- UK retailer Somerfield reportedly will be meeting with two different companies that have expressed an interest in acquiring the 1,300-unit company.
- Wal-Mart’s Asda Group in the UK reportedly will open 48 new pharmacies inside its traditional stores, a move made possible by the relaxation of government regulations there. Fifteen of the pharmacies will open this year, and the rest next year.
- The New York Times reports this morning that Splenda – the brand name used for artificial sweetener sucralose, which is the target of lawsuits alleging fraudulent advertising – is about to become available in a brown “sugar” version.
The NYT writes, “Splenda brown sugar is likely to add to the legal debate brewing over Splenda's marketing campaign. The Sugar Association, which represents the sugar industry; Merisant, the maker of the aspartame based artificial sweetener NutraSweet; and a lawyer in San Diego have filed lawsuits against McNeil contending that Splenda's marketing misleads consumers” about how close it is to actual sugar.
- Retalix announced its acquisition of TCI Solutions and Integrated Distribution Solutions (IDS).
