- Published reports say that Meijer has installed the contactless payment option MasterCard PayPass in all 171 of its stores, and plans to have every one of its gas pumps equipped with the technology as well by early autumn.
- Kroger reportedly is using a system in a number of its Indiana stores that uses fingerprints to log employees in and out of work. The Indianapolis Star reports that all 100 Indiana Kroger stores are expected to implement the technology by sometime next year.
The machines cost $750 apiece, according to the paper, and are designed to keep employees from inflating their timesheets. While there was some union resistance, the company says that employees have taken to the system with little complaint.
- Miller Brewing Co. has decided to abandon the marketing of something called “Brutal Fruit,” a line of beers flavored with strawberry, mango, litchi and kiwi. It was launched in South Africa, and then brought to US test markets earlier this year.
The reason: consumers didn’t like it. Which seems like a pretty good reason not to sell something.
Anheuser-Busch is launching Tilt, a new raspberry-flavored, caffeinated malt beverage.
