said has experienced an encouraging resurgence and relevance with consumers even though larger rival Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT) still claims a bigger share of consumer wallet.

In season fresh produce exists: try kale at its peak

In season fresh produce exists: try kale at its peak

If there is one thing I hear over and over in the winter, it is that winter vegetables are just not as exciting as spring and summer crops. Granted, there’s plenty to get excited about in the warmer months - fresh asparagus, delicate snap peas, fresh summer corn and at-their-peak tomatoes. But winter is a time of intoxicating flavors all of its own.

Take kale, a hearty, leafy green related to broccoli, brussels sprouts and cabbage. Kale is at its peak in the winter months, and with a bit of inspiration in the kitchen, anyone can enjoy its rich, hearty flavor and highly nutritious kick.

Kale is a member of the Brassica family, along with collard greens, mustard greens, bok choy, radishes, turnips, rutabagas and more. In fact, the Brassica family includes dozens of edible plants that we regularly eat. Kale is one of the oldest types of Brassicas, dating back to the 5th century B.C., when it was cultivated from a variety of wild cabbage and bred for its large leaves. Both the ancient Greeks and Romans grew kale, which is easy to produce.

In fact, it’s no wonder this plant has been grown for thousands of generations-it is one of the most highly nutritious vegetables we eat. One serving has over 600 percent of the recommended daily amount of Vitamin K, is an excellent source of non-dairy calcium and provides several phytonutrients that are thought to protect against cancer and heart disease.

EU strengthens controls on fruit and vegetable imports

EU strengthens controls on fruit and vegetable imports

The countries of the European Union (EU) today stepped up their border controls on imports of products of plant origin, such as fruit, vegetables and nuts, to avoid getting shipments with traces of pesticides or other substances harmful to health.

The EU toughened controls on imports of fruit and vegetables with pesticide residues. In the photo, a worker sprayed some fruit crops.

Yesterday (25/01) the new regulation will be enforced for the first time, establishing common rules for official inspections of the entry into community territory of certain food or feed from third countries which do not have animal origin.

Thus, there will be "systematic” customs checks of documents attached to imports of such products and "physical" inspections will be less frequent, according to EU sources.

The objective of this surveillance is to prevent items that come with substances that could endanger human or animal health, such as "aflatoxin" nuts or pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables.

The European Commission (EC) regularly monitors the implementation of this standard by countries.

In addition, Brussels will review a quarterly list of products affected by these rules, taking into account national experiences and the latest scientific data to ensure that the EU has a "high protection" of the consumer, the sources said.

Source: EFEAGRO

Wellness Foods: Healthy Beverages offer Health in a Can - Food Processing

Wellness Foods: Healthy Beverages offer Health in a Can - Food Processing


Consumers are guzzling antioxidants, fruits & vegetables and other good-for-you ingredients – but formulation hurdles remain.

Building healthier beverages once was a matter of swapping sugar for cyclamates or saccharine and then developing a new marketing campaign. For decades the only thing that changed in that paradigm was the name of the substitute sweeteners — cyclamates were banned, saccharine had its troubles, so aspartame – with or without acesulfame K – and to some extent sucralose took over as the zero-cal options.

Then the idea of energy drinks hit with a jolt. Jolt Cola, that is. And the idea that a cold beverage could do more than slake thirst flung open the doors to using liquid refreshment as a vehicle to more energy or a “trimmer, slimmer, better you.”

On the heels of energy — first from ginseng and caffeine, then from such exotic botanicals as yerba maté and guarana — came concoctions with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other nutraceuticals.

Today’s healthy beverage is built with any of several different ingredient aspects in mind — sweeteners, vitamins/minerals, natural ingredients (i.e., naturally derived flavors and colors), antioxidants and other bioactive compounds — and more often than not a combination of several of these. The goals have expanded too, to target not just weight control and energy needs but any number of different conditions, including cognition, mental health, digestive health and even social and ecological health.

The best diets in America - Fitsugar

The best diets in America - Fitsugar

know many of you are trying to lose weight for our Get Fit For 2010 challenge. It's not always easy to change eating habits, which is why for some, the structure of following a formal diet works well. The problem is that many diets are unhealthy, unsafe, and ultimately don't keep the weight off. If you are struggling to find a plan to help you, Health — along with a group of doctors, dietitians, and nutritionists — came up with a list of their picks for America's healthiest diets. The panel judged the pool of 60 diets by looking at their ability to give total body healthiness, real results, motivation, and reasonably achievable exercises.


* Volumetrics. The idea behind Volumetrics is to eat healthy but feel full. "Low-density foods like fruits and vegetables, as well as soups and stews, fill you up without overloading you with calories." This way you never feel like you're starving yourself. Volumetrics made the list because it’s “based on sound nutrition principles and overall healthy food choices.” We like it too because it's full of low-calorie and lower-fat food and lots of vegetables and fruits.

To see what other diets made the list, read more.
* The Best Life. I don't have to tell you who Bob Greene is, Oprah already did that. His diet is a complete makeover, "which offers a sane, healthy approach to overall lifestyle changes." It's full of recipes, attainable goals, and small steps that lead you to a bigger reward. The three components of the diet offer a "strategy that leads to slimming, nutritional eating, and increased physical activity."
* The Sonoma Diet. I've got big love for the Mediterranean diet, which is what the Sonoma Diet is based around: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, olive oil, fish, and nuts. The Sonoma Diet helps dieters quit processed foods for "active weight loss and maintenance." The Sonoma Diet is more about food and less about exercise, though: "This diet teaches you to eat slowly and savor your meals."
* The Step Diet. This diet wants you to get up and move — specifically, 10,000 steps each day. The book comes with a pedometer and gives dieters realistic ways to move more, like "parking farther away, taking the stairs." As far as food, the message is simple: "Cut food intake to 75 percent of what you currently eat."
* The EatingWell Diet. A newer diet, EatingWell looks at the science behind food and tries to change eating habits through behavioral changes like, "finding and facing eating triggers, eating and shopping mindfully, and cultivating regular, joyful exercise habits." It also encourages steady weight loss — about a pound a week.