Walgreens got an object lesson on how the cookie crumbles recently, when a consumer advocate in Massachusetts discovered the company had been charging online shoppers sales tax on cookies, even though they aren’t subject to tax in the state.

Edgar Dworsky, long-time watchdog and shrinkflation avenger, revealed on his website, Consumer World, that when he saw Royal Dansk Danish Butter Cookies were on sale for $2.55, he ordered 10 tins online to pick up in the store. But while the total should have been a decimal-point move of $25.50, he noticed Walgreens also charged a 7% tax of $1.79.

But tax law in the Bay State, as a smart cookie like Dworsky well knew, exempts food, except for meals sold by restaurants. And thus began Dworsky’s quest not just to recover his own $1.79, but to get Walgreens to reimburse other consumers it had overcharged for food items, too.

Keep reading here.—AAN

Before you pack away your 2023 inventory, here’s one question: How’s your storage setup? Elevate your game with intelligent storage solutions to optimize any incoming stock.

Whether you’re prepping to scale or planning a pop-up, PODS for Business is here to be your go-to for all things storage.

Now through Feb. 29, they’re holding a Smart Storage Kickoff, where you can get a 20% monthly rental discount on multiple PODS container sizes.

Curious about what, exactly, they can do for you? PODS for Business offers everything from on-site storage to pop-up storefronts at festivals. They also offer flexible, scalable solutions and services to meet your business’s unique needs.

Store smarter with stronger inventory strategy.

During the height of the pandemic, it was common for retailers and the public generally to throw support behind frontline workers who had to work in-person and didn’t have the option of working from the comfort of their couch.

At the time, nearly four years ago, companies faced pressure to increase the pay of their frontline hourly workers, and many eventually followed through as a result. But nearly four years later, frontline workers are leaving their jobs because some believe pay has not kept up with inflation, as Retail Brew previously reported.

• In the past year, 29% of retail workers said they had switched jobs, according to the Global Frontline Workforce Pulse Report that surveyed 5,615 frontline workers.
• The most common reason cited for leaving a previous role was better pay.

But pay is only part of the story. A Gallup poll found that 2021 was the first annual decline in engaged employees, down from 36% to 34%—a trend that only continued in 2022, when the rate was 32%. The Global Frontline Workforce Pulse report found that the 29% attrition rate was the lowest among industries covered.

That could be why retailers like PetSmart and AutoZone have taken steps to boost employee engagement.

Keep reading here.—KM

On Wednesdays, we wear pink spotlight Retail Brew’s readers. Want to be featured in an upcoming edition? Click here to introduce yourself.

Elli Eldiwany is global head of sales at Commotion, a company that uses AI to personalize the consumer shopping experience.

How would you describe your job to someone who doesn’t work in retail? Working with retailers to create unforgettable consumer shopping experiences. Consumer expectations have changed so dramatically all at once, expecting personalization and not putting up with traditional search experiences anymore, but brands aren’t all equipped to satisfy them.

One thing we can’t guess about your job from your LinkedIn profile? I joined Commotion to work with the three co-founders because they’re good friends of mine that I worked with previously at a startup that we took through IPO.

What’s your favorite project you’ve worked on? Right now, every project feels like the most exciting thing I’ve ever done because each retailer is so unique and wants to do incredible things.

Keep reading here.—EC